Thinking of thru-hiking the PCT next year? Pay attention to these permit changes
Anyone hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail should snag a permit, which replaces all of the individual wilderness permits a hiker would have to obtain along the way. Permits are available now for the 2020 hiking season, with a few notable changes.
Beginning in 2020, northbound hikers are required to complete the Southern Sierra in one continuous stretch, rather than skipping snowy sections and returning to complete them later in the season. Hikers are allowed to leave the trail and resupply but no other diversions are allowed. In 2020, northbound permits will be issued for those leaving between March 1 and May 31.
Also beginning next year, there will be only 15 permits issued per day for hikers heading southbound from the Canadian border.
Here we go again– October 2019 was the hottest October ever recorded
Just like September, July and June before it, October 2019 was the hottest October ever recorded globally, beating out October 2015, which previously held the record.
According to an analysis by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, average surface temperatures across the globe were 1.24 degrees above average. Although many parts of the Western United States and Western Canada saw temperatures below average, much of the Arctic saw temperatures well above average. Europe, the Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Russia, Australia, Antarctica, and parts of Brazil also experienced higher than normal temperatures.
New study shows that eating a diet high in fiber and probiotics can lower your risk of lung cancer
New research conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has linked the consumption of fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics to a lower risk of developing lung cancer. The study took a look at the diets of 1.44 million people in the United States, Europe, and Asia and found that people who regularly ate high amounts of fiber and probiotics found in yogurt were between 15 and 19 percent less likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer. Those that consumed the highest amount of yogurt were 33 percent less likely to be diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which impacts lung function.
Researchers theorize that the anti-inflammatory properties of yogurt and foods high in fiber contribute to a healthier gut microbiome, which may lower the risk of developing lung cancer.
