Touchpoint 1
IPLC: The acronym that is keeping Indigenous advocates up at night
What is it?
Indigenous peoples peoples won rights to land decades ago. With the climate changing, Indigenous peoples are worried governments may come for their lands. Especially worrying is that they are now identified as IPLC, which stands for Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities. It’s the LC part that has them worried.
Potential message to students:
How much does an acronym matter? How important is it to get the acronym right? Do you think governments are adding “LC” so it will be easier to take Indigenous peoples land using a “local benefit” argument?
Touchpoint 2
World’s largest catalog of breast cells created to catch cancer early
What is it?
Researchers have catalogued over 800,000 breast tissue cells. The hope is to understand how cells differ, identify risks, and better understand how gene mutations can lead to breast cancer. They are trying to learn how breast cancer starts so they can treat it early.
Potential message to students:
Do you think there is something in our day-to-day environment that leads to more cancers in humans? Do you think this is more about our environment, what we put on our body directly, or what we eat? What do you think about this approach to try and understand all breast cells types to figure out which ones would be impacted by a mutation?
Touchpoint 3
Sleeplessness Makes You Feel Up To Ten Years Older
What is it?
Researchers studied 600 people and found that a night of bad sleep makes you feel 3 months older. They also found that if a participant slept on four hours for two nights in a row, they felt 4.4 years older.
Potential message for students:
Do you think staying up the night before a test and cramming does more harm than good? Do you think you should study two nights before a big test and then get a good night’s sleep the night before? Do you think bad sleep impacts your parents and grandparents? Do you notice it?