Why are stroke and heart attack increasing among young people in Brazil?
oglobo27 August 2026 at 13:27
More than 200,000 people died from cardiovascular diseases in Brazil in the first half of 2026, and in 2025 there were 64,471 deaths from stroke, equivalent to one death every six minutes. The Ministry of Health revealed that hospitalizations for heart attacks in patients under 40 years old increased by 180% between 2000 and 2024, showing that these diseases are increasingly affecting young people. Cardiologist Carlos Rassi, from Hospital Sírio-Libanês in Brasília, attributes this trend to worsening lifestyle habits, including obesity, sedentary lifestyle, ultra-processed food, inadequate sleep, chronic stress, smoking, electronic cigarettes, early-onset type 2 diabetes, as well as drug use and anabolic steroids.
The oleander hawk-moth (Daphnis nerii), one of the largest nocturnal butterflies in Europe, was confirmed for the first time in Portugal in a scientific article published in the journal Zoodiversity by entomologists Eduardo Marabuto and Albano Soares. Five records of the species were documented between 2014 and 2024, including the first evidence of reproduction in the country, discovered in Montijo when researchers found pupae under an oleander tree. This westward expansion, likely driven by climate change, has also been observed in other European countries such as Germany, Hungary, France and Belgium. Although there is still no evidence of resident populations in Portugal, experts believe the species may eventually establish itself in the country, becoming a flagship species for raising awareness about butterflies and biodiversity.
The last partial lunar eclipse of the year offers a spectacle for early risers, with the Moon plunging into Earth's shadow during the early morning hours. For those unable to observe the phenomenon directly, various online broadcasts will be available to follow the celestial event.
A partial lunar eclipse, with a maximum of 83%, will be visible in Portugal in the early morning between approximately 2:30 AM and 7:10 AM, with the "peak" expected to be around 5:10 AM. The article debunks seven myths associated with this astronomical phenomenon, including the belief that it is a sign of bad omen, theories related to pregnancy and babies, and the story of a jaguar. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse does not require special glasses to be observed, as it results from the Earth passing between the Sun and the Moon, rather than the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun.
Portuguese researchers from the GeoBioTec center at Nova University of Lisbon and the Dom Luiz Institute concluded, through theoretical models, that energy storage in porous rocks located at depth can reach capacities sufficient to supply a small city. This discovery represents a significant advance in the field of renewable energies and geological energy storage.
