Tech giant Apple has issued a stern warning to individuals who charge their iPhones while sleeping, highlighting potential risks that go beyond disrupting sleep patterns or affecting battery life. Many users are drawn to the idea of waking up to a fully charged phone. However, Apple’s recent advisory sheds light on a far more serious concern linked to charging habits.
The Risks Unveiled by Apple’s PSA
According to Apple’s public service announcement (PSA), sleeping beside a phone while it’s connected to a charging cable could lead to potential hazards, including fire, electric shock, personal injury, or damage to the device itself. Falling asleep with the phone under a blanket, pillow, or even your body can also be a potential fire hazard. Proper air circulation around the charging components is crucial to avoid these dangerous outcomes.
Ensuring Safety During Charging
To mitigate these risks, Apple offers some practical safety advice. Firstly, keep your iPhone, power adapter, and wireless charger in a well-ventilated area while in use or during charging. Particularly if you have a medical condition affecting your ability to sense heat, exercise extra caution. Secondly, use the charging cable provided with your phone and opt for an Apple USB power adapter that conforms to the appropriate safety standards. In addition to this, you should avoid using cheap or non-standard charging accessories as they might not meet safety standards.
Additional Reasons to Keep Your Phone Away From Your Bed
Apple’s warning echoes broader advice from health professionals regarding phone usage near bedtime. Scientific studies have shown that the blue light emitted by screens can inhibit the production of melatonin – the hormone responsible for sleepiness – making it difficult to fall asleep. Moreover, having a phone nearby can hinder the brain’s ability to switch off. To promote better sleep hygiene, experts recommend reducing overall screen time, designating the bedroom as a screen-free zone, and enabling night-time modes or filters if necessary.
2 Billion-Year-Old Water Found at the Bottom of a Canadian Mine
The water found at the bottom of a Canadian mine isn’t just any old water; it’s the world’s oldest water, clocking in at 2 billion years old! So after finding the water, scientists tested it to find out how much it had moved and what minerals were in it. Not only did they find that the water hadn’t moved much from its spot, but they also found an unexpectedly high amount of dissolved minerals.
The World’s Oldest Pool of Water
Imagine a pool of water that’s been around for over two billion years. This is precisely what scientists found at the bottom of a Canadian mine in 2016. It was found about 3 km from the Earth’s surface. The water dated back to the Pleistocene era 2 billion years ago. It knocks 500 million years off the oldest known water, discovered in 2013 by the same team in the same mine at around 2.5 kilometers of depth. Miners are digging deeper and deeper into the Earth’s crust to search for copper, zinc, and silver, making this mine the world’s deepest.
The Age of the Water Determined
When the miners went further into the mine, the researchers had an opportunity to explore it more. First, they analyzed the water trapped there by studying the gases in the water. Sometimes, gases like helium and xenon get trapped in water in rock cracks, and measuring these gases can tell you how old the water is. Moreover, it wasn’t just the incredible age of the water that proved noteworthy. When they analyzed the liquid, they found signs of life within it. Although they haven’t found actual living bacteria, they have discovered essentially the fingerprint of life. From this, they can infer that there was some microbial life within the water, over a long period of time.