Do you like drinking tea or taking a stroll in the rain? Did you know that walking backwards can help your memory – or that stopping yourself from being a mouth breather is good for your oral health?

This might sound like a bad mash-up of the ‘pina colada song’, but in fact these are all subjects (and more) that I’m covering in the new series of my podcast, Just One Thing (which launches next week).

As a reminder, in each episode of this series I take a close look at a different ‘thing’, something simple that could improve your mental and physical wellbeing in surprising ways. Here’s a preview of what I discovered…

Have a cup of tea 

We’ve become a nation of coffee drinkers, a recent survey found, with more Britons now drinking coffee than tea.

But has the pendulum swung too far – is it time to start drinking more tea?

The most popular tea in the UK is ‘black’ tea, which comes from Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. The leaves are exposed to the air to darken, which, among other things, increases their caffeine content.

They’re also packed full of plant compounds called polyphenols that have multiple health benefits, including being good for our bones.

One study in Australia, which monitored more than 1,000 women aged over 75 for more than ten years, showed that those who drank more than three cups of tea daily were 30 per cent less likely to suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis, compared with those who drank one cup or less per week. (I’m particularly interested in this, as I have a family history of osteoporosis.)

On top of that, you will not be surprised to hear that drinking tea is a great way to relax. But not, as you might expect, simply down to the ritual; you stop work, put the kettle on, perhaps have a chat.

In fact, there’s a substance in tea, L-theanine, which studies show increases the activity of alpha brainwaves, which are associated with being calm and creative.

Stroll backwards

And after your cup of tea, why not put on your walking shoes and go for a stroll? Backwards. This might sound eccentric, but it’s a technique that’s been used in physiotherapy for decades to rehabilitate lower leg injuries.

It can improve your gait, balance and mobility, plus a study by Roehampton University in 2018 showed that walking backwards can sharpen your memory.

The scientists behind this experiment think that when you walk backwards physically, this helps you ‘walk back’ mentally, retrieving memories from something you did earlier. So if you’re wondering where you put those keys, perhaps a short stroll backwards will jog your memory.

When I first heard about this I was intrigued that something so simple and, frankly, weird could have such an effect.

It can be done on a treadmill, but with care you can do it safely in your own home or outside.

If you fancy giving it a go then start slowly, doing a few steps, then build up. Try it with a partner: the idea is that you face each other, holding hands, so while you are walking backwards they are walking forwards. Then you swap.

0r when it rains 

If walking backwards isn’t your thing, go for a conventional walk – but in the rain.

For starters, if you’re looking for fresh air, there’s no better time to go for a walk than a rainy day, because rain improves air quality.

A recent study in Japan found that as the rain falls, the droplets attract and wash away tens of thousands of polluting particles from the air. These particles, which are generated by traffic, are very harmful because they are small enough to penetrate deep into our lungs when we inhale them.

And then there’s that wonderful, earthy smell just after it’s rained.

It’s got a great name: petrichor, from the Greek word ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, the fluid that in Greek mythology flowed through the veins of the immortals. That earthy smell occurs as water hits dusty or clay soils, releasing tiny air bubbles that scent the air.

The main component of petrichor is a chemical called geosmin, which is made by bacteria in the soil. There’s evidence that inhaling geosmin can make us feel good.

In a 2022 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers asked 30 adults to handle soil that contained geosmin, and soil that didn’t.

After just five minutes’ exposure to geosmin, the volunteers had higher levels of the mood-boosting chemical serotonin in their blood and reduced levels of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation that’s linked to depression (though why this happens isn’t yet clear).

Try to breathe through your nose 

I’d always dismissed claims that breathing in through your nose is healthier than through your mouth – after all, it still ends up in the same place (your lungs). But as I’ve discovered, being a mouth breather has considerable downsides, including reducing the amount of saliva you produce, making your mouth drier and increasing the risk of tooth decay and inflamed gums.

And nose breathing could also give your brain a boost. In a recent study, volunteers were given a memory test while in a brain scanner: when they breathed through their noses they performed better, and the scans revealed their brains were working more efficiently.

Studies at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have shown that nose breathing boosts levels of nitric oxide, a chemical that fights off infection in your sinuses and increases the blood flow in your lungs, raising oxygen levels in your blood and presumably your brain.

Listen to Just One Thing on BBC Radio 4 every Wednesday from September 20 at 9.30am – when you can also download the whole series on BBC Sounds.

Early nights may protect brain 

Trying to function after a bad night’s sleep is difficult: you feel tired, irritable and, if you are like me, you also feel an insane desire to eat something sweet.

While one restless night isn’t going to do much damage, night after night of poor sleep can raise the risk of dementia.

One theory is that if you don’t get enough sleep, especially restorative deep sleep, you get a build-up of toxins in the brain that can lead to brain damage.

That’s because when you are in deep sleep, a network of channels in your brain, known as the glymphatic system, opens up and washes away any toxic waste from the day.

Sadly, as we get older, we tend to get less deep sleep, which means that our brains aren’t as good at washing away the toxins. Indeed, young people typically have a couple of hours’ deep sleep a night, but when you get to my age (66), you’re lucky to get 30 minutes.

But the good news is that researchers at Binzhou Medical University in China have now identified a protein, pleiotrophin, that can – at least in mice – protect brain cells from damage by toxins. When mice were deprived of sleep, their pleiotrophin levels drop.

The hope is that we will find some way to pump up pleiotrophin levels. Until then, get an early night to try to maximise the amount of deep sleep you get.

Eat green bananas for healthy liver 

In last week’s column, I mentioned that cooking, cooling and reheating pasta turned the carbs in it into resistant starch, which isn’t readily broken down in the gut but acts more like fibre.

So not only do you get less of a blood sugar spike after eating it (because less of it is absorbed), but it also feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut. They, in turn, convert the resistant starch into a fatty acid called butyrate, which has many benefits for the gut, including reducing the risk of developing colon cancer.

Now a study has shown that consuming more resistant starch helps your liver, too. Researchers at Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital in China recruited 200 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a build-up of fat in the liver – one in three Britons has early signs of this condition, which is associated with a raised risk of heart attack, stroke and liver damage.

Patients in the study were given a resistant starch powder made from maize or corn to have twice a day, for four months. When compared with a control group, they had 40 per cent less fat in their livers.

They also had reduced levels of liver enzymes and inflammatory factors associated with NAFLD. The good news is you can easily increase your consumption of resistant starch by eating oats, legumes and green bananas. Or by cooking, cooling and reheating rice, pasta or potatoes.

Hunter Biden‘s former associate’s emails with then-Vice President’s staff from 2015 detail a closely coordinated relationship that blurred the line between official government work and the Biden family business and may be evidence of ‘collusion,’ say Republicans.

The GOP is ramping up its investigation into the Biden family’s decades-long ‘influence peddling scheme’ as lawmakers eye opening a potential impeachment inquiry into the sitting president over his connections to his son’s foreign business operations.

They are narrowing in on a series of emails between Eric Schwerin, a close business associate of Hunter’s at his investment firm Rosemont Seneca, and then-VP staffer Kate Bedingfield in December 2015 regarding Hunter’s Ukraine ties.

In an exchange on December 4, 2015 labeled ‘Quotes,’ Schwerin sought the VP’s sign-off on statements he suggested the White House use to respond to media inquiries regarding Hunter’s role in Ukrainian oil company Burisma as Joe ramped up his anti-corruption work in the country.

At the time, Hunter was serving on the board of the company making roughly $83,000 a month despite having no previous experience in the energy industry.

According to the records, Schwerin wrote to Bedingfield’s official ‘@ovp.eop.gov’ account, suggesting language ‘from a spokesperson for Hunter’ distancing Joe from Hunter’s lucrative Burisma role.

She replied: ‘VP signed off on this’ a few hours later, and then sent the statement to the New York Times and other inquiring outlets.

On the exact day of the email exchange, Hunter was actually in Dubai with Burisma executives at a dinner at the Four Seasons.

Hunter allegedly said at that dinner that he would be able to get ‘help from D.C.’ in order to relieve some ‘government pressure’ on the company as they faced corruption probes.

Archer testified before Congress last month that Burisma ‘requested Hunter, you know, help them with some of that pressure,’ and ‘D.C.’ meant his influence based on his connection to his then-VP father. 

‘Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was that’s what they were asking for,’ said Archer about Hunter. 

He then continued on to confirm that immediately after Hunter was asked to help during the Four Seasons meeting, he ‘called his dad.’ 

Although Archer was not ‘privy’ to the call, he was told that ‘we called D.C.’ 

The emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield were first publicized by America First Legal in March as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit with the National Archives. 

Many of the related emails have been ‘withheld in full’ due to White House executive privilege. 

Now, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is demanding the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) produce all the emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield in their full, un-redacted state. 

He also asks for documents and communications between the VP’s office and staff with Hunter’s other associates including Devon Archer, Vuk Jeremic, John Robinson ‘Rob’ Walker and Jeffrey Cooper.

‘Joe Biden never built an ‘absolute wall’ between his family’s business dealings and his official government work – his office doors were wide open to Hunter Biden’s associates,’ Chairman Comer told DailyMail.com in a statement. ‘There is evidence of collusion in the efforts to spin media stories about Burisma’s corruption while Vice President Biden was publicly pushing an anti-corruption agenda in Ukraine.’

A spokesperson for NARA said that the agency has received the request from Comer and will respond ‘in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’ 

The White House has maintained that Joe Biden has never been ‘in business’ with his son or aware of his foreign dealings. 

The follow-up request comes a week after Comer wrote to NARA asking the agency to provide records detailing reports that Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with his dad then-Vice President Joe on Air Force Two.

They accuse then-VP Biden of having ‘abused’ his taxpayer-funded office ‘to enrich his family’ by flying Hunter all over the world to meet with his business associates, according to a letter to the National Archives on Aug. 29 obtained by DailyMail.com.

Hunter tagged along with his powerful father during official vice president trips between 2009 and 2017 to Asia, Europe, Africa, Mexico and Canada spanning at least 15 different countries, according to a recent report by Fox News.

During the trips, Hunter would reportedly meet with his international business associates and potential clients. He also apparently offered short ‘handshake’ meetings providing his partners direct access to his father on several occasions. 

They demanded all Air Force Two flight records and emails sent from the White House to Biden family members during the Obama-Biden administration.

Additionally, new records have revealed that then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s investment firm Rosemont Seneca exchanged over 1,000 emails during his time as the No. 2 most powerful politician in the world.

Republicans claim there is mounting evidence that the then-vice president was involved in Hunter’s overseas deals that raked in millions from nations including China, Romania and Ukraine.

The House Oversight Committee Republicans reiterate their ‘concerns’ that foreign nationals ‘sought access and influence by engaging in lucrative business relationships with high-profile political figures’ immediate family members,’ including members of the Biden family. 

DailyMail.com reached out to NARA for a response to the Republican-led letter last week, and a spokesperson said Comer’s ‘request’ has been received. 

‘NARA has received the request from Chairman Comer, and will respond in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’ 

With eight billion people now walking the Earth, the thought of humans going extinct anytime soon seems rather unlikely.

Barring nuclear annihilation, being overrun by artificial intelligence or a catastrophic impact from space, of course.

But even if our population is booming today, it hasn’t always been that way.

That’s because there have been at least five occasions throughout history where the human race has been in danger of dying out, not least because of the eruption of a supervolcano 70,000 years ago that almost sent us the same way as the dinosaurs.

But what happened on the other occasions? And how close did we really come to not existing? MailOnline takes a look.

1.1 million – 1.2 million years ago

It took until 1804 for the world’s population to reach one billion, 1927 to surpass two billion and 1960 to get to three billion.

If that population growth seems rapid, it’s nothing in comparison to the fact that in the six decades since, it has soared to more than eight billion.

Rewind 1.2 million years, however, and things weren’t so rosy.

Researchers have estimated that between our ancient cousins Homo ergaster and Home erectus, the entire human race was made up of just 26,000 people.

Worse still, the breeding population was about 18,000 – i.e. without children – which means there were fewer humans then than there are gorillas today.

Classified as a critically endangered species, there are now estimated to be around 316,000 western gorillas in the wild and 5,000 eastern gorillas. 

So what was to blame for this drop in human population, especially as fossil evidence shows that members of our Homo genus were spreading across Africa, Asia and Europe?

Scientists aren’t sure, but they know there was an extinction level event which temporarily wiped out early humans from Europe around the same time.

The previously unknown ice age pushed the European climate to ‘beyond what archaic humans could tolerate’, according to a study published last month. 

Ocean sediments from 1.1 million years ago show temperatures suddenly dropped by more than 9°F (5°C), which scientists say would have made it impossible for our ancestors to survive because they didn’t have heating or warm clothes.

This absence of our species from the continent lasted for about 200,000 years, before humans adapted and returned.

800,000 – 900,000 years ago

That was all well and good, but it wasn’t long before our race faced another perilous challenge.

Just last week, a separate piece of research suggested that another severe cooling period put humans at risk between 800,000 and 900,000 years ago.

It was so dicey the population of our ancestors dropped to just 1,280 individuals during a period in Earth’s history known as the Middle Pleistocene.

This severe ‘bottleneck’ lasted around 117,000 years and was a threat to humanity as we know it today, experts said. 

The decline also coincided with climate change that led to long periods of glaciation, a drop in sea surface temperatures, possible long periods of drought in Africa and Eurasia, and loss of other species which may have been a food source. 

Our last common ancestor with Neanderthals, and another extinct human species called Denisovans, was also thought to live during this period.

Professor Giorgio Manzi, a senior author of the research and anthropologist at Sapienza University of Rome, said: ‘We know that between about 900,000 and 600,000 years ago, the fossil record in Africa is very scarce, if not almost absent, while both before and after we have a greater number of fossil evidence.

‘The same can be said for Eurasia: for example, in Europe we have a species known as around 800,000 years ago and then nothing for about 200,000 years.’

Professor Chris Stringer, the head of human origins at the Natural History Museum in London, said things were so dire that it was ‘remarkable’ the human species survived.

‘For a population of that size, you just need one bad climate event, an epidemic, a volcanic eruption and you’re gone,’ he told the Guardian.

150,000 years ago

Around 195,000 years ago, the world once again started to undergo a big change.

Deserts and glaciers began to expand, causing temperatures to drop and destroying habitats across what became a cold and dry landscape.

It is unclear why, but groups of humans in Africa started to split up, which in turn caused our numbers to plummet dramatically around 150,000 years ago.

The continent was largely the only place that Homo sapiens, or modern humans, lived until about 50,000 years ago.

But the scale of the glacial phase was so threatening that some scientists believe our breeding numbers dropped to as low as just 600 individuals.

Those that survived appeared to thrive after settling beside the sea in what is now South Africa, experts say. 

This was vital because the area happened to be rich in plants that stored their energy below the surface of the soil, as well as having relatively warm waters nearby which enabled shellfish to flourish.

Both of these factors provided Homo sapiens living there with just enough food to survive and enabled our species to evolve into the humans we are today.

70,000 years ago

It’s clear that humans don’t fare well in extreme cooling events, but there was a very different threat that almost annihilated us just over 70,000 years ago.

Rather than an ice age, it was the largest volcanic eruption in history that nearly brought an end to our existence.

The Toba super-eruption fired out some 720 cubic miles (3,000 cubic km) of rock and ash which spread across the world, blocking out the sun and creating a volcanic winter which lasted at least a decade.

Such was the extent of the catastrophe that it killed off huge swathes of animal and plant life, while also squeezing our species to a few thousand people.

It had been thought that those remaining were confined to parts of Africa, but in 2020 a study found evidence that humans in India also survived the fallout. 

Researchers assessed a 80,000 year-long record of rock layers from the Dhaba site in northern India’s Middle Son Valley.

Tools made from rock were found which coincide with the timing of the Toba event, indicating humans in India were already using Stone Age tools when it erupted.

The site yielded evidence that use of the tools persisted after the catastrophic event created a decade-long winter — proof that the people who created them survived. 

The Toba eruption was so massive that all that is left of the mountain is the enormous Lake Toba, which stretches 62 miles (100 kilometres) long, 19 miles (30 km) wide, and up to 1,657 feet (505 metres) deep.

It occurred 74,000 years ago on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, and was about 5,000 times larger than the Mount St Helens eruption in the 1980s.

40,000 years ago

Climate change may be one of today’s greatest debates.

But between 25,000 and 40,000 years ago it was what could have wiped out one of our most famous cousins. 

Computer analysis suggested in 2020 that Neanderthals may have failed to adapt to a rapidly changing climate, although it has also been argued that the arrival of Homo sapiens from Africa could have led to a desperate squabble for resources.

Ultimately, some say, the superior intelligence of us modern humans gave us the edge in this fight and led to Neanderthals dying out.

However, a study published three years ago suggested that it was because Neanderthals lost most of their ‘climatic niche’.

This describes a locale where conditions are just right for the species to survive, not too hot, dry, cold or barren.

Researchers investigated temperature, rainfall and other data over the last five million years to get a gauge of the climate for every 1,000-year window.

This allowed them to come up with their theory about why climate change may have killed off Neanderthals between 25,000 and 40,000 years ago.

Another early human species, Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the ‘hobbit’ also died out around this time, although what happened to them is a mystery. 

It meant Homo sapiens were left as the sole-surviving species in the once diverse human family tree, allowing us to ultimately swell in number to more than eight billion individuals.

So when will our species go extinct?

If you’re an optimist, it won’t be for another billion years.

That is when the expanding sun will cause our planet to heart up to a Venus-like state and render all life on Earth extinct.

However, a billion years is a long time, especially when you consider that scientists this year placed the Doomsday Clock at a record 90 seconds to midnight. 

So if there is a global apocalypse, what might be to blame for wiping out all life on Earth?

A wandering black hole, giant asteroid impact and nuclear war could all trigger such disaster, as could the rise of killer robots or the reversal of our planet’s magnetic field. 

Experts on catastrophic risks think there is a six per cent chance humans will go extinct in just 77 years, while renowned physicist Stephen Hawking said our species would probably have to find another planet to live on within 1,000 years if we are to live on.

Others argue that mammalian species typically last around one million years before going extinct, which, considering modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago, would give us another 800,000 years on the planet.

Looking at the course of human history, and the ever-present threat of nuclear war and growing artificial intelligence, that might end up still being a rather bullish and hopeful outlook, however. 

US officials are quietly shutting down a taxpayer-funded $125million project to hunt for new viruses due to fears it could spark another pandemic. 

DEEP VZN – pronounced deep vision – was launched in October 2021 with the aim of finding and studying novel pathogens in wildlife in Asia, Africa and Latin America. 

While the research was meant to prevent human outbreaks and pandemics, critics, including Biden administration officials, are afraid it could do the opposite and have voiced their fears about the potentially ‘catastrophic risks’ of virus hunting.

And their concerns are amplified due to the growing suspicion Covid emerged from an American-sponsored lab in Wuhan, China – a theory the FBI subscribes to.

The project was meant to run until 2026, but DEEP VZN was shut down in July 2023 after a wide swath of experts stressed concerns over the safety of the research.

Announcement of the closure came Thursday in a feature published in The BMJ by investigative journalist David Williams. 

While this is the most recent to come to light, it is far from the first research the US has conducted on this matter. 

For more than a decade the government has funded international projects aimed at identifying exotic viruses among wildlife that could infect humans someday, sending millions to support various similar projects. 

Money has flown overseas from the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

DEEP VZN, which stands for Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses, was launched by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in October 2021 and less than two years later, USAID officials informed members of Senate committees with jurisdiction over DEEP VZN the program was being shut down. 

The premature closure of the project came abruptly and was privately relayed to Senate aides by the office of Atul Gawande, USAID’s assistant administrator for global health.

The news was buried in a congressional budget document hundreds of pages long and was discussed during interviews Mr Williams conducted with federal lawmakers and researchers. 

At its launch, USAID said the ‘ambitious new project’ was meant to work with partner countries and the global community to ‘build better preparedness for future global health threats.’

The organization said the project would ‘strengthen global capacity to detect and understand the risks of viral spillover from wildlife to humans that could cause another pandemic.

‘The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how infectious diseases threaten all of society, up-ending people’s lives and attacking societies at their cores. 

‘It is also a strong reminder of the connection between animals, humans, and the environment, and the effect that an emerging pathogen spilling over into humans can have on people’s health and on global economies.’

The project was being carried out by scientists from the Washington State University Paul Allen School for Global Health among other research and partner entities. 

The goal was to collect more than 800,000 samples over the five-year period, mostly from wildlife, to identify a subset of ‘previously unknown’ viruses that ‘pose a significant pandemic threat.’

The university sought to detect 12,000 new viruses throughout the program’s run and scientists hoped the information would not only help prevent future pandemics, but also better prepare health officials if one did emerge. 

‘DEEP VZN is a critical next step in the evolution of USAID’s work to understand and address the risks posed by zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.’

However, in a statement regarding the closure of the program, USAID said it had determined the research was ‘not an agency global health security priority at this time’ and its decision reflected ‘the relative risks and impact of our programming.’

Now, the organization said it will focus on improving laboratory capacity, disease monitoring, human resources, biosafety and security and risk communication. 

Criticism of the program arose almost immediately after its launch from wide-ranging government figures and advisers, including health, biosafety and security officials, as well as Senators and White House officials.

In a private letter to a USAID administrator in November 2021, members and staff at both the Senate foreign relations committee and the Senate appropriations committee said they were ‘particularly concerned’ about DEEP VZN’s research into ‘studying unknown viruses in areas where there is high risk of animal to human spillover.’

They continued: ‘Given all of the outstanding questions surrounding the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is critically important that this initiative be adequately vetted.’

Additionally, a biosecurity, biosafety and White House official, advised the same USAID administrator to shut down DEEP VZN in December 2021, Mr Williams wrote. 

After a review of the project aimed to ensure it would be conducted in a way to adequately manage risks, USAID told researchers in March and November 2022 to not collect samples of viruses until proper safety protocols were reviewed. 

However, federal records show through the spring of 2023, USAID continued to fund research while the project leaders established more labs, technicians and support staff needed to handle the volume of genetic samples collected.

In interviews, White House officials told Mr Williams the decision to discontinue DEEP VZN reflected the Biden Administration’s ‘commitment to weigh more rigorously the risks and potential benefits of research projects.’

The officials referenced policy recommendations that only supported research like DEEP VZN’s if there was no other safer method that would produce the same benefits and only after ‘unnecessary risks have been eliminated.’ 

Virus hunting has been a point of contention long before the Covid pandemic and scientists have dismissed the notion it could lead to lifesaving drugs or the prevention of a pandemic. 

Now, in the wake of the pandemic, more people in the science community have raised additional concerns, warning the risks of collecting animal-to-animal transmitted viruses should be highly considered as this type of research typically involves collecting animal blood, excrement or saliva and transporting samples to labs for analysis. 

A misstep at any point in the process could produce a catastrophic outcome and result in a new pandemic. 

In May, three leaders of the Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the benefits and risks of virus hunting, expressing this very concern. 

The lawmakers said in a letter to GAO that while similar research has identified thousands of new viruses, scientists question if collecting animal viruses can ‘accurately predict those that may infect humans, or what the effect would be if and when humans are subsequently infected.’

They continued, according to The BMJ feature, warning that others in the community ‘have suggested these types of programs risk unintentional infection of field or laboratory workers that could result in an accidental outbreak.’

GAO began an audit into DEEP VZN following the letter, but told Mr Williams it would not be completed until spring 2024. 

Understandably, holiday brochures tend to gloss over the havoc that insects can wreak on the getaway of your dreams.

They tend not to mention that those golden sands you’re looking forward to lolling on are plagued by horseflies, that swarms of midges infest that wilderness you fancy romping across, or that vicious ants that bite and sting might be lurking in the garden of your otherwise dreamy rental.

But it’s important to know about what bugs lie in wait. After all, they could leave you with some unwanted souvenirs – such as angry welts marching up your arms and legs.

Here, we reveal all you need to know about the most irritating and dangerous insects – how to keep them at bay, including some surprising homemade repellents, and what to do if you’re attacked.

Hornets

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Where are they found?

Throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

How can they hurt you?

Hornets deliver a ‘potent, venomous sting’, veterinarian Luana Factor, who works for www.hermitcrabanswers.com, explains.

Is their sting painful?

‘Yes, a hornet sting is notably painful and can be more so than [that of the] common wasp,’ Ms Factor says.

Animal expert Coyote Peterson concurs. He is known for subjecting himself to the stings of vicious insects and carried out one of his masochistic exercises with a giant European hornet. He said the sting ‘burns’, but not much more than one delivered by a paper wasp.  

Treatment   

There are many over-the-counter anti-sting remedies available, and a few homemade ones. According to Rentokil, ice can help reduce swelling from a sting, with crushed garlic slathered on the sting site acting as pain relief, along with onion and cucumber slices. 

Severe outcomes

Call an ambulance if there is a severe reaction, such as swelling of the throat, tongue and face; difficulty breathing; dizziness; and loss of consciousness. 

What are they attracted to?

Bright colours, sweet smells and drinks, and food, especially protein, the experts say.

Do they have a purpose?

They are important pollinators and eat pests. 

Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t wear bright colours and make sudden movements, says Ms Factor.

Do opt for neutral tones, try to remain calm and cover food.

Do use peppermint to keep them at bay – they loathe peppermint. An effective natural repellent can be made by adding 10 to 15 drops of peppermint oil to a spray bottle of water, and applying this to any areas hornets might frequent.

Peppermint-oil-infused candles are also effective at keeping hornets at bay, according to eliminatesolutions.co.uk. 

Hornets are also repulsed by the smell of coffee. If you’re dining outside, burn coffee grounds in a tin and allow them to smoulder to help create a hornet-free zone.

Asian giant hornets / Japanese hornets – aka ‘murder hornets’

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Where are they found? 

As its name suggests, the Japanese hornet (vespa mandarinia japonica) is found in Japan, with its close relation the Asian giant hornet (vespa mandarinia) found in eastern and southeastern Asia. Both can grow up to two and a half inches in length.

How can they hurt you? 

‘Delivers a potent sting, particularly if the nest is provoked,’ says Ms Factor.

And they can sting even through beekeeper clothing. 

Pain level

‘Severe,’ Ms Factor says. 

Coyote Peterson concurs. He was filmed letting a Japanese hornet sting him. He described the pain as ‘immediately searing’ and if he touched the sting site he experienced a ‘sharp shooting pain’.

Other effects 

Coyote’s hand seized up as he experienced an ‘intense wave of dizziness’. Then an alarming ‘goose-egg-sized’ lump appeared around the sting site. 

Those bitten may also experience ‘a lump in [the] throat or difficulty swallowing’ as well as ‘nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea and abdominal pain’, Bite prevention expert Howard Carter adds. 

Aggression

Giant hornets, like all hornets, are not aggressive – unless they’re disturbed. And they will defend their nests forthrightly.

Sting treatment

Wash the sting site with soap and apply ice to slow the venom spread and calm the inflammation.

‘If you have an anaphylactic reaction immediately inject with an EpiPen,’ bite prevention expert Howard Carter adds. Or call an ambulance.

Common wasps

Where are they found?

Worldwide. 

How can they hurt you? 

The common wasp (vespula vulgaris) can deploy a fairly painful venomous sting – over and over again. Though multiple stings drain its venom stocks. The bad news for humans? ‘They can allocate the amount of venom injected, but will inject the entire amount with humans since they perceive us as a greater threat,’ warns www.fantasticpestcontrol.co.uk.

Attracted to?

Sweet substances, proteins, and bright colours, notes Ms Factor.

Do they serve any sort of purpose?

Yes. They have a PR problem – especially with picnickers – but are considered vital pollinators and they devour pests.

Do’s and Don’ts

It is better to remain still than to swat the insects, Ms Factor says.

She further advises to keep food covered and to avoid wearing bright colours.

Do use peppermint to keep them at bay. Like hornets, they hate peppermint. They’re also not hugely fond of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges – and the smell of coffee.

Africanised honey bees

Where are they found? 

South and Central America, and in U.S states to the south and west including Texas, Florida, California, Nevada and Washington. 

How can they hurt you?

Africanised honey bees – aka ‘killer bees’ – look the same as European honey bees, carry the same venom, and like their European brethren, can only sting once. What makes them far more dangerous is their unpredictability and defensiveness.

They swarm faster, in much greater numbers and defend their nests extremely aggressively. And they will pursue an enemy for up to a quarter of a mile.

How painful is a sting?

It feels like being jabbed with a needle. A burning pain around the sting site can last up to two hours.

Effect on the skin

Mr Carter says: ‘Humans stung many times by the Africanised honey bees can exhibit serious side effects such as inflammation of the skin, dizziness, headaches, weakness, oedema, nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting.

‘Sting cases can become very serious, but they remain relatively rare and are often limited to accidental discovery in highly populated areas.’

Treatment

‘Clean area, apply ice, and take pain relievers,’ Ms Factor says.

If the stinger is left in the skin it should be removed as quickly as possible as it can continue to inject venom. ‘Brush or scrape [it] sideways with your fingernail or the edge of a bank card’, advises the NHS, which adds: ‘Do not use tweezers to pull out a stinger as you could squeeze poison out of it.’

What purpose do they serve?

Africanised bees are efficient pollinators. 

Do’s and Don’ts

Bryan Kuhn from the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center says do move away from areas with bee swarms and run away as fast as possible.

He says: ‘Keep in mind, bees can potentially fly faster than you can run and will pursue a perceived threat. So, pull a shirt over your head to protect it and your neck from bee stings. This can potentially save you from life-threatening swelling around your airway. Don’t stop until you’ve reached a shelter.

‘Call an ambulance if you’ve been stung more than 25 to 30 times, are having difficulty breathing, feel lightheaded or are having an allergic reaction.’

And the don’ts?

Mr Kuhn says: ‘Don’t panic, don’t disturb the beehive, don’t jump into water if being chased by bees as they’ll wait for you to resurface before continuing their attack. And don’t swat at them.’

Midges

Where are they found?

Midges are found all over the world, but they are closely associated with Scotland. They are tiny, with a wingspan of just two to three millimetres and a Gaelic name – meanbh-chuileag – that means ‘pigmy fly’, reveals the website for midge repellent manufacturer Smidge.

How can they hurt you?

The female of the species bites with ‘scissor-like jaws’, explains Smidge. And while the initial chomp is only mildly painful, they leave behind extremely itchy little lumps. And they can attack in huge swarms.

Smidge reveals that there are over 35 different species of biting midge in Scotland, but that it’s culicoides impunctatus – the ‘Highland Midge’ – that’s the most aggressive.

Why do they bite?

Because they need a ‘blood meal’ to supply their eggs with nutrients, reveals Smidge.

Treatment

Pharmacist Navin Kholsa of Now Patient said: ‘If you have been bitten by a midge, it’s important you leave it alone and avoid itching it, as this will make the symptoms worse.

‘Once you have noticed the bite, take an antihistamine or hold a cold compress over the bite as this should provide some relief from the itching sensation.’

Do they serve a purpose?

Yes. Midges are an essential part of the ecosystem – their larvae eat decaying plant matter and birds and bats love snacking on them.

How can we avoid them?

Head out in windy weather – they can’t fly in wind speeds of over 7mph – and when it’s sunny.

In Scotland, pay attention to the ‘midge forecast’ – www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast.

What’s the best repellent?

Midges are attracted by the CO2 we breathe out and Smidge works ‘by messing with their CO2 receptors, making it harder for them to sense that you’re there’.

According to a blog post on highlandtitles.com, smearing citronella oil on exposed areas of skin helps to keep them at bay, as does smoke from a campfire.

It adds that Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Body Spray is often touted as an effective repellent.

At the very least, cover your arms and legs and tuck in your socks. And wear a midge net if the insects are particularly abundant.

Amazing midge fact

The forcipomyia species of midge holds the record for the fastest muscle movement ever measured – they beat their wings 62,760 times a minute.

Mosquitoes 

Where are they found?

Almost everywhere, but highly concentrated in tropical regions. 

How can they hurt you?

Mosquitoes pierce the skin with a mouthpart (proboscis) to suck up your blood, injecting saliva containing an anaesthetic at the same time.

Is it painful?

‘Not at the time because of the saliva anaesthetic,’ Mr Carter explains. ‘After around half an hour to an hour afterwards, it starts to become incredibly itchy.’

Treatment

Wash the area with soap and water, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, then apply a mixture of baking soda and water, which can help calm the itching.

Over-the-counter antihistamine creams will also help.

Severe outcomes

‘You can contract malaria, chikungunya, zika and dengue,’ Mr Carter says.

Malaria claimed 619,000 lives in 2021, according to the World Health Organization.

Chikungunya symptoms include fever and severe joint pain, with most making a full recovery. Dengue fever symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash, while most people who are infected with the zika virus do not develop symptoms.

What are mosquitoes attracted to?

‘Humans and our body odours known as kairomones,’ according to Mr Carter, who says they are also attracted to dark clothing.

Swat away?

‘If you can, but they’re incredibly difficult to swat,’ he adds. ‘The warmer the weather the faster they can fly.’

Why do they bite?

To get a ‘blood meal’ that helps them produce eggs.

Do they serve a purpose?

Yes. They are pollinators and a food source for wildlife, including turtles, dragonflies, birds, bats and frogs.

The most effective repellent?

Those that contain deet and picaridin. Mosquitoes also hate peppermint and coconut oil.

And obviously it’s best to cover up?

Absolutely – and in moderately thick clothing, as they can bite through thin material.

Tsetse flies

Where are they found? 

‘Tsetse flies are most commonly found in western and central Africa and can pose a serious risk to travellers visiting this part of the world and spending a lot of time outdoors,’ says pharmacist Mr Khosla.

How can they hurt you? 

Tsetse flies can transmit African trypanosomiasis – also known as sleeping sickness – to humans through its bite, Mr Kholsa explains.

Without treatment, it’s generally fatal, says the WHO. 

Why do they bite?

To feed on blood.

Pain level

‘A bite from this type of fly is painful and can cause symptoms such as headaches, a fever, fatigue and aching muscles,’ Mr Kholsa adds. 

Effect on the skin

Painful sore, potential for systemic illness, according to Mr Kholsa.

Attracted to?

Moving objects and dark colours, Mr Kholsa explains.

Treatment

If bitten in endemic areas, Ms Factor advises ‘consulting a doctor immediately’.

Wash the bite with soap and water and disinfect with alcohol swabs. 

Do they serve a purpose?

They don’t form an important part of any food chain, say scientists. 

Do’s and Don’ts 

Mr Kholsa says: ‘It’s important to cover as much of your body as possible with clothing and ensure that the material is thick, as the fly can bite through thin items of clothing.

‘If you’re heading out during the day, avoid areas with trees and bushes as tsetse flies rest in these areas and will feel provoked if disturbed.’

Also, apply a deet-based repellent and avoid dark clothing. 

Horseflies

Where are they found? 

Worldwide, particularly around streams, marshes, and wooded areas. 

How can they hurt you? 

Female horseflies ‘aggressively’ feed on blood, Pest World says. It continues: ‘They are relentless and will continue to bite their host until they succeed in procuring their blood meal or are killed. Some are even known to chase their targets for short periods.’

Explaining how they bite, the UK’s Natural History Museum says: ‘A pair of serrated mandibles saw into the skin, cutting until they break small vessels and the blood begins to flow. An anticoagulant [blood thinner] in the fly’s saliva then prevents the blood from clotting as the insect sucks up its meal.

‘While mosquitoes release a mild anaesthetic, horseflies don’t – which is one of the reasons their bites are so painful. The fact that they cut into the flesh rather crudely only adds to this pain.’

Pain level?

Moderate to severe.

Effect on the skin?

The skin will become red, raised and itchy. In some people, bites can cause extreme allergic reactions or anaphylaxis, which leads to swelling or difficulty breathing. Those who experience this should seek emergency medical aid. 

Treatment

Clean the area and apply an antiseptic to clean the wound and make it less itchy. 

Do they serve any purpose?

They’re pollinators. 

Do’s and Don’ts

Ms Factor recommends wearing light-coloured clothing to deter them, as they’re drawn to dark colours. Pest control site ‘Natran’ notes that citronella oil is ‘extremely effective’ at preventing horsefly bites – it recommends you wear it as a natural insect repellent.

Bed bugs

Where are they found?

Worldwide, typically living on furniture and, as their name suggests, bedding. ‘They latch onto suitcases, clothes, and linens and can end up wherever these items are taken,’ says Pest World.

How can they hurt you?

Bed bugs feed only on blood and must have regular blood meals to survive, Pest World explains. 

The Cleveland Clinic explains: ‘They feed on your blood by inserting a beak that resembles a straw into your skin. The bugs drink your blood for a few minutes before becoming full, then detach and crawl away from your body to digest their meal.’ 

Pain level

Mild to moderate. Biologist Regine Gries was bitten by more than 200,000 bed bugs over several years as part of her research into the insects. She told Wired that the bites felt similar to that of a mosquito. 

Effect on the skin

Pest World says: ‘Bites tend to be found in a pattern or in small clusters. This can be an indication that the bites are from bed bugs and not a different pest.’

For some, the bite marks can be ‘enlarged or swollen welts’ that are ‘painful and itchy’, The Cleveland Clinic says. Not everyone shows signs of the bites, however. 

Treatment

Ms Factor advises cleaning with soap and water and applying corticosteroid (anti-inflammatory) cream to treat bites.

Do’s and don’ts

Check hotel beds, keep a clean home, and be cautious with second-hand furniture when it comes to bedbugs, Ms Factor suggests.

A professional pest control service generally needs to be recruited to remove bed bugs from a dwelling. 

Bull Ant 

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Where are they found?

Found throughout Australia, bull ants, also known as bulldog ants, are the most dangerous ants in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. They tend to live in underground nests.

How can they hurt you?

Pest Aid explains: ‘They tend to be aggressive when intruders approach their nest… if the nest gets disturbed, an army of workers gets out of the nest to attack the intruder.’ Their name comes from the ferocity of this attack.

Pest Aid continues: ‘To sting, a bull ant grips its enemy with its strong mandibles, curls its abdomen to reveal its sting, and injects its venom.’ They can sting a number of times in succession, injecting more venom each time. The venom is a ‘suite of peptide toxins’ that’s similar to that released by bees and wasps, the Australian Research Council says.

Pain level

Earlier this year, YouTuber Mark Vins allowed himself to be stung by the bulldog ant in a video that has racked up 1.6million views. After the ant releases its stinger into his arm, he declares: ‘That was like instant fire underneath my skin… the initial onset of the sting, it was like a lightning bolt. ‘

Effect on the body

Allergic reactions are the biggest concern when it comes to bull ant stings – patients might go into anaphylactic shock. Bull ants have caused ‘at least three human fatalities since 1936’, Guinness World Records notes. 

Vins revealed that ‘redness and inflammation’ flared up hours after the initial sting – and this was joined by ‘an intense itching’. 

Treatment

If you experience signs of allergic reaction such as dizziness or difficulty breathing, seek medical help.

Otherwise, wash the sting area with soap and water and put ice on the skin. Taking antihistamines can help with the swelling.

Do’s and don’ts

Pest Aid recommends wearing protective clothing such as closed shoes or boots when near a bull ant nest. And wear thick layers – as bull ants can sting through thin material. Pest Aid also recommends you ‘avoid squatting, sitting down, or standing’ anywhere in the vicinity of their nests.

Fire ant 

Where are they found?

Fire ants are most commonly found in the Americas, but also exist in other parts of the world such as Australia and the Philippines. They live in colonies that can contain as many as 500,000 insects.

How can they hurt you?

Fire ants are ‘extremely aggressive when disturbed’, UCLA Health notes, saying: ‘Touch or kick a nest, and the ants respond with a rapid vertical climb, during which they sting their target, often multiple times. They fasten themselves to the skin by clamping down with their powerful jaws, then inject a painful venom into the flesh with the stinger located on their hind end.’

It’s recommended you immediately rub the fire ant off your skin as they can bite multiple times. Then step away from the area before you disturb more fire ants.

Pain level

‘Agonising,’ Mr Carter says. ‘A sensation similar to being burnt by fire, hence the name.’

Effect on the skin

‘Red swollen spots that blister,’ Mr Carter says. If not kept clean, these pustules can become infected. Like with bees, some people can have an anaphylactic reaction to the sting, the main symptoms of which are hives and trouble breathing and swallowing. If this occurs, it’s essential that patients seek medical help.

Treatment

Wash the area to prevent infection. Ice packs can ease the swelling and over-the-counter antihistamines can help to ‘blunt the initial effects of the bite’, UCLA Health advises.

Do they serve any purpose?

They prey on pests such as flea larvae and cockroach eggs and their nest-building helps to aerate soil.

Do’s and don’ts

Ms Factor advises to ‘watch where you step and be cautious of mounds’ to avoid disturbing fire ants. Meanwhile, Mr Carter says to ‘spray white vinegar on ants to kill them on contact’.

Did you know? 

Fire ants once saved a life – in 1999, U.S woman Joan Murray fell on a mound of fire ants when her parachute failed her while skydiving. The venom released by the fire ants’ bites gave her a rush of adrenalin and kept her heart beating after the fall.  

Sand flies

Where are they found? 

Worldwide. They’re thought to dislike rainy and windy weather. 

How can they hurt you? 

Female sand flies bite humans – they pierce the skin and draw blood, using the nutrients from the blood to feed their eggs, bug expert Phil Sirvid reveals.

‘The itchiness associated with sand fly bites is caused by your body’s histamine [a chemical released by your immune system] response to the insect’s saliva in the wound,’ WikiHow explains. 

The bite can transmit leishmaniasis disease, a parasitic disease that causes skin sores and can affect several internal organs such as the spleen, liver and bone marrow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They can also pass on Carrion’s disease, which has two stages. The first is Oroya fever, the symptoms of which are fever and anaemia, and the second is a type of skin rash.

Pain level

‘Mild to moderate,’ says Ms Factor.

Effect on the skin

Bites appear as red bumps and blisters.

Treatment

Applying calamine lotion or antihistamine creams can help treat bites. Putting ice on the bite can also offer relief. If you get persistent sores, contact a doctor.

Do’s and Don’ts

Health New Zealand notes that burning a citronella candle and applying insect repellents that contain deet can repel the creatures. 

It’s also speculated that eating Marmite or Vegemite can help, as they contain Vitamin B, which is thought to protect you from getting bitten.  

Botflies

Where are they found?

Several botfly species can be found worldwide but the dreaded ‘human botfly’ (dermatobia hominis) is native to Mexico, Central and South America.

How can they hurt you?

‘Human botflies’ latch on to blood-feeding insects, often mosquitoes, and leave their eggs on the host’s body. Then when this insect bites a human, the eggs hatch and the larvae enter the skin via the bite wound. This infestation process is known as myiasis.

Pain level

‘Moderate’, according to Ms Factor.

Effect on the skin

The larvae living under the layer of skin cause ‘painful pustules that secrete fluids’, researchers at the University of Florida notes. Bacterial infections can occur.

In some cases, people can feel the larvae moving in their body. Entomologist Gil Wizen had botfly larvae under his skin and described it as a ‘chest-stabbing, or corkscrewing’ pain.

Treatment

The most common way to remove the larvae is with a surgical producer under local anaesthetic. A scalpel is used to ‘cut a slit to enlarge the wound’ and remove the larvae, say researchers at the University of Florida.

The larvae can also be coaxed out of the body by covering up the skin with a thick substance such as petroleum jelly, which makes it hard for the larvae to breathe. It’ll then emerge from the lesion in the skin. 

Do’s and Don’ts

Due to mosquitoes’ involvement in myiasis, the same prevention methods for botflies apply as they do for mosquitoes. For instance, it’s recommended you sleep with mosquito nets in areas where myiasis occurs.

Black flies

Where are they found? 

Worldwide, typically in high-moisture areas around streams and rivers.

How can they hurt you? 

Queensland‘s health department in Australia explains that female black flies can ‘viciously attack’ humans and animals, biting them by cutting a hole in the skin and drawing blood. They feed on blood as part of their reproduction process. They inject anticoagulants (blood thinners) into the bite site, which can cause allergic reactions such as swelling, bleeding, and itching, the department adds.

Pain level

‘Mild to moderate,’ Ms Factor says.

Effect on the skin

Researchers at Indiana’s Purdue University note that ‘the bites of black flies cause different reactions in humans, ranging from a small puncture wound… to a swelling that can be the size of a golf ball’.

Black fly bites can cause a human disease known as ‘river blindness’ – which has symptoms that include severe itching and blindness – in Africa and parts of South America and Central America, the researchers add.

After getting bitten, some experience ‘black fly fever’, with symptoms that include a headache, nausea, fever, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes, BMC Infectious Diseases reveals.

Treatment

Queensland’s health department says you should apply calamine lotion to bite areas to prevent itching. If the area becomes inflamed, clean it with soap and water and cover it with a dry dressing. 

Do they serve any purpose? 

Their larvae are a food source for fish and adult flies are eaten by birds and bats. They are also thought to assist in the pollination of the evergreen leatherleaf plant, researchers at Canada’s Brock University note. 

Do’s and Don’ts

‘Drinking an ounce of apple cider vinegar… causes you to give off an odour the flies do not like but humans cannot detect,’ says repellent brand ‘Proven’, which adds that vanilla extract, pine, and lavender oil are said to repel the insects. 

Repellents that contain deet will also help to ward them away.  

The Pest Rangers note that they’re often attracted to dark clothing, so it’s best to wear light colours when they’re in the vicinity. They’re also most likely to strike around dawn or dusk. 

Scientists identify two new types of mole in the mountains of eastern Turkey that can live in 50C temperatures and survive being buried under six foot of snow

• The new moles are named Talpa hakkariensis and Talpa davidiana tatvanensis
• They belong to a group of mammals usually found across Europe and West Asia 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 20:36 EDT, 11 August 2023 | Updated: 20:46 EDT, 11 August 2023

The shortest people in the world live on the 11,883-square-mile Southeast Asian island of Timor-Leste.

The average Timorese man is just five feet 2.9 inches tall, while the average woman stands four feet 11.5 inches.

Several other countries in Southeast Asia also made the list, including Laos and the Philippines, which experts believe is because their ancestors adapted the smaller stature to withstand the overwhelming heat.

The US did not make rank among the 25 nations with the shortest people – the average man is five feet nine inches, while women are about five feet four inches. 

The UK also didn’t crack the top 25 – men there measure an average of just five feet six inches, while women are five feet five inches tall. 

The data was compiled by Insider, which pulled information from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a medical database linked to Imperial College London. It separates the average heights of men and women for each country. Insider then took an average of those two figures for each of the countries.

Scientists estimate that about 80 percent of an individual’s height is determined by their inherited DNA sequence variations.

In 2010, a team with Harvard Medical School identified hundreds of mutations that account for about 10 percent of the inherited difference in height among people.

They found hundreds of variants associated with height in at least 180 different spots in the human genome. 

These mutations cluster consistently around genes from at least six different biological pathways – many near those already known to be involved in skeletal growth syndromes.

Others implicate previously unrecognized genetic growth regulators – opening up new possibilities for biological studies of height.

And the 2010 study explains why those living in Timor-Leste are the shortest in the world.

Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, is a small island separated into two parts, shared by Indonesia’s capital Kupang. 

At the same time, the Portuguese occupied the eastern part of this island, but the southeast region is home to the shortest people in the world.

In 1896, the height of natives did not surpass five feet.

However, settlers from Portugal and Indonesia moved in during the 20th century, which led to a change in the appearance of the natives.

But in the 1970s, Timorese had grown to five feet three inches, on average, but then saw a decline to five feet or less due to civil war that impacted their evolution.

This is because people no longer moved around the island and mated with different ethnicities. 

Interestingly enough, the second group of shortest people also live in Southeast Asia – Laos.

This country is known for its rolling hills, Buddhist temples and stunning landmarks.

The average man in Laos is five feet 3.19 inches tall, and the average woman stands four feet 11.55 inches.

And the Philippines, also a country in Southeast Asia, made the list, sitting in fifth.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, is the tallest country in the world. Men, on average, measure 5 feet 11.86 inches, and women are 5 feet 6.42 inches tall. 

Researchers have suggested that the country’s leading healthcare system and low amount of income inequality could factor into the towering population.

A vegan influencer who lived on an ‘extreme’ diet of raw fruit and vegetables could ‘barely walk’ and hadn’t drunk water for more than six years before she reportedly died from starvation and exhaustion, her friends have revealed.

Zhanna Samsonova, originally from Russia and known as Zhanna D’Art on social media, had been on the raw plant-based diet for ten years that consisted of fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices.

Ms Samsonova, who friends say was suffering from anorexia, became so weak in the final weeks of her life as a result of her extreme diet that she was practically bed-bound and it would take her ‘several minutes’ to walk up one step on a staircase.

The 39-year-old’s friends have revealed they were ‘horrified’ at her emaciated appearance and begged her to get help from doctors – but she refused and carried on with her diet of raw plant-based foods.

Ms Samsonova, who hadn’t drunk water for more than six years and instead replaced it with fruit and vegetable juices, died on July 21 while in intensive care at a hospital in Malaysia.

The influencer, who had over 10,000 Instagram followers and had been travelling across Asia for the past 17 years, reportedly died from a cholera-like infection that was exacerbated by her extreme restrictive eating, her mother told Russian newspaper Vechernyaya Kazan.

Ms Samsonova’s official cause of death has not yet been determined as her family try to get her body back to Russia amid bureaucratic delays.

There were periods when Ms Samsonova would practice ‘dry fasting’ – where she would refuse to eat or drink anything for days.

In the final months of her life, Ms Samsonova’s friends had desperately urged her to get help and eat more substantive foods – but they said it was ‘impossible’ to get her to speak to doctors or eat anything other than raw fruit and vegetables.

Olga Chernyaeva , one of the influencer’s friends, told the Russian newspaper Novye Izvestia: ‘I watched her journey to death for seven years. About five months ago, I met Zhanna in Sri Lanka and she had a haggard look. 

‘Her legs were swollen… It was amazing that she was still moving – I think she did it through pain.’

Ms Chernyaeva added: ‘I tried to talk to her, to convince her to seek help from doctors, to take tests. I showed her her body in the mirror and in photographs of past years. But Zhanna’s character was not simple, it was impossible to convince her on certain issues.’ 

Her devastated friend said that she watched helplessly as Ms Samsonova became ‘only bones’ and was left practically bed-bound.

Ms Chernyaeva said: ‘She was in bed for almost a month. If she got up, it was very difficult for her to walk – it took several minutes to overcome one step of the stairs.

‘I brought her fruits every morning – it was impossible to get her to eat something else. Boolean arguments didn’t work. Zhanna believed that death does not exist.’ 

Another of Ms Samsonova’s friends, who she met in Thailand, told Russian news outlet 116.ru: ‘It was scary to look at her, to be honest, her hands were like those of my 12-year-old sister, thin.’ 

Another friend said they saw Ms Samsonova a few months ago in Sri Lanka ‘looking exhausted’. 

‘They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified,’ they said.

‘I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning. I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn’t make it,’ the friend added.

Another friend said: ‘Ms Samsonova’s idle starvation was causing her to melt before our eyes, but she believed everything was fine.

‘Only her eyes, merry eyes, and gorgeous hair compensated for the dreadful sight of a body tortured by idiocy. Forgive me if it sounds harsh.’

Ms Samsonova refused to listen to their warnings and it proved fatal after she reportedly died of an infection and exhaustion exacerbated by her raw food diet.

The food blogger’s mother Vera Samsonova told local news outlets Ms Samsonova was supposed to fly home to Kazan on the day of her death. 

Vera did not approve of her daughter’s extreme diet and tried to convince her to introduce more balanced eating habits but she refused.

Ms Samsonova moved from veganism to a purely raw food diet consisting of vegetables and fruit, with the influencer sharing what she described as ‘healthy ‘ recipes on her Instagram profile.

The influencer, who appeared increasingly emaciated in her social media videos as time went on, would post footage of her eating her lunch which consisted of a whole melon and carrot juice at times. 

In another video, Ms Samsonova told her Instagram followers how she was having cherry tomatoes, an avocado and avocado juice for lunch. 

‘Despite the fact that I cook fancy raw dishes, I eat very simply myself. My food is simple, no oil, no salt, no dehydrated food and no protein,’ Ms Samsonova wrote in a post. ‘Today for lunch I have delicious avocado kefir, sweet cherry tomatoes and ripe avocado. Bon appetit.’

One person commented on Ms Samsonova’s recent post and wrote: ‘This is just pure starvation, not a healthy raw vegan diet. I’m sorry to hear it ended badly. I wish I could have helped you out of your eating disorder.’

Ms Samsonova had been following a vegan diet for about more than 15 years starting out by allowing herself fish and dairy occasionally. 

However over the years, her restrictive eating became more and more extreme and she eventually only ate raw fruit and vegetables alongside juice. 

She had claimed that her ten years on a raw plant-based had meant she was ‘in perfect health’ and ‘never got the usual seasonal cold’.

But in 2021, Ms Samsonova travelled back to her native Russia for the first time in nine years but immediately fell ill with coronavirus. 

Ms Samsonova said she had ‘ignored’ all Covid precautions before becoming infected and bizarrely claimed she ‘cured’ herself of the virus by dry fasting – where she did not drink or eat anything for more than ten days.

She wrote on Instagram: ‘I was the category of people who wasn’t afraid to get infected with viruses and ignored all the precautions, because over the past ten years on raw plant-based diets I was in perfect health and I didn’t even get the usual seasonal cold.

‘And ironically… I still got sick [with Covid] and was in bed for ten days.’ 

Ms Samsonova then went on to bizarrely claim: ‘I began to cure myself with dry fasting, since for a long time I have been practicing this method, as I can cure all ailments.

‘The illness gradually began to recede, already the days of dry hunger and I was getting better and better every day… The most critical time is behind me I have overcome this disease despite my unconventional treatment which many condemn.’

If you need help and support, you can talk in confidence to advisors at the charity Beat Eating Disorders by calling its adult helpline on 0808 801 0677 or youth helpline on 0808 801 0711. 

You can visit their website here: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/i-need-support-now/helplines/

. . . are you reading now?

Peter Frankopan’s extraordinary volume, The Earth Transformed: An Untold Story. It follows his earlier masterpiece, The Silk Roads, as a work of vast scholarship, yet it is even more ground-breaking in approach.

This is the first wide-ranging account of humanity’s relationship with the natural world — both climate and environment.

Old-fashioned, top-down, Eurocentric history has been replaced by a global overview to include ancient civilisations and cultures in Africa, Asia, Australasia and South America, of which we were far too ignorant. But, most important of all, Frankopan — without preaching — shows us the devastating consequences of previous climate changes, none of which matched what we are going through now.

If this book does not make us think, then nothing will. The Earth Transformed could hardly be more timely.

. . . would you take to a desert island?

I was on Desert Island Discs and you are automatically allowed to take a copy of the Bible, presumably to stop everyone choosing it for themselves. It makes sense, of course, to go for a very long book, with lots of characters and intriguing sub-plots.

For my luxury, I considered Marcel Proust’s In Search Of Lost Time, as it ticks all those boxes — but in the event I went for a fishing rod instead, to provide both amusement and nourishment.

Proust would still be my choice today, because of his brilliant observation of character and social interaction, as well as for the luxuriant beauty of his prose.

This, I must admit, can put me to sleep in no time, so I have to go back to the beginning of the chapter or page on waking, wasting even more of the time that I need to while away in our mythical paradise.

. . . first gave you the reading bug?

I think I was about 11 when I first read C. S. Forester’s The Happy Return, the first published Hornblower novel, even though it became the sixth in chronological terms as it turned into such a successful series.

I suppose I was drawn to Horatio Hornblower as he, too, suffered the same lack of confidence (as well as sea-sickness) as me. Yet he still triumphed, despite all the setbacks. In The Happy Return, Hornblower is in command of HMS Lydia, a frigate sent to the Pacific during the Napoleonic Wars to fight the Spanish.

Forester’s great talents were his ability to write characters and the way he could bring to life the realities of being at sea then — this was more than a generation before Patrick O’Brian’s Master And Commander.

. . . left you cold?

I have tried, Emily Bronte, I have tried, but Wuthering Heights does not just leave me cold, it irritates me, as people of incontinent emotions just scream at each other.

Russia: Revolution And Civil War 1917-1921 by Antony Beevor (W&N, £10.99) is out now.