Inthissectionwhyaccepting refugees makes economic sense,page10Catchingcancerearlywithtumourtraps,page14Howthetechbehindbitcoinwilltakeovertheworld,page18theskeletons are.TheymightturnAfossil treasuretroveouttobe2or3millionyearsold,To reach the massive stash of bones now said to belong to Homo naledi,dating backtothetimewhenresearchers hadto navigatea verticalshaftleadingto the DinalediHomofirst cameon the scene.chamber,deep inside the Rising Star cave systemButeveniftheyprovetobeCAVEENTRANCEmuchyounger-1oo,oooyearsold,say-thatwould be12-METREVERTICALSHAFTsignificant, says Berger.It wouldDINALEDImakethemahumanversionofCHAMBERthe coelacanth,he says:an ancientRisingStarcavesystemspecies that survived, unchanged,intoessentiallymoderntimes"Whatever the age it's exciting.”1450mabovesealevelJohannesburgOThe team refers to thefossils*HOMININ FOSSILSmixtureoffeatures asSOUTHAFRICA"anatomicalmosaic".Wehave0908070605040302010previously seen sucha mosaicMetresinAustralopithecussediba,aNot that this viewpointspecimenslumpedtogetherasSchwartz and Tattersall point out2-million-vear-oldhomininthatBergerandhis colleaguesdiminishesthe importanceoftheHomonaledirepresenttwothatalthoughtheforeheadsofexcavatedin2008fromthefind."Thecontributionofthesecranial morphs,"says Jeffreysome ofthenewskullsaregentlyfossils is fantastic,"says Spoor.Schwartz at the University ofsloped,oneskull has atallerMalapacave,afewkilometresaway."Nalediis almost the mirror"I don't think many people willPittsburgh in Philadelphiaforehead with a distinct browhaveaproblemwiththeIan Tattersall at the Americanofsediba,"says Berger."Almostridge-suggesting two species areeverywhere inthesediba skeletoninterpretation:it'sa newspeciesMuseum of Natural History inpresent."Putting these fossils inandIthink it does belong in thethe genus Homo adds to the lackwhereyouseeprimitivefeatures,New York sharesthatview.Lastin naledi you see derived features.genus Homo.month,heand SchwartzwroteanofclarityintryingtosortoutAndalmosteverywhere thatInevitably,though,there arearticlecallingforresearcherstohumanevolution,"saysSchwartz.dissentingviews."Tome,havingthink carefully aboutclassifyingsediba is derived, nalediisBerger disagrees, saying this canprimitive."studiedvirtuallytheentirenewfossilsas belongingto Homo.be explained by differencesAlthough it was just abouthumanfossilrecord,theAsfortheDinaledifindsbetweenmalesandfemalesofpossibletodismissA.sediba,the same species.Either way,all can agree thatwithitsassortmentofancientDIDANCIENTHOMININSBURYTHEIRDEAD?andmodernfeatures,as aquirkthe newfind is a remarkableofhumanevolution,thenewfindThe discovery of more thanthis idea even more implausible.additiontothehumanfossilhintsthat such"mosaicism"is1500 fossilisedhuman bones andOnly onescenario works,they say:record."This is an amazingnottheexceptioninearlyhumansassemblageoffossilsthatshouldteethinoneplaceisunusual(seeHomonaledideliberatelydisposedofbut the rule, says Berger.main story),but what's missing fromits dead in the chamber.Perhaps thekeeppaleoanthropologybuzzingThathasimplicationsforhowthe siteis also extraordinary.Besidesbodies were gently dropped downforalongtime,"saysTattersall.we interpretotherearlyhumanthe shaft(see diagram, above) whichDeanFalk atFlorida Stateafewrodentfossilsandtheremainsfossilfinds representingtheUniversityin Tallahassee isofanowlthatprobablyfell intotheresearcherssqueezedthroughtotransitionfromAustralopithecusrecoverthebones(eLife,DOl:especiallyexcitedbythefactthatDinaledichamberbymistake,thereto Homo, he says. These fossilsBerger'steam has produced a castareno othervertebratespecies10.7554/eLife.09561)There are precedents for this. Atof Homo naledi'ssmall brain.generallyamount to just afewpresent.Howso?fragments ratherthan completeLee Berger attheUniversity of theSimadelos HuesosintheAtapuercaImages ofit hint at interestingskeletons."Both sediba and nalediWitwatersrand in johannesburg,features closeto onebrainregionmountainsofSpain,forexample,sayyou can'ttakea mandibleSouth Africa,and his colleagues28homininskeletonswererecoveredassociatedwithspeechinmodern[lower jaw],amaxilla [upper jaw]lookedatvariousexplanations.fromadeeppit.Butthesehomininshumans,she says.oracollectionofteethandtrytoCarnivores could havebrought thewere big-brained-they looked andBerger says it's possible thatpredict what the rest ofthebodybehaved ratherlike us. H.naledi hadforthefirsttime,wehavefoundhumanremainstothechamber,butlooks like,"he says.abrain less than half thesizeofours.another creature not thatcloselythereare no gnawmarks,and it'srareBut Spoorsays H.naledi could"it'sfair to saythat naledirelatedto us,yetwitha cognitiveforjustonespeciestobetargeted.The ancient humans could haveindividuals recognised their ownability"different but essentiallyreally be a localised exception"if you have lots ofbones scatteredequal to ours"falleninbyaccident-butfewwouldmortalityandtheotherselfthatall across East Africa, that mightcomeswith death,"says Berger.TheThefind is alsoa reminderthatwanderdeepenough intothe cavesthefossil record still has richactually give you a bettertostumbleuponthechamber'sfindislikelyto"squashthesacredindication ofwhat's goingon incow"that this sort of behaviourtreasures to offer,he says."Thisentrance.What'smore,theremainstermsofhumanevolutionoverinclude thoseofinfants,makingrequires a big brain,he says.stuffis still out there,and it's outthere inabundance."awidespreadregion,hesays12 September 2015|NewScientist19
12 September 2015 | NewScientist | 9 the skeletons are. They might turn out to be 2 or 3 million years old, dating back to the time when Homo first came on the scene. But even if they prove to be much younger – 100,000 years old, say – that would be significant, says Berger. It would make them a human version of the coelacanth, he says: an ancient species that survived, unchanged, into essentially modern times. “Whatever the age, it’s exciting.” The team refers to the fossils’ mixture of features as “anatomical mosaic”. We have previously seen such a mosaic in Australopithecus sediba, a 2-million-year-old hominin that Berger and his colleagues excavated in 2008 from the Malapa cave, a few kilometres away. “Naledi is almost the mirror of sediba,” says Berger. “Almost everywhere in the sediba skeleton where you see primitive features, in naledi you see derived features. And almost everywhere that sediba is derived, naledi is primitive.” Although it was just about possible to dismiss A. sediba, with its assortment of ancient and modern features, as a quirk of human evolution, the new find hints that such “mosaicism” is not the exception in early humans but the rule, says Berger. That has implications for how we interpret other early human fossil finds representing the transition from Australopithecus to Homo, he says. These fossils generally amount to just a few fragments rather than complete skeletons. “Both sediba and naledi say you can’t take a mandible [lower jaw], a maxilla [upper jaw] or a collection of teeth and try to predict what the rest of the body looks like,” he says. But Spoor says H. naledi could really be a localised exception. “If you have lots of bones scattered all across East Africa, that might actually give you a better indication of what’s going on in terms of human evolution over a widespread region,” he says. In this section ■ Why accepting refugees makes economic sense, page 10 ■ Catching cancer early with tumour traps, page 14 ■ How the tech behind bitcoin will take over the world, page 18 specimens lumped together as Homo naledi represent two cranial morphs,” says Jeffrey Schwartz at the University of Pittsburgh in Philadelphia. Ian Tattersall at the American Museum of Natural History in New York shares that view. Last month, he and Schwartz wrote an article calling for researchers to think carefully about classifying new fossils as belonging to Homo. As for the Dinaledi finds, Schwartz and Tattersall point out that although the foreheads of some of the new skulls are gently sloped, one skull has a taller forehead with a distinct brow ridge – suggesting two species are present. “Putting these fossils in the genus Homo adds to the lack of clarity in trying to sort out human evolution,” says Schwartz. Berger disagrees, saying this can be explained by differences between males and females of the same species. Either way, all can agree that the new find is a remarkable addition to the human fossil record. “This is an amazing assemblage of fossils that should keep paleoanthropology buzzing for a long time,” says Tattersall. Dean Falk at Florida State University in Tallahassee is especially excited by the fact that Berger’s team has produced a cast of Homo naledi’s small brain. Images of it hint at interesting features close to one brain region associated with speech in modern humans, she says. Berger says it’s possible that for the first time, we have found another creature not that closely related to us, yet with a cognitive ability “different but essentially equal to ours”. The find is also a reminder that the fossil record still has rich treasures to offer, he says. “This stuff is still out there, and it’s out there in abundance.” ■ A fossil treasure trove To reach the massive stash of bones now said to belong to Homo naledi, researchers had to navigate a vertical shaft leading to the Dinaledi chamber, deep inside the Rising Star cave system HOMININ FOSSILS 12-METRE VERTICAL SHAFT DINALEDI CHAMBER CAVE ENTRANCE Johannesburg 1450m above sea level Metres 102030405060708090 0 SOUTH AFRICA Rising Star cave system Not that this viewpoint diminishes the importance of the find. “The contribution of these fossils is fantastic,” says Spoor. “I don’t think many people will have a problem with the interpretation: it’s a new species and I think it does belong in the genus Homo.” Inevitably, though, there are dissenting views. “To me, having studied virtually the entire human fossil record, the DID ANCIENT HOMININS BURY THEIR DEAD? The discovery of more than 1500 fossilised human bones and teeth in one place is unusual (see main story), but what’s missing from the site is also extraordinary. Besides a few rodent fossils and the remains of an owl that probably fell into the Dinaledi chamber by mistake, there are no other vertebrate species present. How so? Lee Berger at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and his colleagues looked at various explanations. Carnivores could have brought the human remains to the chamber, but there are no gnaw marks, and it’s rare for just one species to be targeted. The ancient humans could have fallen in by accident – but few would wander deep enough into the caves to stumble upon the chamber’s entrance. What’s more, the remains include those of infants, making this idea even more implausible. Only one scenario works, they say: Homo naledi deliberately disposed of its dead in the chamber. Perhaps the bodies were gently dropped down the shaft (see diagram, above) which researchers squeezed through to recover the bones (eLife, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.09561). There are precedents for this. At Sima de los Huesos in the Atapuerca mountains of Spain, for example, 28 hominin skeletons were recovered from a deep pit. But these hominins were big-brained – they looked and behaved rather like us. H. naledi had a brain less than half the size of ours. “It’s fair to say that naledi individuals recognised their own mortality and the other self that comes with death,” says Berger. The find is likely to “squash the sacred cow” that this sort of behaviour requires a big brain, he says
SPECIALREPORTREFUGEECRISISRefugees welcome:the numbers add upEurope'sleadersareunderpressuretoacceptmorerefugeesIt'snotjusttherightthingtodo,itmakeseconomicsenseAlready this year 362,000don't necessarily require peopleDebora MacKenzieillegal migrants have arrived intostayinthefirstcountrytheyA PICTURE really is worth aEuropeand thousands continuearrive at-where thefingerprintsthousandwords.Formorethanto pour in, says the Internationalof refugees are held in the EU'sayear,worldnewshasreportedOrganisationforMigration.AnEurodacdatabase,savsMadelinedesperaterefugees,mostfromestimated 8opercentarerefugeesGarlickoftheMigrationPolicywar-torn Syria,dying in theirfromviolence;EuropeislegallyInstituteEurope.ButcountriesattemptstoreachEurope.Mostobliged to give them asylum.applythat rule,she says,becausegovernmentsrefusedtoletthemin.Yet Europe-andtherest oftheit is an administrativelyeasy wayThat changed last week with theworld-are giving precious little.to grant refugee status.photo of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi,Researchers who study humanThat means thousands ofdead onabeach in Turkey afteramigration saycountriesoffertwopeople have accumulated inboattaking hisfamilyto Greecereasons:fearthatlettinginsomesqualid campsinGreece,Italycapsized.Now Europeans arerefugees will encourage more,andand Hungary.A2001directivedemandingmorehelpforasylumthatmigrantswill beaneconomicempowerstheEUtobypassthisseekers.EUgovernments hadburden. Yet the evidence showssystem and admit asylum seekersagreed toresettleonly32,o00bothbeliefsarefalserapidly incases of"mass influx".across Europe;on MondayThe EU's asylum laws wereIn July,EUmemberstatesused it14 Septembertheywilldebatedesigned in the19gostohandletoagreea voluntaryplantosmall numbers of people.Theyrelocate 32,ooo people strandedupping that to160,o00.in Italy and Greece, roughlyaccording to the receivingSMARTPHONELIFELINEcountry's size,GDP,across the Serbian-Hungarian border.unemploymentrate,and howSmartphoneshavebecomethenewW3A3vitalsurvivaltoolformanywhohaveOthers postreal-timeupdates aboutmany refugees it has already.leftSyria.Somesaytheyreliedonwhatareas are safetotravelApartfromthat,theEU has-their phone's GPS to navigate thethrough-where wateris safe toneverused its emergency plan,drink,for example.says Garlick,because"memberthousandsofkilometresintoEurope.Forexample,TheInternationalstatesfearthis will bea pull factorLastweek,whenonegroupboardedatrainthatappearedtobeforotherpeoplefromthesameRescueCommittee(IRC)documentedboundfor the Austrian borderbutonemanstripfromAleppoinSyriatocountry".Observers say this isHamburg, Germany,as he travelledthen stopped in the town of Bicske,why the UK refuses migrants whobyferry.train,taxi,andfootthose with phones posted warningshave already entered Europe-itThroughout thetwo-month journey.tothosestill waitinginBudapest.wouldencouragemoretocome.hesaid,GPShelpedguidetheway"lt'simperativethatthepeoplein"Noexisting soundresearchIn addition,Facebook groupsofferthemidstofithaveaccesstosubstantiatesthepoliticalclaimfactor,"agrees Ian Goldin, head ofcriticaladvice for those thinking ofcommunication so they can tell theirthat giving people asylum intheOxford Martin School onfleeing or already on the road.Somestoryofwhat's happening,"says KateEuropestimulatesmoreflow,global challenges."If you halvedgroupshelpconnecttraffickerswithCoyer,directoroftheCivil Societyandsays Alexander Betts, head of thetherisk of death,would that maketheir clientele.Thosetravelling onTechnology Project at Centralmorecome?DesperatepeopleRefugee Studies Centre at theUniversity of Oxford."Nearly alldon't make that calculation.theirowncanlookuphow-toguidesEuropeanUniversityinBudapestwritten by others who've made it.Meanwhile,social networksrefugees want to go home. They"Nearlyall refugees wanttolike WhatsApp also providea criticaldon't sit in refugeecampsOnerefugeeshowedareporteratgohome.Theydon't sitinPublicRadio Internationalavideolink tofamilymembers left behindcalculating where they canget thecampscalculatingwhereexplaining,step-by-step,how to getAvivaRutkinbestbenefits."thebestbenefitsare""There is no evidenceof a pull10/NewScientist/12September2015
10 | NewScientist | 12 September 2015 Debora MacKenzie A PICTURE really is worth a thousand words. For more than a year, world news has reported desperate refugees, most from war-torn Syria, dying in their attempts to reach Europe. Most governments refused to let them in. That changed last week with the photo of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, dead on a beach in Turkey after a boat taking his family to Greece capsized. Now Europeans are demanding more help for asylum seekers. EU governments had agreed to resettle only 32,000 across Europe; on Monday 14 September they will debate upping that to 160,000. Already this year 362,000 illegal migrants have arrived in Europe and thousands continue to pour in, says the International Organisation for Migration. An estimated 80 per cent are refugees from violence; Europe is legally obliged to give them asylum. Yet Europe – and the rest of the world – are giving precious little. Researchers who study human migration say countries offer two reasons: fear that letting in some refugees will encourage more, and that migrants will be an economic burden. Yet the evidence shows both beliefs are false. The EU’s asylum laws were designed in the 1990s to handle small numbers of people. They don’t necessarily require people to stay in the first country they arrive at – where the fingerprints of refugees are held in the EU’s Eurodac database, says Madeline Garlick of the Migration Policy Institute Europe. But countries apply that rule, she says, because it is an administratively easy way to grant refugee status. That means thousands of people have accumulated in squalid camps in Greece, Italy and Hungary. A 2001 directive empowers the EU to bypass this system and admit asylum seekers rapidly in cases of “mass influx”. In July, EU member states used it to agree a voluntary plan to relocate 32,000 people stranded in Italy and Greece, roughly according to the receiving country’s size, GDP, unemployment rate, and how many refugees it has already. Apart from that, the EU has never used its emergency plan, says Garlick, because “member states fear this will be a pull factor for other people from the same country”. Observers say this is why the UK refuses migrants who have already entered Europe – it would encourage more to come. “No existing sound research substantiates the political claim that giving people asylum in Europe stimulates more flow,” says Alexander Betts, head of the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. “Nearly all refugees want to go home. They don’t sit in refugee camps calculating where they can get the best benefits.” “There is no evidence of a pull SPECIAL REPORT REFUGEE CRISIS Refugees welcome: the numbers add up Europe’s leaders are under pressure to accept more refugees. It’s not just the right thing to do, it makes economic sense MAURICIO LIMA / THE NEW YORK TIMES/ REDUX/ EYEVINE SMARTPHONE LIFELINE Smartphones have become the new vital survival tool for many who have left Syria. Some say they relied on their phone’s GPS to navigate the thousands of kilometres into Europe. For example, The International Rescue Committee (IRC) documented one man’s trip from Aleppo in Syria to Hamburg, Germany, as he travelled by ferry, train, taxi, and foot. Throughout the two-month journey, he said, GPS helped guide the way. In addition, Facebook groups offer critical advice for those thinking of fleeing or already on the road. Some groups help connect traffickers with their clientele. Those travelling on their own can look up how-to guides written by others who’ve made it. One refugee showed a reporter at Public Radio International a video explaining, step-by-step, how to get across the Serbian-Hungarian border. Others post real-time updates about what areas are safe to travel through — where water is safe to drink, for example. Last week, when one group boarded a train that appeared to be bound for the Austrian border but then stopped in the town of Bicske, those with phones posted warnings to those still waiting in Budapest. “It’s imperative that the people in the midst of it have access to communication so they can tell their story of what’s happening,” says Kate Coyer, director of the Civil Society and Technology Project at Central European University in Budapest. Meanwhile, social networks like WhatsApp also provide a critical link to family members left behind. Aviva Rutkin factor,” agrees Ian Goldin, head of the Oxford Martin School on global challenges. “If you halved the risk of death, would that make more come? Desperate people don’t make that calculation.” “ Nearly all refugees want to go home. They don’t sit in camps calculating where the best benefits are
CITIZENSUPPORTFortheSyrianrefugeesatBudapeststation, charging aphone can betricky.There's one outletinthe trainstation, anotherin the nearbymigrationaidoffices,afewpowerlinesofferedupbysatellitenewstrucksonthescene.Localbusinessesareagamble-somehavestartedcharging high prices for the privilegeof plugging a phone in.So sincelastweek,Kate Coyer ofthe Civil Society and TechnologyProject at Central European UniversityX-084inBudapestandhercolleagueshavebeen plugging power strips into thearea'sfewavailablepublicoutlets,so more people can use them.Forinternet,thegroupturnsvolunteersintowalking Wi-FibeaconsForabouts1oo,youcanpickupreadyto use Wi-Fi hotspot and prepaid SIMcards,pop it all into someone'sbackpack,and send themout into thecrowd.Thenetworkslastforabout6hoursononecharge,andcansupportaroundadozenusersatatimeOnline,otherconcernedcitizenshavefoundwaystohelp.TheblogRefugeesWelcomePadcompilesusefulinformationincludinghealthbrochures, asylum laws and missingpersons reports. It's now enlistinghelpersonlinetotranslatedocumentsinto Arabic and Farsi.Anothersite,alsonamedRefugeesWelcome, bills itself as"Airbnb forrefuqees.There,Germancitizenswillingtoshare theirhomes orsponsoramonth'sworthofrentcanconnectwithpeoplewhoneedsomewhere to stay.The creators of thesiteare nowworking with volunteers from aroundtheworld,includingtheUK,tosetupHelp isathandsimilar servicesin theirhomecountries.Icelandresidents launchedAny pullis insignificantresettled refugeescanlegallyshortage, migrants needn't beatheir owninitiativeto offerhomes orburden.On4SeptembertheWorldcomparedtopush-suchasthework.Germanyhad2oo,0o0serviceslastweek:aFacebookgroupever-increasing hardship inmore deaths than births in 2012,Bank,theUN'sInternationalnamed"Syria is calling"Middle-Eastern refugee camps,morethancompensatedbyLabour OrganizationandtheOne man, who fled Syria for Turkey.Goldin says.391,oooimmigrants.Incontrast,even launched an app for fellowOECDclubofrichcountriesissuedOneEUcountryseemsunfazedUKprimeministerDavidareportconcludingthat"inmostrefugees.Gherbetnaoffersstep-byGermany says it can take 8o0,o00Cameronbowed topubliccountries migrants pay more instep helpwithgovernmentforms andpressure and thisweek saidthetaxes and socialcontributionsasylumseekersthisyear.Itcountsmaintains a listof job ads and friendlythan they receive."onimmigrantstoreplenishitscountrywould take just 20,oo00businesses.Onaforum,thenewlyageingworkforce andthe EU'sSyrian refugees by2020.Inastudylastyear,researchersarrived can post more specificEven withouta workerat UniversityCollege Londonrequests for help. Aviva Rutkinemergencyasylumrulessay12September2015/NewScientist/11
12 September 2015 | NewScientist | 11 For the Syrian refugees at Budapest station, charging a phone can be tricky. There’s one outlet in the train station, another in the nearby migration aid offices, a few power lines offered up by satellite news trucks on the scene. Local businesses are a gamble — some have started charging high prices for the privilege of plugging a phone in. So since last week, Kate Coyer of the Civil Society and Technology Project at Central European University in Budapest and her colleagues have been plugging power strips into the area’s few available public outlets, so more people can use them. For internet, the group turns volunteers into walking Wi-Fi beacons. For about $100, you can pick up ready to use Wi-Fi hotspot and prepaid SIM cards, pop it all into someone’s backpack, and send them out into the crowd. The networks last for about 6 hours on one charge, and can support around a dozen users at a time. Online, other concerned citizens have found ways to help. The blog Refugees Welcome Pad compiles useful information including health brochures, asylum laws and missing persons reports. It’s now enlisting helpers online to translate documents into Arabic and Farsi. Another site, also named Refugees Welcome, bills itself as “Airbnb for refugees”. There, German citizens willing to share their homes or sponsor a month’s worth of rent can connect with people who need somewhere to stay. The creators of the site are now working with volunteers from around the world, including the UK, to set up similar services in their home countries. Iceland residents launched their own initiative to offer homes or services last week: a Facebook group named “Syria is calling”. One man, who fled Syria for Turkey, even launched an app for fellow refugees. Gherbetna offers step-bystep help with government forms and maintains a list of job ads and friendly businesses. On a forum, the newly arrived can post more specific requests for help. Aviva Rutkin CITIZEN SUPPORT –Help is at hand– Any pull is insignificant compared to push – such as the ever-increasing hardship in Middle-Eastern refugee camps, Goldin says. One EU country seems unfazed: Germany says it can take 800,000 asylum seekers this year. It counts on immigrants to replenish its ageing workforce and the EU’s emergency asylum rules say resettled refugees can legally work. Germany had 200,000 more deaths than births in 2012, more than compensated by 391,000 immigrants. In contrast, UK prime minister David Cameron bowed to public pressure and this week said the country would take just 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. Even without a worker shortage, migrants needn’t be a burden. On 4 September the World Bank, the UN’s International Labour Organization and the OECD club of rich countries issued a report concluding that “in most countries migrants pay more in taxes and social contributions than they receive.” In a study last year, researchers at University College London
SPECIALREPORTREFUGEECRISISfoundbothEuropeanandnon-Fleeing for their livesTHETOLLOFTRAVELLINGEuropeanimmigrantstotheUKThe number of registered SyrianThe refugees' arduous journeys toThiscan includepanicattacksandmorethanpaytheirway.Non-refugeeshasrisenrapidlysincetheEurope follow years ofupheavalandmood disorders, she says,and canEuropeans living in the UK sincecountry'scivil warescalatedinmid-2012compromisedhealthcare.SoEurope'sbeexacerbatedbyuncertaintiesover1995brought35billionworthofeducation with them.Thosewhohealthserviceswill betreatingaaperson'slegalstatusoncethey4arrivedbetween2000and2011complexcombinationofphysicalandreachasafercountry.TheUNHCRstudyfound that21.6 per cent ofwere less likelythan native Brits topsychologicalproblemsasthenewnauomisanuarrivals settlein.Syriansinarefugeecamp inJordanbeonstatebenefits,andnomoreDiarrhoea,gastrointestinallikelyto live in social housinghadgeneralisedanxietydisorders,Unlike natives,they contributedproblemsandrespiratoryinfectionswhile8.5per cent had post-traumaticanetfs billionintaxesduringcanbecommon,andchildrenwhostress disorder.that period.havebeenunabletogetalltheirvaccinations may be vulnerable toMENTALTRAUMAThat is partly because mostdiseases likemeaslesHealthworkersareadvisedtomigrants are young and needrelatively little in the way ofButrefugees alsosufferarangetakeintoaccountthementalhealthofchronic.non-communicableoftherefugeestheytreat.Peoplebenefits.TheireconomicimpactJulyJulyJulyJulyconditions.AUNHighCommissionerwhohaveexperiencedseriousapproachesthatofnativesas2013201520122014for Refugees (UNHCR)studyfrompersistent worries about theirthey age and assimilate. But thepositiveeffectcan besubstantial:2013foundthatSyriansarrivingatsafetymaybesufferingfrommigrantscandepresswages.butcamps outside their country's bordersnightmares andflashbacks,andCarlos Vargas-Silva of themostlyforothermigrants,andMigration Observatoryattheonly1to3percent.Mostlythehad highrates of diabetes and highmayfindithardtotrustthoseblood pressure.trying to help them.University of Oxford reportedimpact on wages or jobs is neutralthis year thatletting in 260,000or positive."Ontopofallthis,peoplewho'veSafe,supportiveenvironmentshadtosquatincrampedconditionswill be needed to provide the bestimmigrants a yearcould halveGermany has no doubts.the UK's public debt 50 yearsduring their journey may find itpossiblecare.Womenwho have"Every euro we spendon trainingfrom now."There aremore thandifficulttowalkoncetheyreachsufferedsexualviolencemaybemigrantsisaeurotoavoidaadozengood studiesnowthatshortageof skilled labour,"their destination.reluctanttotelldoctorsabouttheir"Theyalsosufferskinproblemsexperiencesandmedicalneedsforpointtoa net positive effectofGerman stategovernmentssuchassunburnand exposure tofearof stigmatisation.migrantsontheeconomy,declaredlastweek.Otherwise,saltifthey'vetravelledbysea,says Goldin.they say,they would have toVerghis says identifyingsays Sharuna Verghis,co-founderexceptionally vulnerable people,spendmoreonbenefits,asthe"Adozen good studieslabour shortage hurts industryanddirectoroftheHealthEquityincludingthosewhoaredisablednowpointtoanetInitiative,a charitybased in Kualaor havebeen tortured,shouldbeand jobs.positiveeffectofSo why do doors stay shutLumpur,Malaysia.apriority.Butfirst,shesaybasimigrants ontheeconomyOf thosearriving in Europefromelsewhere? The reasons, say thefacilitiesmustbeprovidedforresearchers,are noteconomic,warzones,manyhavealreadyrefugeeswhiletheirneedsareenduredyears of physical and mentalbeing assessed in their new"Mostdatashowstheeconomicbutfearofthecultural impactimpact isgenerallypositive,trauma."Thismeanstheyrealreadycountries-toiletsandfood,offoreigners.InAugust,foraswellassanitarytowelsforagrees Betts,especiallywhenexample,slovakia saiditwouldcarrying a considerable burden inimmigrantsarewelleducated,astermsofmentalhealthissues,women,anddiapersforbabies.takeonlyChristianSyrianssays Verghis.Andy Coghlanmost Syrians are."Unlike ordinaryBut Europewill havetolearnmigrants, refugees didn't choosehowtodeal with culturalto come,"saysBetts,potentiallydifferences, and get its asylummakingtheirimpactslightlrulesinorder.becausemoredifferent..But that means theyrefugees are coming.Thewill go home iftheycan,orifnot,situationfor Syrian refugees inadapt likeothermigrants.Jordan,TurkeyandLebanonis"There canbelocal negativeworsening,somoremaybeforcedeffectsonjobs,butthatcanto lookelsewhere, says Bettsbe managed,"says Betts.For"They and other countries withexampleminimumwagescanlargenumbersofrefugees,likestop immigrants undercuttingKenya, need more help, or thelocals.entire refugee regime willSome studies show migrantscollapse.create jobs for locals, says MathiasClimate triggered the crisis inCzaikaoftheInternationalSyria,so theworld mustbraceMigration InstituteattheitselfformoreclimaterefugeesTreatbodyandmindUniversity of Oxford."Aninflux ofintheyearstocome.12/NewScientist/12September2015
12 | NewScientist | 12 September 2015 SPECIAL REPORT REFUGEE CRISIS found both European and nonEuropean immigrants to the UK more than pay their way. NonEuropeans living in the UK since 1995 brought £35 billion worth of education with them. Those who arrived between 2000 and 2011 were less likely than native Brits to be on state benefits, and no more likely to live in social housing. Unlike natives, they contributed a net £5 billion in taxes during that period. That is partly because most migrants are young and need relatively little in the way of benefits. Their economic impact approaches that of natives as they age and assimilate. But the positive effect can be substantial: Carlos Vargas-Silva of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford reported this year that letting in 260,000 immigrants a year could halve the UK’s public debt 50 years from now. “There are more than a dozen good studies now that point to a net positive effect of migrants on the economy,” says Goldin. “Most data shows the economic impact is generally positive,” agrees Betts, especially when immigrants are well educated, as most Syrians are. “Unlike ordinary migrants, refugees didn’t choose to come,” says Betts, potentially making their impact slightly different. But that means they will go home if they can, or if not, adapt like other migrants. “There can be local negative effects on jobs, but that can be managed,” says Betts. For example minimum wages can stop immigrants undercutting locals. Some studies show migrants create jobs for locals, says Mathias Czaika of the International Migration Institute at the University of Oxford. “An influx of migrants can depress wages, but mostly for other migrants, and only 1 to 3 per cent. Mostly the impact on wages or jobs is neutral or positive.” Germany has no doubts. “Every euro we spend on training migrants is a euro to avoid a shortage of skilled labour,” German state governments declared last week. Otherwise, they say, they would have to spend more on benefits, as the labour shortage hurts industry and jobs. So why do doors stay shut elsewhere? The reasons, say the researchers, are not economic, but fear of the cultural impact of foreigners. In August, for example, Slovakia said it would take only Christian Syrians. But Europe will have to learn how to deal with cultural differences, and get its asylum rules in order, because more refugees are coming. The situation for Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon is worsening, so more may be forced to look elsewhere, says Betts. “They and other countries with large numbers of refugees, like Kenya, need more help, or the entire refugee regime will collapse.” Climate triggered the crisis in Syria, so the world must brace itself for more climate refugees in the years to come. ■ THE TOLL OF TRAVELLING The refugees’ arduous journeys to Europe follow years of upheaval and compromised healthcare. So Europe’s health services will be treating a complex combination of physical and psychological problems as the new arrivals settle in. Diarrhoea, gastrointestinal problems and respiratory infections can be common, and children who have been unable to get all their vaccinations may be vulnerable to diseases like measles. But refugees also suffer a range of chronic, non-communicable conditions. A UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) study from 2013 found that Syrians arriving at camps outside their country’s borders had high rates of diabetes and high blood pressure. On top of all this, people who’ve had to squat in cramped conditions during their journey may find it difficult to walk once they reach their destination. “They also suffer skin problems such as sunburn and exposure to salt if they’ve travelled by sea,” says Sharuna Verghis, co-founder and director of the Health Equity Initiative, a charity based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Of those arriving in Europe from war zones, many have already endured years of physical and mental trauma. “This means they’re already carrying a considerable burden in terms of mental health issues,” says Verghis. This can include panic attacks and mood disorders, she says, and can be exacerbated by uncertainties over a person’s legal status once they reach a safer country. The UNHCR study found that 21.6 per cent of Syrians in a refugee camp in Jordan had generalised anxiety disorders, while 8.5 per cent had post-traumatic stress disorder. MENTAL TRAUMA Health workers are advised to take into account the mental health of the refugees they treat. People who have experienced serious, persistent worries about their safety may be suffering from nightmares and flashbacks, and may find it hard to trust those trying to help them. Safe, supportive environments will be needed to provide the best possible care. Women who have suffered sexual violence may be reluctant to tell doctors about their experiences and medical needs for fear of stigmatisation. Verghis says identifying exceptionally vulnerable people, including those who are disabled or have been tortured, should be a priority. But first, she says, basic facilities must be provided for refugees while their needs are being assessed in their new countries – toilets and food, as well as sanitary towels for women, and diapers for babies. Andy Coghlan “ A dozen good studies now point to a net positive effect of migrants on the economy” SOURCE: UNHCR Fleeing for their lives The number of registered Syrian refugees has risen rapidly since the country’s civil war escalated in mid-2012 Refugees (millions) July 2012 July 2013 July 2014 July 2015 4 3 2 1 0 HERMANN BREDEHORST/ POLARIS / EYEVINE –Treat body and mind–
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