A study shows that oversleeping boosts the risk of heart attack, Groupon is being used for medical services, the UN states that the Bahamas are in need of humanitarian aid.

These, and more, are the newsworthy stories from this past week.

Science and Environment

• Researchers at ETH Zurich found that, at its height, the Roman Empire released so many aerosols from burning fuel and cleared so much land for agriculture that it effectively cooled all of Europe.
  
  They concluded that Roman air pollution produced a cooling effect which caused land surface temperatures to drop by as little as 0.23 degrees Celsius and as much as 0.46 degrees Celsius.
  
  From ZME Science
  

• In a new study, researchers mapped the most impactful lifestyle choices when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases.
  
  The four most effective actions people can take are not having children, living car-free, avoiding airplane travel, and eating a plant-based diet.
  
  From ZME Science
  

Health and Society

• A recent study suggests that for people not suffering from any form of gluten sensitivity, a gluten-free diet does not offer any benefits — and might actually be lower quality, as it avoids some common and balanced foods.
  
  From ZME Science
  

• A new study found that sleep duration plays a crucial role in whether or not a person is at risk of a heart attack — even if a person exercises, doesn’t smoke, or has no genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease.
  
  In particular, the researchers found that too much sleep, as well as too little sleep, boosts the risk of having a heart attack.
  
  Those who slept less than six hours a night were 20% more likely to have a heart attack than those sleeping 6 to 9 hours.
  
  People who slept more than nine hours per night were 34% more likely to suffer a heart attack than the participants who slept 6 to 9 hours.
  
  From ZME Science
  

• A study of over one million women living in Denmark concluded that women who are using the pill or other hormonal contraceptives are at an increased risk for depression. The study also showed that this relationship was strongest in teenaged women.
  
  From ZME Science
  

• Groupon is being used to find deals for mammograms, CT, lung, heart and full-body scans across Atlanta, as well as in Oklahoma and California. Groupon also offers discount coupons for expectant parents looking for ultrasounds, sold as “fetal memories.”
  
  From NPR
  

• Hurricane Dorian brought flooding, tornadoes and power outages to the Carolinas. In the Bahamas, where at least 30 people died, search and rescue efforts are under way.
  
  From The Wall Street Journal
  

• The UN says 70,000 people in the Bahamas need immediate humanitarian relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.
  
  From Reuters
  

Business and Economics

• Nestlé wants to take 1.1m gallons of water a day from a natural spring in Florida for bottling.
  
  The river is already officially “in recovery” after years of earlier overpumping, and critics say the health and vitality of the river will be severely affected, with long-lasting consequences.
  
  From ZME Science
  

• Walmart said it will stop selling ammunition for handguns and assault-style rifles, and stop allowing shoppers to openly carry firearms—further restricting its policies after two deadly shootings at its stores last month. The company plans to continue selling other guns.
  
  From The Wall Street Journal
  

Politics and Government

• President Trump’s political allies are trying to raise at least $2 million to investigate reporters and editors of The New York Times, The Washington Post and other outlets.
  
  From Axios
  

• Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam will announce the withdrawal of an extradition bill that triggered months of unrest and threw the Chinese-controlled city into its worst crisis in decades.
  
  From Reuters