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In A Nutshell * A single high-fat meal impaired both blood vessel function and brain blood flow regulation in healthy men within just 4 hours. * Older adults showed more pronounced declines, suggesting age-related vulnerability. *Triglyceride levels more than doubled after the meal, and brain vessels became stiffer. * These short-term changes may elevate stroke and cardiovascular risk, even in physically fit individuals. ======================================================================== CARDIFF, Wales — You’ve probably heard that greasy meals aren’t great for your heart, but new research suggests they might be just as bad for your brain, and the effects show up fast. Just four hours...

The devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic may have left a significant mark on our brains, even if we didn't get sick. Fatal cases of COVID-19 look scarily like old age in the brain, and now, new research suggests that the mental, social, and financial stresses of the pandemic may have aged our brains as well. A team led by researchers at the University of Nottingham trained an AI model to recognize healthy aging in the brain, using the data of more than 15,000 adults in the UK Biobank. The algorithm was then used to analyze the brain ages of two...

While the study is intriguing, additional observations will be essential to verify or challenge its findings. Astudy analyzing JWST observations of the early universe has uncovered an intriguing mystery: most galaxies appear to be rotating in the same direction. This unexpected pattern, which defies current cosmological models, has led the study's authors to propose a bold possibility: that our universe might exist inside a black hole. The JWST has allowed astronomers to peer back further into the past than any other infrared or optical telescope, seeing infrared light that was emitted by distant galaxies just 300 million years after the...

The company claims it has cracked a scalable method to make stable gold from mercury. Ever since the discovery of alchemy, or since humans thought gold was a precious object, a worldwide quest to turn common elements into the yellow metal has been ongoing. Folklore and fables sing praises of humans who went on this quest and those who received such blessings. No such claims have yet stood the test of science, and this could change quite soon. An engineering firm from the United States – Marathon Fusion – has claimed that making gold from mercury is possible, and they...

Neptune, too, might have a new companion around. Uranus can pull and push minor bodies around. Image credit: NASA Between the orbits of Saturn and Neptune, there is a population of minor space bodies known as the Centaurs. There could be up to 10 million of them, but they tend to have unstable orbits due to the gravitational influences of the giant planets. Occasionally, some enter a temporary stable orbit, joining one of the planets in a resonance. This is what is believed to have happened between Centaur 2015 OU194 and the planet Uranus, the first ever report of this...

A mouse study has found the sugar 2-deoxy-D-ribose stimulates hair regrowth. Put down the rosemary oil and pause the red light therapy, research suggests the secret to curing male pattern baldness could lie in a sugar that occurs naturally in our bodies. In a mouse model of testosterone-driven hair loss, the sugar, called 2-deoxy-D-ribose, stimulated hair regrowth just as effectively as existing treatment minoxidil – the active ingredient in Rogaine. Though commonly referred to as male pattern baldness, the condition, also known as hereditary-patterned baldness or androgenetic alopecia, affects women too. In fact, up to 40 percent of people experience...

A groundbreaking new collaboration is working to resurrect one of New Zealand’s most enigmatic lost species, the South Island Giant Moa. Blending ancient knowledge with cutting-edge science, the cooperative initiative has been launched between the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre in collaboration with U.S.-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences and filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson. The initiative seeks to place indigenous values and ecological restoration at the forefront of de-extinction science, representing a historic development in conservation biology. The collaboration marks the first time that an indigenous-led research team will direct a de-extinction initiative of this scale. Based at the University of Canterbury,...

France’s food safety agency found that glass-bottled drinks, such as iced tea, lemonade, and beer, exhibited some of the highest contamination levels.-A French food safety agency study found that drinks in glass bottles contained more microplastic particles per liter than those in plastic bottles or cans. -The researchers traced the microplastics to the exterior paint on plastic-sealed caps, which released particles into the drink. -Despite being bottled in glass, both water and wine showed fewer microplastics, although the researchers couldn’t determine exactly why. The evidence showing the harmful effects of microplastics is building up. Study after study shows that microplastics...

A study found that a diet rich in turmeric, garlic, green tea, and similar foods reduced biological age by an average of two years, with some losing up to nine. The eight-week plan included exercise, sleep, and meditation, and excluded alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy to support gut health and methylation. Researchers believe the diet works by enhancing DNA methylation, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, and possibly preserving telomeres. New research suggests that certain foods not only have the power to help you live healthier years, but they could also help turn back your body's internal clock. In April, researchers...

Synopsis A comprehensive analysis of global dietary studies reveals that even minimal consumption of processed meat elevates the risk of type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and ischemic heart disease. Researchers found no safe threshold for processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fats. Experts advocate for a balanced approach, emphasizing moderation and increased intake of beneficial foods for long-term health. ================================================================== A new analysis of global dietary studies has found compelling evidence that even small amounts of processed meat may raise the risk of serious chronic diseases. According to researchers, there is no "safe amount" of processed meat consumption when it...

...Futurists have long debated the arrival of the singularity, when human and artificial intelligence will merge, a concept borrowed from the world of quantum physics.... /

In a nutshell Researchers successfully restored hearing in 10 deaf participants aged 18 months to 24 years using gene therapy, proving the treatment works beyond early childhood All patients showed hearing improvements within one month, with some achieving nearly normal hearing and ability to have conversations without hearing aids The therapy proved safe with only mild side effects, opening doors for treating other genetic forms of deafness in the future ======================================================================== NANJING, China — A groundbreaking clinical trial has achieved what many thought impossible: restoring meaningful hearing in people born profoundly deaf, including teenagers and young adults who were previously...

A common bacterium can be adapted to convert plastic waste into paracetamol, a study published this week in Nature Chemistry1 reports. Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is widely used to treat pain and fever. It is produced from molecules derived from fossil fuels, but researchers are working to develop processes that use more sustainable source molecules, such as plastic waste. “We’re able to transform a prolific environmental and societal waste into such a globally important medication in a way that’s completely impossible using chemistry alone or using biology alone,” says co-author Stephen Wallace, a chemical biotechnologist at the University of...

For the first time, mice born to two fathers have grown up and produced offspring, scientists in China have revealed. The researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University managed to insert two sperm cells - one from each father - into a mouse egg whose nucleus had been removed. A gene editing technique was then used to reprogram parts of the sperm DNA to allow an embryo to develop – a process called androgenesis. The embryo, featuring the genetic material from two fathers, was transferred to a female womb and allowed to grow to term. Finally, the resulting offspring (male) managed...

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay A University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) scientist has proposed a “three-dimensional time” theory that replaces the traditional model of one dimension of time and three physical dimensions as the primary fabric of everything. Unlike previously proposed, purely mathematical ‘3D time’ constructs where space emerges as a secondary manifestation, Professor Gunther Kletetschka at the UAF Geophysical Institute says his theory of everything, which could unify quantum physics and gravity, is testable and verifiable. “Earlier 3D time proposals were primarily mathematical constructs without these concrete experimental connections,” Professor Kletetschka explained. “My work transforms the concept from...

The laser, developed by China’s National University of Defence Technology, beams enough power to disable drones and cut through several materials from over 0.62 miles (1 km) away. ===================================================================== Chinese scientists have developed a portable 2-kilowatt (kW) fiber laser weapon that can operate in extreme temperatures. Reportedly capable of functioning in conditions between -58°F (-50°C) and 122°F (50°C), the new laser does not require cooling or heating systems. This breakthrough means the laser can be used anywhere on Earth, from the Arctic to the Sahara, without the need for bulky infrastructure. If true, the innovation is an impressive feat as...

Drinks including water, soda, beer and wine sold in glass bottles contain more microplastics than those in plastic bottles, according to a surprising study released by France's food safety agency Friday. Researchers have detected the tiny, mostly invisible pieces of plastic throughout the world, from in the air we breathe to the food we eat, as well as riddled throughout human bodies. There is still no direct evidence that this preponderance of plastic is harmful to human health, but a burgeoning field of research is aiming to measure its spread. Guillaume Duflos, research director at French food safety agency ANSES,...

Analysis of swabs from China's Tiangong Space Station has revealed a new strain of bacteria sporting new adaptations for surviving outer space. Scientists have discovered a new microbe never-before-seen on Earth inside China's Tiangong space station. The new strain of bacteria, named Niallia tiangongensis after the space station, is a variant of a soil-dwelling terrestrial microbe that can cause sepsis, and was found inside one of the station's cabins. Now, a new analysis of the strain has revealed that the bacterium isn't only one of a kind, but has also picked up some key adaptations that could be helpful in...

Six images of galaxies taken from nearly 800,000, from upper left to lower right: the present-day universe, and 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10 billion years ago. Credit: M. Franco / C. Casey / COSMOS-Web collaboration ************************************************************ A new cosmic deep field map from the COSMOS collaboration, powered by the James Webb Space Telescope, is rewriting what scientists thought they knew about the early universe. Spanning nearly the full history of cosmic time and featuring nearly 800,000 galaxies, the data shows a universe forming stars and supermassive black holes far earlier—and in greater numbers—than previously predicted. This unprecedented scope offers...

A Colombian radiology specialist says a mysterious metal orb discovered in his country is an unidentified flying object (UFO) of extraterrestrial origin, though experts remain skeptical of the claim. Jose Luis Velasquez, the radiology specialist, determined the extraterrestrial origin after inspecting the object and finding no marks indicating the metal orb had been welded together or contained joined parts in any way, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter, from a creator who labels their content as entertainment. The object - known as the "Buga Sphere" - was discovered in Buga, Colombia earlier this year, according to video in...