Free Republic

A vast, ancient crater in the western United States may be home to one of the most significant mineral discoveries of the century. Published in the journal Science Advances, researchers have identified a geological formation beneath this site that could dramatically reshape the global landscape for clean energy technology. A Supervolcano’s Legacy Becomes a Resource Powerhouse The McDermitt Caldera, measuring 45 by 35 kilometers, was formed 16.4 million years ago following a catastrophic volcanic eruption. Over time, a lake developed inside the caldera, collecting thick layers of volcanic ash and mineral-rich sediments. These conditions gave rise to lithium-bearing clay minerals,...

An NYU study using Fitbit data suggests that modest weekly physical activity may reduce atrial fibrillation risk by up to 65%, underscoring the heart health benefits of regular exercise. A new study reveals that adding an extra hour of physical activity each week can reduce the risk of developing the most common type of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) by 11%. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the investigation focused on atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the heart’s upper two chambers beat rapidly and irregularly instead of at a consistent pace. If left untreated, this can lead to stroke, heart...

Bananas may be known as potassium-rich foods, but you can also get potassium from avocados, sweet potatoes, spinach, coconut water, and other delicious food and drinks. Potassium is a vital mineral and electrolyte that your body needs to maintain normal blood pressure, transport nutrients into your cells, and support healthy nerve and muscle function (1Trusted Source). It’s considered an essential nutrient because your body can’t produce it. Therefore, you must get potassium from foods to meet your recommended daily needs, also known as the Daily Value (DV) (2Trusted Source). However, most people don’t get enough potassium through their diets. It’s...

The 18650-format potassium-ion battery was launched at the 14th annual Beyond Lithium Conference at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. - Group1 ============================================================================================ The vast majority of our portable electronic gadgets, and the new wave of electric transportation, are powered by lithium batteries. Texas-based startup Group1 has developed a more sustainable alternative, and has now launched the world's first 18650 potassium-ion battery. Group1 was co-founded in 2021 by battery tech veterans, including Leigang Xue who currently serves as Chief Product Officer but previously worked in the lab of 2019 Nobel Laureate and battery pioneer Dr. John Goodenough at University...

While reducing salt intake has been the focus of dietary advice to control high blood pressure (hypertension), a study suggests that upping your potassium intake can be at least as important. Researchers analyzed data from The George Institute's large-scale randomized trial, the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS), which involved 20,995 participants followed for five years. The study showed clear reductions in the risk of stroke (14%), major cardiovascular events (13%) and premature death (12%) from switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt. The researchers based their analyses on the "gold standard" measure of sodium and potassium in the urine of...

One in three Australian adults has high blood pressure (hypertension). Excess salt (sodium) increases the risk of high blood pressure so everyone with hypertension is advised to reduce salt in their diet. But despite decades of strong recommendations we have failed to get Australians to cut their intake. It's hard for people to change the way they cook, season their food differently, pick low-salt foods off the supermarket shelves and accept a less salty taste. Now there is a simple and effective solution: potassium-enriched salt. It can be used just like regular salt and most people don't notice any important...

A popular Starbucks coffee variety allegedly contains undeclared potassium — potentially harming clueless customers who believe they’re chugging pure java, The Post has learned. A complaint filed late last month with the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division claims Starbucks Dark French Roast Coffee “significantly exceeds” levels of the essential nutrient found in other unadulterated beans sold on supermarket and retail shelves. Independent laboratory testing found 13% more potassium in Starbucks’ dark roast compared to its house blend as well as Dunkin’ Donuts’ and Lavazza’s dark roast varieties, according to the complaint.

Kidney stones illustration. Mayo Clinic researchers found that enriching diets with foods high in calcium and potassium may prevent recurrent symptomatic kidney stones. Diets Higher in Calcium and Potassium May Help Prevent Recurrent Symptomatic Kidney Stones Not only can kidney stones cause excruciating pain, but they also are associated with chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. If you’ve experienced a kidney stone once, you have a 30% chance of having another kidney stone within five years. Typically, doctors prescribe changes in diet to prevent recurrent symptomatic kidney stones. Unfortunately, there is little research available regarding dietary changes for those...

A graphical summary of the xenon-lamp flash photo-pyrolysis method. Credit: EPFL As the world's energy demands increase, so does our consumption of fossil fuels. The result is a massive rise in greenhouse gases emissions with severely adverse environmental effects. To address this, scientists have been searching for alternative, renewable sources of energy. A main candidate is hydrogen produced from organic waste, or biomass, of plants and animals. Biomass also absorbs, removes and stores CO2 from the atmosphere, while biomass decomposition can lead to negative emissions or greenhouse gas removal. But even though biomass heralds a way forward, there is still...

Ready to crawl into bed after a long day of "normal human" cosplay? Hoping to fall asleep fast instead of staring at your ceiling for hours? You probably already have the ingredients you need for a dietitian-approved bedtime snack that'll help you drift off. s a strong case for a banana with peanut butter as the best snack for better sleep. What a dietitian wants you to know about eating before bed: What you eat before bed and how soon before bed that you eat it can affect both sleep and your digestion. If your food isn't digested before you...

Potassium is an important nutrient for many body processes. Bananas are a well-known source of potassium, but many other foods contain just as much — if not more — of this nutrient. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate fluid and blood levels in the body. Many fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of potassium. Meat, milk, yogurt, and nuts are also good sources. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a diet high in potassium and low in sodium — an electrolyte in table salt and processed foods — can lower blood pressure and reduce the...

A Massachusetts man died last year from eating an excessive amount of black licorice, doctors said Wednesday. The unusual case was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, detailing how the man consumed a bag and half of the candy every day for two weeks prior to his death. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which could deplete potassium levels and contribute to heart rhythm problems, doctors explained.

4,000-Year-Old Brain Tissue Was Preserved After Boiling In Its Own Fluids By Katie Serena Published September 12, 2017 The brain was boiled, dried, and preserved under sediment for almost 4,000 years. Bronze Age Brain UC San Diego Health Scientists in Turkey discovered a Bronze Age human brain that has been preserved for 4,000 years. The brain was discovered in Seyitomer Hoyuk, Turkey, and is one of the oldest ever discovered. It is also one of the most intact. Brain tissue is rich in enzymes and cells deteriorate quickly after death which is why scientists rarely, if ever, find intact specimens....

If you're planning to go to the 2014 Annual Fall Meeting of the American Physical Society in Illinois this Saturday, you might be in for a bit of a surprise with the final talk of the day. Because that's when plasma physicist Dr John Brandenburg will present his theory that an ancient civilisation on Mars was wiped out by a nuclear attack from another alien race. In his bizarre theory, Dr Brandenburg says ancient Martians known as Cydonians and Utopians were massacred in the attack - and evidence of the genocide can still be seen today. Back in 2011 the...

In a gripping, exclusive e-mail from Hawaii, the radio talker’s lady love, West Palm Beach resident Kathryn Rogers, gave Page2Live a dramatic play-by-play of what really happened before Limbaugh was rushed to a Honolulu hospital. And while Limbaugh told the media at his release from the hospital on New Year’s Day that doctors didn’t find anything wrong, Rogers’ intimate account indicates that, without the proper response, the outcome could have been different. Rogers, 33, a VIP manager for the upcoming Super Bowl, said she was having her nails done with her mother downstairs at the chi-chi Kahala when she received...

Like Earth, the interior of Mars has undergone a process known as differentiation. This is where a planet, due to its physical or chemical compositions, forms into layers, with denser materials concentrated at the center and less dense materials closer to the surface. In Mars’ case, this translates to a core that is between 1700 and 1850 km (1050 – 1150 mi) in radius and composed primarily of iron, nickel and sulfur. This core is surrounded by a silicate mantle that clearly experienced tectonic and volcanic activity in the past, but which now appears to be dormant. Besides silicon and...

Full disclosure: I'm posting this fearmongering 'news' as a result of histrionics ('cause another Freeper said so). </sarc> See below: Potassum Iodide Solicitation Number: 14-284-SOL-0015A Agency: Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice: Program Support CenterLocation: Supply Service Center Opportunity History Original Synopsis Dec 06, 2013 3:35 pm Solicitation Number: 14-284-SOL-0015A Notice Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Synopsis: Added: Dec 06, 2013 3:35 pm (i)  This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation...

Increasing potassium in our diets as well as cutting down on salt will reduce blood pressure levels and the risk of stroke, research in the British Medical Journal suggests. One study review found that eating an extra two to three servings of fruit or vegetables per day - which are high in potassium - was beneficial. A lower salt intake would increase the benefits further, researchers said. A stroke charity said a healthy diet was key to keeping stroke risk down. While the increase of potassium in diets was found to have a positive effect on blood pressure, it was...

On New Year’s Day in 1988, Abdullah Ali, an Iraqi businessman who had been living in London for eight years, joined three compatriots for dinner at a restaurant called Cleopatra in Notting Hill.The next morning, he was taken ill with flu-like symptoms and was admitted to hospital. There his condition rapidly deteriorated — his hair fell out, he developed excruciating skin and joint pain, and paralysis and respiratory failure began to set in. Fifteen days later he was dead — but not before he had begun to wonder whether something had been added to his vodka. He was right: the...

Vital Signs: Potassium OverloadFunky fruit can be fatal. by Tony Dajer “Notification!” Brenda shouted as she hung up the red phone. “Eighty-year-old, altered mental status, no palpable blood pressure. Three minutes out.” While nurses gathered IV equipment and an EKG machine, two paramedics rolled in a stretcher bearing a small, moaning, barely conscious Asian woman. “Couldn’t get a blood pressure,” the chief medic said, panting. “Pulse 30 on arrival.” That meant her ventricle had stopped responding to her pacemaker, so they jolted her heart with a shot of atropine, which bumped her heart rate to 60. "Her medical history is...