Benefits Of Chocolate Milk After Your Workout | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
To get the best results from your training, ensure that your post-workout drink or meal is up to par. After your workout, your body is most receptive to using amino acids to repair muscle tissue, while using carbohydrates to restore muscle glycogen.
One of the best post-workout options is chocolate milk. Most prepared chocolate milk beverages are made with 1% or 2% milk, but you could also create your own fat-free chocolate milk by adding some chocolate syrup to regular skim milk. This will provide you with the benefits of carbohydrates, while giving you the optimal protein source found in milk.
October 31, 2011
Montel Williams: Israel leads in medical marijuana
Montel Williams: Israel leads in medical marijuana - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Emmy Award-winning television personality and patient activist Montel Williams said Sunday he was impressed with Israel's liberal attitude toward medical marijuana, and he believes the U.S. could learn a thing or two from the Jewish state.
Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and he has since been an outspoken advocate of medical marijuana to relieve pain caused by the disease.
The former host of the popular long-running talk show "The Montel Williams Show" is in Israel on a fact-finding mission to learn about its medicinal cannabis practices. He is meeting with legislators, scientists and physicians.
'via Blog this'
Emmy Award-winning television personality and patient activist Montel Williams said Sunday he was impressed with Israel's liberal attitude toward medical marijuana, and he believes the U.S. could learn a thing or two from the Jewish state.
Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and he has since been an outspoken advocate of medical marijuana to relieve pain caused by the disease.
The former host of the popular long-running talk show "The Montel Williams Show" is in Israel on a fact-finding mission to learn about its medicinal cannabis practices. He is meeting with legislators, scientists and physicians.
Why feeling disgust can be good for us
BBC News - Why feeling disgust can be good for us:
'via Blog this'
The facial expression for disgust is universal. We can all picture the contorted, horrified face which communicates a feeling of revulsion and loathing.
Spiders, slimy creatures, mucus and faeces can all provoke this feeling. Our reaction is to distance ourselves from the cause.
As a result, feelings of disgust help us to avoid, or at the very least recognise, the things that make us feel this way - and for a very good reason, psychologists say.
'via Blog this'
The facial expression for disgust is universal. We can all picture the contorted, horrified face which communicates a feeling of revulsion and loathing.
Spiders, slimy creatures, mucus and faeces can all provoke this feeling. Our reaction is to distance ourselves from the cause.
As a result, feelings of disgust help us to avoid, or at the very least recognise, the things that make us feel this way - and for a very good reason, psychologists say.
Psychological Trauma Linked To Bowel Disorder
Psychological Trauma Linked To Bowel Disorder | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Stress can cause digestive issues, as anyone who has ever experienced butterflies in their stomach knows. Now, new research finds that emotional and psychological trauma can also contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that causes abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.
People who have experienced more trauma over their lifetimes are more likely to experience IBS, according to the new study. This trauma can range from deaths of loved ones to divorce to disasters such as experiencing a house fire or a car accident.
'via Blog this'
Stress can cause digestive issues, as anyone who has ever experienced butterflies in their stomach knows. Now, new research finds that emotional and psychological trauma can also contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that causes abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.
People who have experienced more trauma over their lifetimes are more likely to experience IBS, according to the new study. This trauma can range from deaths of loved ones to divorce to disasters such as experiencing a house fire or a car accident.
Insight: Firms to charge smokers, obese more for healthcare
Insight: Firms to charge smokers, obese more for healthcare - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Like a lot of companies, Veridian Credit Union wants its employees to be healthier. In January, the Waterloo, Iowa-company rolled out a wellness program and voluntary screenings.
It also gave workers a mandate - quit smoking, curb obesity, or you'll be paying higher healthcare costs in 2013. It doesn't yet know by how much, but one thing's for certain - the unhealthy will pay more.
The credit union, which has more than 500 employees, is not alone.
'via Blog this'
Like a lot of companies, Veridian Credit Union wants its employees to be healthier. In January, the Waterloo, Iowa-company rolled out a wellness program and voluntary screenings.
It also gave workers a mandate - quit smoking, curb obesity, or you'll be paying higher healthcare costs in 2013. It doesn't yet know by how much, but one thing's for certain - the unhealthy will pay more.
The credit union, which has more than 500 employees, is not alone.
World's most powerful laser to tear apart the vacuum of space
World's most powerful laser to tear apart the vacuum of space - Telegraph:
'via Blog this'
A laser powerful enough to tear apart the fabric of space could be built in Britain as part major new scientific project that aims to answer some of the most fundamental questions about our universe.
Due to follow in the footsteps of the Large Hadron Collider, the latest "big science" experiment being proposed by physicists will see the world's most powerful laser being constructed.
Capable of producing a beam of light so intense that it would be equivalent to the power received by the Earth from the sun focused onto a speck smaller than a tip of a pin, scientists claim it could allow them boil the very fabric of space – the vacuum.
'via Blog this'
A laser powerful enough to tear apart the fabric of space could be built in Britain as part major new scientific project that aims to answer some of the most fundamental questions about our universe.
Due to follow in the footsteps of the Large Hadron Collider, the latest "big science" experiment being proposed by physicists will see the world's most powerful laser being constructed.
Capable of producing a beam of light so intense that it would be equivalent to the power received by the Earth from the sun focused onto a speck smaller than a tip of a pin, scientists claim it could allow them boil the very fabric of space – the vacuum.
One step closer to dark matter in universe
One step closer to dark matter in universe:
'via Blog this'
Scientists all over the world are working feverishly to find the dark matter in the universe. Now researchers at Stockholm University have taken one step closer to solving the enigma with a new method.
'via Blog this'
Scientists all over the world are working feverishly to find the dark matter in the universe. Now researchers at Stockholm University have taken one step closer to solving the enigma with a new method.
October 28, 2011
Why Does Coffee Make Us Feel So Good?
Why Does Coffee Make Us Feel So Good? | Psychology Today
'via Blog this'
We all remember that first cup of coffee; it tasted terrible. It was too hot, too bitter and too sweet but it offered the promise of alertness after a night of poor sleep. The wonderful thing about coffee is that it delivered on its promise every time; subsequently, you've never been able to walk away from it. If you've ever faced giving up on caffeinated coffee to lessen the symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease of the tremors associated with Parkinson's disease you know well the craving that can develop. Why does this happen?
Two reasons: Scientists have known for many years that coffee stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine produces the euphoria and pleasant feelings that people often associate with their first cup of coffee in the morning. Many drugs that produce euphoria, such as cocaine, amphetamine and ecstasy, act upon dopamine in the brain. This action by coffee has always been an adequate explanation for why caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
'via Blog this'
We all remember that first cup of coffee; it tasted terrible. It was too hot, too bitter and too sweet but it offered the promise of alertness after a night of poor sleep. The wonderful thing about coffee is that it delivered on its promise every time; subsequently, you've never been able to walk away from it. If you've ever faced giving up on caffeinated coffee to lessen the symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease of the tremors associated with Parkinson's disease you know well the craving that can develop. Why does this happen?
Two reasons: Scientists have known for many years that coffee stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine produces the euphoria and pleasant feelings that people often associate with their first cup of coffee in the morning. Many drugs that produce euphoria, such as cocaine, amphetamine and ecstasy, act upon dopamine in the brain. This action by coffee has always been an adequate explanation for why caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
15 People Commit Suicide Every Hour In India, Gov't Report Says
15 People Commit Suicide Every Hour In India, Gov't Report Says | Fox News:
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Ram Babu’s last days were typical in India’s growing rash of suicides.
The poor farmer’s crop failed and he defaulted on the $6,000 loan he had taken to buy a tractor. The bank’s collectors hounded him, even hiring drummers to go round the village drawing attention to his shame.
“My father found it unbearable. He was an honorable man and he couldn’t take the humiliation. The next day he hanged himself from a tree on his farm,” his son Ram Gulam said Friday.
Babu’s suicide went unreported in local newspapers, just another statistic in a country where more than 15 people kill themselves every hour, according to a new government report.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/28/15-people-commit-suicide-every-hour-in-india-govt-report-says/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fhealth+%28Internal+-+Health+-+Text%29#ixzz1c5ZS5Z3F
'via Blog this'
Ram Babu’s last days were typical in India’s growing rash of suicides.
The poor farmer’s crop failed and he defaulted on the $6,000 loan he had taken to buy a tractor. The bank’s collectors hounded him, even hiring drummers to go round the village drawing attention to his shame.
“My father found it unbearable. He was an honorable man and he couldn’t take the humiliation. The next day he hanged himself from a tree on his farm,” his son Ram Gulam said Friday.
Babu’s suicide went unreported in local newspapers, just another statistic in a country where more than 15 people kill themselves every hour, according to a new government report.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/28/15-people-commit-suicide-every-hour-in-india-govt-report-says/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fhealth+%28Internal+-+Health+-+Text%29#ixzz1c5ZS5Z3F
Faster-than-light neutrino experiment to be run again
BBC News - Faster-than-light neutrino experiment to be run again:
'via Blog this'
Scientists who announced that sub-atomic particles might be able to travel faster than light are to rerun their experiment in a different way.
This will address criticisms and allow the physicists to shore up their analysis as much as possible before submitting it for publication.
Dr Sergio Bertolucci said it was vital not to "fool around" given the staggering implications of the result.
'via Blog this'
Scientists who announced that sub-atomic particles might be able to travel faster than light are to rerun their experiment in a different way.
This will address criticisms and allow the physicists to shore up their analysis as much as possible before submitting it for publication.
Dr Sergio Bertolucci said it was vital not to "fool around" given the staggering implications of the result.
October 27, 2011
Truth, Faith, and Evangelical Truth
Truth, Faith, and Evangelical Truth | Psychology Today:
'via Blog this'
The line between religion and science seems to be increasingly sharp and abrasive these days, which is bit of a puzzle if you know something about history. Scientists have not been atheists, by and large, and believers have not always been so certain of their beliefs.
Sir Isaac Newton devoted the major part of his energies to writing religious tracts, after he completed his monumental work on celestial mechanics and the laws of motion. Blaise Pascal, noting that God's existence could not be definitively proved, developed his famous wager: it is better to believe in god as the benefits of belief outweigh the consequences of doubt.
But strident politicians today seem to have few scruples in asserting their fundamentalist convictions. For them everything is black or white.
'via Blog this'
The line between religion and science seems to be increasingly sharp and abrasive these days, which is bit of a puzzle if you know something about history. Scientists have not been atheists, by and large, and believers have not always been so certain of their beliefs.
Sir Isaac Newton devoted the major part of his energies to writing religious tracts, after he completed his monumental work on celestial mechanics and the laws of motion. Blaise Pascal, noting that God's existence could not be definitively proved, developed his famous wager: it is better to believe in god as the benefits of belief outweigh the consequences of doubt.
But strident politicians today seem to have few scruples in asserting their fundamentalist convictions. For them everything is black or white.
Huge Asteroid to Creep Near Earth on Nov. 8
Huge Asteroid to Creep Near Earth on Nov. 8 - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Mark Nov. 8 on your calendar. A huge asteroid that could potentially threaten Earth in the far future will pass close by as astronomers around the world watch and measure.
This space rock is asteroid 2005 YU55, a veritable mini-world roughly 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide — nearly four football fields across — that will zoom by Earth inside the orbit of the moon.
At its closest approach, the asteroid will pass within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth at 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT) on Nov. 8. The average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km).
'via Blog this'
Mark Nov. 8 on your calendar. A huge asteroid that could potentially threaten Earth in the far future will pass close by as astronomers around the world watch and measure.
This space rock is asteroid 2005 YU55, a veritable mini-world roughly 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide — nearly four football fields across — that will zoom by Earth inside the orbit of the moon.
At its closest approach, the asteroid will pass within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth at 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT) on Nov. 8. The average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km).
Coming soon: Caffeine you can inhale?
Coming soon: Caffeine you can inhale? - The Week:
'via Blog this'
If you need a fog-clearing jolt of caffeine in the morning but dislike the taste of coffee, you may be in luck. A Harvard University professor has come up with a new product, AeroShot Pure Energy, that delivers a dose of caffeine in an energizing, lime-flavored puff. Here, a brief guide:
Caffeine you breathe?
Indeed. AeroShot comes in an inhaler. With each puff, you get a shot of powdered caffeine that dissolves in the mouth and goes instantly into your system. Each inhaler contains 8 puffs — or 100 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a large cup of coffee — and also delivers the recommended daily allowance of niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
'via Blog this'
If you need a fog-clearing jolt of caffeine in the morning but dislike the taste of coffee, you may be in luck. A Harvard University professor has come up with a new product, AeroShot Pure Energy, that delivers a dose of caffeine in an energizing, lime-flavored puff. Here, a brief guide:
Caffeine you breathe?
Indeed. AeroShot comes in an inhaler. With each puff, you get a shot of powdered caffeine that dissolves in the mouth and goes instantly into your system. Each inhaler contains 8 puffs — or 100 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a large cup of coffee — and also delivers the recommended daily allowance of niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
Can Your Romantic Life be Reduced to the Pronouns You Say?
Can Your Romantic Life be Reduced to the Pronouns You Say? - NYTimes.com:
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Behavioral scientists have long known that humans, whether in the schoolyard or in a dimly lighted bar, have a tendency to subconsciously mimic the sounds, style and movement of others. Recent research, however, shows that this mimicry also extends to how we speak and write. Even the least important words we choose can say a lot about us.
'via Blog this'
Behavioral scientists have long known that humans, whether in the schoolyard or in a dimly lighted bar, have a tendency to subconsciously mimic the sounds, style and movement of others. Recent research, however, shows that this mimicry also extends to how we speak and write. Even the least important words we choose can say a lot about us.
Scientists Work On Synthetic Blood To End Shortages
Scientists Work On Synthetic Blood To End Shortages | Fox News:
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Artificial blood made from human stem cells will be tested in clinical trials in Britain within three years and could be used routinely in hospitals within a decade, according to Scottish scientists.
It is hoped that manufactured blood derived from adult bone marrow or embryonic stem cells could end blood shortages caused by too few donors.
Synthetic blood could save crucial time in ambulances and on the battlefield because there would be no need to test a patient's blood type before administering a transfusion.
'via Blog this'
Artificial blood made from human stem cells will be tested in clinical trials in Britain within three years and could be used routinely in hospitals within a decade, according to Scottish scientists.
It is hoped that manufactured blood derived from adult bone marrow or embryonic stem cells could end blood shortages caused by too few donors.
Synthetic blood could save crucial time in ambulances and on the battlefield because there would be no need to test a patient's blood type before administering a transfusion.
Too Much Drinking May Raise Lung Cancer Risk: Study
Too Much Drinking May Raise Lung Cancer Risk: Study - Yahoo! News:
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While smoking has long been linked to cancer, its frequent companion, drinking, may be as well, a new study suggests.
Three new studies presented at a medical meeting this week find a link between heavy boozing and a rise in risk for the number one cancer killer.
On the other hand, studies also suggest that heavier people are less likely to develop lung cancer than smaller folk, and black tea might help ward of the disease, as well.
'via Blog this'
While smoking has long been linked to cancer, its frequent companion, drinking, may be as well, a new study suggests.
Three new studies presented at a medical meeting this week find a link between heavy boozing and a rise in risk for the number one cancer killer.
On the other hand, studies also suggest that heavier people are less likely to develop lung cancer than smaller folk, and black tea might help ward of the disease, as well.
Murder, Suicide Top Medical Deaths In Pregnancy
Murder, Suicide Top Medical Deaths In Pregnancy | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, U.S. researchers have found.
Roughly half of those women who died violently had had some sort of conflict with their current or former partners leading up to the death, causing experts to call for more thorough screening and follow up for domestic problems during pregnancy check-ups.
'via Blog this'
Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, U.S. researchers have found.
Roughly half of those women who died violently had had some sort of conflict with their current or former partners leading up to the death, causing experts to call for more thorough screening and follow up for domestic problems during pregnancy check-ups.
How woodpeckers avoid head injury
BBC News - How woodpeckers avoid head injury:
'via Blog this'
Slow-motion footage, X-ray images and computer simulations have shed light on how woodpeckers avoid injuries to their brains as they peck.
Their heads move some 6m per second, at each peck enduring a deceleration more than 1,000 times the force of gravity.
But researchers reporting in Plos One say that unequal upper and lower beak lengths and spongy, plate-like bone structure protect the birds' brains.
The findings could help design more effective head protection for humans.
'via Blog this'
Slow-motion footage, X-ray images and computer simulations have shed light on how woodpeckers avoid injuries to their brains as they peck.
Their heads move some 6m per second, at each peck enduring a deceleration more than 1,000 times the force of gravity.
But researchers reporting in Plos One say that unequal upper and lower beak lengths and spongy, plate-like bone structure protect the birds' brains.
The findings could help design more effective head protection for humans.
Endless Void or Big Crunch: How Will the Universe End?
Endless Void or Big Crunch: How Will the Universe End? - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Not only are scientists unsure how the universe will end, they aren't even sure it will end at all.
Several possibilities for the fate of our universe have been bandied about. They tend to have names such as Big Crunch, Big Rip and Big Freeze that belie their essential bleakness. Ultimately, space could collapse back in on itself, destroying all stars and galaxies in existence, or it could expand into essentially an endless void.
"The truth is that it's still an open scenario," said astrophysicist Steve Allen of Stanford University. "We certainly don't know for sure what's going to happen."
'via Blog this'
Not only are scientists unsure how the universe will end, they aren't even sure it will end at all.
Several possibilities for the fate of our universe have been bandied about. They tend to have names such as Big Crunch, Big Rip and Big Freeze that belie their essential bleakness. Ultimately, space could collapse back in on itself, destroying all stars and galaxies in existence, or it could expand into essentially an endless void.
"The truth is that it's still an open scenario," said astrophysicist Steve Allen of Stanford University. "We certainly don't know for sure what's going to happen."
October 26, 2011
After dieting, hormone changes may fuel weight regain
After dieting, hormone changes may fuel weight regain - CNN.com:
'via Blog this'
Losing weight is hard, but keeping the pounds off can be even harder.
By some estimates, as many as 80% of overweight people who manage to slim down noticeably after a diet gain some or all of the weight back within one year.
A shortage of willpower may not be the only reason for this rebound weight gain. According to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, hunger-related hormones disrupted by dieting and weight loss can remain at altered levels for at least a year, fueling a heartier-than-normal appetite and thwarting the best intentions of dieters.
'via Blog this'
Losing weight is hard, but keeping the pounds off can be even harder.
By some estimates, as many as 80% of overweight people who manage to slim down noticeably after a diet gain some or all of the weight back within one year.
A shortage of willpower may not be the only reason for this rebound weight gain. According to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, hunger-related hormones disrupted by dieting and weight loss can remain at altered levels for at least a year, fueling a heartier-than-normal appetite and thwarting the best intentions of dieters.
High-quality white light produced by four-color laser source; Diode lasers could challenge LEDs for home and industrial lighting supremacy
High-quality white light produced by four-color laser source; Diode lasers could challenge LEDs for home and industrial lighting supremacy:
'via Blog this'
The human eye is as comfortable with white light generated by diode lasers as with that produced by increasingly popular light-emitting diodes (LEDs), according to tests conceived at Sandia National Laboratories.
'via Blog this'
The human eye is as comfortable with white light generated by diode lasers as with that produced by increasingly popular light-emitting diodes (LEDs), according to tests conceived at Sandia National Laboratories.
'Mancession' Portends Depressing Future for Men
'Mancession' Portends Depressing Future for Men - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience - msnbc.com:
'via Blog this'
Societal and economic shifts may put more men in Western countries at risk for depression, scientists worry.
"Western men, particularly those with low education levels, will face a difficult road in the 21st century," write the authors of an editorial in the March issue of The British Journal of Psychiatry. "It may be more difficult, on average, for men to adjust to a domestic role than for women to adjust to a work role."
Currently, women have nearly twice the lifetime risk of suffering from major depression, although it's not fully understood why.
'via Blog this'
Societal and economic shifts may put more men in Western countries at risk for depression, scientists worry.
"Western men, particularly those with low education levels, will face a difficult road in the 21st century," write the authors of an editorial in the March issue of The British Journal of Psychiatry. "It may be more difficult, on average, for men to adjust to a domestic role than for women to adjust to a work role."
Currently, women have nearly twice the lifetime risk of suffering from major depression, although it's not fully understood why.
Mediterranean Diet Tied To Better Fertility
Mediterranean Diet Tied To Better Fertility | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Women who eat a Mediterranean-style diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains are less likely to have trouble getting pregnant, hints a new study from Spain.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking the Mediterranean diet to all kinds of health effects, including lower risks of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
'via Blog this'
Women who eat a Mediterranean-style diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains are less likely to have trouble getting pregnant, hints a new study from Spain.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking the Mediterranean diet to all kinds of health effects, including lower risks of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Reefer Madness: Marijuana Throws Brain Regions Out of Sync
Reefer Madness: Marijuana Throws Brain Regions Out of Sync - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Marijuana hurts memory and cognition, and a new rat study indicates this is because it causes once-coordinated brain regions to fall out of sync with each other. The result resembles the effects of schizophrenia, the neuroscientists found.
The researchers measured the electrical activity in nerve cells of rats given a drug that mimics the effect of the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The drug had only subtle effects on individual brain regions; however, it disrupted the coordinated activity between regions of the brain.
Specifically, they found the drug disrupted the coordinated fluctuations in electrical activity — called brain waves — across the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The result resembled two instruments within an orchestra playing out of sync.
'via Blog this'
Marijuana hurts memory and cognition, and a new rat study indicates this is because it causes once-coordinated brain regions to fall out of sync with each other. The result resembles the effects of schizophrenia, the neuroscientists found.
The researchers measured the electrical activity in nerve cells of rats given a drug that mimics the effect of the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The drug had only subtle effects on individual brain regions; however, it disrupted the coordinated activity between regions of the brain.
Specifically, they found the drug disrupted the coordinated fluctuations in electrical activity — called brain waves — across the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The result resembled two instruments within an orchestra playing out of sync.
UK scientists grow super broccoli
UK scientists grow super broccoli - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Popeye might want to consider switching to broccoli. British scientists unveiled a new breed of the vegetable that experts say packs a big nutritional punch.
The new broccoli was specially grown to contain two to three times the normal amount of glucoraphanin, a nutrient believed to help ward off heart disease.
"Vegetables are a medicine cabinet already," said Richard Mithen, who led the team of scientists at the Institute for Food Research in Norwich, England, that developed the new broccoli. "When you eat this broccoli ... you get a reduction in cholesterol in your blood stream," he told Associated Press Television.
'via Blog this'
Popeye might want to consider switching to broccoli. British scientists unveiled a new breed of the vegetable that experts say packs a big nutritional punch.
The new broccoli was specially grown to contain two to three times the normal amount of glucoraphanin, a nutrient believed to help ward off heart disease.
"Vegetables are a medicine cabinet already," said Richard Mithen, who led the team of scientists at the Institute for Food Research in Norwich, England, that developed the new broccoli. "When you eat this broccoli ... you get a reduction in cholesterol in your blood stream," he told Associated Press Television.
Prenatal Exposure to Antidepressants Makes Rats Act Autistic
Prenatal Exposure to Antidepressants Makes Rats Act Autistic | Brain Development in the Womb | Autism, Antidepressants & Pregnancy | LiveScience
'via Blog this'
Rats exposed to antidepressants just before and after birth show brain abnormalities and strange behaviors reminiscent of autism, a new study finds.
Although the research is in animals, the study provides experimental evidence for a previously reported link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism in children. The study in rats found that when the developing animals were exposed to the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram during the critical period around the time they were born, they became excessively fearful when faced with new situations and failed to play normally with peers.
'via Blog this'
Rats exposed to antidepressants just before and after birth show brain abnormalities and strange behaviors reminiscent of autism, a new study finds.
Although the research is in animals, the study provides experimental evidence for a previously reported link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism in children. The study in rats found that when the developing animals were exposed to the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram during the critical period around the time they were born, they became excessively fearful when faced with new situations and failed to play normally with peers.
Environmental toxin bisphenol A (BPA) can affect newborn brain, mouse study shows
Environmental toxin bisphenol A (BPA) can affect newborn brain, mouse study shows:
'via Blog this'
Newborn mice that are exposed to bisphenol A develop changes in their spontaneous behavior and evince poorer adaptation to new environments, as well hyperactivity as young adults, according to researchers at Uppsala University. Their study also revealed that one of the brain's most important signal systems, the cholinergic signal system, is affected by bisphenol A and that the effect persisted into adulthood.
'via Blog this'
Newborn mice that are exposed to bisphenol A develop changes in their spontaneous behavior and evince poorer adaptation to new environments, as well hyperactivity as young adults, according to researchers at Uppsala University. Their study also revealed that one of the brain's most important signal systems, the cholinergic signal system, is affected by bisphenol A and that the effect persisted into adulthood.
October 25, 2011
The quantum universe: a zero-point fluctuation?
The quantum universe: a zero-point fluctuation? | Science News | Find Articles:
'via Blog this'
Cosmology is the science of beginnings and endings. Cosmologists tend to concentrate on the first three milliseconds, or the first three seconds, or at most the first three years of history; and on the last few eons as well. It was not always this way. In olden days scientists tended to believe in a static universe. But 60 years ago the world learned that the universe is not static, and then the questions "Where did we come from?" and "Where are we going?" became scientific questions. When these questions are mixed with modern theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics -- as seemed appropriate at the recent Third Loyola Conference on Quantum Theory and Gravitation, held at Loyola University in New Orleans--some interesting ideas result.
'via Blog this'
Cosmology is the science of beginnings and endings. Cosmologists tend to concentrate on the first three milliseconds, or the first three seconds, or at most the first three years of history; and on the last few eons as well. It was not always this way. In olden days scientists tended to believe in a static universe. But 60 years ago the world learned that the universe is not static, and then the questions "Where did we come from?" and "Where are we going?" became scientific questions. When these questions are mixed with modern theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics -- as seemed appropriate at the recent Third Loyola Conference on Quantum Theory and Gravitation, held at Loyola University in New Orleans--some interesting ideas result.
Smokers Cost You Money and Other Asinine Anti-Smoking Lies
Smokers Cost You Money and Other Asinine Anti-Smoking Lies: "hind thirdhand smoke dangers should repulse anyone who has a puff of integrity. This year Dr. Virender Rehan and his team of investigators directly applied known tobacco carcinogens to removed fetal lung tissue and observed damage. From this he deduced that thirdhand smoke was dangerous and, I’m not making this up, declared that the harm to people cleaning sheets from smokers’ hotel rooms is a global problem. (7, 10) The issue with thirdhand smoke is not whether smoke is bad, it is how can harmful levels of it fly off smoke-touched surfaces and get in peoples’ lungs. This silly study that had nothing to do w"
'via Blog this'
When calling for more punitive laws anti-smokers love to trumpet smokers’ healthcare costs. This is a canard. Non-smokers die earlier and therefore do not take advantage of Social Security, Medicare, or pension plans to the extent that non-smokers do. In addition, smokers are more likely to die of relatively quick diseases such as lung cancer, as opposed to lingering ones such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Numerous studies have found that smokers cost tax payers substantially less than non-smokers. (9, 15) A 2008 Dutch study found that health care costs for smokers were about $326,000 from age 20 on, compared to about $417,000 for thin and healthy people. (15) A Canadian study found that in 1986 smokers added $1.4 billion to the pension system by their premature deaths. (6)
'via Blog this'
When calling for more punitive laws anti-smokers love to trumpet smokers’ healthcare costs. This is a canard. Non-smokers die earlier and therefore do not take advantage of Social Security, Medicare, or pension plans to the extent that non-smokers do. In addition, smokers are more likely to die of relatively quick diseases such as lung cancer, as opposed to lingering ones such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Numerous studies have found that smokers cost tax payers substantially less than non-smokers. (9, 15) A 2008 Dutch study found that health care costs for smokers were about $326,000 from age 20 on, compared to about $417,000 for thin and healthy people. (15) A Canadian study found that in 1986 smokers added $1.4 billion to the pension system by their premature deaths. (6)
Antidepressant linked to developmental brain abnormalities in rodents
Antidepressant linked to developmental brain abnormalities in rodents:
'via Blog this'
A study by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) shows that rats given a popularly prescribed antidepressant during development exhibit brain abnormalities and behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
The findings suggest that taking a certain class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors -- SSRIs -- during pregnancy might be one factor contributing to a dramatic rise in these developmental disorders in children.
"We saw behaviors in the treated rats and neurological problems that indicate their brains are not properly conducting and processing information," said Rick C.S. Lin, PhD, professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences at UMMC and principal investigator on the study.
'via Blog this'
A study by researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) shows that rats given a popularly prescribed antidepressant during development exhibit brain abnormalities and behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
The findings suggest that taking a certain class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors -- SSRIs -- during pregnancy might be one factor contributing to a dramatic rise in these developmental disorders in children.
"We saw behaviors in the treated rats and neurological problems that indicate their brains are not properly conducting and processing information," said Rick C.S. Lin, PhD, professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences at UMMC and principal investigator on the study.
High fizzy soft drink consumption linked to violence among teens
High fizzy soft drink consumption linked to violence among teens:
'via Blog this'
Teens who drink more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week are significantly more likely to behave aggressively, suggests research published online in Injury Prevention. This includes carrying a weapon and perpetrating violence against peers and siblings.
US lawyers have successfully argued in the past that a defendant accused of murder had diminished capacity as a result of switching to a junk food diet, a legal precedent that subsequently became known as the "Twinkie Defense" -- a twinkie being a packaged snack cake with a creamy filling.
'via Blog this'
Teens who drink more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week are significantly more likely to behave aggressively, suggests research published online in Injury Prevention. This includes carrying a weapon and perpetrating violence against peers and siblings.
US lawyers have successfully argued in the past that a defendant accused of murder had diminished capacity as a result of switching to a junk food diet, a legal precedent that subsequently became known as the "Twinkie Defense" -- a twinkie being a packaged snack cake with a creamy filling.
Strawberries protect the stomach from alcohol, rat experiments suggest
Strawberries protect the stomach from alcohol, rat experiments suggest:
'via Blog this'
In an experiment on rats, European researchers have proved that eating strawberries reduces the harm that alcohol can cause to the stomach mucous membrane. Published in the open access journal PLoS ONE, the study may contribute to improving the treatment of stomach ulcers.
A team of Italian, Serbian and Spanish researchers has confirmed the protecting effect that strawberries have in a mammal stomach that has been damaged by alcohol. Scientists gave ethanol (ethyl alcohol) to laboratory rats and, according to the study published in the journal PLoS ONE, have thus proved that the stomach mucous membrane of those that had previously eaten strawberry extract suffered less damage.
'via Blog this'
In an experiment on rats, European researchers have proved that eating strawberries reduces the harm that alcohol can cause to the stomach mucous membrane. Published in the open access journal PLoS ONE, the study may contribute to improving the treatment of stomach ulcers.
A team of Italian, Serbian and Spanish researchers has confirmed the protecting effect that strawberries have in a mammal stomach that has been damaged by alcohol. Scientists gave ethanol (ethyl alcohol) to laboratory rats and, according to the study published in the journal PLoS ONE, have thus proved that the stomach mucous membrane of those that had previously eaten strawberry extract suffered less damage.
Obesity limits effectiveness of flu vaccines, study finds
Obesity limits effectiveness of flu vaccines, study finds:
'via Blog this'
People carrying extra pounds may need extra protection from influenza.
New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that obesity may make annual flu shots less effective.
The findings, published online Oct. 25, 2011, in in the International Journal of Obesity, provide evidence explaining a phenomenon that was noticed for the first time during the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak: that obesity is associated with an impaired immune response to the influenza vaccination in humans.
'via Blog this'
People carrying extra pounds may need extra protection from influenza.
New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that obesity may make annual flu shots less effective.
The findings, published online Oct. 25, 2011, in in the International Journal of Obesity, provide evidence explaining a phenomenon that was noticed for the first time during the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak: that obesity is associated with an impaired immune response to the influenza vaccination in humans.
Coffee-Drinking May Reduce Risk Of Skin Cancer
Coffee-Drinking May Reduce Risk Of Skin Cancer | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Drinking copious amounts of coffee may reduce the risk of the most common type of skin cancer, a new study finds.
Women in the study who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma, a slow-growing form of skin cancer, than those who drank less than one cup a month.
Men in the study who consumed more than three cups of coffee had a 9 percent reduction in their basal cell carcinoma risk.
'via Blog this'
Drinking copious amounts of coffee may reduce the risk of the most common type of skin cancer, a new study finds.
Women in the study who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma, a slow-growing form of skin cancer, than those who drank less than one cup a month.
Men in the study who consumed more than three cups of coffee had a 9 percent reduction in their basal cell carcinoma risk.
October 24, 2011
Dark Matter Gets Darker: New Measurements Confound Scientists
Dark Matter Gets Darker: New Measurements Confound Scientists - Yahoo! News:
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New measurements of tiny galaxies contradict scientists' best model of dark matter, further complicating the already mysterious picture of the stuff that is thought to make up 98 percent of all matter in the universe.
Dark matter, the invisible material thought to permeate the universe, can only be indirectly detected through its gravitational pull on the normal matter that makes up stars and planets.
Despite not knowing exactly what dark matter is, scientists have gradually built up a good model to describe its behavior. The model envisions dark matter made up of cold, slow-moving exotic particles that clump together because of gravity.
This "cold dark matter" model has done remarkably well describing how dark matter behaves in most situations. However, it breaks down when applied to mini "dwarf galaxies," where dark matter appears more spread out than it should be, according to the theory.
'via Blog this'
New measurements of tiny galaxies contradict scientists' best model of dark matter, further complicating the already mysterious picture of the stuff that is thought to make up 98 percent of all matter in the universe.
Dark matter, the invisible material thought to permeate the universe, can only be indirectly detected through its gravitational pull on the normal matter that makes up stars and planets.
Despite not knowing exactly what dark matter is, scientists have gradually built up a good model to describe its behavior. The model envisions dark matter made up of cold, slow-moving exotic particles that clump together because of gravity.
This "cold dark matter" model has done remarkably well describing how dark matter behaves in most situations. However, it breaks down when applied to mini "dwarf galaxies," where dark matter appears more spread out than it should be, according to the theory.
Gallium nitride is non-toxic, biocompatible; holds promise for implants, research finds
Gallium nitride is non-toxic, biocompatible; holds promise for implants, research finds:
'via Blog this'
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Purdue University have shown that the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) is non-toxic and is compatible with human cells -- opening the door to the material's use in a variety of biomedical implant technologies.
GaN is currently used in a host of technologies, from LED lighting to optic sensors, but it is not in widespread use in biomedical implants. However, the new findings from NC State and Purdue mean that GaN holds promise for an array of implantable technologies -- from electrodes used in neurostimulation therapies for Alzheimer's to transistors used to monitor blood chemistry.
'via Blog this'
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Purdue University have shown that the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) is non-toxic and is compatible with human cells -- opening the door to the material's use in a variety of biomedical implant technologies.
GaN is currently used in a host of technologies, from LED lighting to optic sensors, but it is not in widespread use in biomedical implants. However, the new findings from NC State and Purdue mean that GaN holds promise for an array of implantable technologies -- from electrodes used in neurostimulation therapies for Alzheimer's to transistors used to monitor blood chemistry.
Hold your forces: Mechanical stress can help or hinder wound healing depending on time of application
Hold your forces: Mechanical stress can help or hinder wound healing depending on time of application:
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A new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing. The forces diminish or enhance the vascularization process and tissue regeneration depending on when they are applied during the healing process.
The study found that applying mechanical forces to an injury site immediately after healing began disrupted vascular growth into the site and prevented bone healing. However, applying mechanical forces later in the healing process enhanced functional bone regeneration. The study's findings could influence treatment of tissue injuries and recommendations for rehabilitation.
'via Blog this'
A new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing. The forces diminish or enhance the vascularization process and tissue regeneration depending on when they are applied during the healing process.
The study found that applying mechanical forces to an injury site immediately after healing began disrupted vascular growth into the site and prevented bone healing. However, applying mechanical forces later in the healing process enhanced functional bone regeneration. The study's findings could influence treatment of tissue injuries and recommendations for rehabilitation.
HPV Is Linked to Heart Disease in Women
HPV Is Linked to Heart Disease in Women - NYTimes.com:
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A new study suggests that a common sexually transmitted virus already linked to cancer may also cause cardiovascular disease.
Women infected with the human papillomavirus, or HPV, are two to three times as likely as uninfected women to have had a heart attack or stroke, according to a report published on Monday in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
HPV is known to cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, penis, anus and throat, but the new study is the first to connect the virus to heart disease. The heart findings are not definitive: They show the virus may be associated with heart disease, but do not prove it caused the disease.
'via Blog this'
A new study suggests that a common sexually transmitted virus already linked to cancer may also cause cardiovascular disease.
Women infected with the human papillomavirus, or HPV, are two to three times as likely as uninfected women to have had a heart attack or stroke, according to a report published on Monday in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
HPV is known to cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, penis, anus and throat, but the new study is the first to connect the virus to heart disease. The heart findings are not definitive: They show the virus may be associated with heart disease, but do not prove it caused the disease.
Robotic Avatars --Are They the Future of Space Exploration?
Robotic Avatars --Are They the Future of Space Exploration?:
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"Tomorrow’s NASA space program will be different," says Wallace Fowler of the University of Texas, a renowned expert in modeling and design of spacecraft, and planetary exploration systems. "Human space flight beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), beyond Earth’s natural radiation shields (the Van Allen belts), is dangerous. Currently, a human being outside the Van Allen belts could receive the NASA defined “lifetime dose” of galactic cosmic radiation within 200 days. If the Sun spews out a coronal jet of radiation in a solar storm in the direction of the spacecraft, a lethal dose can be received in a few hours. Mars does not have the equivalent of the shielding Van Allen belts, so a Mars base would also need shielding. Until we develop appropriate shielding, probably an intense magnetic field around the spacecraft, human travel, even to the moon, will likely be limited."
'via Blog this'
"Tomorrow’s NASA space program will be different," says Wallace Fowler of the University of Texas, a renowned expert in modeling and design of spacecraft, and planetary exploration systems. "Human space flight beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), beyond Earth’s natural radiation shields (the Van Allen belts), is dangerous. Currently, a human being outside the Van Allen belts could receive the NASA defined “lifetime dose” of galactic cosmic radiation within 200 days. If the Sun spews out a coronal jet of radiation in a solar storm in the direction of the spacecraft, a lethal dose can be received in a few hours. Mars does not have the equivalent of the shielding Van Allen belts, so a Mars base would also need shielding. Until we develop appropriate shielding, probably an intense magnetic field around the spacecraft, human travel, even to the moon, will likely be limited."
How to spot psychopaths: Speech patterns give them away
Vitals - How to spot psychopaths: Speech patterns give them away:
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Psychopaths are known to be wily and manipulative, but even so, they unconsciously betray themselves, according to scientists who have looked for patterns in convicted murderers' speech as they described their crimes.
The researchers interviewed 52 convicted murderers, 14 of them ranked as psychopaths according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, a 20-item assessment, and asked them to describe their crimes in detail. Using computer programs to analyze what the men said, the researchers found that those with psychopathic scores showed a lack of emotion, spoke in terms of cause-and-effect when describing their crimes, and focused their attention on basic needs, such as food, drink and money.
While we all have conscious control over some words we use, particularly nouns and verbs, this is not the case for the majority of the words we use, including little, functional words like "to" and "the" or the tense we use for our verbs, according to Jeffrey Hancock, the lead researcher and an associate professor in communications at Cornell University, who discussed the work on Monday (Oct. 17) in Midtown Manhattan at Cornell's ILR Conference Center.
'via Blog this'
Psychopaths are known to be wily and manipulative, but even so, they unconsciously betray themselves, according to scientists who have looked for patterns in convicted murderers' speech as they described their crimes.
The researchers interviewed 52 convicted murderers, 14 of them ranked as psychopaths according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, a 20-item assessment, and asked them to describe their crimes in detail. Using computer programs to analyze what the men said, the researchers found that those with psychopathic scores showed a lack of emotion, spoke in terms of cause-and-effect when describing their crimes, and focused their attention on basic needs, such as food, drink and money.
While we all have conscious control over some words we use, particularly nouns and verbs, this is not the case for the majority of the words we use, including little, functional words like "to" and "the" or the tense we use for our verbs, according to Jeffrey Hancock, the lead researcher and an associate professor in communications at Cornell University, who discussed the work on Monday (Oct. 17) in Midtown Manhattan at Cornell's ILR Conference Center.
BPA in pregnant women might affect kids' behavior
BPA in pregnant women might affect kids' behavior - Technology & science - Science - msnbc.com:
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Exposure to the chemical bisphenol-A before birth could affect girls' behavior at age 3, according to the latest study on potential health effects of the compound used in the manufacturing of some plastic drink bottles and food can linings.
Preschool-aged girls whose mothers had relatively high urine levels of BPA during pregnancy scored worse but still within a normal range on behavior measures including anxiety and hyperactivity than other young girls.
The results are not conclusive and experts not involved in the study said factors other than BPA might explain the results. The researchers acknowledge that "considerable debate" remains about whether BPA is harmful, but say their findings should prompt additional research.
'via Blog this'
Exposure to the chemical bisphenol-A before birth could affect girls' behavior at age 3, according to the latest study on potential health effects of the compound used in the manufacturing of some plastic drink bottles and food can linings.
Preschool-aged girls whose mothers had relatively high urine levels of BPA during pregnancy scored worse but still within a normal range on behavior measures including anxiety and hyperactivity than other young girls.
The results are not conclusive and experts not involved in the study said factors other than BPA might explain the results. The researchers acknowledge that "considerable debate" remains about whether BPA is harmful, but say their findings should prompt additional research.
Deadly Spider Venom Used In Breast Cancer Trial
Deadly Spider Venom Used In Breast Cancer Trial | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Venom from deadly funnel-web spiders and tarantulas could be used to kill breast cancer cells, under an Australian trial.
Researchers at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience hope the complex mix of molecules in the venom could offer a natural solution to breast cancer treatment.
Dr. David Wilson has stockpiled venom from the fangs of up to 10 Australian funnel-webs for the two-year trial. His team will isolate up to 300 molecules in the venom and expose them to cancer cells to see how they react.
'via Blog this'
Venom from deadly funnel-web spiders and tarantulas could be used to kill breast cancer cells, under an Australian trial.
Researchers at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience hope the complex mix of molecules in the venom could offer a natural solution to breast cancer treatment.
Dr. David Wilson has stockpiled venom from the fangs of up to 10 Australian funnel-webs for the two-year trial. His team will isolate up to 300 molecules in the venom and expose them to cancer cells to see how they react.
Moving Out of a Poor Neighborhood Reduces Obesity and Diabetes Risk
Moving Out of a Poor Neighborhood Reduces Obesity and Diabetes Risk - - TIME Healthland:
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Does where you live influence your health? Yes, and maybe even more dramatically than you might expect.
When a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offered a program in the 1990s to move families out of poor neighborhoods, it created a unique opportunity not only to improve people's day-to-day lives, but also to study how a change in environment might impact their health over the long term. Now, more than a decade later, the researchers have found that families who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods had lower levels of obesity and diabetes than those who stayed behind. What's more, the improvements in health were as significant as those that typically result from targeted diet and exercise interventions or the use of medications to treat diabetes.
'via Blog this'
Does where you live influence your health? Yes, and maybe even more dramatically than you might expect.
When a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offered a program in the 1990s to move families out of poor neighborhoods, it created a unique opportunity not only to improve people's day-to-day lives, but also to study how a change in environment might impact their health over the long term. Now, more than a decade later, the researchers have found that families who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods had lower levels of obesity and diabetes than those who stayed behind. What's more, the improvements in health were as significant as those that typically result from targeted diet and exercise interventions or the use of medications to treat diabetes.
October 21, 2011
Plants feel the force: How plants sense touch, gravity and other physical forces
Plants feel the force: How plants sense touch, gravity and other physical forces:
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"Picture yourself hiking through the woods or walking across a lawn," says Elizabeth Haswell, PhD, assistant professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. "Now ask yourself: Do the bushes know that someone is brushing past them? Does the grass know that it is being crushed underfoot? Of course, plants don't think thoughts, but they do respond to being touched in a number of ways."
'via Blog this'
"Picture yourself hiking through the woods or walking across a lawn," says Elizabeth Haswell, PhD, assistant professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. "Now ask yourself: Do the bushes know that someone is brushing past them? Does the grass know that it is being crushed underfoot? Of course, plants don't think thoughts, but they do respond to being touched in a number of ways."
Narcissists' Overconfidence May Hide Low Self-Esteem
Narcissists' Overconfidence May Hide Low Self-Esteem - Yahoo! News:
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Narcissists may seem to love themselves, but a new study finds that narcissistic self-aggrandizement may hide deep feelings of inferiority.
According to the new research, people who are narcissistic are likely to tell psychologists that they feel good about themselves. But when the psychologists trick these narcissists into thinking they're hooked up to a working lie-detector test, the truth comes out and the narcissists admit to lower self-esteem.
"This suggests that individuals with high levels of narcissism may be inflating their self-esteem," study researcher Erin Myers, a psychologist at Western Carolina University, told LiveScience. "In other words, narcissistic individuals may not really believe they are as great as they claim to be."
'via Blog this'
Narcissists may seem to love themselves, but a new study finds that narcissistic self-aggrandizement may hide deep feelings of inferiority.
According to the new research, people who are narcissistic are likely to tell psychologists that they feel good about themselves. But when the psychologists trick these narcissists into thinking they're hooked up to a working lie-detector test, the truth comes out and the narcissists admit to lower self-esteem.
"This suggests that individuals with high levels of narcissism may be inflating their self-esteem," study researcher Erin Myers, a psychologist at Western Carolina University, told LiveScience. "In other words, narcissistic individuals may not really believe they are as great as they claim to be."
BPA may be tied to diabetes, after all
BPA may be tied to diabetes, after all - Health - Diabetes - msnbc.com:
'via Blog this'
Adding to the mixed bag of research on bisphenol A and diabetes, a new study suggests that people with higher urinary levels of the controversial chemical do have a higher risk of diabetes.
Bisphenol A -- better known as BPA -- is a so-called endocrine disruptor, which means it may affect normal hormone activity in the body.
It's also all around us. BPA has been used for decades to make hard plastic containers, as well as linings for metal food and drink cans. Research suggests that most people have some amount of BPA in their blood, including about 95 percent of Americans.
'via Blog this'
Adding to the mixed bag of research on bisphenol A and diabetes, a new study suggests that people with higher urinary levels of the controversial chemical do have a higher risk of diabetes.
Bisphenol A -- better known as BPA -- is a so-called endocrine disruptor, which means it may affect normal hormone activity in the body.
It's also all around us. BPA has been used for decades to make hard plastic containers, as well as linings for metal food and drink cans. Research suggests that most people have some amount of BPA in their blood, including about 95 percent of Americans.
Women, young adults more likely to ponder suicide
Women, young adults more likely to ponder suicide | Reuters:
'via Blog this'
A new federal survey estimates that more than 8 million adults in the United States had considered suicide in a year's time and more than two million actually made plans to kill themselves.
Women, Caucasians and those under age 30 were more likely to have suicidal thoughts, according to the first-of-its-kind study released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study indicates a wide variation in suicidal behavior by state. One in 15 adults in Utah had serious thoughts of suicide, the highest in the nation. That compared to Georgia, the lowest, with 1 in 50 adults saying they had seriously considered killing themselves.
'via Blog this'
A new federal survey estimates that more than 8 million adults in the United States had considered suicide in a year's time and more than two million actually made plans to kill themselves.
Women, Caucasians and those under age 30 were more likely to have suicidal thoughts, according to the first-of-its-kind study released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study indicates a wide variation in suicidal behavior by state. One in 15 adults in Utah had serious thoughts of suicide, the highest in the nation. That compared to Georgia, the lowest, with 1 in 50 adults saying they had seriously considered killing themselves.
How to avoid being like the 11 percent of Americans who now take antidepressant drugs every day
How to avoid being like the 11 percent of Americans who now take antidepressant drugs every day:
'via Blog this'
The admitted goal of the pharmaceutical industry is to have every man, woman and child in America taking at least two prescription medications every day of their lives (whether they're sick or not). Through Big Pharma's corruption of the FDA, medical journals, med schools and the mainstream media, it creeps ever closer to accomplishing that goal, and today it has been revealed that one in ten Americans are now on SSRI antidepressant drugs.
This is the conclusion of a survey conducted by the CDC. It also revealed that antidepressant use jumped 400% from 2005 - 2008, while women are 2.5 times more likely to use antidepressants than men.
'via Blog this'
The admitted goal of the pharmaceutical industry is to have every man, woman and child in America taking at least two prescription medications every day of their lives (whether they're sick or not). Through Big Pharma's corruption of the FDA, medical journals, med schools and the mainstream media, it creeps ever closer to accomplishing that goal, and today it has been revealed that one in ten Americans are now on SSRI antidepressant drugs.
This is the conclusion of a survey conducted by the CDC. It also revealed that antidepressant use jumped 400% from 2005 - 2008, while women are 2.5 times more likely to use antidepressants than men.
Superbug skin infections spreading fast
Superbug skin infections spreading fast - Health - Infectious diseases - msnbc.com:
'via Blog this'
A once-rare drug-resistant germ now appears to cause more than half of all skin infections treated in U.S. emergency rooms, say researchers who documented the superbug’s startling spread in the general population.
Many victims mistakenly thought they just had spider bites that wouldn’t heal, not drug-resistant staph bacteria. Only a decade ago, these germs were hardly ever seen outside of hospitals and nursing homes.
Doctors also were caught off-guard — most of them unwittingly prescribed medicines that do not work against the bacteria.
'via Blog this'
A once-rare drug-resistant germ now appears to cause more than half of all skin infections treated in U.S. emergency rooms, say researchers who documented the superbug’s startling spread in the general population.
Many victims mistakenly thought they just had spider bites that wouldn’t heal, not drug-resistant staph bacteria. Only a decade ago, these germs were hardly ever seen outside of hospitals and nursing homes.
Doctors also were caught off-guard — most of them unwittingly prescribed medicines that do not work against the bacteria.
Welcome to the Multiverse
Welcome to the Multiverse | Cosmology | DISCOVER Magazine:
'via Blog this'
Theoretical cosmologist isn’t one of the more hazardous occupations of the modern world. The big risks include jet lag, caffeine overdose, and possibly carpal tunnel syndrome. It wasn’t always so. On February 17, 1600, Giordano Bruno, a mathematician and Dominican friar, was stripped naked and driven through the streets of Rome. Then he was tied to a stake in the Campo de’ Fiori and burned to death. The records of Bruno’s long prosecution by the Inquisition have been lost, but one of his major heresies was cosmological. He advocated that other stars were like our sun, and that they could each support planets teeming with life. Orthodox thought of the time preferred to think that Earth and humanity were unique.
'via Blog this'
Theoretical cosmologist isn’t one of the more hazardous occupations of the modern world. The big risks include jet lag, caffeine overdose, and possibly carpal tunnel syndrome. It wasn’t always so. On February 17, 1600, Giordano Bruno, a mathematician and Dominican friar, was stripped naked and driven through the streets of Rome. Then he was tied to a stake in the Campo de’ Fiori and burned to death. The records of Bruno’s long prosecution by the Inquisition have been lost, but one of his major heresies was cosmological. He advocated that other stars were like our sun, and that they could each support planets teeming with life. Orthodox thought of the time preferred to think that Earth and humanity were unique.
'Alien' filmed in Brazalian rainforest: Is creature pictured in Amazon from outer-space?
'Alien' filmed in Brazalian rainforest: Is creature pictured in Amazon from outer-space? | Mail Online: "Storey Musgrave - having been six times in space - is certain that there are creatures out there, having managed to travel faster than light. Well, I am for"
'via Blog this'
As biologically diverse as the Amazon is, this peculiar creature would not appear to be a natural inhabitant of the Brazilian jungle or, indeed, Earth for that matter.
Standing just a few feet from a mesmerising flashing light, this unidentified being could offer proof that we are not alone in the universe.
The image comes from a video obtained by noted paranormal writer Michael Cohen and is claimed to have been filmed by two British tourists visiting the Mamaus region of the Amazon.
'via Blog this'
As biologically diverse as the Amazon is, this peculiar creature would not appear to be a natural inhabitant of the Brazilian jungle or, indeed, Earth for that matter.
Standing just a few feet from a mesmerising flashing light, this unidentified being could offer proof that we are not alone in the universe.
The image comes from a video obtained by noted paranormal writer Michael Cohen and is claimed to have been filmed by two British tourists visiting the Mamaus region of the Amazon.
Live Long, Pass It On
Live Long, Pass It On - Science News: "eneration to generation via these chemical tags known as histone modifications rather than by DNA variations. Only a few studies have suggested that any histone modifications can be inherited, “but this is a fairly definitive demonstration,” says Tony Kouzarides, a molecular biologist at the University of Cambridge in England."
'via Blog this'
Although long life can be inherited, it doesn’t necessarily happen through the genes.
A new study shows that the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of long-lived roundworms live five to six days longer than usual even though they no longer carry the genetic mutations that caused their grandparents’ longevity. Instead, the descendants’ longevity may be because they inherited epigenetic marks — chemical tags on their DNA or DNA-associated proteins called histones — that change gene activity without changing the genes themselves, researchers at Stanford and Harvard universities report online October 19 in Nature.
'via Blog this'
Although long life can be inherited, it doesn’t necessarily happen through the genes.
A new study shows that the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of long-lived roundworms live five to six days longer than usual even though they no longer carry the genetic mutations that caused their grandparents’ longevity. Instead, the descendants’ longevity may be because they inherited epigenetic marks — chemical tags on their DNA or DNA-associated proteins called histones — that change gene activity without changing the genes themselves, researchers at Stanford and Harvard universities report online October 19 in Nature.
October 20, 2011
More Than 1 In 10 Americans Use Antidepressants
More Than 1 In 10 Americans Use Antidepressants | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
More than one in 10 Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, a class of drugs that has become wildly popular in the past several decades, U.S. government researchers said.
Antidepressants were the third-most common drug used by Americans of all ages between 2005 and 2008 and they were the most common drug among people aged 18 to 44, according to an analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
'via Blog this'
More than one in 10 Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, a class of drugs that has become wildly popular in the past several decades, U.S. government researchers said.
Antidepressants were the third-most common drug used by Americans of all ages between 2005 and 2008 and they were the most common drug among people aged 18 to 44, according to an analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
China Will Own the Moon, Space Entrepreneur Worries
China Will Own the Moon, Space Entrepreneur Worries - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
A new game of "Solar System Monopoly" is under way, and the United States is losing, commercial space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow said today (Oct. 19).
The first prize, ownership of the moon, is up for grabs, and China will likely snag it, Bigelow said here at the 2011 International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight.
Bigelow's Las Vegas-based company, Bigelow Aerospace, is constructing private inflatable space modules that it hopes to rent out to government and commercial customers. The firm is even working on a series of labs for a human lunar colony.
'via Blog this'
A new game of "Solar System Monopoly" is under way, and the United States is losing, commercial space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow said today (Oct. 19).
The first prize, ownership of the moon, is up for grabs, and China will likely snag it, Bigelow said here at the 2011 International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight.
Bigelow's Las Vegas-based company, Bigelow Aerospace, is constructing private inflatable space modules that it hopes to rent out to government and commercial customers. The firm is even working on a series of labs for a human lunar colony.
Estrogen works in the brain to keep weight in check, study shows
Estrogen works in the brain to keep weight in check, study shows:
'via Blog this'
A recent UT Southwestern Medical Center study found that estrogen regulates energy expenditure, appetite and body weight, while insufficient estrogen receptors in specific parts of the brain may lead to obesity.
'via Blog this'
A recent UT Southwestern Medical Center study found that estrogen regulates energy expenditure, appetite and body weight, while insufficient estrogen receptors in specific parts of the brain may lead to obesity.
Using new technique, scientists uncover a delicate magnetic balance for superconductivity
Using new technique, scientists uncover a delicate magnetic balance for superconductivity:
'via Blog this'
A new imaging technology is giving scientists unprecedented views of the processes that affect the flow of electrons through materials.
By modifying a familiar tool in nanoscience -- the scanning tunneling microscope -- a team at Cornell University's Laboratory for Atomic and Solid State Physics have been able to visualize what happens when they change the electronic structure of a "heavy fermion" compound made of uranium, ruthenium and silicon. What they found sheds light on superconductivity -- the movement of electrons without resistance -which typically occurs at extremely low temperatures and that researchers hope one day to achieve at something close to room temperature, which would revolutionize electronics.
'via Blog this'
A new imaging technology is giving scientists unprecedented views of the processes that affect the flow of electrons through materials.
By modifying a familiar tool in nanoscience -- the scanning tunneling microscope -- a team at Cornell University's Laboratory for Atomic and Solid State Physics have been able to visualize what happens when they change the electronic structure of a "heavy fermion" compound made of uranium, ruthenium and silicon. What they found sheds light on superconductivity -- the movement of electrons without resistance -which typically occurs at extremely low temperatures and that researchers hope one day to achieve at something close to room temperature, which would revolutionize electronics.
October 19, 2011
Quantum Levitation – Amazing video
..internal.. » Quantum Levitation – Amazing video:
'via Blog this'
This video is simply stunning. You may have heard of levitation using superconductors. This video shows takes those experiments even further, demonstrating an amazing effect called ‘quantum locking,’ where an object is ‘locked’ in a fixed position without contacting any other objects. Watch the disc in this video spin and move, all while maintaining the same local orientation. Watch below:
'via Blog this'
This video is simply stunning. You may have heard of levitation using superconductors. This video shows takes those experiments even further, demonstrating an amazing effect called ‘quantum locking,’ where an object is ‘locked’ in a fixed position without contacting any other objects. Watch the disc in this video spin and move, all while maintaining the same local orientation. Watch below:
IQ 'can change in teenage years'
BBC News - IQ 'can change in teenage years':
'via Blog this'
The mental ability of teenagers can improve or decline on a far greater scale than previously thought, according to new research.
Until now the assumption has been that intellectual capacity, as measured by IQ, stays quite static during life.
But tests conducted on teenagers at an average age of 14 and then repeated when their average age was nearly 18 found improvements - and deterioration.
'via Blog this'
The mental ability of teenagers can improve or decline on a far greater scale than previously thought, according to new research.
Until now the assumption has been that intellectual capacity, as measured by IQ, stays quite static during life.
But tests conducted on teenagers at an average age of 14 and then repeated when their average age was nearly 18 found improvements - and deterioration.
NASA: One-third of gamma ray sources are complete mysteries
NASA: One-third of gamma ray sources are complete mysteries – Light Years - CNN.com Blogs:
'via Blog this'
The Fermi Space Telescope has detected 1,873 gamma ray sources in space, and nearly 600 are complete mysteries, NASA wrote today on its website.
NASA's Fermi team has recently released the second catalog of gamma ray sources from its satellite's Large Area Telescope and have no idea where nearly one-third of gamma rays originated.
"Fermi sees gamma rays coming from directions in the sky where there are no obvious objects likely to produce gamma rays," said David Thompson, Fermi deputy project scientist, of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
'via Blog this'
The Fermi Space Telescope has detected 1,873 gamma ray sources in space, and nearly 600 are complete mysteries, NASA wrote today on its website.
NASA's Fermi team has recently released the second catalog of gamma ray sources from its satellite's Large Area Telescope and have no idea where nearly one-third of gamma rays originated.
"Fermi sees gamma rays coming from directions in the sky where there are no obvious objects likely to produce gamma rays," said David Thompson, Fermi deputy project scientist, of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
More Facebook friends linked to bigger brain areas
More Facebook friends linked to bigger brain areas | Reuters:
'via Blog this'
Scientists have found a direct link between the number of "friends" a person has on Facebook and the size of certain brain regions, raising the possibility that using online social networks might change our brains.
The four brain areas involved are known to play a role in memory, emotional responses and social interactions.
So far, however, it is not possible to say whether having more Facebook connections makes particular parts of the brain larger or whether some people are simply pre-disposed, or "hard-wired," to have more friends.
'via Blog this'
Scientists have found a direct link between the number of "friends" a person has on Facebook and the size of certain brain regions, raising the possibility that using online social networks might change our brains.
The four brain areas involved are known to play a role in memory, emotional responses and social interactions.
So far, however, it is not possible to say whether having more Facebook connections makes particular parts of the brain larger or whether some people are simply pre-disposed, or "hard-wired," to have more friends.
October 18, 2011
Junk Food Can Make Young Men Infertile
Junk Food Can Make Young Men Infertile, Say Scientists | Fox News:
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Junk food, particularly products containing trans fats, can make healthy young men infertile by damaging their sperm, a joint American and Spanish study out Tuesday showed.
Fertility doctors from Harvard University and the University of Murcia, southeastern Spain, analyzed sperm from hundreds of men aged between 18 and 22 and found those who ate a high proportion of junk food had poorer quality sperm than those with a
'via Blog this'
Junk food, particularly products containing trans fats, can make healthy young men infertile by damaging their sperm, a joint American and Spanish study out Tuesday showed.
Fertility doctors from Harvard University and the University of Murcia, southeastern Spain, analyzed sperm from hundreds of men aged between 18 and 22 and found those who ate a high proportion of junk food had poorer quality sperm than those with a
Binge Drinking Costs America $224 Billion
Binge Drinking Costs America $224 Billion, Report Says:
'via Blog this'
Excessive alcohol consumption cost the U.S. about $224 billion, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The costs come largely from the loss of workplace productivity (making up 72 percent of the total), while health care costs made up 11 percent, according to the CDC report. Nine percent of the cost came from criminal justice costs, while 6 percent ]was from drunk-driving related crashes.
'via Blog this'
Excessive alcohol consumption cost the U.S. about $224 billion, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The costs come largely from the loss of workplace productivity (making up 72 percent of the total), while health care costs made up 11 percent, according to the CDC report. Nine percent of the cost came from criminal justice costs, while 6 percent ]was from drunk-driving related crashes.
Can train technology reinvent the wheel?
BBC News - Can train technology reinvent the wheel?:
'via Blog this'
Rail transport has not fundamentally changed in the 200 years since the invention of metal rails but a new wave of transport ideas - from ones already in development to "concept" contraptions - could change the way we commute forever.
A personal car that drives itself automatically to your destination may sound like science fiction but new "pods" at Heathrow Airport in London have achieved just that - taking passengers from car park to terminal quickly, easily and driven entirely autonomously.
'via Blog this'
Rail transport has not fundamentally changed in the 200 years since the invention of metal rails but a new wave of transport ideas - from ones already in development to "concept" contraptions - could change the way we commute forever.
A personal car that drives itself automatically to your destination may sound like science fiction but new "pods" at Heathrow Airport in London have achieved just that - taking passengers from car park to terminal quickly, easily and driven entirely autonomously.
October 17, 2011
Could a computer one day rewire itself? New nanomaterial 'steers' electric currents in multiple dimensions
Could a computer one day rewire itself? New nanomaterial 'steers' electric currents in multiple dimensions:
'via Blog this'
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a new nanomaterial that can "steer" electrical currents. The development could lead to a computer that can simply reconfigure its internal wiring and become an entirely different device, based on changing needs.
As electronic devices are built smaller and smaller, the materials from which the circuits are constructed begin to lose their properties and begin to be controlled by quantum mechanical phenomena. Reaching this physical barrier, many scientists have begun building circuits into multiple dimensions, such as stacking components on top of one another.
'via Blog this'
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a new nanomaterial that can "steer" electrical currents. The development could lead to a computer that can simply reconfigure its internal wiring and become an entirely different device, based on changing needs.
As electronic devices are built smaller and smaller, the materials from which the circuits are constructed begin to lose their properties and begin to be controlled by quantum mechanical phenomena. Reaching this physical barrier, many scientists have begun building circuits into multiple dimensions, such as stacking components on top of one another.
Scientists Build Self-Replicating Molecule
Scientists Build Self-Replicating Molecule : Discovery News:
'via Blog this'
Living things self-replicate, but artificial materials generally don’t. At least not until now.
New York University researchers led by Paul Chaikin have found a way to use synthetic DNA to make molecules that reproduce themselves. The technique gives scientists a tool to create different combinations on the DNA that aren't necessarily available in nature. That opens up billions of possibilities for building completely new materials and even molecular machines. Chaikin and his colleaques reported their results in this week's journal Nature.
'via Blog this'
Living things self-replicate, but artificial materials generally don’t. At least not until now.
New York University researchers led by Paul Chaikin have found a way to use synthetic DNA to make molecules that reproduce themselves. The technique gives scientists a tool to create different combinations on the DNA that aren't necessarily available in nature. That opens up billions of possibilities for building completely new materials and even molecular machines. Chaikin and his colleaques reported their results in this week's journal Nature.
October 13, 2011
Permanently dismal economy could prompt men to seek more sex partners
Permanently dismal economy could prompt men to seek more sex partners:
'via Blog this'
Grim economic times could cause men to seek more sexual partners, giving them more chances to reproduce, according to research by Omri Gillath, a social psychology professor at the University of Kansas.
'via Blog this'
Grim economic times could cause men to seek more sexual partners, giving them more chances to reproduce, according to research by Omri Gillath, a social psychology professor at the University of Kansas.
Asteroid Near Earth Discovered by Amateur Astronomers
Asteroid Near Earth Discovered by Amateur Astronomers - Yahoo! News:
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A team of amateur astronomers has discovered a previously unknown asteroid in orbit that brings it near the Earth, highlighting the contributions regular folks can make to planetary defense, scientists announced Wednesday (Oct. 12).
The skywatchers spotted the asteroid, which is known as 2011 SF108, in September using a telescope in the Canary Islands. While 2011 SF108's orbit appears to bring it no closer to Earth than about 18 million miles (30 million kilometers), it still qualifies as a near-Earth object — the class of space rocks that could pose a danger to our planet.
'via Blog this'
A team of amateur astronomers has discovered a previously unknown asteroid in orbit that brings it near the Earth, highlighting the contributions regular folks can make to planetary defense, scientists announced Wednesday (Oct. 12).
The skywatchers spotted the asteroid, which is known as 2011 SF108, in September using a telescope in the Canary Islands. While 2011 SF108's orbit appears to bring it no closer to Earth than about 18 million miles (30 million kilometers), it still qualifies as a near-Earth object — the class of space rocks that could pose a danger to our planet.
U.S. Intelligence Unit Aims to Build a ‘Data Eye in the Sky’
U.S. Intelligence Unit Aims to Build a ‘Data Eye in the Sky’ - NYTimes.com:
'via Blog this'
More than 60 years ago, in his “Foundation” series, the science fiction novelist Isaac Asimov invented a new science — psychohistory — that combined mathematics and psychology to predict the future.
Now social scientists are trying to mine the vast resources of the Internet — Web searches and Twitter messages, Facebook and blog posts, the digital location trails generated by billions of cellphones — to do the same thing.
The most optimistic researchers believe that these storehouses of “big data” will for the first time reveal sociological laws of human behavior — enabling them to predict political crises, revolutions and other forms of social and economic instability, just as physicists and chemists can predict natural phenomena.
'via Blog this'
More than 60 years ago, in his “Foundation” series, the science fiction novelist Isaac Asimov invented a new science — psychohistory — that combined mathematics and psychology to predict the future.
Now social scientists are trying to mine the vast resources of the Internet — Web searches and Twitter messages, Facebook and blog posts, the digital location trails generated by billions of cellphones — to do the same thing.
The most optimistic researchers believe that these storehouses of “big data” will for the first time reveal sociological laws of human behavior — enabling them to predict political crises, revolutions and other forms of social and economic instability, just as physicists and chemists can predict natural phenomena.
Warped Galaxies Reveal Signs of Universe's Hidden Dark Matter
Warped Galaxies Reveal Signs of Universe's Hidden Dark Matter - Yahoo! News:
'via Blog this'
Warped visions of distant galaxy clusters are offering a reflection of the invisible matter inside them that astronomers are using to map the unseen side of the universe.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed the first of a number of galaxy clusters that they hope to use to build a cosmic census of hidden dark matter. Dark matter, thought to make up 98 percent of all matter in the universe, cannot be seen, only felt through its gravitational pull.
To find out where dark matter lies, and how much of it there is, scientists look for an effect called gravitational lensing. This bending of light is caused when mass — including dark matter — warps space-time, causing light to travel a crooked path through it. The end effect is a curvy, funhouse-mirror type view of distant cosmic objects.
'via Blog this'
Warped visions of distant galaxy clusters are offering a reflection of the invisible matter inside them that astronomers are using to map the unseen side of the universe.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed the first of a number of galaxy clusters that they hope to use to build a cosmic census of hidden dark matter. Dark matter, thought to make up 98 percent of all matter in the universe, cannot be seen, only felt through its gravitational pull.
To find out where dark matter lies, and how much of it there is, scientists look for an effect called gravitational lensing. This bending of light is caused when mass — including dark matter — warps space-time, causing light to travel a crooked path through it. The end effect is a curvy, funhouse-mirror type view of distant cosmic objects.
October 12, 2011
Toxins All around Us
Toxins All around Us: Scientific American:
'via Blog this'
Susan starts her day by jogging to the edge of town, cutting back through a cornfield for an herbal tea at the downtown Starbucks and heading home for a shower. It sounds like a healthy morning routine, but Susan is in fact exposing herself to a rogue’s gallery of chemicals: pesticides and herbicides on the corn, plasticizers in her tea cup, and the wide array of ingredients used to perfume her soap and enhance the performance of her shampoo and moisturizer. Most of these exposures are so low as to be considered trivial, but they are not trivial at all—especially considering that Susan is six weeks pregnant.
'via Blog this'
Susan starts her day by jogging to the edge of town, cutting back through a cornfield for an herbal tea at the downtown Starbucks and heading home for a shower. It sounds like a healthy morning routine, but Susan is in fact exposing herself to a rogue’s gallery of chemicals: pesticides and herbicides on the corn, plasticizers in her tea cup, and the wide array of ingredients used to perfume her soap and enhance the performance of her shampoo and moisturizer. Most of these exposures are so low as to be considered trivial, but they are not trivial at all—especially considering that Susan is six weeks pregnant.
The Pill Sabotages Sex, Boosts Relationship Happiness
The Pill Sabotages Sex, Boosts Relationship Happiness | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
Popping a birth-control pill could significantly impact your long-term relationship choices, new research suggests.
Comparing the relationships of women who were on the pill when they met their partner with those who weren't, researchers found that pill users were less sexually satisfied, but happier overall with their relationships than women not taking birth control when they first met their mate.
'via Blog this'
Popping a birth-control pill could significantly impact your long-term relationship choices, new research suggests.
Comparing the relationships of women who were on the pill when they met their partner with those who weren't, researchers found that pill users were less sexually satisfied, but happier overall with their relationships than women not taking birth control when they first met their mate.
MIT: "New Universes are Being Constantly Created"
MIT: "New Universes are Being Constantly Created" (Today's Most Popular):
'via Blog this'
Modern cosmology theory holds that our universe may be just one in a vast collection of universes known as the multiverse. MIT physicist Alan Guth has suggested that new universes (known as “pocket universes”) are constantly being created, but they cannot be seen from our universe.
In this view, “nature gets a lot of tries — the universe is an experiment that’s repeated over and over again, each time with slightly different physical laws, or even vastly different physical laws,” says Jaffe.
Some of these universes would collapse instants after forming; in others, the forces between particles would be so weak they could not give rise to atoms or molecules. However, if conditions were suitable, matter would coalesce into galaxies and planets, and if the right elements were present in those worlds, intelligent life could evolve.
'via Blog this'
Modern cosmology theory holds that our universe may be just one in a vast collection of universes known as the multiverse. MIT physicist Alan Guth has suggested that new universes (known as “pocket universes”) are constantly being created, but they cannot be seen from our universe.
In this view, “nature gets a lot of tries — the universe is an experiment that’s repeated over and over again, each time with slightly different physical laws, or even vastly different physical laws,” says Jaffe.
Some of these universes would collapse instants after forming; in others, the forces between particles would be so weak they could not give rise to atoms or molecules. However, if conditions were suitable, matter would coalesce into galaxies and planets, and if the right elements were present in those worlds, intelligent life could evolve.
October 11, 2011
Vitamins A, C and E don't help you live longer
Vitamins A, C and E don't help you live longer - Health - Diet and nutrition - msnbc.com:
'via Blog this'
Antioxidant vitamins, including A, E and C, don’t help you live longer, according to an analysis of dozens of studies of these popular supplements.
The new review showing no long-life benefit from those vitamins, plus beta carotene and selenium, adds to growing evidence questioning the value of these supplements.
'via Blog this'
Antioxidant vitamins, including A, E and C, don’t help you live longer, according to an analysis of dozens of studies of these popular supplements.
The new review showing no long-life benefit from those vitamins, plus beta carotene and selenium, adds to growing evidence questioning the value of these supplements.
States Adding Drug Test as Hurdle for Welfare
States Adding Drug Test as Hurdle for Welfare - NYTimes.com:
'via Blog this'
As more Americans turn to government programs for refuge from a merciless economy, a growing number are encountering a new price of admission to the social safety net: a urine sample.
Policy makers in three dozen states this year proposed drug testing for people receiving benefits like welfare, unemployment assistance, job training, food stamps and public housing. Such laws, which proponents say ensure that tax dollars are not being misused and critics say reinforce stereotypes about the poor, have passed in states including Arizona, Indiana and Missouri.
'via Blog this'
As more Americans turn to government programs for refuge from a merciless economy, a growing number are encountering a new price of admission to the social safety net: a urine sample.
Policy makers in three dozen states this year proposed drug testing for people receiving benefits like welfare, unemployment assistance, job training, food stamps and public housing. Such laws, which proponents say ensure that tax dollars are not being misused and critics say reinforce stereotypes about the poor, have passed in states including Arizona, Indiana and Missouri.
October 9, 2011
What's the Scientific Reason Women Have Orgasms?
What's the Scientific Reason Women Have Orgasms? | Sex & Relationships | AlterNet:
'via Blog this'
Decades of research have failed to answer the question of why the female orgasm exists — and two recent conflicting studies on the subject have hardly changed that. Interestingly enough, though, both focus on a theory sure to anger some women: that their ability to climax is the mere byproduct of men’s orgasm, which has a clear evolutionary purpose. We may not have proof of this one way or another, but it’s worth exploring the potential cultural implications.
'via Blog this'
Decades of research have failed to answer the question of why the female orgasm exists — and two recent conflicting studies on the subject have hardly changed that. Interestingly enough, though, both focus on a theory sure to anger some women: that their ability to climax is the mere byproduct of men’s orgasm, which has a clear evolutionary purpose. We may not have proof of this one way or another, but it’s worth exploring the potential cultural implications.
October 5, 2011
Researchers Create Functional Invisibility Cloak Using 'Mirage Effect'
Researchers Create Functional Invisibility Cloak Using 'Mirage Effect' | Fox News
Researchers have created a working invisibility cloak using one of nature’s common yet bizarre phenomena -- the “mirage effect.”
The new design from the University of Dallas was demoed on YouTube and even has an on and off switch -- and it's best used underwater.
"It is remarkable to see this cloaking device demonstrated in real life and on a workable scale. The array of applications that could arise from this device, besides cloaking, is a testament to the excellent work of the authors,” an Institute of Physics spokesperson said.
Researchers have created a working invisibility cloak using one of nature’s common yet bizarre phenomena -- the “mirage effect.”
The new design from the University of Dallas was demoed on YouTube and even has an on and off switch -- and it's best used underwater.
"It is remarkable to see this cloaking device demonstrated in real life and on a workable scale. The array of applications that could arise from this device, besides cloaking, is a testament to the excellent work of the authors,” an Institute of Physics spokesperson said.
Denmark adopts world's first-ever 'fat tax'
Denmark adopts world's first-ever 'fat tax' - Everydaymoney.ca is a daily business blog published by MSN Money:
'via Blog this'
In this space, we’ve been tracking the idea of the so-called fat tax for years.
Of course, the initiative has been discussed in the public sphere long before Everydaymoney.ca, but it was first mentioned to much buzz here in October of 2009, when some 250 commenters chimed in that the suggested tax was either the best or worst cost-cutting proposal they’d heard.
Then, in March of 2010, we rehashed the topic with the soda tax, which was then being tossed around the New York state legislature. That followed by a news story in May of 2011 – this time, an Illinois Republican senator said, “Scrap the fat tax; tax the parents of obese kids, instead.”
'via Blog this'
In this space, we’ve been tracking the idea of the so-called fat tax for years.
Of course, the initiative has been discussed in the public sphere long before Everydaymoney.ca, but it was first mentioned to much buzz here in October of 2009, when some 250 commenters chimed in that the suggested tax was either the best or worst cost-cutting proposal they’d heard.
Then, in March of 2010, we rehashed the topic with the soda tax, which was then being tossed around the New York state legislature. That followed by a news story in May of 2011 – this time, an Illinois Republican senator said, “Scrap the fat tax; tax the parents of obese kids, instead.”
Alzheimer's may be transmissible, study says
Alzheimer's may be transmissible, study says - Health - Alzheimer's Disease - msnbc.com:
'via Blog this'
In some cases, Alzheimer's disease may in fact be the result of an infection, and may be even be transmissible, a new study in mice suggests.
In the study, mice injected with human brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients developed Alzheimer's disease. The mice developed brain damage characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, and over time, the damage spread throughout their brains, the researchers said.
Mice injected with brain tissue from healthy humans showed no signs of the disease.
'via Blog this'
In some cases, Alzheimer's disease may in fact be the result of an infection, and may be even be transmissible, a new study in mice suggests.
In the study, mice injected with human brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients developed Alzheimer's disease. The mice developed brain damage characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, and over time, the damage spread throughout their brains, the researchers said.
Mice injected with brain tissue from healthy humans showed no signs of the disease.
Quantum life: The weirdness inside us
Quantum life: The weirdness inside us - life - 03 October 2011 - New Scientist: "orous molecule lodges in the pocket of a receptor, an electron can burrow right through that molecule from one side to the other, unleashing a cascade of signals on the other side that the brain interprets a"
'via Blog this'
Ideas from the stranger side of physics could explain some long-standing mysteries of biology
EVER felt a little incoherent? Or maybe you've been in two minds about something, or even in a bit of delicate state. Well, here's your excuse: perhaps you are in thrall to the strange rules of quantum mechanics.
We tend to think that the interaction between quantum physics and biology stops with Schrödinger's cat. Not that Erwin Schrödinger intended his unfortunate feline - suspended thanks to quantum rules in a simultaneous state of being both dead and alive - to be anything more than a metaphor. Indeed, when he wrote his 1944 book What is Life?, he speculated that living organisms would do everything they could to block out the fuzziness of quantum physics.
'via Blog this'
Ideas from the stranger side of physics could explain some long-standing mysteries of biology
EVER felt a little incoherent? Or maybe you've been in two minds about something, or even in a bit of delicate state. Well, here's your excuse: perhaps you are in thrall to the strange rules of quantum mechanics.
We tend to think that the interaction between quantum physics and biology stops with Schrödinger's cat. Not that Erwin Schrödinger intended his unfortunate feline - suspended thanks to quantum rules in a simultaneous state of being both dead and alive - to be anything more than a metaphor. Indeed, when he wrote his 1944 book What is Life?, he speculated that living organisms would do everything they could to block out the fuzziness of quantum physics.
Traffic Pollution Could Lead To Smaller Babies, Study Finds
Traffic Pollution Could Lead To Smaller Babies, Study Finds | Fox News:
'via Blog this'
An Australian study has found that mothers in areas moderately polluted by carbon monoxide gave birth to children who were an average two ounces lighter, the Herald Sun reported Wednesday.
Lead author Gavin Pereira said "there was a decrease in optimal birth weight of 0.49 percent," based on an expected baby weight of 7.7 pounds.
'via Blog this'
An Australian study has found that mothers in areas moderately polluted by carbon monoxide gave birth to children who were an average two ounces lighter, the Herald Sun reported Wednesday.
Lead author Gavin Pereira said "there was a decrease in optimal birth weight of 0.49 percent," based on an expected baby weight of 7.7 pounds.
October 4, 2011
A Reporter at Large: The Height Gap
A Reporter at Large: The Height Gap : The New Yorker:
'via Blog this'
When Vincent van Gogh was thirty-one years old, in the fall of 1883, he travelled to the bleak moors of northern Holland and stayed at a tavern in the village of Stuifzand. The local countryside was hardly inhabited then—“Locus Deserta Atque ob Multos Paludes Invia,” an old map called it: “A deserted and impenetrable place of many swamps”—but a few farmers and former convicts had managed to carve a living from it. They dug peat, brewed illegal gin, and placed poles across the marshes to navigate by. Any squatter who could keep his chimney smoking for a full year earned title to the land he cleared.
There is little record of what happened to van Gogh in Stuifzand—whether he got lost in the marshes or traded sketches for shots at the bar. When I visited the village, the locals mentioned him merely to illustrate an even greater national obsession: height. At the old tavern, which is now a private home, I was shown the tiny alcove where the painter probably slept. “It looks like it would fit only a child,” J. W. Drukker, the current owner, told me. Then he and his wife, Joke (a common Dutch name, they explained, pronounced “Yoh-keh”), led me down the hall, to a sequence of pencil marks on a doorjamb. “My son, he is two metres,” Joke told me, pointing to the topmost mark, six and a half feet from the floor. “His feet”—she held her hands about eighteen inches apart—“for waterskiing.” Joke herself is six feet one, with blond tresses and shoulders like a Valkyrie. Drukker is six feet two.
'via Blog this'
When Vincent van Gogh was thirty-one years old, in the fall of 1883, he travelled to the bleak moors of northern Holland and stayed at a tavern in the village of Stuifzand. The local countryside was hardly inhabited then—“Locus Deserta Atque ob Multos Paludes Invia,” an old map called it: “A deserted and impenetrable place of many swamps”—but a few farmers and former convicts had managed to carve a living from it. They dug peat, brewed illegal gin, and placed poles across the marshes to navigate by. Any squatter who could keep his chimney smoking for a full year earned title to the land he cleared.
There is little record of what happened to van Gogh in Stuifzand—whether he got lost in the marshes or traded sketches for shots at the bar. When I visited the village, the locals mentioned him merely to illustrate an even greater national obsession: height. At the old tavern, which is now a private home, I was shown the tiny alcove where the painter probably slept. “It looks like it would fit only a child,” J. W. Drukker, the current owner, told me. Then he and his wife, Joke (a common Dutch name, they explained, pronounced “Yoh-keh”), led me down the hall, to a sequence of pencil marks on a doorjamb. “My son, he is two metres,” Joke told me, pointing to the topmost mark, six and a half feet from the floor. “His feet”—she held her hands about eighteen inches apart—“for waterskiing.” Joke herself is six feet one, with blond tresses and shoulders like a Valkyrie. Drukker is six feet two.
Would You Eat Raccoon? The Meat Choice Of The Recession
Would You Eat Raccoon? The Meat Choice Of The Recession - Strange News Tuesday by TeamDS/The Folks Behind DailyStrength: at DailyStrength Doctors and Advisors:
'via Blog this'
Although there are still a few vegetarians around here and there, and health care practitioners continue to urge us to eat more fruits and vegetables, most of us eat and enjoy meat as part of our diets. However, it's one thing to buy packaged and prepped chicken at the store that's ready to go straight into the pan, and another to try game meat. And still another thing to eat a raccoon!
In some areas it's the most natural thing in the world to eat venison during deer hunting season. And who can forget that animals we think of as pets here, such as horses and dogs, are what's on the menu in some other counties. It may seem strange to those that live in rural settings, but many people, especially those living in urban areas, have never seen any meat except what's wrapped in plastic at the grocery store.
'via Blog this'
Although there are still a few vegetarians around here and there, and health care practitioners continue to urge us to eat more fruits and vegetables, most of us eat and enjoy meat as part of our diets. However, it's one thing to buy packaged and prepped chicken at the store that's ready to go straight into the pan, and another to try game meat. And still another thing to eat a raccoon!
In some areas it's the most natural thing in the world to eat venison during deer hunting season. And who can forget that animals we think of as pets here, such as horses and dogs, are what's on the menu in some other counties. It may seem strange to those that live in rural settings, but many people, especially those living in urban areas, have never seen any meat except what's wrapped in plastic at the grocery store.
Anesthesia in infancy tied to learning problems
Anesthesia in infancy tied to learning problems | Reuters:
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Infants who are given general anesthesia more than once are twice as likely to have learning disabilities later on than children never exposed to the drugs, a new study suggests.
The results add to mounting evidence -- from experiments in animals and observational studies in humans -- that anesthesia might injure young developing brains.
'via Blog this'
Infants who are given general anesthesia more than once are twice as likely to have learning disabilities later on than children never exposed to the drugs, a new study suggests.
The results add to mounting evidence -- from experiments in animals and observational studies in humans -- that anesthesia might injure young developing brains.
Physicists move one step closer to quantum computer
Physicists move one step closer to quantum computer:
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Rice University physicists have created a tiny "electron superhighway" that could one day be useful for building a quantum computer, a new type of computer that will use quantum particles in place of the digital transistors found in today's microchips.
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Rice University physicists have created a tiny "electron superhighway" that could one day be useful for building a quantum computer, a new type of computer that will use quantum particles in place of the digital transistors found in today's microchips.
Monsanto, World's Largest Genetically Modified Food Producer, To Be Charged With Biopiracy In India
Monsanto, World's Largest Genetically Modified Food Producer, To Be Charged With Biopiracy In India (VIDEO):
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Add a new word to your lexicon: Biopiracy.
That’s what U.S.-based agribusiness giant Monsanto has been accused of in India, where the government is planning to charge the company with violating the country’s biodiversity laws over a genetically modified version of eggplant.
In doing so, India has placed itself at the focal point of the movement to challenge genetically modified crops, which opponents say are destroying traditional crops and threatening farmers’ livelihoods.
'via Blog this'
Add a new word to your lexicon: Biopiracy.
That’s what U.S.-based agribusiness giant Monsanto has been accused of in India, where the government is planning to charge the company with violating the country’s biodiversity laws over a genetically modified version of eggplant.
In doing so, India has placed itself at the focal point of the movement to challenge genetically modified crops, which opponents say are destroying traditional crops and threatening farmers’ livelihoods.
Contraception Increases Risk Of HIV Infection In Women
Contraception Increases Risk Of HIV Infection In Women | Fox News:
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Hormonal contraception may make it easier for HIV to spread between heterosexual sex partners, according to a new study conducted in Africa.
Women in the study who used hormonal contraception had double the risk of acquiring HIV or transmitting it to their male partners as those who did not use hormonal contraception.
'via Blog this'
Hormonal contraception may make it easier for HIV to spread between heterosexual sex partners, according to a new study conducted in Africa.
Women in the study who used hormonal contraception had double the risk of acquiring HIV or transmitting it to their male partners as those who did not use hormonal contraception.
Why Do People Have Foot Fetishes?
Why Do People Have Foot Fetishes? - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience - msnbc.com:
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An Arkansas man identified as the "Toe Suck Fairy" was arrested Monday (Sept. 26) following a series of incidents in which he allegedly approached women in stores, commented on their feet and asked to suck their toes. According to Reuters, the culprit, Michael Robert Wyatt, 50, previously served a prison sentence for similar shenanigans. Last time, he even pretended to be a podiatrist in order to fondle and suck a woman's toes at a clothing store.
Long before Ramachandran began his work on phantom limb syndrome, it had been noted that the brain areas associated with genitalia and feet are adjacent to each other in the brain's body image map. But no one else had put 2 and 2 together and realized that foot fetishes could possibly result from cross-wiring in the brain between the foot and the genital parts.
'via Blog this'
An Arkansas man identified as the "Toe Suck Fairy" was arrested Monday (Sept. 26) following a series of incidents in which he allegedly approached women in stores, commented on their feet and asked to suck their toes. According to Reuters, the culprit, Michael Robert Wyatt, 50, previously served a prison sentence for similar shenanigans. Last time, he even pretended to be a podiatrist in order to fondle and suck a woman's toes at a clothing store.
Long before Ramachandran began his work on phantom limb syndrome, it had been noted that the brain areas associated with genitalia and feet are adjacent to each other in the brain's body image map. But no one else had put 2 and 2 together and realized that foot fetishes could possibly result from cross-wiring in the brain between the foot and the genital parts.
Depressed Patients May Process Hate Feelings Differently
Depressed Patients May Process Hate Feelings Differently - Yahoo! News:
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Feelings of hate may be different for those with depression, a new study suggests.
The results show depressed people have abnormalities in the brain's so-called "hate circuit." Normally, brain activity is synchronous across this circuit's three regions. But in depressed patients, activity in these regions is out of sync, said study researcher Jianfeng Feng, a professor in computer studies at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
These differing activity levels, which the researchers referred to as an "uncoupling" of the circuit, may explain why depressed people experience self-loathing, they said. Depressed people may not be able to deal appropriately with feelings of hate, and as a consequence, develop self-hatred and withdraw from social situations, the researchers said.
'via Blog this'
Feelings of hate may be different for those with depression, a new study suggests.
The results show depressed people have abnormalities in the brain's so-called "hate circuit." Normally, brain activity is synchronous across this circuit's three regions. But in depressed patients, activity in these regions is out of sync, said study researcher Jianfeng Feng, a professor in computer studies at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
These differing activity levels, which the researchers referred to as an "uncoupling" of the circuit, may explain why depressed people experience self-loathing, they said. Depressed people may not be able to deal appropriately with feelings of hate, and as a consequence, develop self-hatred and withdraw from social situations, the researchers said.
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