Completely new type of “biological entity” discovered in our bodies

Our bodies are home to trillions of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and a whole host of others. Now, Stanford scientists have discovered an entirely new class of biological entities inside us, which they’ve ominously named “Obelisks.”Cont… Continue reading Completely new type of “biological entity” discovered in our bodies

Housekeeping robot quickly learns a range of autonomous chores

Stanford and Google DeepMind researchers have presented an open-source housekeeping robot, and trained it relatively quickly to sauté shrimp, rinse out pans, put pots away in a kitchen cabinet, and clean up wine spills – but it has greater ambitions.Co… Continue reading Housekeeping robot quickly learns a range of autonomous chores

Brain stimulation can make you easier to hypnotize

A person’s susceptibility to hypnosis has long been considered a pretty static trait. You may be highly hypnotizable, or you may be part of the nearly 25% of people who can’t really be hypnotized at all. A 25-year-long study found hypnotic susceptibili… Continue reading Brain stimulation can make you easier to hypnotize

All-seeing skin, detachable butts and zombies: Animal oddities of 2023

The animal kingdom has no shortage of weird and wonderful surprises, and this year biologists gave us some real treats to talk about at the dinner table. All walks of life, from microscopic bacteria to huge cetaceans have remarkable, varied adaptations… Continue reading All-seeing skin, detachable butts and zombies: Animal oddities of 2023

Biomarkers enable detection of rapidly aging organs & disease risk

Researchers have used a machine-learning model to analyze blood proteins to estimate the biological, as opposed to the chronological, age of bodily organs. It’s a way of predicting an apparently healthy person’s risk of developing conditions like heart… Continue reading Biomarkers enable detection of rapidly aging organs & disease risk

Rare study on identical twins confirms vegan diet’s broad health boost

The fact that eating less meat improves cardiovascular health is not a new revelation, but previous studies supporting this have often been hampered by confounding factors such as genetics, background and lifestyle. Now, scientists have removed many of… Continue reading Rare study on identical twins confirms vegan diet’s broad health boost

Plant-fiber menstrual pads may help end “period poverty”

Women and girls in industrial countries may have ready access to inexpensive menstrual pads, but such is not always the case in developing nations. That may soon change, however, thanks to the sisal plant.Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, Lifest… Continue reading Plant-fiber menstrual pads may help end “period poverty”