Special Reports

Friday, 15 September 2023 04:39

Social isolation contributes to brain atrophy and cognitive decline in older adults, study says

A 6-year longitudinal neuroimaging study in Germany found that social isolation contributes to brain atrophy (progressive loss of brain tissue) and cognitive decline in humans. More socially isolated individuals tended to have smaller volumes in the hippocampus, reduced cortical thickness, and poorer cognitive functioning. Results indicate that dementia risk might be reduced by promoting better social connectedness, particularly among older adults. The study was published in eLife. As the average duration of human life increases, there are more and more individuals experiencing cognitive and brain changes associated with old age. These changes are multifaceted and can vary from person to…

Friday, 08 September 2023 04:52

Western countries are facing their own century of humiliation

A rising great power fills the ports of a decaying empire with its merchants and goods. Its ambassadors mock the diplomatic and political traditions of their hosts and refuse to be bound by them. Soon, the great power is openly allowing poisonous drugs to be pushed on the old empire’s streets, refusing to do anything to stop their spread. China in 1839? Or Britain and America in 2023? A century and a half on from Britain’s wicked traffic in soul-destroying drugs, ruthless imperial commerce is wreaking its revenge on the West. Britain’s primary motive in the Opium Wars was of…

Wednesday, 06 September 2023 04:46

What are healthy fats? They're essential, and here's one you should consume more of

Fat has had quite the parley in dietary discussion spaces – the low-fat movement starting in the 1980s told us we should eliminate fat, while high-fat diets like keto tell us the opposite. How do you know where the answers lie? The reality is, fat is engrained in American diets. It’s in the oil we use in the pan, the fish we cook, the vegetables we eat (think avocado). It’s also an essential part of a healthy diet and is crucial for energy, cell function, hormone production and nutrient absorption. What are the healthiest fats? Not all fats are created…

Sunday, 03 September 2023 04:28

Ultra-processed food more dangerous than previously thought, according to new studies

While there's been lots of press in recent years about the harms of ultra-processed food (UPFs), a new study might be more damning than ever: As reported by Andrew Gregory at The Guardian, "ultra-processed food significantly raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes," according to two new separate studies presented at this month's annual European Society of Cardiology conference in Amsterdam. One study — which monitored 10,000 women over the course of 15 years — found that those who consumed a higher amount of UPFs were 39% more likely to have high blood pressure…

Saturday, 02 September 2023 04:24

Taking dietary supplements full of antioxidants could actually help cancerous tumors grow

Taking vitamins or dietary supplements could be feeding tumors and promote their growth, scientists warn. Common antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, selenium, and zinc, can stimulate the growth of blood vessels in cancer when taken in excess. This discovery surprised researchers, as prior studies have shown antioxidants to be protective. While Swedish scientists state that natural levels of antioxidants in food are safe, taking supplements containing additional antioxidants could fuel tumor growth and allow the disease to spread faster. The study, conducted by a team at the Karolinska Institutet, concludes that vitamin C and other antioxidants promote the formation…

Thursday, 31 August 2023 04:51

Cigarettes ignite risk of mental illness, new study finds

Summary: A new study reveals a direct link between smoking and the increased risk of mental illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder. The research, based on data from 350,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, shows that smoking increases the risk of hospitalization for mental illness by 250%. Importantly, the study finds that smoking typically precedes mental illness, often by a significant time gap. The research not only clarifies the role of smoking in mental illness but also raises questions about raising the legal age for cigarette purchase. Key Facts: Smoking increases the risk of being hospitalized for a mental illness…

Wednesday, 30 August 2023 04:32

Entering the age of artificial truth

Gary Marcus, cofounder of the Center for the Advancement of Trustworthy AI, has for years been highly critical of generative artificial intelligence and large language model applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These programs consume vast quantities of data to perform various functions, from creating new cocktail recipes to sharing insights about the folding sequences of proteins. Marcus recently wrote that there are “not one, but many, serious, unsolved problems at the core of generative AI.” He isn’t alone. During an interview earlier this month, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku dismissed AI chat bots as “glorified tape recorders” that are only a “warped…

Saturday, 05 August 2023 04:22

Finally, one policeman found - who’s ‘your friend’

Maryam Isa, an orphan based in Keke Community of Kaduna Millennium, has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Aliyu Jibril, for months, hoping to marry him someday. Maryam lived under the care of her mother’s elder sister and grandmother after losing her biological mother years back. Her family struggled financially. As the relationship between Maryam and Aliyu grew stronger, her family became uncomfortable when Aliyu failed to send his family members for a marriage talk, as requested by Maryam’s family. Maryam’s family asked Aliyu to pay N20,000 as part of the money to indicate interest in marrying Maryam, following…

Saturday, 29 July 2023 04:01

Night owls tend to die sooner. But it's not late bedtimes killing them

A large study covering 37 years from start to finish has revealed something about those who tend to stay up late: These night owls are more likely to die at a younger age, but due to smoking and drinking-related causes rather than how late they go to bed. Data on 22,976 Finnish adult twins were analyzed for the study, with 42.9 percent identifying as "somewhat evening types" or "evening types". Technically, this is our chronotype – our tendency to want to sleep or be active at certain times. Previous studies have suggested night owls have a higher mortality risk and…

Sunday, 09 July 2023 04:39

Can lucid dreaming be dangerous or safe? This is what new research shows

Lucid dreaming is associated with better subjective sleep quality, a higher sense of mental well-being, and lower feelings of loneliness, according to new research published in Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice. The findings suggest that while a small percentage of lucid dreams can be negative or have unpleasant aspects, lucid dreaming is generally a positive experience. Lucid dreaming refers to the experience of being aware that you are dreaming while you are still in the dream state. In a lucid dream, the dreamer has the ability to exert some control over the dream narrative and may deliberately influence…

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Sunday, 02 July 2023 04:24

New report warns terrorists could cause human extinction with ‘spoiler atacks’

A new paper published in the European Journal of Risk Regulationconsiders the danger from existential terrorism, defined as acts that threaten the existence of humanity. The authors highlight what they term ‘spoiler attacks’ involving AI or other new technology, which might enable a group with limited resources to cause unprecedented destruction. “I don't expect existential terrorism to be at the top of global agendas, nor do I believe it should be,” Zachary Kallenborn, one of the report’s, authors told me. “But global discourse is clearly changing around existential risk.” Kallenborn is a Policy Fellow at the Schar School of Policy…

Friday, 30 June 2023 02:58

Dollar drought haunts Nigeria, Pakistan, other frontier economies

As Pakistan spiralled into crisis this year, Wilson Muthaura pressed its government to put the tea Kenya's KTDA co-operative produces 3,400 miles away on a list of essentials that would grant importers access to precious U.S. dollars. His urgent lobbying reflects anxiety about a scarcity of dollars - the lifeblood of global trade - across emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) that is impeding commerce and piling pressure on local currencies and sovereign debtors. The World Bank estimates that one in four EMDEs have effectively lost access to international bond markets, a key source of hard currency needed to pay…

Tuesday, 27 June 2023 01:26

Effects of petrol subsidy removal in Nigeria reverberate in Cameroon, Benin and Togo. This is what’s happening in the neighboring countries

Things have been topsy turvy lately on the roadsides of West African nations where cheap contraband petrol from Nigeria has abruptly doubled in price, upending an informal sector that is central to the region's economic activity. Since Nigeria scrapped a state fuel subsidy on May 31, black market fuel vendors and commercial drivers in Cameroon, Benin and Togo who were heavily reliant on petrol smuggled from Nigeria have seen their businesses collapse. With supplies dwindling, queues have been forming at official petrol stations, where fuel is now competitively priced. In Garoua, a town in northwest Cameroon about 60 km (37…

Tuesday, 20 June 2023 04:39

Study reveals extent of wealth made via slavery from three past rulers

Inside the stables of Paleis Noordeinde in The Hague is a golden coachembellished with images of colonial offerings to Dutch rulers that many, including the current Dutch king, regard as a symbol of exploitation that, according to a new study, netted three Dutch rulers the equivalent of more than €545m (£465m). Historians calculated the staggering value of colonial profit for Willem III (also king of England, Ireland and Scotland), Willem IV and Willem V for a report published at the request of the Dutch parliament last week before a widely expected apology over slavery from the Dutch king. The study,…

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