Neat News - Neat things do happen

Although people had a much lower life expectancy in ancient Rome and Greece, there were many people who lived to old age; and as a new study finds the old people suffered from dementia only very rarely. Similar observations can be made from modern people in the Bolivian Amazon. More research is needed to understand which aspects of our modern western lifestyle make us more vulnerable for Alzheimer's disease.

related: #Alzheimer #ancient_greece #ancient_rome

In the attempt to harvest energy from bacteria with so-called conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COE), researchers found that some of the chemicals used killed the bacteria. This insight led to the development of a new class of antibiotics that can be used on bacteria that are resistant to classical antibiotics and seem not developed resistance.

related: #antibiotics

New research into membranes of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VaCNT) shows that the particular geometry and structure of the pores play an important role in the efficiency of the water cleaning and desalination property of the membranes.

related: #water #desalination #cleaning

A new study with almost 6000 women above 62 found that regular physical activity is important for heart health and that a target of 3000 to 4000 steps per day is more realistic than the often recommended 10,000 steps, but has already significant advantages for health and well-being.

related: #steps #well_being #heart #health

In experiments it has been found why cooperation could prevail in human evolution. A combination of group competition and repeated interactions seems to lead to effective cooperation.

related: #cooperation #interaction #competition

Complex associations (such as place, people, and objects) are more easily consolidated in memory when subjects have enough sleep, new research shows.

related: #sleep #memory

As new research shows, smiling makes people to recognize happiness in photos more readily, even if the smile is externally triggered by manipulating the related muscles.

related: #smile #happiness

Studying some stone tools in a museum, scientists found that Neanderthals used some 40,000 years ago already some glue that was made of two components, ochre and bitumen.

related: #Neanderthals #glue

Even with GPS information of only six percent of the vehicles, researchers managed to improve traffic signals and could achieve a significant reduction (20 to 30 percent) of congestion and delays at intersections.

related: #traffic_light #GPS #timing #congestion

After the last ice age much of Scotland was covered by pinewoods, but now just 84 individual Caledonian pinewoods are officially recognized. A project has been started to find and save all forgotten pinewoods in Scotland in the Wild Pine Project.

related: #pine #Scotland

Glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer, does often not react much to chemotherapy. Now it has been found that a particular protein, called PANK4, protects cancer cells from chemotherapy. This insight gives a new angle to improve treatment.

related: #protein #chemotherapy #glioblastoma

A new study finds that even at today's cost the installation of heat pumps is cost effective without subsidies in 65 million homes in the USA. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in every US state.

related: #heat_pump #greenhouse_gas

Looking into some 600 elderly people of which about half used standard table salt (NaCl) and half a substitute (with 62.5 percent NaCl, 25 percent KCl, and 12.5 percent flavourings), scientists found that substituting salt results in a 40 percent reduced occurrence of incidences with high blood pressure.

related: #salt #substitute #hypertension

A new study finds that the reforestation efforts in the Eastern part of the USA have mitigated much of the global warming in that region. While temperatures in general rose in North America by 0.7 Celsius, along the East coast they fell by 0.3 Celsius between 1900 and 2000.

related: #forest #cooling #reforestation

Scientists have a better understanding why fasting has a positive effect on reducing the inflammation level: Because of fasting, a particular interleukin is lowered which triggers the anti-inflammatory effects.

related: #inflammation #fasting

A new study shows that a cannabis extract called PHEC-66 can kill off dangerous skin cancer cells. Further research is needed.

related: #cannabis #skin_cancer

Using two instead of one defibrillator to apply a double external defibrillation doubles the chances of survival of those patients with a medical situation in which they do not respond to standard defibrillation.

related: #defibrillation

An earring has been developed that can be used to constantly monitor the body temperature of persons. It transfers the data without wire and the battery lasts for 28 days.

related: #earring #body_temperature

In experiments with mice and brain organoids of ALS patients, scientists have found that a drug, FP802, belonging to a new drug class can protect nerve cells against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

related: #ALS #medication

New research suggests that when you get a series of SARS-CoV2 vaccinations, then the immune response is higher if the first and the second jab are given in different arms.

related: #vaccination #jab

Since the Moon is still cooling down, it shrinks very slowly as a consequence (just some 50 metres in hundreds of millions of years). This may be the reason for some quakes and landslides, in particular near the South Pole of the Moon, something to consider when a permanent lunar station is planned.

related: #Moon #quake

A new study finds that the relationship between well-being and visiting nature and green spaces is particularly strong in people with lower income.

related: #well_being #nature #low_income

New research reports that a correlation between income and life satisfaction is not universal and does not hold in many indigenous and local communities with high levels of life satisfaction but modest income. It is not clear whether this is due to family/social structures, spirituality, connections to nature, or due to other reasons. However, it may help everybody to lead more satisfying lives without ever increasing consumption of natural resources.

related: #happiness #resources

New research with mice finds that free fatty acids and a protein, called STXBP1, play an important role in the formation of long-term memories.

related: #fat #memory #protein

New research finds that mangroves and saltmarshes can capture double the amount of carbon dioxide as previously thought mainly in form of bicarbonate. Since this mitigates the greenhouse effect, the protection of mangrove and saltmarsh areas is very important in fighting climate change.

related: #carbon #mangrove #saltmarsh

It has been known for a while that Alzheimer patients have too many toxic proteins in the brain. As a result giving drugs eliminating these proteins is one approach to treat the disease. Now it has been found that for the formation of memories also another protein, called KIBRA, is necessary and this protein is reduced in Alzheimer patients. That is, a new approach to treating patients would be finding a method to supply the brain with KIBRA proteins.

related: #Alzheimer #protein #KIBRA

When looking for a romantic partner, in addition to many attraction features such as physical attraction, new research finds that also a sense of purpose in life of the potential partner is very important.

related: #purpose #partner

New legislation by the European Union will give consumers the right to have their household products such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and smartphones repaired. The measure is expected to significantly contribute to the reduction of electric waste. Member states of the EU have 24 months to transpose the measure into national law.

related: #EU #repair #electric_waste

A healthy diet of fish and vegetables and no sugary beverages at an age of one year gives a good protection against inflammatory bowel disease, a study with 80,000 children finds.

related: #diet #fish #vegetables