, 2 min read
Science and Technology links (June 25 2023)
- Women in highly religious relationships report the highest levels of relationship quality.
- US politics is largely divided into two parties (Republicans and Democrats). People who are affiliated with the Republicans have many more kids.
- The Antartic ice shelves gained 661 gigaton of ice over the past decade.
- A low protein diet increases mortality among older men.
- Consuming magnesium may preserve your brain, especially if you are a woman.
- A third of the planet around common stars in our galaxy could be in the habitable zone.
- Taurine (a supplement) might keep you young. It works, in some ways, in different animals. McGaunn et al. (2023) make a case for human beings, but they do not have much in the way of quality clinical trials.
- Older people often lose their thymus, a gland that plays an important role in your immune system. Sandstedt et al. report that about two-third of their middle-age subjects had lost entirely the thymus (complete degeneration). However, a small percentage (7%) has maintained the thymus. These lucky people had much lower abnominal fat. The authors conclude that obesity might be driving immunological aging.
- Online shaming is motivated by schadenfreude (pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.).
- Obese people tend not to feel satisfied even after eating. This phenomenon remains even after they have lost weight.
- Oral contraceptives may increase the risk of depression (HR=1.7).
- Trees are growing at higher and higher altitudes.
- Female conservative candidates are usually more attractive. Conservative candidates are more likely to express happiness.
- 80 % of participants rated their intelligence as above average.