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☆ Four healthy lifestyle choices could add years to your life, regardless of your genes, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Serafina Kenny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A study found linked between healthy lifestyle habits and living longer. AdvertisementHealthy lifestyle choices could help us live up to five years longer, regardless of our genetic makeup, a study suggests. At the same time, a healthy lifestyle appeared to offset the effects of genes linked to a shorter lifespan by 62%. Making favorable lifestyle choices despite having genes linked to a shorter lifespan was linked to living 5.22 years longer than those who made unfavorable choices. However, she said that the effects of lifestyle factors in the study were notable because they suggest that while we can't change our genes, healthy habits may lessen their impact.

Persons: —, Liz Williams, wasn't, Williams, It's Organizations: Service, University of Sheffield, Centers for Disease Control

☆ Americans have between 4 and 6 hours of leisure time daily. We just have no idea how to use it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementDespite class differences, 95% of Americans over the age of 15 engaged in some kind of leisure activity on a typical day, according to the 2022 time-use survey. But the vast majority of Americans' leisure time is spent — you guessed it — in front of the television. Watching TV is the most popular leisure activity, accounting for an average of 2.8 hours a day — more than half of all Americans' leisure time. Americans' spend more time watching TV than any other leisure activity. AlavinphotoSexism and the safety netThere is also a gendered element at play when it comes to Americans' leisure time.

Persons: —, It's, I'm, Brigid Schulte, Liana Sayer, Sayer, Sayers, Schulte, Ciara Kelly, Kelly, We're Organizations: Service, Netflix, Business, Bravo, University of Maryland's, Organization for Economic Co, Development, World Economic, US, The University of Sheffield Locations: America, France, Finland, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, UK

☆ Americans have no idea how to use their free time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

It's true that Americans are overworked, overstressed, and generally awful at unplugging from work, two time-use researchers told Business Insider. But the vast majority of Americans' leisure time is spent — you guessed it — in front of the television. Watching TV is the most popular leisure activity, accounting for an average of 2.8 hours a day — more than half of all Americans' leisure time. Americans' spend more time watching TV than any other leisure activity. AlavinphotoSexism and the safety netThere is also a gendered element at play when it comes to Americans' leisure time.

☆ Here's how the UK's aerospace businesses are taking off with the help of government funding
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As part of this initiative, the Aerospace Technology Institute program will provide support for R&D projects through 2030. This commitment extends the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) program until 2030, which supports mid-stage research and development projects led by industry. Another recipient of the ATI program funding is Vertical Aerospace, the UK's pioneer of electric aviation. Smaller businesses reap the benefits of funding programsA key focus of the program is funding projects by SMEs. The UK's long-term vision for civil aerospace is developed through the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), which is a strategic partnership between the UK government, industry, and academia to secure the future of UK Aerospace.

Persons: Paul Griffiths, Dominic Weeks, ZeroAvia, Stuart Simpson, Simpson, Sylatech, Gordon Gunn, MeltX, Griffiths Organizations: Aerospace Technology Institute, ATI, Aerospace, UK Department for Business, Trade, Dornier, ZeroAvia Investment, Cranfield University, Alloyed, University of Sheffield, Aerospace Growth, UK Aerospace, Farnborough, Manufacturing, Insider Studios, UK's Department for Business Locations: North Yorkshire

☆ You can buy an endangered monkey on Facebook in 20 minutes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It took BI 20 minutes to find endangered squirrel monkeys and other exotic species for sale. Used lawn furniture, homemade baked goods… endangered species. 20 minutes to monkeysIt took BI less than two minutes to identify Facebook accounts selling the bowmouth guitarfish horns. Advertisement"In just two mouse clicks, our researchers could locate substantial wildlife trafficking content," researchers behind the ACCO study wrote. "Facilitated by transnational organized crime networks, with links to drug, human, and weapon trafficking, illegal wildlife trade threatens not only wildlife populations," Allan told BI.

Persons: —, Crawford Allan, Allan, Jill Atkins Organizations: Facebook, Service, World Wildlife Fund, Coalition, Meta, Products, BI, Wildlife Fund, Wildlife, Alliance, WWF, United Nations, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield

☆ An English City Gave Soccer to the World. Now It Wants Credit.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Rory Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As far as the man in the food truck is concerned, the patch of land he occupies in Sheffield, England, is about as humdrum as they come. To him, the spot — in the drab parking lot of a sprawling home improvement superstore, its facade plastered in lurid orange — is not exactly a place where history comes alive. John Wilson, an academic at the University of Sheffield’s management school, looks at the same site and can barely contain his excitement. He does not see a parking lot. He can see the history: the verdant grass, the sweating players, the cheering crowds.

Persons: John Wilson, Monty ” — Organizations: University of Sheffield’s, Sheffield Locations: Sheffield, England

☆ Spent coffee grounds could make concrete stronger
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —If your morning can’t start without coffee, you’re not alone: globally, we drink over 2 billion cups of coffee each day, leading to 60 million tons of wet, spent coffee grounds every year. There, like other organic compounds, coffee grounds decompose and release methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat. Now, researchers say coffee grounds could be used as an ingredient in concrete, and they could even make it stronger, according to a recent study. When the biochar is mixed with concrete, Roychand says, its particles act like tiny water reservoirs, distributed throughout the concrete. Roychad points out that waste collection is already mainstream, and that a number of companies in Australia are focusing on recycling coffee waste.

Persons: you’re, ”, Rajeev Roychand, Mohammad Saberian, Shannon Kilmartin, Lynch, Jordan Carter, Carelle Mulawa, “, Kypros, Roychand Organizations: CNN, School of Engineering, RMIT University, University of Sheffield Locations: Melbourne, Australia

☆ ‘Tasmanian devil’ is a stellar corpse showing energetic signs of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Space is full of extreme phenomena, but the “Tasmanian devil” may be one of the weirdest and rarest cosmic events ever observed. Astronomers dubbed the celestial object the “Tasmanian devil,” and they observed it exploding repeatedly following its initial detection in September 2022. But the Tasmanian devil is revealing more questions than answers with its unexpected behavior. While LFBOTs are unusual events, the Tasmanian devil is even stranger, causing astronomers to question the processes behind the repetitive explosions. We’d never seen that, period, in astronomy.”To better understand the quick luminosity changes occurring in the Tasmanian devil, Ho and her colleagues reached out to other researchers to compare observations from multiple telescopes.

Persons: supernovas, —, ”, Anna Y.Q, Ho, “, Jeff Cooke, ” Ho, We’d, Anna Ho, Jason Koski, ” Cooke, they’ve, Vik Dhillon Organizations: CNN, Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology, ARC Centre, Cornell University Altogether, Telescope, ”, University of Sheffield Locations: California, United Kingdom

☆ Five graphics that show some of the biggest threats facing the natural world
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Flo Cornall | Woojin Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In a series of graphics, we take a look at some of the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet. Global wildlife populations plummeted by 69% on average between 1970 and 2018, according to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022. Swipe to see more Forest loss Note: These figures do not include regrowth or regeneration of forest. But many are facing threats from pesticides and crop monocultures, as well as the destruction of their habitats. Swipe to see more Bird populations Source: BirdlifeDespite the scale of the challenges, there are countless groups and individuals committed to protecting our planet.

Persons: it’s Organizations: CNN, Resources Institute, Global, UN, University of Sheffield, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, British Trust for Ornithology, Birdlife Locations: California, Hawaii, India

☆ Time is ripe for another push on carbon pricing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Other technologies, such as green hydrogen and carbon capture, are still a long way from maturity. Around 50 countries have some form of carbon price, double the number 10 years ago, and another 23 countries are planning to introduce one. The snag is that China’s carbon price is low and the United States doesn’t have a federal levy. Others argue that governments should combine carbon pricing with financial support for the most vulnerable and targeted subsidies for fledgling technologies. To hit climate targets, the carbon price would need to be $135 a tonne in advanced economies and $45 a tonne in large emerging ones by 2030.

Persons: Jin Mao, Aly, Joe Biden’s, There’s, Rishi Sunak, Michael Jacobs, it’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic, Thomas Shum Organizations: Financial, REUTERS, Reuters, International Energy Agency, European Union, Global, International Monetary Fund, Reuters Graphics Reuters, British, Pew Research, University of Sheffield, IMF, Africa Climate, United, European, Climate Leadership Council, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Pudong, China, United States, Paris, Africa, European Union, U.S

Is ancient Roman concrete better than today's? Most modern concrete starts with Portland cement, a powder made by heating limestone and clay to super-high temperatures and grinding them up. The ancient builders mixed materials like burnt limestone and volcanic sand with water and gravel, creating chemical reactions to bind everything together. Now, scientists think they’ve found a key reason why some Roman concrete has held up structures for thousands of years: The ancient material has an unusual power to repair itself. Even though Roman concrete lasted a long time, it couldn't hold up heavy loads: “You couldn’t build a modern skyscraper with Roman concrete,” Oleson said.

Persons: they’ve, ”, Carlos Rodriguez, Navarro, John Oleson, Vitruvius, Admir, Rome —, Marie Jackson, Jackson, ” Jackson, Rodriguez, Cecilia Pesce, They’d, ” Pesce, Thirumalini Selvaraj, Selvaraj, Oleson, Masic Organizations: —, Spain’s University of Granada, University of Victoria, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Utah, University of Sheffield, Vellore Institute of Technology, Army Corps of Engineers, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Canada, Portland, Rome, Copan, Honduras, England, India

☆ Rice, beer, and urine mixed into ancient structures could help explain how they're still standing after millennia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementIs ancient Roman concrete better than today's? Her research has found that the key could be in the specific volcanic materials used by the Romans. According to Selvaraj's research, in humid areas of India, builders used local herbs that help structures deal with moisture. Even though Roman concrete lasted a long time, it couldn't hold up heavy loads: "You couldn't build a modern skyscraper with Roman concrete," Oleson said. Instead, researchers are trying to take some of the ancient material's specialties and add them into modern mixes.

Persons: —, they've, Carlos Rodriguez, Navarro, John Oleson, Domenico Stinellis, Vitruvius, Admir, Rome —, Marie Jackson, Jackson, Rodriguez, Moises Castillo, Cecilia Pesce, They'd, Pesce, Mark Schiefelbein, Thirumalini Selvaraj, Selvaraj, Oleson, Masic Organizations: Service, Spain's University of Granada, University of Victoria, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Utah, AP, University of Sheffield, Vellore Institute of Technology, Army Corps of Engineers, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science, Educational Media Group Locations: Canada, Portland, Rome, Copan, Honduras, England, India

☆ Lower cholesterol with a plant-based diet, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In study particpants, LDL levels dropped 10% and total cholesterol declined 7% for people following a plant-based diet when compared with those who eat both meat and plants, the study found. A plant-based diet can help reduce LDL cholesterol, a new study said. Statin treatment is superior to plant-based diets in reducing fats and cholesterol levels, Frikke-Schmidt said in a statement. In addition, people who transition to a plant-based diet should still be mindful about the kinds of foods they’re consuming. “Not all plant-based diets are equal,” said Aedin Cassidy, professor and director for interdisciplinary research at the Institute for Global Food Security in Queen’s University Belfast, in a statement.

☆ They've been beaten, trolled, threatened with sexual violence but refuse to be silenced
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Adie Vanessa Offiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ixchíu Hernández had already been the victim of years of online threats -- attempts to humiliate and silence her. Published in April 2021, it reveals: "Online attacks on women journalists appear to be increasing significantly, as this study demonstrates, particularly in the context of the 'shadow pandemic' of violence against women during COVID-19. "Online violence against women journalists is designed to: belittle, humiliate, and shame; induce fear, silence, and retreat; discredit them professionally, undermining accountability journalism and trust in facts; and chill their active participation...in public debate. Ricchiardi-Folwell explains that because of the often-sexualized nature of the attacks, women remain silent about their harassment, which leads them to believe they are alone. Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021 and updated to reference the latest report by UNESCO.

☆ Solving the mystery of the most powerful objects in the universe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Astronomers first discovered quasars, considered to be the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe, 60 years ago — but they didn’t understand their origin. Now, scientists think they have unlocked the mystery behind what ignites these celestial objects. Astronomers observed 48 different galaxies that contain quasars and compared them to more than 100 galaxies without them. When two galaxies merge, massive amounts of gas are pushed toward the supermassive black holes located at their centers. “Quasars play a key role in our understanding of the history of the Universe, and possibly also the future of the Milky Way.”

☆ There's a buzz about green hydrogen. But pink, produced using nuclear, may have a huge role to play too
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In this article EDF-FRNG.-GBTSLA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTBoth pink and blue have been used to differentiate between different methods of hydrogen production. Indeed, according to a Sept. 2022 tracking report from the International Energy Agency, low-emission hydrogen production in 2021 accounted for less than 1% of global hydrogen production. These include green hydrogen, which refers to hydrogen produced using renewables and electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. "But splitting water takes energy, so what pink hydrogen is about is splitting water using energy that has come from nuclear." This needed "supportive policies which encourage investment in early hydrogen production projects and encourage users to switch from fossil fuels to low carbon hydrogen."

☆ The hunt is on for a tiny radioactive capsule missing in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Emergency services were first notified last Wednesday, officials said, and alerted the public last Friday. The truck arrived at Perth on Jan. 16, said DFES, while the emergency services were only notified about the missing capsule on Jan. 25 when a gauge was unpacked for inspection. “Upon opening the package, it was found that the gauge was broken apart with one of the four mounting bolts missing and the source itself and all screws on the gauge also missing,” said the emergency services. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services released this diagram showing the missing capsule. Radioactive material is routinely transported around Western Australia, although under strict regulations, and is used commonly in medicine, industry, mining as well as research, Robertson told NBC News in a separate statement Monday.

☆ Creative green finance can go a long way in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

PARIS, Jan 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rich democracies are increasingly keen to help the Global South fight climate change. Though they will struggle to write big cheques, there are ways to make a little cash go a long way. The good news is rich countries have ways to get money flowing without dipping much into their own pockets. One plan is for multilateral development banks (MDBs) to use their balance sheets more aggressively to fight climate change. Rich countries should therefore put more capital into those MDBs that show the most enthusiasm for the task.

☆ Elon Musk touts big plans for Tesla's Optimus robot, but some experts doubt it's the next big thing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Eight experts told Insider they have doubts about Elon Musk's promises for Tesla's Optimus bot. Several experts said Tesla's AI Day demonstration doesn't stand out from other companies' projects. This year, at Tesla's second annual AI Day a prototype of the Optimus bot walked slowly onto the stage and waved to the audience. The Optimus bot did stand out in one way, according to several experts — its hands. Animesh Garg, a professor of AI Robotics at the University of Toronto, called the bot's hands "impressive."

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