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☆ Why Gaza Protests on U.S. College Campuses Have Become So Contagious
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Amanda Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But campus protests overseas have been sporadic and smaller, and none have started a wider student movement. In Britain, for example, small groups of students temporarily occupied university buildings on the campuses of the University of Manchester and the University of Glasgow. The protest wave may yet spread to foreign universities. On Wednesday, students set up a protest encampment on the campus of Sydney University in Australia. On Friday classes were canceled at Sciences Po, an elite university in Paris, because of a student protest there.

Organizations: University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, Sydney University, Sciences Po Locations: United States, Britain, Australia, Paris

☆ Weight-loss drug Wegovy offers benefits for people with diabetes and common form of heart failure, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The study, published Saturday in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed how the drug helped people with Type 2 diabetes who also had one of the most common kind of heart failure, obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction can severely limit a person’s ability to participate in the activities of daily life. Often, people with type 2 diabetes who have this kind of heart failure have a more severe form than those who don’t have diabetes. People with a more severe form of heart failure sometimes don’t respond as well to medication as those with less severe disease. One death in the Wegovy group and four in the placebo group were related to cardiovascular issues.

Persons: Wegovy, Ozempic, Dr, Mikhail Kosiborod, “, ” Kosiborod, Naveed Sattar, ” Sattar, Sanjay Gupta, Kosiborod, ” Organizations: CNN, New England, of Medicine, Novo Nordisk –, US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, St, University of Glasgow, Science Media, CNN Health, American College of Cardiology Locations: Asia, Europe, North, South America, Kansas City , Missouri, Atlanta

☆ Billy Guyton: First New Zealand professional rugby union player confirmed to have died with CTE
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A former professional rugby union player, who who died in 2023 at the age of 33, has become the first in New Zealand to be formally diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – the neurogenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma. Billy Guyton died of a suspected suicide last year, CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported, and his family subsequently donated his brain to Auckland’s Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank which made the CTE diagnosis. CNN has contacted New Zealand Rugby for comment. Around the world, players are grappling to deal with the impact of head injuries sustained during their rugby careers. In the UK, some 450 current and former rugby players have now joined lawsuits to take legal action against global governing body World Rugby and the national governing bodies of England and Wales, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Rugby Football League Limited, International Rugby League Limited and British Amateur Rugby League Association.

Persons: CNN —, Billy Guyton, Maurice Curtis, John, RNZ, “, ”, Billy, That’s, Australia – Guyton, ” John Guyton, Michael Buckland, Curtis Organizations: CNN, rugby, Radio New Zealand, Neurological, Brain, Auckland Brain Bank, Super Rugby, Australia, Nelson Weekly, New Zealand Rugby, Australian Sports Brain Bank, World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Welsh Rugby Union, WRU, Rugby Football League Limited, International Rugby League Limited, British Amateur Rugby League Association . Lawyers, University of Glasgow, Boston University, University of Sydney, Prevention, Befrienders Locations: New Zealand, Auckland, England, Wales

☆ Diet and sugary drinks boost risk of atrial fibrillation by up to 20%, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Atrial fibrillation is dangerous and on the riseAtrial fibrillation is the leading cause of stroke in the United States. Atrial fibrillation can also lead to blood clots, heart failure and “can increase the risk for heart attack, for dementia, for kidney disease. Replacing both diet and added sugar sodas with water is best to reduce chances of atrial fibrillation, experts say. The rate of atrial fibrillation in the US population is growing: The CDC estimates some 12 million Americans will have A-fib by 2030. “Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy, it may pose potential health risks.”

Persons: ”, Penny Kris, Etherton, Kris, “, Dr, Gregory Marcus, ” Marcus, Naveed Sattar, ” Sattar, Ningjian Wang, ” Wang Organizations: CNN, Pennsylvania State University, American Heart Association, US Centers for Disease Control, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, UCSF Health, Rhythm Society, University of Glasgow, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Locations: United States, Scotland, Shanghai, China

☆ How sleep can affect diabetes risk, according to new study
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Sleep is an important lifestyle factor in reducing risk for type 2 diabetes, a new study has found. In terms of risk for type 2 diabetes, there wasn’t a significant difference between those with normal sleep and those who slept six hours. And even for those who ate the healthiest, their diet didn’t offset the effects of insufficient sleep on diabetes risk. The findings are also based on participants’ recollections of their food and sleep habits, according to the study. Confirming a causal relationship “would require randomized trials intervening on sleeping habits to increase sleep time and see if this reduces risk of diabetes in those at risk, e.g.

Persons: CNN —, Dr, Diana Nôga, ” Nôga, ”, Leana Wen, Wen wasn’t, ” Wen, Naveed Sattar, ” Sattar, Wen Organizations: CNN, JAMA, biosciences, Uppsala University, Lighthouse Films, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, University of Glasgow Locations: Sweden, United Kingdom, Scotland, “

☆ Dementia and sport: These rugby players represented their country in their 20s, by their 40s, they had early onset dementia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Popham’s wife, Mel, would have a conversation with her husband and an hour later he would have “no recollection,” he tells CNN Sport. Richard Boardman, the lawyer representing the claimants, told CNN Sport that this is causing an “existential threat” to the game. “As far as the brain is concerned, it doesn’t matter what sport is played,” Michael Grey, a neuroscientist at the University of East Anglia, told CNN Sport. Nowinski, a WWE wrestler turned neuroscientist, told CNN Sport that head injury protocols need to go beyond treating concussion. The paper, which looked at 412 Scottish former international male rugby players aged 30 and above and 1,236 members of the public who had been matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status, found that the rugby players’ risk of a dementia diagnosis over time was just over twice as high.

Persons: Alix Popham, Mel, ”, Popham, ” Popham, I’ve, Alix Popham of Wales, Pat Riordan of, Stu Forster, Lenny Woodard, Woodard, “, “ I’d, I’d, ” Woodard, Brook Joyner, Richard Boardman, ” Michael Grey, Chris Nowinski, Scott McIntyre, Nowinski, ” Ann McKee, ” Boardman, Roger Goodell, University of East Anglia Boardman, Grey, –, ” Steve Borthwick of, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul Harding, ” Grey, McKee, it’s, aren’t, we’re, shouldn’t, weren’t, ” Alix Popham Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, rugby, Rugby, Alix Popham of Wales offloads, Pat Riordan of Canada, Wales, Getty, World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Welsh Rugby Union, WRU, Springer, University of East, National Football League Players, Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, Washington Post, Boston University CTE Center, British Medical, Exercise, NFL, NFL.com, University of East Anglia, RBS, Nations, University of Glasgow, Boston University, University of Sydney, Scottish, ’, “ Rugby, England Rugby, Boston University’s CTE, CTE Locations: France, Wales, England, Canada, Nantes, Europe, University of East Anglia, American, Woodward, Boston

☆ Scientists want to use a self-consuming rocket to help control the space junk problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

UK researchers have designed a self-eating rocket engine that burns its own body for fuel. They hope the design can help curb the worsening junk problem in space. AdvertisementScientists in the UK have developed a self-consuming rocket they hope can be used to reduce space junk. So, if a rocket engine like the Ouroborous-3 can be used regularly, it could help curb space's worsening junk build-up. AdvertisementThe researchers said in the press release that with more funding from the UK Space Agency, they could further develop their design.

Persons: —, Patrick Harkness Organizations: Service, University of Glasgow, UK Space Agency Locations: USA

☆ How did Henry Kissinger live to 100? He had no idea.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Kieran Corcoran | Rachel Hosie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Henry Kissinger has died at the age of 100, but he had no idea how he lived so long. AdvertisementHenry Kissinger, the legendary statesman who helped shape modern geopolitics, is dead at 100. I didn't aim for it," Kissinger told Döpfner. But it gets worse — according to his family, Kissinger did many things that doctors will tell you not to. His son, David Kissinger, wrote about his father's lifestyle and longevity for The Washington Post earlier this year.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, —, Axel Springer, Mathias Döpfner, Kissinger, Döpfner, David Kissinger, Wiener, Eric Schmidt, Schmidt, Hilary Brueck, Dr, Angel Iscovich, centenarians, Dawn Skelton, Thomas Perls, it's Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Washington DC, Google, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, BU's Locations: China, Washington, UK, Scotland, England

☆ Social isolation linked to early death risk, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Those who don’t socialize with friends or family may see their risk of dying early increase by 39%. Many previous studies have linked loneliness or social isolation with a higher risk of premature death and other health outcomes. But few, if any, have looked into how these associations depend on the combined impact of different types of social interaction, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal BMC Medicine. Participants’ social isolation was gauged by how often they were visited by friends or family, how often they engaged in weekly group activities, and whether they lived alone. It’s also possible that any of these factors could lead to loneliness or social isolation rather than result from them, according to the study.

Persons: “, ”, Hamish Foster, weren’t, Anthony Ong, —, It’s, Foster, Jason Gill, Olivia Remes, wasn’t, Gill Organizations: CNN, BMC Medicine, School of Health, University of Glasgow, Cornell University, University of Cambridge, Social, Networks Locations: Scotland, United Kingdom, New York, England

☆ 'I would never recommend this to anybody': We accidentally bought a derelict Victorian apartment for $12,000 at an auction and transformed it into our dream home
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Claire Segeren and her boyfriend bought a Victorian house in the Scottish Highlands by accident. They bid on the wrong property in an auction and spent four years renovating the derelict house. We accidentally bought a crumbling Victorian villa at an auctionThe couple were shocked when they saw the villa in person. From the auction brochure, the couple weren't too concernd Claire SegerenHe left the auction in a panic and called me. The completed front room in the Scottish villa.

Persons: Claire Segeren, —, Cal Hunter, We'd, Cal Joshua Sivarajah, Cal, It's, Claire Segeren Cal, van, Joshua Sivarajah Cal, Jameswood, Segeren, we've, could've, Segeren wouldn't Organizations: Scottish Highlands, Service, Canada, University of Glasgow School of Medicine, Cal, Jameswood Villa, eBay Locations: Scottish, Scotland, Canada, Hull, England, French, Glasgow, Jameswood Villa, Sandbank, Dunoon

☆ Apollo 17 astronauts collected rocks that reveal the moon’s true age
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The moon’s gravitational pull is also the force behind ocean tides and partly why our planet has a 24-hour day. Geologist and astronaut Harrison Schmitt used an adjustable sampling scoop to retrieve lunar samples during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Zircon crystals formed as the moon cooled 4.46 billion years ago, and a new analysis traced them in the Apollo 17 samples. NASAAn ancient landscape has been discovered beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet, thanks to ice-penetrating radar. Understanding the hidden, well-preserved landscape could help scientists predict the evolution of the ice sheet and how it may fare as temperatures warm in the climate crisis.

Persons: Harrison Schmitt, Eugene Cernan, ”, Jennika Greer, Nick Gray, James Webb, Stewart Jamieson, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, NASA, Apollo, University of Glasgow, JBA Consulting, Environment Agency Engineers, Environment, Durham University, CNN Space, Science Locations: Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, England's Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight, Orkney Islands, Denman, East Antarctica, Belgium, North Wales, Iraq, Syria

☆ Rock Collected by Apollo 17 Astronaut in 1972 Reveals Moon's Age
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

A half century later, crystals of the mineral zircon inside a coarse-grained igneous rock fragment collected by Schmitt are giving scientists a deeper understanding about the moon's formation and the precise age of Earth's celestial partner. This blasted magma - molten rock - into space, forming a debris disk that orbited Earth and coalesced into the moon. "I love the fact that this study was done on a sample that was collected and brought to Earth 51 years ago. "Interestingly, all the oldest minerals found on Earth, Mars and the moon are zircon crystals. The new study used atom probe tomography to determine there were no complications involving the lead atoms, confirming the age of the crystals.

Persons: Will Dunham WASHINGTON, Harrison Schmitt, Eugene Cernan, Schmitt, wouldn't, cosmochemist Philipp Heck, Bidong Zhang, Heck, Zhang, Jennika Greer, Will Dunham, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Field Museum, University of Chicago, UCLA, Space Center, University of Glasgow, NASA Locations: Chicago, Houston, Scotland

☆ Apollo 17 samples reveal that the moon is 40 million years older than previously thought
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in the 1970s has revealed that the moon is 40 million years older than previously believed. After landing on the moon on December 11, 1972, NASA astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt collected rocks and dust from the lunar surface. A new analysis of that sample detected zircon crystals and dated them to 4.46 billion years old. “When the surface was molten like that, zircon crystals couldn’t form and survive. A lunar zircon grain is shown under a microscope.

Persons: Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, ”, Philipp Heck, Robert A, Heck, Bidong Zhang, Zhang, Audrey Bouvier, Jennika Greer, Greer, they’re, ” Heck, “, ” Greer, Dieter Isheim Organizations: CNN, Apollo, NASA, Polar Studies, Field, Research Center, University of Chicago, University of California, Bayreuth University, University of Glasgow, Northwestern University, Field Museum, Northwestern University Center, Atom Locations: Chicago, Los Angeles, Germany, Evanston , Illinois

☆ Rock collected by Apollo 17 astronaut in 1972 reveals moon's age
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] The crescent Earth rises above the lunar horizon in this undated NASA handout photograph taken from the Apollo 17 spacecraft in lunar orbit during the final lunar landing mission in the Apollo program in 1972. A half century later, crystals of the mineral zircon inside a coarse-grained igneous rock fragment collected by Schmitt are giving scientists a deeper understanding about the moon's formation and the precise age of Earth's celestial partner. This blasted magma - molten rock - into space, forming a debris disk that orbited Earth and coalesced into the moon. "I love the fact that this study was done on a sample that was collected and brought to Earth 51 years ago. "Interestingly, all the oldest minerals found on Earth, Mars and the moon are zircon crystals.

Persons: Harrison Schmitt, Eugene Cernan, Schmitt, wouldn't, cosmochemist Philipp Heck, Bidong Zhang, Heck, Zhang, Jennika Greer, Will Dunham, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: NASA, REUTERS, Rights, Field Museum, University of Chicago, UCLA, Space Center, University of Glasgow, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Houston, Scotland

☆ Early Europeans thrived on seaweed, study of dental plaque reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Virtually absent from most present-day Western diets, seaweed and aquatic plants were once a staple food for ancient Europeans, an analysis of molecules preserved in fossilized dental plaque has found. Previously when researchers uncovered evidence of seaweed, they explained its presence as a fuel, food wrapping or fertilizer. In Europe, by the 18th century, seaweed was regarded as a famine food or only suitable for animal feed. And of those, 26 samples revealed that seaweed or aquatic plants had been on the menu. The scientists said they hoped that their research would highlight the potential for including more seaweeds and freshwater plants in present-day diets.

Persons: ”, Karen Hardy, ’ Hardy, ” Hardy, Stephen Buckley, ” Buckley, Buckley Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Glasgow, University of York, Corona Locations: Europe, United Kingdom, Scotland, Spain, Lithuania, Orkney, ”, Asia

☆ Unleashing a New Weapon on the Mosquito: A Mosquito
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Stephanie Nolen | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Anggy Aldana working at the World Mosquito Program lab in Medellín, Colombia. Researchers found, after painstaking trial and error, that they could insert the bacteria into mosquito eggs using minute needles. How mosquito eggs are injected with Wolbachia A looping video showing a thin needle injecting fluid into a row of black mosquito eggs. How Wolbachia spreads among wild mosquitoes A series of three illustrations showing the outcomes of breeding between wild mosquitoes and mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia. Mosquito eggs and a tray of chilled mosquitoes at the World Mosquito Program lab.

Persons: Eleanor Lutz, Wolbachia, Scott O’Neill, —, O’Neill’s, Steven Sinkins, Marlon Victoria, ”, Victoria, “, O’Neill, It’s, Laura Harrington, They’re, won’t, ” Mr Organizations: Mosquito Program, Mosquito, Brazil —, FRANCE Croatia United, ARGENTINA CHILE Americas, CHILE Americas, University of Glasgow, —, Medellín Health, Colombian, Cornell University Locations: Medellín, Colombia, Cali, Honduras, Australia, Australian, Vietnam, Indonesia, France, Florida and Texas, Brazil, Americas, African, Asia, Europe, FRANCE Croatia United States PORTUGAL JAPAN CHINA Texas PAKISTAN Florida EGYPT INDIA MALI MEXICO PHILIPPINES SUDAN ETHIOPIA Colombia SOMALIA INDONESIA BRAZIL ANGOLA PERU NAMIBIA AUSTRALIA, AFRICA Africa, Oceania, ARGENTINA CHILE, FRANCE Croatia United States PORTUGAL JAPAN CHINA Texas Florida EGYPT, MEXICO MALI PHILIPPINES SUDAN Colombia SOMALIA INDONESIA BRAZIL ANGOLA PERU NAMIBIA AUSTRALIA ARGENTINA Africa, CHILE, Africa, United States, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wolbachia, Siloé, West Africa, Medellin

CNN —Yevgeny Prigozhin turned the Wagner Group from a shadowy band of mercenaries into a feared military powerhouse operating across multiple countries on three continents. The kind of clear chain of command that is common in traditional military does not exist in Wagner, which makes Prigozhin’s demise a potentially existential problem for the group. Members of Wagner group sit atop of a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023. A Russian military delegation went to the Libyan city of Benghazi this week to meet with Haftar, who has been supported by Wagner for several years. He said the cracks in the foundations of West African and Central African countries that have leaned on the Wagner Group for support could begin to emerge now.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, ”, Natasha Lindstaedt, “ It’s, ” Lindstaedt, – Wagner, Dmitriy Utkin, Valeriy Chekalov –, “ Wagner, Russia ” Wagner, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, “, ” Wagner, Huseyn Aliyev, –, ” Aliyev, Aliyev, Lindstaedt, Putin, Stringer, Yevgeny Progozhin, Khalifa, Haftar, Yevkurov, ” Oluwole, there’s, ” Prigozhin, Christopher O, Ogunmodede, couldn’t, Sergey Lavrov Organizations: CNN, Wagner, University of Essex, Russia, University of Glasgow, Kremlin, Ministry of Defense, Prigozhin's Press Service, Russian Ministry of Defense, Kommersant, UK Ministry of Defense, Getty Images Security, Russian, Central African, Forces, Reuters, Libyan, Central Africa, Institute for Security Studies, Central, Wagner Group, Politics, Russia’s Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russia’s, Russian, United States, Ukraine, Africa, Middle, Bakhmut, Rostov, AFP, Syria, St . Petersburg, Mali, Crimea, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Libya, Libyan, Benghazi, West African, “, Mali …

☆ After 122 Years, a Lost Edith Wharton Play Gets Its Debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Eric Grode | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Edith Wharton’s 1934 autobiography, “A Backward Glance,” glances a bit more carefully at some things than others. She gives her close friend and fellow literary lion Henry James a chapter, but names her husband of 28 years exactly once. “The Shadow of a Doubt,” a full-length 1901 play that got close to a Broadway opening before foundering under murky circumstances. It was all but forgotten — which is perhaps what Wharton had intended — until two scholars unearthed a script in 2016. “Their work is so spread out that there’s a lot we still don’t know about.”

Persons: Edith Wharton’s, Henry James a, James, Wharton, Mary Chinery, Laura Rattray, Harry Ransom, ” Chinery, “, ” Organizations: Georgian Court University, University of Glasgow, Harry, University of Texas, Austin Locations: New Jersey

☆ I'm a 21-year old student living in Scotland. I have no student debt, and my $900 monthly budget pays for my fitness club, nights out, and frequent travel.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Joshua is a 21-year-old from Berlin who lives in Glasgow, Scotland to attend school. We asked Joshua, a 21-year-old Berlin resident who attends the University of Glasgow, about his biggest spending categories and cost differences between Europe and America. Occupation: Student and university employeeMonthly income: £700 (about $900), plus a £200 (about $250) stipend from his parentsStudent debt: $0. Now I live in Glasgow, Scotland for school. What's the biggest cost difference you've noticed between Germany, Scotland, and the US?

Persons: Joshua, Gen Zers, I'm, we're, we'll, I've, she's Organizations: Service, University of Glasgow, Occupation, Student, University of Glasgow ., Student Enterprise, Tesco, Asda, European Union Locations: Berlin, Glasgow, Scotland, Wall, Silicon, Europe, America, Germany, Sainsbury's

☆ Being overweight not linked to dying early, study says, but questions remain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Being overweight as defined by the body mass index rating scale is not linked to an increase in death when considered separately from other health issues, a new study found. “The use of the word ‘overweight’ is misleading here, as it excludes anyone with a BMI above 30. “This paper found an unequivocal association between BMI and mortality, before and after adjustment for risk factors,” said Leurent, who was not involved in the study. Being overweight may not lead to an early death, but may add to the risk of chronic disease, experts say. While the study did control for smoking and a variety of other diseases linked to early death, that information was only gathered once for each person in the survey.

Persons: ”, Aayush, Rutgers Robert Wood, ’, Baptiste Leurent, Leurent, Robert H, Shmerling, “, Soko, Visaria, Naveed Sattar, ” Sattar, Tom Sanders, Beth, they’ve, It’s, ” Visaria, it’s, University of Glasgow’s Sattar Organizations: CNN, BMI, US Centers for Disease Control, Rutgers, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University College London, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, Rutgers School of Public Health, University of Glasgow, King’s College London, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical, “, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, University of Glasgow’s Locations: New Brunswick , New Jersey, Boston, Scotland, “

☆ Scientists isolate human gene able to fend off most bird flu viruses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - UK researchers have homed in on a human gene implicated in thwarting most bird flu viruses from infecting people. Nicknamed B-force by the researchers, the gene was found to block the replication of most strains of bird flu in human cells. However, the gene's antiviral activity failed to protect against seasonal human flu viruses. This gene is part of a broader defensive apparatus in the human immune arsenal against bird viruses. To be sure, viruses mutate all the time, and this does not mean that bird flu viruses could not evolve to escape the activity of BTN3A3.

Persons: Massimo Palmarini, ”, Sam Wilson, Natalie Grover, Nancy Lapid, Christina Fincher Organizations: MRC, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, World Health Organization, WHO, Thomson Locations: London

☆ Scientists were delighted to discover that parrots willingly made video calls to bird friends and were less lonely as a result
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Crystal Raypole | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The ability to make video calls to other parrots, then, may give birds the chance to access the socialization and species identity they have in the wild, Cunha said. Parrot caregivers learned, for instance, to recognize signs of stress during the video calls and offer encouragement to help reduce any fear associated with the new experience. The researchers released three parrots from the study in its early stages, as these birds didn't seem to like the calls at all. But most of the parrots apparently enjoyed the experience and chose to make plenty of calls to other birds. The study authors acknowledge the need for additional research, as this study is the first exploring video calling for parrots.

☆ Science has finally figured out how fast and loud you should talk on Zoom
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. It may shed new light on what we talk about when we talk about talking today — the conversation of the future. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying.

☆ Researchers just created the largest-ever database of how we interact on Zoom. Here are their tips for making everyone like you on video chats.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying. Studying Zoom calls may help us have better conversations on Zoom.

☆ Parrots who video call their 'friends' become less lonely, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Domesticated parrots who video call each other are less likely to be lonely, a new study found. When contacting other birds, the parrots exhibited increasingly social behavior, scientists said. In a new study published in Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing System, domesticated parrots were trained to signal to make video calls to other birds. The parrots who made the most calls also received the most calls from other parrots, which suggests the experiment helped the birds be more social. In the study, caretakers of the parrots, who were volunteers from the US, also bonded more closely with their pets during the study, scientists said.

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