Category: Features
Wrinkles and spots allow new diagnostic AI to estimate peoples’ ages
An artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by neuroinformatics engineers at the Institute for Neural Computation at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), Germany, can estimate a person’s age and ethnic origin almost as well as humans. The system is a “hierarchical neural network” […]
Sleeping or light activity found to lift mood better than binge-watching TV
A recent study suggests that replacing sedentary screen time with other activities may improve mood and body mass index (BMI) instead of hours of TV-binge watching. Researchers at Ohio State University (OSU), US, said sleeping or doing light housework is […]
Fat-fighting molecule targets mitochondria to burn off excess fat in mice
A new molecule – which is said to trick the body into burning off more fat than necessary – has been discovered by a team of researchers from Virginia Tech at the University of Virginia, US, and the University of […]
WHO official reveals coronavirus spread by asymptomatic people ‘appears to be rare’
A health official from the World Health Organization (WHO) has claimed the spread of COVID-19 by asymptomatic individuals “appears to be rare” but can still happen. WHO’s coronavirus response team have yet to find significant secondary transmission of the novel […]
Alternative, rice-sized implant could help treat neurological disorders
Certain neurological conditions require battery-powered implants to treat them, e.g. neuron-stimulating electrodes may be surgically inserted into the brain while a separate battery-powered pacemaker-like device is implanted under the skin elsewhere in the body. These might be a hassle to […]
Living environment can control men’s testosterone development, UK study finds
A study led by Durham University, UK, suggests that testosterone levels are heavily influenced by a man’s childhood environment – men who grow up in more challenging conditions are likely to have lower testosterone levels in later life than those […]
US scientists develop “poison arrow” solution to antibiotic-resistant superbugs
To contend with the alarming rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a team of Princeton University, US, researchers have introduced a first-of-a-kind compound that works like a “poisoned arrow” after years of experiments using a range of classic and cutting-edge imaging and […]
Researchers construct long-circulating synthetic RBCs with hybrid materials
Versatile red blood cells (RBCs) play a pivotal role in living bodies – from transporting necessary gases in and out of the body to their structural ability to move through even the tiniest of capillaries, RBCs have a host of […]
Unstable molecules in the gut implicated in early death from sleep deprivation
An underlying cause for early death associated with sleep deprivation may be because of accumulation of a type of oxygen-based molecule in the gut. Scientists at Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Massachusetts, US, have studied trusty models of the fruit […]
Face mask usage imperative to reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is known to be spread by asymptomatic people via infectious aerosols. This incidence “deeply underscores the ongoing importance of regular widespread testing, wearing masks and physical distancing to reduce the spread of the […]
