Why do women live longer than men?
Why is there such a gender gap when it comes to which sex lives the longest? Globally, women tend to outlive men by at least five years. Yet why do doctors and researchers consistently fail to understand the inequality between the sexes when it comes to the ageing process? Annette Young talks to Dr Saher Mehdi, an Indian longevity scientist. Also, the focus may be on the new and first American pope of the Catholic Church but what about the women who make up half of the church? We report on how nuns are calling for greater inclusion as well as recognition of sexual abuse. Plus, with the Women's Rugby World Cup around the corner, interest in the game is on the rise among young women in the UK and here in France.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- LeMonde
The mystery of white-nose syndrome, which is killing US bats, is beginning to unravel
One of the last mysteries of "white-nose syndrome," which has been decimating bats in the United States since the winter of 2006-2007, has been solved. A European team, whose study was published in the May 28 issue of the journal Nature, has discovered that the fungus responsible for this epidemic was a double agent from Ukraine. Let's go back to that American winter. Thousands of bats were dying during hibernation in caves in the northeastern United States. Their snouts and wings were covered with a powdery white mold. This was just the beginning of white-nose syndrome, which "caused one of the highest disease-driven death tolls documented in nonhuman mammals," explained the study. Colonies were decimated and some bat species were even threatened with extinction. The mass die-off triggered a chain reaction. A study published in Science in September found that, in response to the collapse of these insect-eating populations, farmers in affected counties used more insecticides, which in turn led to a rise in infant mortality over several years. The culprit was quickly identified: Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a fungus found in Europe and Asia. Adapted to life in darkness, it feeds on the skin of bats.
Fashion Network
2 days ago
- Fashion Network
Skin Beauty Pal & Pers Active Lab launches in India
Skin Beauty Pal & Per Active Lab (SBP & PAL), a global skincare-tech company from Taiwan has officially launched in the Indian market with their skincare line 'Pers Active Lab' and analysis device line 'Skin Beauty Pal'. The brand claims that its mobile app 'Skin Beauty Pal' offers dermatologist-level accuracy in identifying concerns such as acne, pigmentation, wrinkles, and redness. It further offers customised skincare solutions from the 'Pers Active Lab' range. Commenting on the launch, Grant Kuo, founder CEO of Digital Doctor, the parent company behind SBP & PAL said, 'With over 40 years in tech, I believe the most effective way to solve every problem is to start with root-cause analysis, then target solutions that deliver better, fast results. That's how we built Skin Beauty Pal and Pers Active Lab by cutting the guesswork with AI diagnostics and using only a few clinically proven, high-impact ingredients in optimal balance. It's the 'Power of Less' approach.' 'With a rising demand for personalised skincare and a tech-savvy, appearance-conscious population aged 25-40, India presents the ideal market. Clinics and dermatologists in India will also benefit through SaaS integrations, offering ERP/CRM tools and a direct link to patients through the app's measurement and consultation ecosystem,' he added. As part of its India strategy, Skin Beauty Pal plans to enable aesthetic clinics to become integrated partners through a powerful ERP and CRM system.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
The promise and peril of a crewed Mars mission
That political momentum, coupled with SpaceX chief Elon Musk's zeal, has breathed new life into a cause long championed by Red Planet advocates -- even as major obstacles remain, including Trump and Musk's latest feud. Why go? As NASA writes in its Moon to Mars blueprint, "exploration of the cosmos remains a great calling for humanity." A mission to Mars would pursue scientific objectives like determining whether Mars ever hosted life and charting the evolution of its surface, as well as answering broader space physics questions -- such as the history of the Sun through studying Martian soil. Geopolitics also looms large, as Trump has pledged to "plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond," invoking the "unlimited promise of the American dream." Critics, however, say cuts to NASA's science budget and the cancellation of key projects -- including the return of rock samples collected by the Perseverance rover -- are undermining the research mission. "The purpose of exploration is not just to go somewhere," Nobel-winning astrophysicist John Mather told AFP. "This is not a tourist thing. This is a fundamental knowledge thing." - Getting there - Musk is betting SpaceX's future on Starship, the largest rocket ever built, despite fiery failures in its nine test flights. He's aiming for an uncrewed launch by late 2026, timed with the next favorable Earth-Mars alignment. But the timeline is widely seen as optimistic: Starship has yet to land its upper stage or demonstrate in-orbit refueling -- both essential for deep space travel. Some experts believe the system is fundamentally sound, while others say it's too soon to judge. "A lot of the pertinent and relevant technical information... is not known to us," Kurt Polzin, chief engineer for NASA's space nuclear propulsion project, told AFP. He backs Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP), which uses fission to heat hydrogen and generate thrust. NTP delivers "a lot of power in a very small package," Polzin said, eliminating the need for orbital refueling or fuel production on Mars. Astronauts would spend seven to nine months in a cramped spacecraft, exposed to intense space radiation beyond Earth's magnetosphere. Ideas to improve radiation shielding range from passive methods, like using dense materials, to active concepts such as plasma fields that deflect radiation, while drugs are being developed to reduce cell damage. Without a system to simulate gravity -- such as rotational spin -- crews would also need grueling exercise routines to counteract muscle and bone loss. Mental health is another concern. Growing plants aboard -- more for morale than sustenance -- has proved beneficial on the ISS. Communication delays further complicate matters. On the station, real-time data has helped prevent an average of 1.7 potentially fatal incidents per year, said Erik Antonsen, chair of NASA's human systems risk board -- but such communication will not be possible en route to Mars. Life on Mars Once on the surface, the uncertainties grow. Probes and rovers have found hints -- organic molecules, seasonal methane -- but no definitive signs of life. If it ever existed, it likely died out long ago. Still, Earth's own "extremophiles" offer intriguing clues -- from fungi that harness Chernobyl's radiation for energy, to microbes that survived 500,000 years in frozen stasis. "If they can survive here in extreme environments, we have every reason to suspect they can be on Mars," said NASA astrobiologist Jennifer Eigenbrode at the recent Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit. And while NASA has decided nuclear fission will power surface operations, other choices -- from crop selection to habitat design -- remain open. "Mars has a 24-hour, 39-minute day -- that small difference creates strain, increases stress, and reduces sleep quality," said Phnam Bagley, a space architect who designs for comfort and crew well-being -- critical factors in preventing conflict. The first trip would be around 500 days on the surface, but long-term colonization raises deeper questions. For instance, scientists don't yet know whether mammalian embryos can develop in low gravity -- or what childbirth on Mars would entail. "I think it's really important to take that seriously," said NASA's Antonsen.
