Exercise in later life can reduce risk of death by 40 per cent
The research, which reviewed 85 existing studies, indicates that any physical activity is beneficial, and it is never too late to adopt a more active lifestyle.
People who consistently exercised had a 30-40% lower risk of dying from any cause, while those who increased their activity levels saw a 20-25% reduction.
Even switching from an inactive to an active lifestyle reduced the risk of Death by 22% compared to remaining inactive.
Experts emphasise that physical activity improves physical function and has anti-inflammatory effects, supporting World Health Organisation guidelines for weekly Exercise.
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The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Researchers discovered by accident a possible alternative to LASIK surgery
LASIK eye surgery has been performed successfully in the U.S. since the late 90s, helping nearly 40 million patients to improve their vision through a procedure that cuts into the eye using lasers. Some 600,000 of the Food and Drug Administration-approved surgeries are carried out on American adults each year. Now, researchers say they have come up with an alternative method that wouldn't need invasive incisions and could be cheaper. It uses a process called electromechanical reshaping, which helps to reshape the cornea using electrical current. The cornea is a dome-shaped, clear structure at the front of the eye that helps us to process images. Irregularly shaped corneas are the cause of nearsighted and farsighted vision and astigmatism, and LASIK fixes that by burning away tissue to reshape it. 'The whole effect was discovered by accident,' Brian Wong, a professor and surgeon at the University of California, Irvine, explained in a statement. 'I was looking at living tissues as moldable materials and discovered this whole process of chemical modification.' While the work is in its early stages, it could offer an alternative to LASIK. Although the surgery has been safely performed for nearly 30 years with rare complications, it has some limitations and risks. The surgeons say that cutting the cornea compromises the structural integrity of the eye. This procedure has yet to be performed in humans, but researchers previously used electromechanical reshaping to alter scars and skin in pigs and reshape cartilage-rich rabbit ears. Working with rabbit eyeballs, they constructed platinum 'contact lenses' that served as a template for the corrected shape of the cornea, placing them over a rabbit eyeball in a saline solution meant to mimic natural tears. After about a minute following a small electric charge to the lens, the cornea's curvature conformed to the shape of the lens. That happened in the same amount of time as LASIK, with fewer steps, no incisions, and less expensive equipment. Then, they repeated the step on 12 other rabbit eyeballs. Of those dozen, 10 were treated as if they had nearsighted vision, and the researchers found success. In others, they saw that their technique might be able to reverse some chemical-caused cloudiness to the cornea, which is currently only treatable through a complete transplant of the cornea. In the future, the researchers are planning tests on living rabbits, and looking at far-sightedness and astigmatism. Uncertainties in the team's scientific funding have put those plans on hold, but Michael Hill, a professor of chemistry at Occidental College, will present their findings this week at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society. 'There's a long road between what we've done and the clinic. But, if we get there, this technique is widely applicable, vastly cheaper and potentially even reversible,' said Hill.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Cuba: Saving the 'world's most beautiful snail'
These snails are certainly more colourful than the ones we tend to see in our gardens in the UK, but it's their beauty that has put them at risk of extinction. The Polymita tree snail is endemic to Cuba, which means they're found there. The endangered molluscs have vibrant and colourful patterned shells that make them desirable for people to collect and experts say the shell trade is pushing this species towards extinction, so they're on a mission to save them and learn their biological secrets. There are six known species of Polymita in Cuba, and all of them are at risk. The most endangered is the Polymita sulphurosa, which is lime green with blue flame patterns around its coils and bright orange and yellow bands across its are bought and sold as decorative objects, but every empty shell was once a living only are their shells collected for trade, but also their native forest habitat in Eastern Cuba is being affected by climate change and forest loss. Now scientists from Cuba and the University of Nottingham are teaming up to try and save the species. The biologists are curious as to how and why the snails have evolved such beautiful shells and, from that, understand how to help conservation efforts. Professor Angus Davison is one of the biologists from the University of Nottingham working on the project. He said: "You can easily imagine where people collecting shells would tip a population over into local extinction".Here in the UK, genetic research is taking place which will tell researchers all about their genome - the set of genetic material which contains all the instructions for its growth and function. It's hoped this information will help to understand how many species there are, how they are related to each other and what part of their genetic code gives them their unique colour patterns. This data will be shared with conservationists in Cuba, Prof Davison added."Eastern Cuba is the the only place in the world where these snails are found."That's where the expertise is - where the people who know these snails, love them and understand them, live and work."We hope we can use the genetic information that we can bring to contribute to their conservation."
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Orange shark with white eyes seen for 'first time ever' by anglers in Costa Rica
A giant shark was reeled in during a sport fishing trip in Costa Rica that is being hailed as a first-of-its-kind catch. The six-and-a-half-foot-long shark exhibited xanthism, a rare pigmentation condition that causes an excess of yellow or golden tones in the skin, scales or fur of animals. While xanthism has been observed in a few fish species, it has never before been documented in cartilaginous fish, a group that includes sharks, rays, and skates, in the Caribbean. Typically, nurse sharks have light to dark brown skin, which helps them blend into reefs and rocky seafloor habitats where they spend most of their time hunting. Based on the shark's size, researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande concluded that this unusual pigmentation did not appear to affect its survival. The scientists said in a study: 'The discovery of a yellow nurse shark raises important questions about the genetics and adaptability of nurse sharks. 'Is this a one-time occurrence, or could it signal a new genetic trend in the local population?' Because this coloring makes animals more visible, scientists believe xanthism often lowers survival rates in the wild. Albinism, though slightly better known, is also uncommon and can pose serious challenges to animals that develop it. The absence of melanin results in pale skin, scales, or fur, along with white or red eyes. In the wild, this lack of natural camouflage can make albino animals easier targets for predators and less effective hunters. The condition may also increase sensitivity to sunlight and, in some cases, reduce the likelihood of finding a mate. For this reason, the fact that a nurse shark showing both xanthism and albinism survived into adulthood makes the discovery especially significant. The survival of this vividly colored shark into adulthood also offers a rare glimpse into the adaptability of the species and raises new questions for marine biologists about genetic diversity in Caribbean nurse shark populations. Nurse sharks are benthic predators, meaning they spend most of their time on or near the seafloor, often around reefs and rocky areas. Their typical brownish coloring helps them blend in with the surroundings, making them harder to spot. This shark's bright yellow-orange color, however, would have made it stand out, which makes its survival into adulthood particularly remarkable. It is unclear whether this unusual coloring offers any advantages or if the shark simply managed to thrive despite being more visible.
