Crew return to Earth after six months on China space station
What did the crew get up to in space?
Astronauts Cai and Song spent more than nine hours outside the station during a mid-December spacewalk, which set the record. The team are also said to have performed a total of 86 scientific experiments during their time in orbit. One experiment included placing a brick made from lunar soil simulant on Tiagong's exterior to see how it holds up on the environment. China says the results could help them plan out a moon base.
Who were the crew?
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Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Scientists pinpoint when humans start ‘ageing'
There comes a certain time where we start groaning trying to get ourselves off of a chair. We complain that our bodies are getting old, and we just don't have the energy that we used to. Well, researchers now say they have pinpointed exactly when we start ageing... (Picture: Getty) The new research says that we begin seriously ageing as young as 30. This is the age where our bodies begin to break down. At this time, the adrenal gland, which sits in the top of the kidneys and releases hormones vital for regulating bodily functions, begins to show changes in protein levels. The researchers found an increase in 48 disease-related proteins as tissue samples trended older. But this isn't the age when we seriously begin ageing – that's at 50 (Picture: Getty) Publishing their study in the journal Cell, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences collected tissue samples across the body's major organ systems from 76 individuals of Chinese ancestry. The samples came from those who had died from accidental brain injury and were aged between 14 to 68 (Picture: Getty) The experts discovered that certain tissues, such as blood vessels, experience ageing faster than others. The scientists also identified the proteins responsible for this accelerated process. Large changes in protein levels were spotted around the ages of 45 and 55, and one of the biggest shifts was in the aorta. Scientists suspect that blood vessels carry these age-accelerating molecules throughout the body (Picture: Getty) The authors wrote: 'Based on aging-associated protein changes, we developed tissue-specific proteomic age clocks and characterised organ-level aging trajectories. Temporal analysis revealed an aging inflection around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to ageing' (Picture: Getty) This study's conclusion fits in nicely with a previous study from Stanford University which showed that humans largely experience a period of accelerated ageing at around 44 and the early 60s. Stanford University's Michael Snyder, a professor of genetics, and lead author of the study, said about the current study: 'It fits the idea that your hormonal and metabolic control are a big deal. That is where some of the most profound shifts occur as people age. We're like a car. Some parts wear out faster' (Picture: Getty) Understanding how humans age will help doctors to find ways to help us live healthy, longer lives, and to learn more about how the body experiences ageing throughout our lifetime. 'These insights may facilitate the development of targeted interventions for ageing and age-related diseases, paving the way to improve the health of older adults,' said the study authors (Picture: Getty) Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
From gangrene to deadly liver damage – the 92 conditions linked to going to bed after a specific time
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GOING to sleep past a specific time could up the risk of 92 conditions, scientists have suggested. This includes gangrene, liver damage, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes, according to Chinese researchers. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Going to sleep after 12:30 could up your risk of certain conditions, scientists say Credit: Getty It's no secret that persistent poor sleep can impact your health, with studies showing it may increase the likelihood of developing dementia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer. But much of this research focuses on sleep duration – how many hours of kip participants get a night – rather than factors like bedtime and how well people sleep through the night. Now, scientists from Peking University and Army Medical University say going to sleep past 12:30am may increase the risk of ill health. "Evidence suggests that sleep traits might be associated with a number of diseases affecting diverse systems, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental diseases," researchers wrote in Health Data Science. "However, in most publications to date, sleep has been measured by subjective recall of the participants, which has been found to bear systematic error in some aspects and may lead to misunderstanding of sleep's health impact. "Furthermore, the available literature has mainly focused on certain sleep traits, namely, sleep duration, while other traits such as sleep timing and sleep rhythm have less often been analysed." They said sleep regularity - such as going to bed at a consistent time and having stable circadian rhythms - is a little known but critical factor in disease risk. Researchers used data from 88,461 adults who took part in the UK Biobank study. Participants wore small sensors called accelerometers, which collected data on their bedtime, how long they slept a night and whether they woke up, for an average of about seven years. Scientists paired this information with data from NHS records, cancer registries and the National Death Index. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt They found that sleep habits picked up through the accelerometers played a significant role in the risk of developing certain diseases. Researchers studied 172 diseases. Researchers found that poor sleep habits can double the risk of certain diseases. For example, participants with the most irregular sleep patterns had more than double the risk of gangrene compared to those with consistent sleep routines Meanwhile, people who went to sleep after 12:30am had over double the risk of liver problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis, compared to those who went to bed between 11:00 and 11:30 pm. For 92 diseases, at least 20 per cent of the risk was due to sleep traits and for 44 diseases, more than 30 per cent of the risk was linked to sleep factors. Examples included: Parkinson's disease, where the risk was linked to how consistent sleep was each day. Heart disease, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Type 2 diabetes, where the risk was linked to regular sleep timing. Obesity, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Overactive thyroid, where bedtime played a role. Urinary incontinence, where risk was linked to sleep quality. How bad sleep affects weight Previously in The Sun, experts explained how sleep is closely linked with weight. Disrupts hunger hormones Ghrelin is a hormone released after the brain signals the stomach is empty, while leptin is released from fat cells to suppress hunger - and tell the brain it's full. Studies have shown that when you don't get enough shut-eye, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin - leaving you more hungry. One study of 12 men led by University of Chicago showed two days of sleep deprivation drove leptin levels in the blood down by 18 per cent, while increasing ghrelin by 28 per cent. The men reported a 24 per cent increase in their hunger and appetite compared to when they were given two restful nights. More time to eat The less you are asleep, the more you are awake. This gives more of an opportunity to eat. In the modern day world, people are awake for up to 17 hours at a time - 7am till 12pm. It leaves a huge window for being awake and eating. If you're struggling with both your weight and sleep, try finishing your meals three to four hours before bed time. That might mean limiting your eating window from 9am until 6pm. Reach for takeaways If you have a weird sleeping pattern, chances are your eating schedule is also off-whack. Struggling to sleep can see us turn to convenience - takeaways, ready meals, oven foods and more, whi;e being energised gives us more motivation to cook healthily. Eat more calories than normal Studies suggest that the less sleep you get, the more calorie-dense food you choose to eat. One study in Chicago found that men ate more food at a buffet after four consecutive night's of rough sleep compared with when they were rested. They consumed around 340 calories more, mostly because they ate more snacks and carbohydrate-rich food. Researchers from King's College London also found that adults consumed an additional 385 calories – the equivalent of one and a half Mars Bars – on days after they were deprived of kip by combining the results of 11 previous studies. More desire for food Foods, especially those high in calories, are more appetising when we are sleep deprived because we subconsciously know they will boost our energy. A German study showed the lengths sleepy people would go to for calorific snacks using 32 healthy men. After a normal dinner and either a restful or restless night's sleep, the men were given three Euros to spend on snacks and told to bid the maximum amount they were willing to spend on each item. When sleep deprived. participants were willing to pay extra for the junk food items - which they were allowed to eat afterwards - suggesting a stronger desire. Fat storage more likely Scientists have warned that not getting enough sleep changes how the body deals with food, which could then lead to weight gain. One study showed that men who ate a large bowl of chilli mac and cheese after four nights of bad sleep reacted differently to the food than those who were well-rested. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said blood tests showed lipids (fats) from foods were cleared faster, suggesting they were being stored almost instantly. The process did not spring back to its normal rate even after the men were given a long night's sleep. The study also challenged previous claims that sleeping over nine hours each night is harmful. Previous research has suggested "long sleepers" could be at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Researchers said "misclassification" may be to blame, as 21 per cent of 'long sleepers' actually slept less than six hours, suggesting that time spent in bed is often confused with actual sleep time. Prof Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, said: 'Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity. 'It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration.' The study team suggested that inflammation could be upping the risk of disease in people who sleep poorly, as disrupted sleep might trigger immune responses that contribute to illness. Researchers concluded: "Our results may suggest that the various dimensions of sleep traits deserve more attention in future studies and that pursuing comprehensive control of sleep traits may have greater benefit for health over merely ensuring adequate sleep duration." Fortunately, there are easy things we can do to correct some – if not all – our poor sleep habits, they suggested. "For example, the disruption of sleep rhythm can be substantially improved if the unhealthy habit of social media use before sleep (so-called Twitter jetlag) can be corrected," they said. Next, the team will look into whether sleep improvements can reduce the risk of disease over time.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Spy balloons that can fly major heights to be developed in UK to keep Brits safe
The Ministry of Defence said the balloons offer low-cost surveillance as they don't need a crew on board and can travel uninterrupted at extreme altitudes for long periods The UK is developing spy balloons that can fly at double the altitude of a commercial flight to conduct intelligence and surveillance missions. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said trials of new high-altitude balloons flying between 60,000 and 80,000 feet above the Earth - higher than most military aircraft operate - have been successful. The balloons offer low-cost surveillance as they don't need a crew on board and can travel uninterrupted at extreme altitudes for long periods. The future use of such balloons could also include support to operations and reliable communication and fast internet connection to disaster zones or remote areas with no coverage, while also providing information for weather forecasting and climate research. The MoD will now develop a fleet of this class of balloon, following the successful trials in South Dakota, USA, earlier this year. It comes two years after the US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been flying over its airspace. At the time, the UK's Tory Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he would carry out a security review to look at the dangers of spy balloons. Defence minister Maria Eagle hailed the UK 'pushing boundaries' with its successful trials of spy balloons. 'This innovation is about giving our Armed Forces the edge – better awareness, better communications, and lower maintenance needs,' she said. 'Stratospheric technology like this could transform how we operate in complex environments, keeping our people safer and better informed than ever before. 'This successful trial is another example of UK defence pushing boundaries, with real potential to strengthen our future capabilities.' James Gavin, head of UK Defence's innovation, prove and exploit team, said: 'These latest trials have been incredibly fruitful and pave the way for more collaborative working with our allies to develop capabilities that will benefit our Armed Forces.'
