Latest news with #InternationalJournal
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
The Secret To Life On Mars Could Be Cosmic Rays, According To This New Study
Life on Mars sounds like something from a "Doctor Who" episode. But a study published in the International Journal of Astrobiology challenges the science fiction notion of that idea. The research points out that Mars' atmosphere is thin and the planet lacks a magnetic field, therefore, it is constantly bombarded with powerful radiation from space, specifically, galactic cosmic rays. These high-energy particles come from outside of our solar system and are typically considered destructive as they can damage DNA and harm living cells. However, the publication's research suggests that under the right conditions, this same radiation might help life survive instead of destroying it. Already, Earth hosts a microbe that survives entirely on radiation. Deep in a South African gold mine, scientists discovered an organism that powers its metabolism using radiation-driven chemistry, without any sunlight at all. The research raises the question of whether similar life could be hiding beneath the surface of Mars, where cosmic rays interact with rock and ice in a way that could support life. Read more: What's Happening To Earth Right Now Can't Be Explained By Climate Models How Cosmic Rays Might Support Life On Mars When cosmic rays hit rocks or ice, they set off a chain reaction called radiolysis. This process splits water and other molecules into smaller parts, creating energy-rich compounds like hydrogen and oxidants. These are the kinds of chemicals that simple microbes could use as food. The study introduces a new idea referred to as the radiolytic habitable zone (RHZ). These are regions below the surface where cosmic ray–driven reactions might provide enough energy to support microbial life. Using simulations, the researchers estimated how deep this zone might go on Mars, as well as Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus. The theory is that these RHZs could support simple, radiation-powered life forms in areas that are protected from the harsh surface conditions. However, this idea is still theoretical, so we are not setting up a base on Mars just yet. Researchers acknowledge that the models don't account for how temperature variations might affect underground chemistry, or what kinds of organic molecules can actually form there. Of course, because Earth doesn't get much cosmic ray radiation due to its protective atmosphere and magnetic field, there are no real-world examples of life evolving under these conditions. Where We Might Be Able To Live On Mars If the researchers' theory is right and life powered by cosmic rays does exist on Mars, there are a couple of promising places to look. These are beneath Mars' polar ice caps. The north pole is called Planum Boreum and the south pole is called Planum Australe. These massive ice caps on Mars are mostly made of water ice and a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice, also known as dry ice. They offer a unique environment where life might be shielded from the surface radiation while still getting enough cosmic ray exposure underground to fuel radiolytic chemistry. So far, no mission to Mars has explored these polar regions directly. However, future missions are in progress. The European Space Agency's ExoMars mission is set to launch in 2028, and NASA's Mars Life Explorer is planned for the 2030s. These will include drills capable of reaching about six feet below the surface, theoretically deep enough to reach the RHZ and test for possible signs of life. These two future missions, if successful, will be critical in discovering if the theory in the International Journal of Astrobiology has merit. While the idea is intriguing, there is still a long way to go before humans could potentially have their own settlements in other regions of our solar system. Read the original article on BGR. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
The Great British cuppa really could be a lifesaver, as scientists find two cups of tea a day could drastically lower your risk of heart failure and stroke - just don't add SUGAR
Britons drink 100million of them every day – and it turns out the Great British cuppa could be a lifesaver. Tea, which Oscar Wilde described as the only simple pleasure left, lowers the risk of heart problems and stroke, according to new research. Up to two cups of unsweetened tea a day reduces the risk by up to 21 per cent. But add sugar or sweeteners and the benefits are lost, say academics. Researchers from Nantong University, China, used data on 177,810 UK adults, with an average age of around 55. Of those, 147,903 were tea drinkers, and 68.2 per cent did not add sugar and sweeteners. All were healthy at the start of the study, but over an average of 12.7 years, 15,003 cases of cardiovascular disease were diagnosed, including 2,679 strokes and 2,908 heart failures, it was reported in the International Journal of Cardiology Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention. Those who drank up to two cups of unsweetened tea a day had a 21 per cent reduced risk of heart failure, a 14 per cent lesser chance of having a stroke and were 7 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease. No such effects were found for sweetened tea. It is thought an unsweetened cuppa better preserves biologically active compounds, including polyphenols, in the tea, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Both sugars and artificial sweeteners can promote insulin resistance and metabolic dysregulation, which are well-established cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fart walking — do this 10-minute indoor walking workout immediately after eating to lower your blood sugar, aid weight loss
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you've been on TikTok recently, you've probably heard about fart walking — the idea of going for a walk after eating to help boost digestion and relieve bloating. Yet according to research published in the International Journal of General Medicine, there's another huge benefit of walking directly after a meal: lowering your blood sugar. If weight loss is your goal, lowering your sugar levels is a good place to start. The best part about this workout is you don't have to leave your house — perfect if you've got kids upstairs in bed, or you don't want to walk alone in the evenings. All you'll need is 10 minutes, and perhaps a yoga mat to walk on. If you want to check out your calorie burn, strapping one of the best fitness trackers to your wrist might help, but as with all indoor walking workouts, you'll want to make sure you're swinging your arms throughout for a more accurate reading. The workout, devised by fitness coach Caroline Jordan, was shared on her YouTube channel. "You can use this video immediately after eating to lower your blood sugar," Caroline says, and users in the comment section of the video have claimed the workout helped them to lose weight. Far from just walking on the spot for 10 minutes, the workout involves various marches, side steps, hamstring stretches, and overhead reaches. It's designed to boost your digestion. The best part is, you won't need any special equipment; you can just follow along with Caroline in real time. According to the International Journal of General Medicine study, there are several benefits to walking straight after a meal. The researchers compared the benefits of a 30-minute walk straight after a meal to a 30-minute walk one hour after eating. Participants completed a month of walks, and the team found that the group who walked for 30-60 minutes right after their meals lost more weight. But why? Walking after a meal reduces your blood sugar levels and the level of sugar in your interstitial fluid (the layer of fluid surrounding your body's cells). While digestion uses this glucose for energy, excess glucose in your bloodstream can be stored as fat. If you're looking to lose or manage your weight, focusing on your blood glucose levels is a good place to start. Of course, if you'd prefer to head outdoors, especially in the summer months, you have the added mental health boost of an evening walk, which can lower your stress levels and help you sleep better. That fart walk might not be so silly after all! Why not carve out 10 minutes and give this workout a try? I swapped running for 'Jeffing' for a week — and now I'm hooked I tried the 5-4-5 walking technique for a week — and it boosted my fitness and mood How to lose weight and get in shape by walking
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fed's Bowman: 'Time Has Come' to Revisit Leveraged Ratios
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman warns that the current approach to leverage ratio requirements has led to unintended consequences in the market. She speaks at a research conference sponsored by the International Journal of Central Banking and the Czech National Bank. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Secrets of Ancient Romans revealed by fast food find
Archaeologists analysing a trash pit in the ancient Spanish city of Pollentia (Mallorca) found evidence suggesting that commoners in the Roman Empire frequently consumed cheap fried songbirds at roadside fast-food shops. The study, published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, analysed animal bones from a cesspit dating between the first century BC and the first century AD. Researchers found that these fast-food joints, known as popinae and tabernae, served fried small thrushes. More than 165 thrush bones were found in the pit. The discovery challenges the previously held belief that songbirds were exclusively a luxury dish for the wealthy. Evidence indicates that food shops followed a standardised approach to preparing the birds, removing the sternum to flatten them for rapid cooking in oil.
