Nine deer dead in Japan after eating plastic: wildlife group

Nine deer have died after swallowing plastic bags in Japan's Nara Park, a wildlife group said on Wednesday, warning that a surge in tourism may be to blame.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/nine-deer-dead-in-japan-after-eating-plastic-wildlife-group

'Alexa, my head hurts': UK health service signs up Amazon

"Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?"

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/alexa-my-head-hurts-uk-health-service-signs-up-amazon

UK plan to control online porn is watched as test case

The global push to more tightly regulate the internet and big tech firms is spreading to one of the web's biggest and least visible corners: porn.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/uk-plan-to-control-online-porn-is-watched-as-test-case

British inventor Dyson pays $54 mln for Singapore's priciest penthouse

British billionaire inventor James Dyson has paid a reported $54 million for Singapore's biggest, most expensive penthouse: a three-floor residence with a rooftop terrace, private pool, and jacuzzi.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/british-inventor-dyson-pays-54-mln-for-singapores-priciest-penthouse

Scientists design protein blockers to fight obesity and heart disease

Almost four in 10 adult Americans are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What's more alarming is that in the past two decades alone, in states such as Texas, the share of obesity among residents has tripled. If left unchecked, obesity can even lead to more serious problems including high blood pressure and deadly strokes.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/scientists-design-protein-blockers-to-fight-obesity-and-heart-disease

Bystander CPR less likely for black kids in poorest neighborhoods

African American children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are significantly less likely than their Caucasian counterparts in disadvantaged or wealthier areas to receive CPR from a bystander, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/bystander-cpr-less-likely-for-black-kids-in-poorest-neighborhoods

Preeclampsia risk may be reduced by a healthy high-fibre diet

A healthy diet rich in fibre is generally recommended, but new research shows it could be even more important during pregnancy to promote the wellbeing of the mother and child.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/preeclampsia-risk-may-be-reduced-by-a-healthy-high-fibre-diet

Quantum sensor breakthrough using naturally occurring vibrations in artificial atoms

A team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, have discovered a new method that could be used to build quantum sensors with ultra-high precision.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/quantum-sensor-breakthrough-using-naturally-occurring-vibrations-in-artificial-atoms

Cyber attacks cost $45 bn in 2018 as ransomware hits hard

An estimated two million cyber attacks in 2018 resulted in more than $45 billion in losses worldwide as local governments struggled to cope with ransomware and other malicious incidents, a study showed Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/cyber-attacks-cost-45-bn-in-2018-as-ransomware-hits-hard

Clownfish reproduction threatened by artificial light in coral reefs

The popular story about a clownfish that got lost at sea in the movie Finding Nemo could have a much darker sequel—as artificial light in coral reefs leaves the famous fish unable to reproduce offspring, according to a new study.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/clownfish-reproduction-threatened-by-artificial-light-in-coral-reefs

Virgin Galactic seeks space tourism boost with market launch

British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic will merge with a US investment firm to become the world's first publicly-traded space tourism venture—with an eye on sending its first clients into space within a year, the group's chief executive said Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/virgin-galactic-seeks-space-tourism-boost-with-market-launch

Japan's asteroid probe Hayabusa2 set for final touchdown

Japan's Hayabusa2 probe began descending on Wednesday for its final touchdown on a distant asteroid, hoping to collect samples that could shed light on the evolution of the solar system.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/japans-asteroid-probe-hayabusa2-set-for-final-touchdown

Gulls could pass on drug-resistant bacteria to humans, say scientists

Australian seagulls carry drug-resistant bacteria that could lead to serious infections in humans, researchers said Wednesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/gulls-could-pass-on-drug-resistant-bacteria-to-humans-say-scientists

Sturgeon, America's forgotten dinosaurs, show signs of life

Sturgeon were America's vanishing dinosaurs, armor-plated beasts that crowded the nation's rivers until mankind's craving for caviar pushed them to the edge of extinction.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/sturgeon-americas-forgotten-dinosaurs-show-signs-of-life

UN: Climate change undercutting work to end poverty, hunger

Hunger is growing and the world is not on track to end extreme poverty by 2030 and meet other U.N. goals, mainly because progress is being undermined by the impact of climate change and increasing inequality, a U.N. report said Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/un-climate-change-undercutting-work-to-end-poverty-hunger

Perception of lower socioeconomic standing stimulates appetite

Recent research suggests that the psychological consequences of being in a disadvantaged position in society may stimulate appetite and increase eating regardless of one's ability to access healthier foods. These findings, out from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, add a new dimension to previous findings suggesting that the increased risk for obesity among people who are poorer and socioeconomically disadvantaged is due primarily to economic barriers that prevent access to healthier foods and other unhealthy behaviors associated with poverty.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/perception-of-lower-socioeconomic-standing-stimulates-appetite

Exercise improves brain function in overweight and obese individuals

New findings out of the University of Tübingen show that, on top of its benefits for metabolism, mood, and general health, exercise also improves brain function. In recent studies, researchers learned that obese and overweight individuals are prone to insulin resistance in the brain, where it provides information about current nutritional status, as well as the rest of the body. So researchers wanted to know whether exercise can improve insulin sensitivity in the brain and improve cognition in overweight individuals.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/exercise-improves-brain-function-in-overweight-and-obese-individuals

Intermittent fasting protects mice from type 2 diabetes

Every-other-day fasting substantially reduces the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in mice eating a fat-rich diet, according to new research out of the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke. These findings, presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior in Utrecht, Netherlands, suggest that periodic fasting can reduce fat accumulation in the pancreas and, in turn, prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. "We observed that pancreatic fat cells directly affect islet insulin secretion and that this can be altered by eating patterns" said Dr. Mandy Stadion, a post-doctoral research fellow who led this study.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/intermittent-fasting-protects-mice-from-type-2-diabetes

Why sex becomes less satisfying with age

The number of women regularly having sex declines with age, and the number of women enjoying sex postmenopause is even lower. Although these facts are not surprising, the causes for these declines may be because previous research focused largely on biological causes only. However, a new UK study identifies psychosocial contributors. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/why-sex-becomes-less-satisfying-with-age

Addicted to ran, ovarian cancer cells stop moving when deprived

Did you know that 90% of cancer patients die from distant metastasis? The latter occurs when cancer cells have the ability to move within the patient's body and invade its healthy tissues. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) have shown the key role that a protein called Ran plays in the mobility of ovarian cancer cells. They demonstrated these cells cannot migrate from cancerous sites without the help of Ran.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/addicted-to-ran-ovarian-cancer-cells-stop-moving-when-deprived

Coral reefs shifting away from equator

Coral reefs are retreating from equatorial waters and establishing new reefs in more temperate regions, according to new research in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. The researchers found that the number of young corals on tropical reefs has declined by 85 percent—and doubled on subtropical reefs—during the last four decades.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/coral-reefs-shifting-away-from-equator