Making connections at work matters in the ‘age of loneliness’

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We all would like to avoid that feeling of loneliness. Research shows it’s terrible for our health; it diminishes cognitive performance and the immune system, increases the risk of heart disease and dementia and hastens early death. And the psychological effects are just as bad; studies show that people need strong social connections to feel happy and find meaning in their lives, and that many of us would actually rather receive mild electroshocks than be alone.

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IBM’s Watson is finally getting closer to becoming your doctor

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IBM’s Watson can beat Ken Jennings at Jeopardy, tell you about your city, and dream up recipes for delectable delicacies. Watson is now doing something even more important than all previous capabilities combined — it’s finally getting closer to becoming your doctor.

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Trees improve your health, and researchers develop tool to show exactly where cities should plant them

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Pollution levels decrease and the health of people improves when cities plant trees. Studies show that America’s trees save thousands of lives a year, mainly by preventing breathing-related problems (they also make you feel like you have more money, if you’re into that sort of thing).

Continue reading… “Trees improve your health, and researchers develop tool to show exactly where cities should plant them”

Leading scientists reveal secrets for reaching the age 100

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Leukocyte (white blood cell) telomere length in study participants up to 115 years of age. Statistical regression lines belonging to these groups are indicated by the same color as the data. (credit: Yasumichi Arai et al./EBioMedicine)

According scientists at Newcastle University’s Institute for Ageing in the U.K. and Keio University School of Medicine, they say they have cracked the secret of why some people live a healthy and physically independent life over the age of 100: keeping inflammation down and telomeres long.

 

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Can old age be reversed by infusing blood from the young?

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August 2008, Tony Wyss-Coray waited for his lab’s weekly meeting to begin at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Palo Alto, California. Wyss-Coray, a professor of neurology at Stanford University, was leading a young group of researchers who studied ageing and neurodegeneration. As a rule, the gatherings were forgettable affairs – the incremental nature of scientific progress does not lend itself to big surprises. But a lab member scheduled to speak that day had taken on a radical project, and he had new results to share.

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Amazing connection between gut bacteria and cognitive functioning

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Oregon State University researchers have discovered a new link between cognitive functioning and gut bacteria.  In recent years the science involving bacteria in the gut and its link to health and cognitive functioning has boomed.  Parkinson’s disease has even been linked to changes in gut bacteria.  Published in the journal Neuroscience, a new study shows that diets high in fat and sugar are probably impacting cognitive functioning, because of their impact on the type of bacteria that thrive on high-fat and high-sugar diets.   Continue reading… “Amazing connection between gut bacteria and cognitive functioning”

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