birth

Even Dying Stars Could Give Birth to Brand New Planets, Says Study

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When young stars coalesce out of a cloud of molecular hydrogen, a disk of leftover material called a protoplanetary disk surrounds them. This disk is where planets form, and astronomers are getting better at peering into those veiled environments and watching embryonic worlds take shape. But young stars aren’t the only stars with disks of … Read more

Black holes: Scientists think they’ve spotted the mysterious birth of one

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This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Daniel Perley, Reader of Astrophysics, Liverpool John Moores University Astronomers are increasingly drawing back the curtains on black holes.  In the past few years, we have finally captured actual photos of these fearsome creatures and measured the gravitational waves — … Read more

China’s population may start to shrink this year, new birth data suggest | Science

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After many decades of growth, China’s population could begin to shrink this year, suggest data released yesterday by China’s National Bureau of Statistics. The numbers show that in 2021, China’s birth rate fell for the fifth year in a row, to a record low of 7.52 per 1000 people. Based on that number, demographers estimate … Read more

Flu vaccines during pregnancy protect babies for 6 months after birth

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Evidence shows that getting a flu jab during pregnancy provides substantial protection to young babies, but uptake in many countries is still concerningly low Health 14 January 2022 By Alice Klein Pregnant women can pass on antibodies to their babies Shutterstock/Rido Babies are two-thirds less likely to get the flu in their first six months … Read more

Inequality before Birth Contributes to Health Inequality in Adults

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Editor’s Note (12/21/21): This article is being showcased in a special collection about equity in health care that was made possible by the support of Takeda. The article was published independently and without sponsorship. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately hurt members of minority communities in the U.S. As of July 2020, 73.7 Black people out … Read more

US Life Expectancy Has Taken Its Sharpest Drop in More Than 75 Years

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US life expectancy dropped by 1.8 years in 2020, final official figures showed Wednesday, the steepest drop in more than 75 years driven in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic.   Life expectancy at birth was 77.0 years for the total US population last year, down from 78.8 years in 2019, according to the Centers … Read more

Waiting 60 Seconds Before Cutting The Umbilical Cord Can Save Lives, Study Finds

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Waiting just 60 seconds to clamp umbilical cords gives very premature babies a better shot at life, reducing the risk of death and disability in the first two years of childhood by almost one-fifth, new research shows.   The Australian-led study, conducted in 25 hospitals across 7 countries, looked at health outcomes of more than 1,500 … Read more