effects

A Neurologist Explains Why Daylight Saving Time Isn’t Healthy

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As people in the US prepare to turn their clocks ahead one hour in mid-March, I find myself bracing for the annual ritual of media stories about the disruptions to daily routines caused by switching from standard time to daylight saving time.   About a third of Americans say they don’t look forward to these … Read more

Young blood: Rejuvenating effects may be due to extracellular vesicles

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Packages of RNA and proteins that bud off from cells have reversed some signs of ageing in mice, and they may account for the rejuvenating effects of young blood Health 10 March 2022 By Michael Le Page Artwork showing red blood cells SCIEPRO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY The rejuvenating effect of young blood could be largely due … Read more

Optical illusions: Guppy fish can see visual effects – but not in the same way we do

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The way guppy fish behave suggests they can be tricked into believing holes are larger or smaller than they really are – but they don’t always interpret the optical illusions in the same way humans do Life 23 February 2022 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre Two male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) BIOSPHOTO / Alamy Guppies can be fooled … Read more

Signs of ‘Significant’ Brain Rewiring Have Been Found in Space Travelers

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There’s still lots to explore and learn about the effects that space travel has on the body – and it seems those effects include some neuron rewiring that goes on in the brain.   Researchers studying the brains of 12 cosmonauts found what they describe as “significant microstructural changes” in the white matter that manages … Read more

Microdosing LSD May Not Have The Amazing Brain Effects We Think, New Study Hints

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Small doses of the psychotropic LSD has shown promise in recent years for its potential in rewiring the brain to be faster, happier, and more resilient. A recent study led by researchers from the University of Chicago in the US suggests we’ve got good reason to remain cautious in how we interpret the growing pile … Read more

US Could Get a Century’s Worth of Sea Level Rise in Just 3 Decades, Report Warns

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A new federal report with up-to-date projections for all states and territories predicts sea levels in the United States will rise more than three times as fast as they did last century.   According to new lines of data, the average sea level along the nation’s coastline could increase by 0.3 meters (or a foot) … Read more

Long-Term Cannabis Smoking Appears to Alter Lung Function, But Not Like Tobacco

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A long-term study tracking just over a thousand participants has found regular cannabis smoking can change the function of your lungs as you age. Unlike smoking a cigarette, however, cannabis seems to impact a person’s breathing in a slightly different way.    Over adulthood, tobacco smoking is associated with a progressive decline in how much air … Read more

Rare Breed of Ancient Trees With Incredible Lifespans Help Keep Their Forests Alive

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The venerable elders of a forest are hugely important to the diversity, fitness, and survival of the woodland as a whole, new research shows – and they bring with them a hardiness and experience in dealing with change, as well as a lifetime of ecological interactions preserved in their immediate surrounds..   Scientists used models … Read more

Hemp-Derived Compound Offers Benefits of THC With Less Paranoia, Study Suggests

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Over the past year, you may have seen something called delta-8 THC or “delta 8” appear in convenience stores and pharmacies alongside CBD gummies, oils, and lotions. Delta-8 THC is a hemp-derived compound that’s closely related to delta-9 THC – what’s commonly called THC and which is the psychoactive component of cannabis that’s responsible for … Read more