The Singularity is Coming

Poor nutrition during pregnancy can cause early aging of baby's heart http://ift.tt/2etxthF New research has shown that the child of a slightly undernourished mother is more likely to suffer early aging of the heart. That's according to a new study looking at the relationship between food intake of pregnant baboons and the health of their offspring's heart. The study, published in The Journal of Physiology was carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Geoffrey Clarke at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio and Dr. Peter Nathanielsz at the University of Wyoming (4). The researchers found that moderately reducing a mother's food intake can impact the rate at which the offspring's heart ages. Evidence is accumulating that restricted dietary intake can cause problems for the fetus which result in abnormal structure and function of developing organs, such as the heart. This makes it more likely that the offspring will suffer chroni...

Record hot year may be the new normal by 2025 http://ift.tt/2etvnhB The hottest year on record globally in 2015 could be just another average year by 2025 if carbon emissions continue to rise at their current rate, according to new research published in the Bulletin of American Meteorological Society . And no matter what action we take, human activities had already locked in a "new normal" for global average temperatures that would occur no later than 2040, according to lead author Dr Sophie Lewis, from the Australian National University (ANU) hub of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science (ARCCSS). However, while annual global average temperatures were locked in, it was still possible with immediate and strong action on carbon emissions to prevent record breaking seasons from becoming average - at least at regional levels. "If we continue with business-as-usual emissions, extreme seasons will inevitably become the norm within decades and Austra...

People with low oxytocin levels suffer reduced empathy http://ift.tt/2fvNHHI People suffering medical conditions causing low levels of oxytocin perform worse on empathy tasks, according to new research presented today at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Brighton. The research is the first to study humans with reduced oxytocin and suggests that hormone replacement could improve the psychological well-being of those living with low levels. Oxytocin is often referred to as the 'love hormone' due to its role in human behaviours including sexual arousal, recognition, trust, anxiety and mother-infant bonding. It is produced by the hypothalamus - an area of the brain that controls mood and appetite - and stored in the pituitary gland, a pea-sized organ that sits in the base of the skull. Researchers from the University of Cardiff investigated empathic behaviour in people who they suspected of having reduced oxytocin levels due to one of two medical condition...