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Gardening Can Help Improve a Person’s Body Image
A study has found gardening can promote positive body image, including appreciation of one’s own body and one’s bodily imperfections. The study was published in the journal Ecopsychology by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the U.K. Higher Positive Body Image The study involved 84 gardeners in north London. The gardeners were assigned 12…
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City Dogs More Fearful Than Country Dogs, According to Study
Dogs living in urban environments have more social fearfulness than their cousins in rural areas. These finding was made by researchers at the University of Helsinki and published in the journal Scientific Reports. Excessive Fearfulness a Behavioral Problem Fear helps animals survive in threatening circumstances but when it is excessive, it becomes a behavioral disorder.…
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Feeding Babies Solid Food Too Early May Introduce Future Health Risks
Feeding infants solid food before three months may increase future health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Researchers found early solid food in babies causes changes in the gut bacteria and bacterial byproducts, called short-chain fatty acids. These changes may portend future health risks, especially the chance of being overweight. The findings were by…
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Relative Humidity Indoors Between 40 to 60 Percent Can Slow Virus Transmission
Mice kept in environments with 40 to 60 percent relative humidity have much less ability to transmit viruses to non-infected mice. Researchers from Yale University made this conclusion after finishing their review study. The findings were published in the journal Annual Review of Virology, and the article is titled “Seasonality of Respiratory Viral Infections.” Seasonal…
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Astronauts’ Pee May Be Used to Build Moon Bases in the Future
The urea in astronauts’ urine can act as a plasticizer for the concrete used to build moon base structures. Researchers at NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its Chinese counterpart are exploring how to apply urea from the urine of astronauts to help build moon base structures. The details of their research are published…
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Plant-Based Diet is Better for Asthma Sufferers Than Dairy or High-Fat Diets
Eating a plant-based diet is better for preventing and managing asthma, while dairy or high-fat diets can worsen asthma. This finding was from a review study by researchers with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The results were published in the journal Nutrition Reviews. Asthma Sufferers Can Be Vulnerable to COVID-19 Asthma affects over 25…
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This Gene Mutation Seems to Make Mice Smarter
Mice with a genetic mutation in the gene called KCND2 showed improved cognitive flexibility. They were able to adapt faster to changing situations than mice without the mutation. The discovery was made by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. The…
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Spreading COVID-19 Through Tears is Unlikely
There is low risk of spreading the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 through tears. It’s better to worry about the droplets and mucus expelled by coughing or sneezing. Those are more likely to spread the virus than through the bodily fluid of tears. The findings were by researchers from the National University Hospital in Singapore. Their…
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Smell of Hunger Prompts Rats to Give Food More Generously
Hungry rats can emit smells that prompt other rats to provide them with food assistance quicker. Researcher from the Universities of Bern in Switzerland and Potsdam in Germany made these findings. They showed that rats can use odor cues alone to determine how urgently to provide food assistance to other rats in need. The findings…
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Tiny Gyroscope 10,000 Times More Accurate Than One in Your Smartphone
Researchers have developed a tiny gyroscope that is 10,000 times more accurate than the one in your smartphone. When devices like your smartphone lose a GPS signal, a gyroscope is important to keep things on track. This is important for applications like drones or autonomous cars. However, the performance of most gyroscopes, like the one…