Lifeboat Foundation

In this episode of In Conversation, we turn the focus to all things extreme exercise and longevity. Based on the findings of a recent study, which found that a select group of elite runners could live around five years longer on average than the general population, Medical News Today editors Maria Cohut and Yasemin Nicola Sakay discuss the probable biological mechanisms behind how more extreme forms of exercise, such as 4-minute mile running, affect longevity with an expert in cardiology.

Joining the conversation is Michael Papadakis, president of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), professor of cardiology at St George’s, University of London, honorary consultant cardiologist at St George’s University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, and consultant cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic London in the United Kingdom.

Papadakis shares easy-to-follow advice on how to incorporate more physical activity into our daily lives while discussing the potential health risks and benefits of running and similar forms of professional athletic performance.

Researchers create DNA-based nanopores that switch between three sizes, allowing selective molecule transport across membranes for potential drug delivery and biosensing applications.

A novel way of making superheavy elements could soon add a new row to the periodic table, allowing scientists to explore uncharted atomic realms.

By Max Springer

In a scientific breakthrough, an international research team from Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich and Korea’s IBS Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS) developed a quantum sensor capable of detecting minute magnetic fields at the atomic length scale. This pioneering work realizes a long-held dream of scientists: an MRI-like tool for quantum materials.

The research team utilized the expertise of bottom up single-molecule fabrication from the Jülich group while conducting experiments at QNS, utilizing the Korean team’s leading-edge instrumentation and methodological know how, to develop the world’s first quantum sensor for the atomic world.

The diameter of an atom is a million times smaller than the thickest human hair. This makes it extremely challenging to visualize and precisely measure physical quantities like electric and magnetic fields emerging from atoms. To sense such weak fields from a single atom, the observing tool must be highly sensitive and as small as the atoms themselves.

As public trust in science continues to wane, it is essential for scientists to demonstrate what science is — and what it is not — to everyone.

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We often try to distinguish between what is alive and what is a machine, and note that machines can’t reproduce or fix themselves, but that may soon change.

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Continue reading “Self-Repairing Machines” »

Teleology the return of Aristotle?

The scientific story of who we are is a reductionist, gene-centric model that forfeits natural phenomena like purpose due to its association with intelligent design and a transcendent, intelligent designer. Noble is neutral on religious matters. Yet he sees compelling evidence that purpose may be fundamental to life. He’s determined to debunk the current scientific paradigm and replace the elevated importance of genes with something much more controversial. His efforts have enraged many of his peers but gained support from the next generation of origins-of-life researchers working to topple the reign of gene-centrism. If successful, the shift could not only transform how we classify, study and treat disease, but what it means to be alive.

One of the earliest biomedical computer programmers, Noble created the first model for a working human heart in 1960 on a vacuum tube computer. The project led to his discovery that heartbeats are emergent properties—new phenomena—arising from feedback loops, transforming our understanding of heart function and underpin treatments for heart conditions that we use today. His research on the heart’s pacemaker demonstrates a prioritization of the organism as a whole over its genes alone. “Several genes could individually be knocked out but the process continues,” says Noble. These genes are responsible for heart rhythm, yet other mechanisms can take over to get the job done.

Continue reading “Evolution May Be Purposeful And It’s Freaking Scientists Out” »

The study found that black holes in old, inactive galaxies have grown significantly in mass over the last 9 billion years, suggesting they interact with the expanding universe.

If black hole mass development happened only through accretion or merging, the masses of these black holes would be anticipated to remain relatively constant. However, if black holes gain mass by interacting with the expanding cosmos, these passively developing elliptical galaxies might disclose this process.

The researchers discovered that the further back in time they examined, the smaller the black holes were in mass compared to their masses today. These changes were significant: black holes were 7 to 20 times bigger now than they were 9 billion years ago, leading the researchers to hypothesize cosmic coupling.

Continue reading “First evidence that black holes could be the source of dark energy, called ‘cosmological coupling’” »

Many astronauts who have viewed the earth from space recall experiencing the “overview effect.” This is a profound positive shift in perspective and involves experiencing a sense of awe and a new understanding of the interconnectedness of life on Earth.

Astronauts are often overwhelmed with emotion while taking in the beauty and vastness of our planet from their unique vantage point. They describe a deep sense of wonder and appreciation for the planet and the universe.

From space, astronauts can see Earth as a single, unified ecosystem without borders. This evokes an increased drive to protect our fragile ecosystem and inspires a recognition of the common humanity shared by all people.