All articles tagged with #study
A large study of tens of thousands finds that adding about five minutes of sleep, two minutes of exercise, and roughly half a serving of vegetables to daily routines could add a year or more to lifespan.
A small NYU study found microplastics in 90% of prostate cancer tissue samples, with higher concentrations than in healthy tissue, but researchers caution that causation is not established and the sample size is limited; more research is needed while doctors advise risk-reduction steps and regular screening.
A Swedish study of over 1 million fathers (2003–2021) finds that while pregnancy and early postpartum lower risk, diagnoses for depression and stress-related disorders rise by more than 30% toward the end of the first year after a child’s birth, then level off about a year later. The findings underscore the importance of screening and supporting fathers’ mental health, a need often overlooked compared with mothers.
A study of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) involving over 1,100 respondents found heavy daily use of THC-rich vape cartridges was linked to a faster onset of CHS symptoms, including the severe vomiting nicknamed “scromiting,” compared with smoking or edibles; researchers caution that the results show association, not causation, and CHS remains poorly understood with limited treatment options.
Guardian interviews with Amazon staff claim AI adoption adds to workload due to glitches and “half-baked” tools, while ActivTrak’s analysis of 160,000+ workers shows AI use increases time spent on emails, chat, and business tools; even where some tasks are faster, free time is filled with more work, suggesting AI acts as a productivity layer rather than a workload reducer.
Researchers in Italy captured on video the first-known instance of a red fox entering a wolf den, grabbing a wolf pup and likely killing it—an opportunistic attack that shows mesocarnivores can directly affect an apex predator’s reproductive success; the incident occurred while adult wolves were away hunting, and the den was later relocated, though it’s unclear how common such interactions are.
A long-running observational study of 131,821 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study over about 43 years found that moderate caffeinated coffee (roughly two to three cups per day) and caffeinated tea were associated with a lower risk of dementia and subtly better cognitive function, with the strongest effects at moderate intake. Even those drinking up to five cups daily showed an 18% lower dementia risk. Decaffeinated beverages did not show the same association, and causation cannot be established due to the study’s observational design.
A BMJ study using electronic health records from over 600,000 US veterans found that starting GLP-1 drugs (such as semaglutide/Ozempic, liraglutide, and tirzepatide) was associated with a 14% lower risk of developing a new substance-use disorder, and among those with existing disorders, a 26% reduction in substance-related hospital admissions, a 39% drop in overdoses, and a 50% decrease in deaths over three years. The study used an observational approach with target-trial emulation, so it shows associations rather than proven causation, and results may not generalize beyond an older, predominantly male veteran population. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm causality and applicability to broader groups.
Researchers in Denmark and the Netherlands find that cancer patients have about a 14% higher likelihood of committing a crime in the decade after diagnosis than people without cancer, suggesting welfare states are not immune to social-stress effects and echoing the Breaking Bad premise.
A new study finds vegetarians have a lower risk of five cancers, suggesting plant-based diets may offer cancer-preventive benefits, though details are behind the paywall.
An Oxford-led study of 1.8 million people finds vegetarians are up to a third less likely to develop five cancers than meat eaters, with 21% lower risk of pancreatic cancer, 9% lower risk of breast cancer, 12% lower risk of prostate cancer, 28% lower risk of kidney cancer and 31% lower risk of multiple myeloma; however vegetarians and vegans show higher risks for oesophageal and bowel cancers, potentially due to nutrient gaps. The researchers suggest meat itself may be the trigger and advocate diets focused on whole grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables while avoiding processed meat; the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analyzed UK/US data over two decades and was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund.
A biomechanical analysis finds T. rex likely moved toe-first, similar to birds, enabling up to 20% faster speeds; a light 1.4-tonne T. rex could cover 100m in about 8.77 seconds, faster than Usain Bolt’s world record, with larger individuals still near 10.5 seconds.
A Minnesota-led study with 107 adults found that alcohol at a driving-penalty level increases local brain connectivity and clustering while reducing global connectivity, making brain regions more insular. These network changes measured by MRI after rest predict subjective intoxication and may explain common alcohol effects like visual and motor impairment; effects vary by individual and health status, with broader implications for understanding alcohol's impact on brain communication.
A University of Kent survey of about 4,000 people found that using AI to craft personal messages such as love letters, apologies, or wedding vows leads to harsher judgments, with people viewing the sender as less caring, less authentic, less trustworthy and lazier—even when the AI text is high quality—highlighting the value of genuine effort in relationships.
A BMJ Medicine study analyzing data from over 111,000 adults across 30 years found that those who varied their exercise types had about a 19% lower mortality risk than those with less variety, with higher total activity offering benefits up to a plateau around 20 hours per week. The results show association, not causation, and note limitations like self-reported activity and limited demographic diversity.