China’s Chongqing East becomes world’s largest railway station

Scientists have uncovered an important clue about the source of the mysterious red water flowing from Antarctica’s famous Blood Falls in Taylor Valley. The iron-rich and crimson-coloured saline water has fascinated researchers for decades. While its red color has long been attributed to the iron it contains, a new study offers fresh insight into where the water originated. According to research published in the journal Nature Geoscience, scientists have found molecular and genetic evidence indicating that the salty water flowing from Blood Falls has a marine origin. The findings strengthen the long-standing theory that the water was once part of an ancient sea. Researchers collected and analyzed 167 samples of water, sediment and air from Blood Falls and the surrounding area. The study found that samples from Blood Falls contained 9 percent eukaryotic genetic signatures associated with marine environments compared with only about 1 percent in samples collected from nearby locations. According to the researchers, the new evidence strongly supports the theory that the water at Blood Falls originates from a reservoir of ancient seawater that became trapped beneath the Taylor Glacier millions of years ago. The researchers said the presence of strong marine genetic signatures in the red saline water provides evidence that an ancient marine ecosystem once existed there before becoming isolated beneath Antarctica’s thick ice sheet. Scientists believe this discovery could improve our understanding of how microscopic organisms survive in some of the harshest environments on Earth. The findings may also help researchers investigate the possibility of life beneath the icy surfaces of other worlds, including Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons and Enceladus, a moon of Saturn.

A new study has found that children who consume high amounts of sugar at an early age may face a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. The study suggests that pregnant women who avoid sweets, chocolates and other sugary foods may help reduce their child’s risk of developing the disease by up to 20 percent. The research published in the medical journal Neurology also found that consuming very small amounts of sugar during early life may provide protection against dementia. The study’s lead author, Professor Jiazheng Zheng said the findings suggest that limiting sugar intake during the early stages of life could have long-term benefits for brain health. He further said the findings highlight the potential importance of early-life nutrition in reducing the risk of dementia decades later. Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology compared the health of 64,737 people who were born before and after sugar rationing was introduced in Britain during World War II. The participants were divided into groups based on the timing of sugar rationing: those who experienced limited access to sugar before birth and during their first year of life, those who experienced it before birth and until the age of two and those who were not exposed to sugar rationing. When the participants reached an average age of 55, the research team began analyzing their medical records to determine which individuals were diagnosed with dementia during the following 15 years. Among the 15,256 people who had limited access to sugar before birth and during their first two years of life, only 2 percent were later diagnosed with dementia. Although researchers say the findings do not conclusively prove that eating less sugar directly prevents dementia, experts believe the results are consistent with growing evidence that sugar can affect brain function. Experts also say that the brain is highly sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Other research has found that people with high blood sugar levels may face up to a 69 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Health experts say that quitting tobacco and reducing salt intake can help lower the risk of dementia, a condition associated with cognitive decline and memory loss. According to experts, these measures can help keep blood pressure within a healthy range and maintain stable blood sugar levels which may contribute to dementia prevention. A new study conducted in the United States found that if people adopt three healthy habits during middle age — maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping blood sugar levels under control and avoiding smoking — the onset of dementia could potentially be delayed by around 13 years. Researchers at New York University also found that dementia tends to develop later in women than in men regardless of their risk factors. More than 900,000 people in the United Kingdom are currently living with dementia. The condition is among the leading causes of death in the country accounting for more than 74,000 deaths every year. Most cases of dementia occur in people over the age of 65 while the risk of developing the condition approximately doubles every five years after the age of 65. However, growing scientific research suggests that dementia is not necessarily an inevitable part of ageing and that it can be prevented to a significant extent. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, can reduce the risk of dementia by more than 45%. A recent study by scientists at NYU Langone Health further suggests that if people maintain key health markers during middle age, they may be able to delay the onset of dementia by more than a decade.