Atherosclerosis is what happens when your arteries fill up with layers of fat and white blood cells. It's a disease of chronic inflammation that increases your risk of stroke and heart attack. It's also a disease we tend to associate with the modern era — commonly cited risk factors include cigarette smoking, obesity, and stress. But there are some signs that we may not have a great handle on what actually causes atherosclerosis. That's because ancient mummies, from all over the world, have shown signs of the disease. It's unclear what this means at this point — for instance, just because ancient people didn't light up a Marlboro from time to time doesn't mean they weren't exposed to smoke and particulate matter from indoor cooking fires. But it's fascinating to see a disease of modernity affecting the past.
Mummies had a form of chronic cardiovascular disease
Social media breaks make you "happier and less anxious"
Would it surprise you to learn that taking time off social media, even for just a week, results in "significant improvements in well-being, depression and anxiety?" [via] We randomly allocated 154 participants (mean age of 29.6 years) to either stop using SM (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok) for 1 week or continue to use SM… READ THE REST
Study: games and video-watching correlate with kids getting smarter, social media a wash
On the impact of digital media on childhood intelligence, games and watching videos were consistent with cognitive benefits. Socializing digitally, however, had no consistent effect. Here we estimated the effect of each three types of screen time (Watching TV and online videos, Socializing via social media, text, and video chat, and Gaming) on intelligence after… READ THE REST
This may be a piece of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs
Last month, we learned that researchers excavating North Dakota's Tanis fossil site found an incredibly well-preserved leg of a dinosaur. The creature—and others at the site—were likely killed by the impact of the 12 kilometer-wide Chicxulub asteroid that crashed into the Gulf of Mexico 66 million years ago and eradicated 80% of Earth's animals. Turns… READ THE REST
Enjoy a pet without the mess with this robotic canine!
The world is full of reasons to love dogs. How could you not? They are cute, kind, thoughtful, and always trying to make friends. The world is also full of reasons to love technology. But is there a way to bring these two together? Is the world ready for robotic dogs? The answer is yes! Petoi just… READ THE REST
This Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle with Rosetta Stone is the perfect way to learn a new skill
If there was ever a time to refresh what's going on in that noggin, it's now that you're finally digging into new technology instead of the old hat ways you're used to. You've finally got a good hold on life, and now it's time to elevate your value. This Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle is perfect for… READ THE REST
Get a taste of van life with this unique living space for your car
Everyone's been seduced by the idea of camping at one point or another, right? Spotting the stars at night, falling asleep to the sounds of the woods, waking up to a sunrise … There's just something magical about sleeping in the great outdoors. But, of course, reality is often disappointing. Tents, in particular, can be tiny… READ THE REST
