| Science news |
[Aug. 28th, 2003|04:40 pm] |
Childhood mental health linked to birth date
The youngest children in a school year group have a higher risk of developing mental health problems than the oldest children, according to a new study.
A survey of more than 10,000 British schoolchildren aged five to 15 years old, found that those with birthdays in the last three months of the school year were more prone to psychiatric problems, such as hyperactivity and behavioural difficulties, compared to those born in the earlier in the school year.
( Read more... )
Comment: I think the difference is not that significant. Noise, but worth checking out.
Computer game boosts children's' language skills
A simple computer program that teaches children to distinguish between sounds can dramatically boost their listening skills. It can allow them to progress by the equivalent of two years in just a few weeks, the game's creator claims.
The game, called Phonomena, was devised by David Moore of the University of Oxford, UK, as an aid for children with language problems, but he says his latest trials also show that it can help any child. Other experts, however, are reserving judgement until independent tests are carried out.
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Gene variant linked to athletic performance
A specific gene linked to athletic performance has been discovered by Australian sports scientists. The announcement comes as elite athletes vie for glory at the World Athletics Championships in Paris, and reopens the debate about whether top athletes can be screened and nurtured from birth.
The gene comes in two variants. People with one variant are predisposed to become sprinters. Those with the second are more likely to excel in endurance events. This is the second gene to be shown to confer athletic ability. The first, angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, makes an enzyme which influences how efficiently our muscles burn oxygen, and the rate at which some muscles grow (New Scientist print edition, 23 May 1998).
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Dark chocolate boosts antioxidant levels
Eating chocolate can boost the level of heart-protecting antioxidants in the blood, but consuming milk at the same time cancels the potential health benefits, according to a new study.
The researchers speculate that milk may also have the same effect on other antioxidant-rich foods, including fruit and green vegetables.
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NASA culture key to Columbia shuttle disaster
...the accident was caused in large part by the way NASA manages its operations. And this NASA "culture", as the 248-page report terms it, extended to, and to some extent emanated from, the very top: NASA chief Sean O'Keefe.
In one of its sharpest criticisms, which had not been detailed prior to the final report, the CAIB makes it clear that schedule pressure imposed by O'Keefe in order to appease the US Congress apparently played a significant role in causing managers all the way down the line to downplay risks and sweep aside clear warning signs.
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| senryu |
[Aug. 28th, 2003|09:01 pm] |
routine checkup -
leaving the doctor's office
sick again |
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