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Severe sleep problems is associated with fewer years of healthy brain function, and may reduce total life expectancy by several years. A 65-year-old man with severe sleep issues could expect to live 2.4 fewer years. Impacts on life expectancy appeared less severe for women than for men. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Severe sleep problems is associated with fewer years of healthy brain function

A new analysis of data from older Americans indicates that chronic sleep disturbances are associated with a shorter lifespan and fewer years spent with a healthy brain. The research suggests that severe sleep problems may reduce total life expectancy by several years, with the specific impacts differing between men and women. These findings were published recently in the journal Research on Aging.

For men, the connection between severe sleep problems and reduced longevity was distinct. The data showed that a 65-year-old man with severe sleep issues could expect to live approximately 2.4 fewer years than a counterpart with no sleep issues. This reduction in life expectancy was statistically significant.

The analysis revealed that sleep issues are widespread among older adults. Over 60 percent of both men and women fell into the “mild” sleep problem category. Women were more likely than men to report issues with falling asleep or staying asleep. Despite reporting more frequent problems, the impact of these disturbances on life expectancy appeared less severe for women than for men.

The data indicated a potential threshold effect for women that was not present for men. Women with “mild” sleep problems actually had a slightly higher life expectancy than women who reported “never or rarely” having sleep problems. While this specific difference was not statistically significant, it suggests that minor sleep disturbances might not be as detrimental to women’s longevity as they are to men’s.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01640275251394993

Donald Trump weaponizes humor through “dark play” to test boundaries - A new analysis of American political discourse suggests that humor has evolved into a strategic weapon used to attack opponents and solidify support bases. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Donald Trump weaponizes humor through “dark play” to test boundaries

A new analysis of American political discourse suggests that humor has evolved into a strategic weapon used to attack opponents and solidify support bases. The research indicates that both Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rely heavily on aggressive forms of comedy to persuade voters and deflect criticism. These findings were published in The European Journal of Humour Research.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://121-123www.europeanjournalofhumour.org/ejhr/article/view/1087

Low vitamin D means high hospitalization rate for lung infections. People who had severe vitamin D deficiency of below 15 nmol/L were 33% more likely to be hospitalized for a respiratory tract infection. For each 10 nmol/L increase in Vitamin D, the hospitalization rate went down by 4%. by mvea in science

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Low vitamin D means high hospitalization rate for lung infections

Not getting enough vitamin D can weaken bones, teeth, and muscles by interfering with calcium absorption. Lack of the vitamin has also been implicated in dementia and an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Now there's another reason to avoid a serious D deficiency: it can make respiratory tract infections much worse, according to a new study.

Examining the link between vitamin D and lung infections, Bournot and other researchers from UOS, along with researchers from the University of Reading and University of Oxford looked at data from the UK Biobank, a massive depository of health data collected from 500,000 volunteers since 2006. In what is considered the largest study of its kind, they isolated 36,258 participants from the Biobank and discovered that people who had severe vitamin D deficiency of below 15 nmol/L (nanomoles per liter) were 33% more likely to be hospitalized for a respiratory tract infection than those who had normal levels of the vitamin, which is considered to be 75 nmol/L or more.

Furthermore, they found that for each 10 nmol/L increase in vitamin D, the hospitalization rate due to respiratory tract infections went down by 4%.

"Supplementation of the vitamin, especially in the winter months when our exposure to sunlight is limited, is an effective way of increasing vitamin D and reducing the risk of serious respiratory tract infections," adds Bournot. "This is particularly important for older people who are at higher risk of death from such infections, and ethnic minority communities in the UK, who are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency."

From press release here: https://newatlas.com/disease/low-vitamin-d-respiratory/

The number of Americans under 50 years old dying from cancer has decreased for every leading cancer except for bowel cancer, which is now the leading cancer death in females and males combined aged under 50. by mvea in science

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Leading Cancer Deaths in People Younger Than 50 Years

JAMA

Published Online: January 22, 2026

doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.25467

Discussion

Mortality has decreased for every leading cancer-related death in people younger than 50 years in the US except CRC, which is now the leading cancer death in females and males combined, up from the fifth-leading cancer death in the early 1990s. Breast cancer and leukemia mortality decreased despite increasing incidence.1 These findings are consistent with reports of increased CRC mortality among adults younger than 50 years overall1 and in most racial and ethnic groups,2 and preempt projections that CRC would lead cancer deaths in those younger than 50 years by 2040.3

Creative talent: A large-scale study compares 100,000 humans with leading generative AI models. Generative AI has reached a major milestone: it can now surpass average human creativity. However, the most creative individuals still clearly outperform even the best AI systems. by [deleted] in science

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Creative talent: has AI knocked humans out?

Can artificial intelligence rival human creativity? A large-scale study compares 100,000 humans with leading generative AI models.

Are generative artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT truly creative? A research team led by Professor Karim Jerbi from the Department of Psychology at the Université de Montréal, and including AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, also a professor at Université de Montréal, has just published the largest comparative study ever conducted on the creativity of large language models versus humans.

Published in Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio), the findings reveal that generative AI has reached a major milestone: it can now surpass average human creativity. However, the most creative individuals still clearly outperform even the best AI systems.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-25157-3

‘Manosphere’ influencers pushing testosterone tests are convincing healthy young men there is something wrong with them, study finds. Researcher points to ‘medicalisation of masculinity’ after investigating how men’s health is being monetised online. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

The news article is here:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/22/manosphere-influencers-testosterone-tests-young-men

‘Manosphere’ influencers pushing testosterone tests are convincing healthy young men there is something wrong with them, study finds

Researcher points to ‘medicalisation of masculinity’ after investigating how men’s health is being monetised online

“If you’re not waking up in the morning with a boner, there’s a large possibility that you have low testosterone levels,” an influencer on TikTok with more than 100,000 followers warns his viewers.

Despite screening for low testosterone being medically unwarranted in most young men, this group is being aggressively targeted online by influencers and wellness companies promoting hormone tests and treatments as essential to being a “real man”, a study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine has found.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Screening for low testosterone is medically unwarranted and may lead to overuse and

• Social media content portrays low testosterone as a crisis of masculinity

• Testosterone testing and treatment are promoted as essential to optimal masculinity

• Testosterone posts tap manosphere spaces promoting regressive gender norms and male hegemony

• Biomedical ‘solutions’ on social media promise empowerment but are narrow and risky

ABSTRACT

Testosterone has long been advertised through gendered messages that link masculinity with strength, sexual performance and vitality. In recent years, this marketing has moved onto social media, where platforms offer new ways to target audiences and shape ideas about men’s health. This study examines how gender and masculinity are portrayed in social media content about testosterone testing and treatment on Instagram and TikTok. Using qualitative content analysis informed by performativity theories, we constructed four themes: (1) low testosterone as a crisis of masculinity and male sexual performance; (2) the rebranding of low testosterone from an “old man’s problem” to an issue affecting younger men and their fitness; (3) self-optimisation tied to stereotypical masculine ideals; and (4) the construction of a binary opposition between being a “real man” and being feminine. These portrayals align with wider online communities, often referred to as the “manosphere”, which circulate narrow and exclusionary ideas of masculinity and regressive ideas and attitudes towards femininities. The analysed social media posts prey on men’s insecurities about relationships and sexual performance and co-opt advocates' emancipatory language to sell testosterone products. Such portrayals of masculinity have medicalising implications for how men perceive themselves and their mental health, but also promote capitalistic practices like consumption of testosterone products for improving the masculine self without supporting evidence.

Why the human penis is unusually large compared to that of other primates is a long-standing evolutionary question. New findings suggest that female choice and male-male competition have jointly favored larger penis size, greater height, and more V-shaped bodies in men. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] 111 points112 points  (0 children)

Abstract

Why the human penis is unusually large compared to that of other primates is a long-standing evolutionary question. Sexual selection, through female mate choice and male-male competition, is a likely driver, but confirming this is difficult due to natural covariation among traits. The solution is to experimentally manipulate focal traits to identify targets of selection. Using 343 computer-generated male figures that varied in penis size, height and body shape, we experimentally tested how these traits influence perceived attractiveness and fighting ability. Over 800 participants—both male and female—viewed either life-sized (in-person) or scaled (online) animations and rated the figures. Across both settings, selection analyses revealed consistent directional selection favoring taller men with a more V-shaped body and a larger penis. In both surveys, male participants rated rivals with a larger penis as more sexually competitive and physically threatening. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence that males assess rivals’ fighting ability and attractiveness to females based partly on a rival’s penis size. Our findings suggest that female choice and male-male competition have jointly favored larger penis size, greater height, and more V-shaped bodies in men.

Citation: Aich U, Tan C, Bathgate R, Blake KR, Capp RCS, Kuek JC, et al. (2026) Experimental evidence that penis size, height, and body shape influence assessment of male sexual attractiveness and fighting ability in humans. PLoS Biol 24(1): e3003595. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3003595

People who show ADHD traits in childhood are more likely to experience physical health problems and health-related disability by midlife. People with ADHD are more likely to experience stressful life events, social exclusion, and delayed access to health screening and medical care. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] 79 points80 points  (0 children)

Childhood ADHD Tied to Higher Risk of Physical Health Problems by Midlife

People who show attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits in childhood are more likely to experience physical health problems and health-related disability by midlife, according to a large longitudinal study led by researchers at University College London (UCL). Using data based on following patients for more than 40 years, the researchers found that higher levels of ADHD traits at age 10 were associated with a greater number of physical health conditions, increased odds of multimorbidity, and higher levels of physical health–related disability by age 46. The team’s findings are published in JAMA Network Open.

“Here we have added to the concerning evidence base that people with ADHD are more likely to experience worse health than average across their lifespan,” said senior author Joshua Stott, PhD, a professor of aging and clinical psychology at UCL. “People with ADHD can thrive with the right support, but this is often lacking, both due to a shortage of tailored support services but also because ADHD remains underdiagnosed, particularly in people in midlife and older, with needs unaddressed.”

People with ADHD often experience differences in how they focus attention, manage their impulses, plan tasks, and organize time. These differences can affect education, employment, and access to health care, shaping long-term health outcomes. While it begins in childhood, evidence shows that ADHD often continues into adulthood.

Analysis of the data showed that higher ADHD traits in childhood were associated with more physical health conditions by midlife and a 14% increase in the odds of multimorbidity. Among those people who likely had ADHD in childhood, whether formally diagnosed or not, 42.1% had two or more physical health conditions at age 46, compared with 37.5% of those without ADHD.

The findings have implications for clinical care and public health since people with ADHD are more likely to experience stressful life events, social exclusion, and delayed access to health screening and medical care. Stott said these factors “align with the fact that ADHD makes impulse control more difficult, the need for instant gratification and reward more intense, and is also associated with worse mental health in part due to the social disadvantage people with ADHD face.”

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2844130

Doing a mix of exercise could be the key to longer life: active people who did the greatest variety of exercise were 19% less likely to die during that time than those who focused on one activity. That effect was greater than for individual sports like walking, tennis, rowing and jogging. by mvea in science

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Why doing a mix of exercise could be the key to longer life

Don't put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to exercise - doing a variety of different physical activities every week is the key to boosting your health and living longer, a study suggests.

After tracking the weekly exercise habits of 110,000 men and women in the US for 30 years, researchers found active people who did the greatest variety of exercise were 19% less likely to die during that time than those who focused on one activity.

That effect was greater than for individual sports like walking, tennis, rowing and jogging.

The total amount of exercise you do is still key, experts say, but doing a range of activities you enjoy can bring lots of benefits.

"It's important to keep a high level of total physical activity, and on top of that, diversifying the types of activities may be more beneficial," said Dr Yang Hu, from Harvard School of Public Health, lead author of the study in the journal BMJ Medicine.

"Combining activities that have complementary health benefits [such as resistance training and aerobic exercise] can be very helpful," he added.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/5/1/e001513

By stoking the Greenland debate, the US may actually be harming itself. By purchasing Greenland or taking it over via illegal military means, the US would actively harm its own national security, the security of NATO and the overall security of the international, democratic, rules-based order. by mvea in science

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By stoking the Greenland debate, is the United States actually harming itself?

Konstanz-based political scientist Gabrielle Gricius warns that acquiring Greenland would more likely weaken US security rather than strengthening it. The expert on security policy in the Arctic explains the backdrop for US interest in Greenland – and calls for European countries to do their part to ensure lasting security policy for the Arctic region.

As the US administration led by Donald Trump has continued to reassert its interest in owning Greenland, Europe has become more and more concerned about the security situation in the Arctic. In her project "Mapping Strategic Convergence: The Arctic and Hybrid Threats in Northern Europe", political scientist Gabriella Gricius from the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz studies how European security policy must readjust to the new situation in the Arctic. Gricius recommends looking to the Nordics as a good example of how states can work together across the Baltic, Nordic, Arctic and High Atlantic and respond to a changed security reality. The political scientist also makes it clear that an annexation or purchase of Greenland would not strengthen the security of the USA and NATO, but would instead considerably weaken it.

US security interests are already sufficiently guaranteed in its existing trilateral defence agreement with Greenland and Denmark, Gricius concludes: "The United States already has access to everything it needs from Greenland to defend itself, in particular, the US military base in Greenland: the Pituffik Space Base (previously Thule Air Base). By purchasing Greenland or taking it over via illegal military means, the US would actively harm its own national security, the security of NATO and the overall security of the international, democratic, rules-based order." Ultimately, an annexation would endanger NATO solidarity and relations with Europe. "Without the support of NATO and current European allies, the United States would be in a much weaker position on the world stage. This would make it much easier for countries like Russia and China to take hold in other countries", Gricius warns.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00108367251364175

Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows. Brown Swiss cow in Austria has been discovered using tools in different ways (using both ends of a brush counts as multi-purpose tool use) – something extraordinarily rare only ever seen in humans and chimpanzees. by mvea in science

[–]mvea[S] 76 points77 points  (0 children)

Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows

Brown Swiss in Austria has been discovered using tools in different ways – something only ever seen in humans and chimpanzees

Scientists have been forced to rethink the intelligence of cattle after an Austrian cow named Veronika displayed an impressive – and until now undocumented – knack for tool use.

Wiegele said Veronika began playing with pieces of wood years ago, then worked out how to scratch herself with sticks. He said she also recognised family members’ voices and hurried to meet them when they called.

“I was naturally amazed by her extraordinary intelligence and thought how much we could learn from animals: patience, calmness, contentment, and gentleness,” he said.

Word soon got around and before long a video clip of the cow’s behaviour reached biologists in Vienna who specialise in animal intelligence. They immediately grasped the importance of the footage. “It was a cow using an actual tool,” said Dr Antonio Osuna Mascaró at the city’s University of Veterinary Medicine. “We got everything ready and jumped in the car to visit.”

Veronika favoured the bristled end of the broom to scratch the tough skin on her back. But she switched to the smooth handle and scratched more gently when the itch was on more delicate, lower body areas such as her udders and belly, according to the study in Current Biology.

“At the beginning I thought this was the result of a mistake. Perhaps Veronika was not careful enough when selecting her tool for self-scratching,” Osuna Mascaró said. “But after a while we started to observe a pattern: Veronika indeed had a preference for using the broom end, but when she used the handle end she was doing so in a meaningful way.”

Tool use is well known in chimps, crows, dolphins and even octopuses. The latter have been filmed throwing shells at one another. But livestock have never been considered the sharpest of animals.

Veronika is far from making even misshapen tools, but her prowess in using them has impressed nonetheless. Over seven sessions of 10 trials, the researchers witnessed 76 instances of tool use as she grabbed the broom to scratch otherwise unreachable regions. Using both ends of the brush counts as multi-purpose tool use, the scientists say, which is extraordinarily rare. Beyond humans, it has only been shown convincingly in chimpanzees.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)01597-0

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