A recent study indicates that volcanic eruptions in the mid 500s resulted in an unusually gloomy and cold period. A joint research project of the Chronology Laboratory of the Finnish Museum of Natural History and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) suggests that the years 536 and 541-544 CE were very difficult for many people. Continue reading “Unusual climate during Roman times plunged Eurasia into hunger and disease”
Spoken language reveals how people develop and mature
When people think of “personality,” they are likely to think of traits such as warmth or extraversion. For example, a person with high extraversion tends to exhibit an enthusiastic, gregarious, socially dominant, reward-seeking style of social performance across a wide range of situations and contexts as compared to a person with low extraversion. Continue reading “Spoken language reveals how people develop and mature”
Negative fateful life events and the brains of middle-aged men
Conflict, a death in the family, financial hardship and serious medical crises are all associated with accelerated physical aging. In a new study, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that such negative fateful life events — or FLEs — appear to also specifically accelerate aging in the brain. Continue reading “Negative fateful life events and the brains of middle-aged men”
Turning desert sand into farmland: Chinese scientists propose a revolutionary solution to desertification
Desertification, when fertile land dries into desert, is a global problem. According to Dr Steffen Bauer, an ecological expert at the Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, as much as 40 per cent of the world is ‘dryland’. And that puts much of it in danger of desertification. Surprisingly, though fragile, these areas hold roughly 44 per cent of the world’s farms. They’re also called home by about 2 billion people, warn the editors of Governing Global Desertification. Continue reading “Turning desert sand into farmland: Chinese scientists propose a revolutionary solution to desertification”
Neuroscience gets behind the mask of Greek theatre
Over 2000 years may have elapsed since masked Greek tragedies had their heyday on stage in Athens, but some of the most modern neuroscience may be able to give classicists a better understanding of how the ancients watched and thought about those plays that today exist only on paper. Continue reading “Neuroscience gets behind the mask of Greek theatre”
More education is what makes people live longer, not more money
When countries develop economically, people live longer lives. Development experts have long believed this is because having more money expands lifespan, but a massive new study suggests that education may play a bigger role. The finding has huge implications for public health spending. Continue reading “More education is what makes people live longer, not more money”
Novo Scriptorium 