Category Archives: Transhuman News

In around 440 B.C., the Greek physician Hippocrates said Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food.

Although treating food as medicine is a highly debated concept, many recent studies have demonstrated the wisdom in this statement and how monitoring food quantity, type, and timing are crucial for good health.

However, what precisely makes up the optimal diet remains controversial. Growing evidence suggests optimal diets may depend on an interplay of health factors, including age, sex, and genetics.

Recently, researchers reviewed hundreds of nutrition studies from cellular to epidemiological perspectives to identify a common denominator nutrition pattern for healthy longevity.

They found that diets including mid-to-high levels of unrefined carbohydrates, a low but sufficient plant-based protein intake, and regular fish consumption were linked to an extended lifespan and healthspan.

Dr. Valter Longo, professor of gerontology and biological sciences at the University of Southern California, and one of the authors of the study, told Medical News Today:

First, diet here is intended as a nutritional lifestyle and not as a weight-loss strategy although maintaining a healthy weight is key. All aspects of the diet are linked to long-term health and longevity.

I am delighted to see this review, Dr. Pankaj Kapah, professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California, who was not involved in the study, told MNT.

Generally when one thinks of a longevity diet, the first thing that comes to mind is what we can add to our diet to live longer. This article is important to raise the awareness that the most striking benefits from studies across species have come from limiting the diet or fasting. Dr. Pankaj Kapah

The review was published in the journal Cell.

For the study, the researchers analyzed hundreds of studies examining nutrition and delayed aging in short-lived species, nutrient response pathways, caloric restriction, fasting, and diets with various macronutrient and composition levels, such as the keto diet.

The studies analyzed nutrition and diet from multiple angles, from cellular and animal studies to clinical and epidemiological research investigating the lifestyles of centenarians.

In the end, the researchers found that the longevity diet includes:

The researchers further noted that, rather than targeting a certain number of calories, diets should aim to keep BMI under 25 and maintain ideal sex and age-specific body fat and lean body mass levels.

Moreover, they wrote that diets should be adapted to individual needsespecially for those over 65to avoid malnourishment. Those over 65, for example, may become frail from a low protein diet.

For those without insulin resistance or obesity, high consumption of complex carbohydrates could reduce frailty in this age group and others, the researchers wrote, as it provides energy without increasing insulin and activating glucose signaling pathways.

The researchers also found that periodic fasting between the ages of 18 and 70 could reverse insulin resistance generated by a high calorie diet and regulate blood pressure, total cholesterol, and inflammation.

A recent study supports these findings. It found that changing from the typical Western diet to one rich in legumes, whole grains, and nuts with reduced red and processed meats is linked to an 8-year-longer life expectancy if started at age 60.

The researchers noted that diets involving calorie and protein restriction were consistently beneficial, whether in short-lived species or om epidemiological studies and large clinical trials.

They further noted that low but sufficient protein, or a recommended protein intake with high levels of legume consumption, could increase the health span by reducing the intake of amino acids including methionine. Methionine has been linked to increased activity in various pro-aging cellular pathways.

When asked how the longevity diet may benefit health from a clinical perspective, Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic and advisor to Dr. Longos firm, Prolon, told MNT:

The diet is primarily plant-based which, based on other similar studies, may contribute to lower risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Plant-based diets have also been associated with lower inflammation levels in multiple studies. As inflammation is the base of many diseases, this may contribute to the longevity factors as well, she explained.

The researchers conclude that their findings provide solid foundations for future research into nutritional recommendations for healthy longevity.

When asked about the studys limitations, Dr. Longo, Dr. Kapahi, and Kirkpatrick stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The optimal diet, they say, may differ due to factors including sex, age, genetic makeup, and any sensitivities and intolerances, such as an intolerance to gluten.

Dr. Longo thus recommends people visit a dietician before undertaking a new diet.

Kirkpatrick added that many of her patients visit her when making dietary changes to ensure they are sustainable in the long term.

Read more:
Longevity diet: More carbs, fasting, and less protein - Medical News Today

Leading scientists in the field of tea research recently met virtually at the Sixth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health to discuss the current state of knowledge and the gaps in understanding about the benefits of tea. Researchers discussed many topics at the symposium, which included the potential beneficial effects of tea on cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and the prevention of cancer.

The conference was organized by the Tea Council of the USA, the public relations arm of the Tea industry whose primary aim is to encourage greater tea consumption. It accomplishes this by furthering tea science and establishing tea as a healthy, good for you beverage.

Here is a breakdown of the main findings, and why it may be too early to draw definitive conclusions.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. The four primary types of tea include white, green, Oolong, and black. All four teas are derived from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but differ in how they are processed after harvesting.

Tea contains a wide array of components that have biological activity, including flavonoids, L-theanine, and caffeine. Many of the beneficial effects of tea are due to the high levels of flavonoids, such as catechins, which have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.

The differences in the manufacturing process can influence the chemical composition and the beneficial effects of the different tea types. For instance, green tea is roasted before it can oxidize and hence, contains higher levels of catechins. In contrast, black tea is allowed to oxidize and has lower levels of catechins. Meanwhile, black tea contains larger amounts of other flavonoids called thearubigins and theaflavins, which also possess antioxidant properties.

A number of observational studies suggest that tea consumption is associated with improvements in cognitive function. A few small randomized controlled trials have suggested tea intake may result in short-term improvements in attention.

Each cup of tea contains about 35-60 mg of caffeine, which may contribute to the increase in attention and improvements in mood some people experience after consuming tea. Tea also contains theanine, which has been suggested to enhance attention while reducing anxiety and stress.

Researchers think that the presence of theanine and caffeine may potentially produce a simultaneous feeling of calmness while improving attention. In addition, limited evidence suggests that the intake of theanine and caffeine together may result in a greater increase in attention than either component alone.

The flavonoids present in tea may also exert protective effects against common age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Dr. Jonathan Hodgson, a professor at the University of Western Australia, told Medical News Today:

Several recent large long-term prospective cohort studies have explored the relationships of tea intake and intake of flavonoids found in tea with dementia outcomes. The two main types of dementia are Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia. Flavonoids are components of tea that are believed to play an important role in the prevention of vascular diseases.

[S]tudies have shown that higher intakes of tea, starting at as little as 1 cup and up to 5-6 cups [a day], are associated with reduced risk for dementia, moderate intakes of flavonoids present in ~2-4 cups of tea are associated with reduced risk for dementia, and for both tea and its flavonoids, maximal benefit may be obtained from moderate intakes of ~2-4 cups[ a day]. Dr. Jonathan Hodgson

However, Dr. Hodgson said high intakes may not be needed to see teas full benefits.

Finally, these studies indicate that the protection provided may be strongest for vascular dementia, he added.

A higher intake of dietary flavonoids is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic conditions, including diabetes.

According to a meta-analysis synthesizing data from 39 studies, the daily intake of each additional cup of tea was associated with a 2% lower risk of a cardiovascular event, a 4% decline in the risk of stroke, and a 4% lower risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease. These positive effects of flavonoids on cardiometabolic health are associated with lower inflammation and oxidative stress, improved regulation of blood glucose and lipid levels, healthier gut microbiome, and protective effects on blood vessels.

Thus, consumption of tea could be especially beneficial for individuals whose diets are deficient in other sources of flavonoids, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Dr. Taylor Wallace, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at George Mason University, says, Adding two cups of unsweet tea to the diet can be a simple and cost-effective [preventive] healthcare approach for cardiovascular diseases.

After cardiovascular disease, cancer is the second leading cause of mortality. Modifying lifestyle factors such as diet, physical inactivity, smoking, and obesity can prevent 30-40% of all cancers.

Thus, adopting healthier lifestyle choices that increase levels of flavonoids could reduce the risk of cancer incidence, although the evidence for tea reducing cancer remains limited.

Commenting on the evidence, Dr. Raul Zamora-Ros, a professor at IDIBELL Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, told MNT:

There is a lot of plausible preclinical evidence showing anticarcinogenic properties of tea, and mainly its bioactive compounds (flavonoids), against cancer initiation promotion and progression.

However, he pointed out that more research was needed to confirm these benefits in humans.

In humans, there is limited-suggestive evidence showing that tea consumption may reduce the risk of biliary tract, breast, endometrial, liver, and especially, oral cancer. The evidence for the rest of cancer sites is still inconclusive, he said.

Dr. Zamora-Ros noted that larger observational studies and clinical trials are needed to further assess the association between tea consumption and cancer incidence. Moreover, some of the studies have not distinguished between the effects of green and black tea, and future studies must address this shortcoming.

Tea consumption may also improve immune health, with studies suggesting a potential role of green tea in preventing bacterial and viral infections. For instance, a number of human studies, including randomized controlled trials, suggest that green tea consumption could reduce the risk of incidence of influenza infection.

Dr. Dayong Wu, a professor at Tufts University, Massachusetts, said the health benefits of consuming tea on the immune system fell into two categories.

First is the protective effect against infection. Current research shows that tea/tea catechins may directly act on a variety of viruses and bacteria to prohibit them from attaching to and thus blocking their entry into the host tissues, inhibit their replication, and limit their spread. Tea/tea catechins may also enhance the anti-pathogen response of the host immune cells to help fight pathogens and clear the infection, he explained.

Second, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea may also help prevent tissue damage caused by excessive inflammation in response to an infection. Given its anti-inflammatory properties, green tea could also help alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Autoimmune disease represents a disrupted immune balance, and it is characterized by immune cells of a host attacking its own tissues. Tea/tea catechins have been shown to modulate complex immune cell function in a way to help correct this disorder, perhaps by suppressing overactive response and promoting tolerance, Dr. Wu elaborated.

However, he also cautioned that most of these results are based on cell culture and animal studies, and more studies assessing the impact of green tea on immune function in humans are needed.

The studies discussed at the symposium suggest that tea consumption is associated with a multitude of health benefits. However, before changes are made to dietary guidelines, more research may be needed on individual compounds within tea to negate the negative effects.

Addressing some of the key areas of future research in tea science, Dr. Johanna Dwyer, a professor of medicine and senior scientist at Tufts University, said, she believes it would be profitable [..] to pin down the continuing puzzle of why it is that some green tea supplements seem to be associated with liver toxicity and what compounds are responsible for these effects.

Tea has also been associated with side effects such as reduced iron absorption as well as increased anxiety, and restlessness, largely owing to the caffeine it contains.

Experts point out that there are caffeine-free ways to consume the beneficial flavonoids present in tea, such as by eating vegetables and fruits, which also contain fiber.

On a more basic level, it is still important to study the health-related properties of the various compounds in tea, added Dr. Dwyer.

There is growing research examining the health benefits of green tea extracts enriched in flavonoids and other components.

Dr. Mario Ferruzzi, professor and chief of the section of Developmental Nutrition in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, touched on teas place in current dietary guidelines.

Currently, dietary bioactive compounds like flavan-3-ols are not part of food-based dietary guidance. Polyphenols make up 30 to 40 percent of the solids in a cup of green and black tea. The dietary guidelines have mentioned phytochemicals as a beneficial part of fruit and vegetables, but not beverages.

To rectify these shortcomings, Dr. Feruzzi noted that current guidelines on healthy beverages need to be expanded to include tea and coffee as a source of bioactive components, such as flavonoids.

Moreover, dietary guidelines should include an adequate intake value for dietary flavonoids to ensure sufficient intake of these nutrients that can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Dr. Feruzzi cautioned that ready-to-drink products tend to have lower levels of flavonoids, and hence, consumers should favor brewed tea over these products.

See the rest here:
Can tea prevent cancer and improve overall health? - Medical News Today

Is there any way to avoid the decay and frailty that come with age? Jeff Bezos thinks so. A biotech company that the founder of Amazon has helped fund, Altos Labs, is said to have $3bn at its disposal to research ways of holding back the clock. Closer to home, scientists at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge recently announced they had altered a 53-year-old womans skin cells so they behaved as though they were 30 years younger.

Promising as this may seem, its a long road from the lab to the clinic. But the difficulty of translating scientific breakthroughs into treatment hasnt stopped an explosion in research. To understand why the once fantastical idea of preventing or reversing ageing is even considered a possibility these days, we need to appreciate exactly what happens as we get older.

The human body is made up of cells in a constant cycle of life and death. Different types of cells have their own inner clocks, determining how long they live. Sperm cells live about three days, while some brain cells last a lifetime. The upper layer of skin which you can see and touch is regenerated every 30 days or so. As time goes by, however, many types of cell in the human body become less good at reproducing themselves by dividing. Skin cells from a newborn baby can divide 80 or 90 times, but cells from an elderly person divide about 20 times before they stop. So one reason we age is that our cells age. But other things are happening too: we become wrinkly because elderly skin cells produce less collagen and elastin, and sebaceous glands produce less oil. Surface bruises happen more easily because blood vessels become fragile. Ageing is multifaceted.

One thing we do know is that there isnt actually a hard biological limit to how long we can survive. Some animals live much longer than we do. Jonathan, for example, is a 190-year-old giant tortoise from the Seychelles. Other tortoises might be even older, but Jonathan is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the oldest living land animal because theres a photo of him in his heyday aged 50, munching on grass. Bowhead whales can live for more than 200 years and some sponges are thought to survive for more than 2,000. The oldest human whose age has been verified was Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122, outliving her grandson.

Although Calments grandson wasnt as lucky as her, long lifespans like this do tend to run in families. Twin studies appear to show that the genetic contribution to longevity is around 25%. Astonishingly, genetic mutations in nematode worms, which normally live for about three weeks, can increase their lifespan by up to 10 times. Needless to say, nothing like this is possible for humans. Instead, hundreds of human gene variants are linked to ageing, each having a small effect on their own, but combining in complex ways. Deciphering this picture will require the efforts of all kinds of scientists, including biologists, physicians, mathematicians and computer scientists. This is an area where having a big budget really does help.

There is a lot we still dont know about genes and ageing but, as weve seen, it is possible to manipulate genes to make cells become young again in a lab dish. In the mid-2000s, Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka showed that the introduction of four genes the Yamanaka factors into adult cells caused them to revert to stem cells normally found in embryos (and capable of becoming all the different kinds of cells in the human body). Today, researchers are seeking ways to control this process more finely, to use Yamanaka factors to roll back the age of cells, or repair damaged tissues, without them going all the way back to an embryo-like state. This appears to be what the team at the Babraham achieved, by exposing aged skin cells to Yamanaka factors for a relatively short period. Important problems remain, however, because the very same factors which make cells young again can also make cancer more likely.

There are other ideas on the table for combating ageing. We could, for example, directly clear away old cells that are causing problems. Cells that remain alive but have stopped dividing are deemed senescent. These senescent cells accumulate in the body over a lifetime especially in the skin, liver, lungs and spleen and have both beneficial and detrimental effects. They are beneficial because they secrete factors which help repair damaged tissue, but as senescent cells increase in number, they can disrupt the normal structure of organs and tissues. Mice in which senescent cells were cleared away took longer to show signs of ageing.

Nobody knows the extent to which Altos Labs, or any other organisation, is going to solve this puzzle. But what is clear is that there will be spin-offs from the effort, such as new ways of aiding tissue repair, fighting cancer, or boosting immunity. A crucial point here is that the mission to beat ageing has a vastness to it in the same way that landing on the moon wasnt just about landing on the moon; it is a journey which will lead to all sorts of new technologies, scientific knowledge and medical outcomes.

The worms provide a note of caution too. Those longlived genetic mutants have a much extended period of frailty, which emphasises the importance of focusing on increasing not just lifespan, but healthspan. Beyond that, ageing isnt just a personal issue: it is entwined with social, economic, psychological and other concerns. Should we, for example, work until our 70s or 80s? How will we ensure equality when the rich already live longer than the poor? Perhaps the most pertinent question of all, to which each of us must find our own answer: what will be our purpose? What would make us happy, in those extra years?

Daniel M Davis is a professor of immunology at the University of Manchester and Imperial College London, and author of The Secret Body: How the New Science of the Human Body Is Changing the Way We Live (Vintage).

Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old by Andrew Steele (Bloomsbury, 20)

The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott (Bloomsbury 10.99)

This Mortal Coil: A History of Death by Andrew Doig (Bloomsbury, 25)

Excerpt from:
Could we make ageing a thing of the past? - The Guardian

Will Jackson, CEO of robotics company Engineered Arts, says he isnt sure whats worse: the angry emails that accuse him of building machines that will one day overthrow humanity or the speculative ones enquiring if the sender can fuck the robots.

Everybody wants to see a humanoid robot, Jackson says. They love to imagine all these things that are going to happen. Part of what we do is fulfilling that desire. (Though not, he is careful to stress, the sex-robot stuff.)

Footage of Engineered Arts most recent creation, a gray-skinned bot named Ameca, went viral last December with clips showing an android with an exposed metal torso and eerily realistic facial expressions interacting with researchers. (Android being the correct term for a human-shaped robot, from the ancient Greek andro for man and eides for form.)

In one video, Ameca frowns as an off-screen employee reaches out to touch its nose before smoothly reaching up to stop his arm in a whir of electric motors. Its an uncanny moment that sets off alarm bells for the viewer: the shock is that a robot would want to establish this boundary between it and us a desire that is, ironically, very human.

Got just a tad scared when it raised its hand to his arm. Thought it was just gonna snap it. Says another, I know this is scary, but I love this and I want more.

Its these emotions curiosity, fear, excitement that are Engineered Arts stock-in-trade. The company makes its money selling its robots for entertainment and education. Theyre used by academics for research; by marketing teams for publicity stunts; and placed in museums, airports, and malls to welcome visitors. Anywhere youve got a big crowd of people to interact with, says Jackson.

The machines can run on autopilot, reacting to passersby with preset banter. Or they can be controlled remotely, with unseen handlers responding to queries from the crowd as in this video filmed at CES. In the near future, though, Engineered Arts wants to equip its robots with more sophisticated chatbot software that would let them respond fluidly to queries without any human guidance.

More than entertainers, though, these robots are heralds of the future. As technology improves and androids become more realistic, the question of how we relate to such machines is going to become more pressing. Are fucking and fighting the only two responses we can imagine?

Humanitys interest in androids seems like a modern obsession, but this is far from the truth. Weve been dreaming of artificial humans for thousands of years from the singing, gold-forged Celedones of ancient Greek myth to the golem of Jewish folklore, molded from clay and animated by sacred words. The term robot, by comparison, is a more recent coinage, first appearing in 1920 in the play RUR, or Rossums Universal Robots. Here, machines are stand-ins for a newly brutalized working class (the term robot comes from the Slavonic robota, meaning forced labor) forced into mechanical postures and destined to revolt.

Before they were surrogates for class fear, though, automata in Europe were spectacles. Automata invented in the medieval era are still familiar today, like the jacquemarts, or jacks of the clock human figures that strike bells in Europes grand astronomical clocks. Others were elaborate one-offs, like the mechanical lion gifted to Francis I of France in 1515. Designed by Leonardo da Vinci, the lion was reportedly capable of walking up to the king unaided before opening its chest to reveal a bouquet of flowers inside.

As clockwork improved, designs became more complex. The 18th-century engineer Jacques de Vaucanson put on theatrical shows featuring automata that could play the flute and tambourine. His most famous machine, though, imitated basic biology: it was a duck that appeared to eat, drink, and defecate an achievement that led the philosopher Voltaire to praise Vaucanson as the new Prometheus.

As with the robots built by Engineered Arts, these automata inspired a range of reactions. Some people celebrated their artificiality, seeing the machines as proof of humanitys technological achievements while others ascribed spiritual properties to these machines, claiming they blurred the boundaries between artificial and biological life. Such theorizing was not trivial, either, inspiring thinkers like Ren Descartes to suggest that humans and animals were only another sort of advanced machine (though the latter category lacked soul or consciousness).

A desire to project agency and intelligence onto inanimate matter, though, is deeply human, says Beth Singler, a digital anthropologist at the University of Cambridge. You dont have to go as far as Ameca has with facial features before people start bringing animated entities into what I call their cosmology of potential beings, she tells The Verge. Theres this sense that what is around us could be intelligence, and different cultures react to that in different ways.

Traditions like Shinto and Buddhism are more open about this impulse to ascribe soul to objects, says Singler, but the same instincts run deep in the West. We like to think were immune to this because we had the Enlightenment and became very serious and rational, she says. But I dont see that. When I see peoples interactions with animated technological entities and that can be everything from a robot to a Roomba I see that same animistic tendency. In other words: we still want to believe.

Engineered Arts knows how to play upon such instincts. As Jackson explains, Its amazing the simple things you can do to make a machine look sentient. In the companys early days, for example, they hit upon a useful trick with speech recognition. Instead of programming a chatbot that analyzed what people were saying, his engineers coded a program that repeated the last thing the robot heard and swapped the words you and I in any sentence. So you say to the robot I love you, and it says back, you love me, he says. And you think oh my god, it understands me, but no, all I did was swap two words around.

The company explores these questions from its headquarters in Falmouth in the UK. Its an unassuming location for such sci-fi work: a fishing town with a population of a little over 20,000 on the southwestern tip of the country in the county of Cornwall. Its a region with a distinct sense of local identity, where inhabitants are proud to have more in common with Celtic neighbors in Ireland and France than with the rest of England. Jackson himself is a local, Falmouth born and raised, and says he couldnt have imagined settling elsewhere.

The sense of remoteness fits the work. The companys headquarters, in a large industrial building on the edge of town, has the quiet and airy feel of an artisans workshop. On the day that I pay a visit, a storm is blowing into town, sending whistles through the various departments. Theres coding with its multi-monitor standing desks and mugs extolling the virtues of rock climbing; costuming with its rails of outfits and wigs; and engineering the largest area populated by huge machine tools that are noisily slicing up blocks of aluminum.

The decorative motif that unifies the spaces, though, is the body parts. Wherever you go in the building, there are mechanical limbs, silicone faces, and disembodied heads scattered on desks and shelves. Exploring the place feels like going behind the scenes at Westworld: its eerie to see the human form broken down into its constituent components, but you soon become accustomed to the sight. Before you know it, youre pulling at mechanical hands and rubber faces with the curious innocence of a child.

Engineered Arts CEO Will Jackson shows off the detail in a rubber face.

For some, this is one of the dangers of creating realistic robots. As you get used to treating human-like automata as automata, you may slowly find yourself treating humans the same. Its similar to the dilemma parents have with young children and Alexa. Should they be polite to the AI assistant because it encourages them to be polite to humans? Or is that the wrong way to treat a piece of software coded and controlled by a huge multinational corporation?

As I ponder this, Jackson and I walk past a desk laden with mechanical widgets undergoing stress tests. Pistons have been nailed to a wooden plank while, on a stand, tiny pulleys lift and lower a cup full of screws. And, true to Singlers suggestion that humans will ascribe a bit of soul to just about anything that moves, I feel passing sympathy even for these tortured components.

Were testing those actuators for fingers, Jackson says. Its all about longevity: how many times can you run that back and forth. The goal is a million cycles, though the motors found on a Chinese wholesale site have only gone through a few hundred thousand so far. They were likely designed to open and close CD drives, he says, but if they prove reliable, theyll have a new use opening and closing artificial hands.

Engineered Arts doesnt build its robots entirely from scratch, but the companys involvement in every part of their construction from molding rubber faces to programming robot brains makes its wares almost unique in the market. Probably only Disneys Imagineering team, which builds animatronics for its theme parks, combines so much disparate expertise under a single roof, says Jackson. And Disney isnt selling what it makes.

Since its founding in 2005, Engineered Arts has made a half dozen or so robots. But its latest model, Ameca, is undoubtedly the most sophisticated yet. After our initial tour, Jackson takes us to see one of three operational units. As he boots up the machines operating system on a laptop, the automaton comes to life. It scrunches its cheeks, raises its eyebrows, and then grimaces and blinks. Its like watching a newborn baby cycle through facial expressions. Theres a sense that the hardware hasnt yet been fully connected to the software.

Its these facial expressions that encapsulate Engineered Arts ambitions. The human face is this massive bandwidth communication tool, says Jackson. You have a physical interface that people recognize. As a species, were hard-wired to identify faces, but Ameca is so lifelike that it takes barely any effort to project intelligence where there is none. As Jackson prompts the robot to trot out some pre-programmed phrases, I reach up to see what the face feels like and hesitate. Jackson reassures me that its not dangerous, but my worry was that it was disrespectful.

Engineered Arts deploys all sorts of methods to compound the impression of sentience. Jackson is particularly proud of the clavicle, which can move forward and back as well as pitch, roll, and yaw. All this helps convey subtle emotions like anticipation and apprehension. Microphones in the robots ears allow it to triangulate sound and turn to nearby noise while cameras in its eyeballs run a simple machine vision program to track hands and faces. The result is that if you move into Amecas presence or speak to it, it responds like a human would. It turns to look at you, and, naturally, you look back. Its the start of a relationship.

This is why the company builds androids specifically, says Jackson: because we naturally respond to them like humans. The form just doesnt make sense for any other task. The only good reason to build a humanoid is to interact and be friendly with people, he says. Robots should be built to carry out specific tasks as efficiently as possible, which is why the best robot dishwasher is a square box its not a humanoid wandering around your house, messing with your plates.

There are just too many engineering challenges in replicating the efficiency and dexterity of the human body. Electric motors are far more bulky and power-hungry than organic muscle, while digital control systems still arent able to emulate our mobility, dexterity, and perception. In the field of robotics, this is known as Moravecs paradox: the fact that its much easier to build an AI that can beat a chess grandmaster than a robot with the physical skills of a toddler.

Despite this, advances in some areas of AI, like machine vision and natural language understanding, have rekindled old ambitions to construct the perfect human robot. When I ask Jackson what he thinks of Elon Musks plan to create an android worker for his factories, hes incredulous. When [Musk] jumped on the bandwagon with the Tesla Bot, we were absolutely rolling around in laughter, he says. He suggests the tech CEO will certainly come up with something (hes got a budget and he can spot talent). But theres no way hell make a machine that can replace humans something Musk has promised with absolute certainty.

If you want to see why Musks plans will fail, says Jackson, just look at Boston Dynamics. Thats a company that has been developing robots for decades, but its most advanced android Atlas is still restricted to demos and research. For now, humans are just so much better at being humans. They self-repair, they self-replicate, and they run off a packet of cornflakes, he says, speculating that Musks desire to create a perfectly pliant worker perhaps says more about his well-documented problems with human labor than his grasp of the possibilities of robotic engineering.

What Musk can do, though, is trigger peoples imaginations just like Engineered Arts. Thats part of the reason why, when he brought out a dancing man in a spandex suit in lieu of his Tesla Bot last year, so many fans were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt: people want to believe in robots.

Engineered Arts is much more upfront about this sort of trickery (a term Jackson finds a little ungenerous). Unlike one of the companys rivals, Hanson Robotics, the makers of the Sophia robot, the company doesnt pretend its machines are conscious. When Sophia goes on late night talk shows and declares that its a friend to humanity or that it wants a child, experts spit feathers. Its obviously bullshit, AI ethics researcher Joanna Bryson told me a few years ago after Sophia had been made a citizen of Saudi Arabia as a PR stunt. In interviews with Engineered Arts employees, though, they stress the reality of these machines: theyre advanced animatronics not the first draft of the robot apocalypse.

You could argue that the company still contributes to these misconceptions by sharing clips of Ameca without full context, but Jacksons response is that some people will always willfully misunderstand what they see. If an actor plays a baddie in the film, people hiss at him when they see him in the street, he says. Its an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

Ameca is Engineered Arts most recent and most realistic creation.

After spending time with Ameca, my own ability to distinguish fantasy and reality is, I think, intact. But there are certainly moments when the illusion is complete and convincing. Often, its just a single gesture a sweep of the hands or a squint of the eye but, just for a second, you can believe that this assemblage of motors and circuits standing in front of you is something more than the sum of its parts.

Looking over the history of automata, theres one particular type of robot that Ameca reminds me of: the robotic saint. There are numerous examples of such religious automata from the late medieval era onwards, including life-size sculptures of Christ and the Virgin Mary that were equipped with articulated limbs and animated by puppetry or clockwork. These artifacts were often incorporated into religious ceremonies, engaging audiences with their miraculous attributes, and, though it may be odd to think of robots as miraculous agents, they are certainly superhuman: they do not die and cannot age. And in our current era of machine learning hype and mysticism when tech bros start religions dedicated to AI gods and researchers speculate on Twitter as to whether neural nets are conscious I think this tendency to turn the technological into something spiritual is stronger than ever.

Singler specializes in cultural reactions to AI and says this is a consistent theme in her studies. She notes how frequently AI stock images recall religious imagery like The Creation of Adam or how people talk about being blessed by the algorithm on social media, creating folk traditions on how to extract favorable results from these mysterious entities. When it comes to AI its easy to see it as super-intelligence and almost fitting into that God-space very quickly, she says.

In this light, Engineered Arts robots are not only devices for entertainment but also a tangible way to interact with this powerful new force in the world a way for audiences to engage with anxieties about the future and technology. Jackson says that after people have gotten over the initial surprise of seeing a robot like Ameca, their next reaction is to critique. When people see our robots [they] pick up on all the things that are wrong. Oh that blink was wrong, they say. Or, A real person would never have done that, he says. Theyre differentiating themselves from the machine. I think its reassuring: I dont need to worry, that machines not as good as me.

The next step for Ameca is a version that walks, says Jackson, and he shows me a prototype pair of metal legs, bending and flexing the knees. He says his work ultimately reminds him of the magnificence of nature. The more he tries to re-create the human body, the greater his sense of awe and wonder and his realization of how far human ingenuity has to go to compete. You look at biological systems and then you try and emulate it, and you end up thinking and Im not religious but you end up thinking, How the hell did this happen?

Photography by James Vincent / The Verge

See more here:
A visit to the human factory - The Verge

It is now confirmed by Guinness World Records that French nun Sister Andr aka Lucile Randon is now officially the oldest human being alive on planet earth. She is 118 years 73 days old as of today.

After the death of Kane Tanaka (Japan), she now holds the record of becoming the overall oldest person living. She is now the third-oldest French person as well as the third-oldest European person ever recorded.

David Tavella, spokesman for her nursing home said, Shes happy, she likes very much this attention. But its just another step because her real goal is to overtake Jeanne Calment, saying that a short press conference would be held on 26th April.

We will cover everything you need to know about Lucile Randon in our article below. Keep scrolling!

Lucile Randon was born in the year 1904 in southern France and recently celebrated her 118th birthday this year in the month of February. After the death of Honorine Rondello in the year 2017, she became the third-oldest French person in written history.

Lucile used to work as a teacher before she became Sister Andr in 1944. She used to look after the kids during the Second World War.

When the war ended, she began working with orphans whose parents passed away during the war and taking care of the elderly in a hospital in Vichy in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region for little less than three decades.

She fought Coronavirus last year in the month of Feb 2021 and achieved yet another milestone to add to her remarkable record of longevity.

She tested Covid positive on 16 January after the virus infected 81 residents out of 88 residing in her retirement home. Only 70 residents survived this attack and 11 people lost their lives.

Lucile did experience slight complications during Covid and David Tavella said that she is indeed a brave lady and did not fear covid.

David said, She kept telling me, Im not afraid of covid because Im not afraid of dying, so give my vaccine doses to those who need them. She later tested negative just a few days before her 117th birthday.

Her Daily Routine

Lucile Randon is partially deaf and needs the support of a wheelchair to move from one place to another however this doesnt stop her from keeping her mind active.

She wakes up at around 7 am in the morning and completes her breakfast before she gets busy with little things. The 118-year-old is fond of sweet treats and chocolate is her guilty pleasure. She also loves to sip a glass of wine every day.

One of her staff members from the nursing home said, Her glass of wine maintains her and is perhaps her longevity secret. It is just a sheer coincidence that former old lady Kane Tanaka also used to love chocolates.

Sister Andr resides in her retirement home in Toulon along the Mediterranean coast for more than a decade now.

Bookmark this space and stay in touch to get updated with the latest news around the world!

More:
Meet Lucile Randon: The World's Oldest Person Alive - TheTealMango

We all love trying out new skincare products that give our skin that supple plump and glow. Many of us also use anti-ageing and skin firming products to help reduce those stubborn wrinkles, pigmentation and fine lines. Ever heard the saying, An apple a day, keeps the doctor away? Now, what if we told you that this apple can help your skin without you actually having to eat it? Got you wondering how now, did we?Until several years ago, the tart, unappealing variant of the Swiss-grown Uttwiler Sptlauber apples, wasnt proving to add any value in terms of offering. This was until some scientists discovered the unusual longevity of the stem cells that kept these apples alive months after other apples shriveled and fell off their trees. What are stem cells, you ask? Stem cells are extremely unique in a way that they have the ability to go through numerous cycles and cell divisions while maintaining the undifferentiated state. Essentially, stem cells are capable of self-renewal and can transform themselves into other cell types of the same tissue. One of their primary roles is to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissue. Stem cells provide the ability for species to renew and repair themselves. Plants are rooted in the ground and have to survive extreme weather changes, therefore their stem cells contain much stronger antioxidant contents than those of humans cells.

But how does this help your skin? Heres a list of the goodness that Swiss apple stem cells can have on your skin.

The high antioxidant found in plant stem cells supports the skin in combating free radicals that would otherwise cause skin damage. They give your skin the tools to protect itself, offering immense anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory benefits. The boost of antioxidants and amino acids helps boost collagen production and keeps your skin radiant and youthful.

Excerpt from:
Have you heard of the goodness of Swiss apple stem cells? - Times of India

Cullinane, K. & Haralambides, H. Global trends in maritime and port economics: The COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Marit. Econ. Logist. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41278-021-00196-5 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Varley, K. & Murray, B. Port Gridlock Stretches Supply Lines Thin in Blow for Economies. (2021).

Chambers, S. Global liner congestion worsens, 116 ports report disruption. Splash247 (2021).

Chambers, S. More than 40 ships waiting outside LA and Long Beach setting new record. Splash247 (2021).

Kay, G. California ports arent the only ones facing record backlogs of cargo ships 3 other US ports have hit historic highs. Business Insider (2021).

Goodman, P. Its Not Sustainable: What Americas Port Crisis Looks Like Up Close. (2021).

Goodman, P. How the supply chain broke, and why it wont be fixed anytime soon. New York Times (2021).

EMSA. COVID-19 Impact on Shipping Report. http://www.emsa.europa.eu/newsroom/covid19-impact/item/4478-august-2021-covid-19-impact-on-shipping-report.html (2021).

Verschuur, J., Koks, E. E. & Hall, J. W. Global economic impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures stand out in high-frequency shipping data. PLoS ONE 16, e0248818 (2021).

CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Millefiori, L. M. et al. COVID-19 impact on global maritime mobility. Sci. Rep. 11, 18039 (2021).

ADS CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Davis, A. R. et al. Anchors away? The impacts of anchor scour by ocean-going vessels and potential response options. Mar. Policy 73, 17 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

Broad, A., Rees, M. J. & Davis, A. R. Anchor and chain scour as disturbance agents in benthic environments: Trends in the literature and charting a course to more sustainable boating and shipping. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 161, 111683 (2020).

CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Notteboom, T., Pallis, T. & Rodrigue, J.-P. Disruptions and resilience in global container shipping and ports: The COVID-19 pandemic versus the 20082009 financial crisis. Marit. Econ. Logist. 23, 179210 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Xu, L., Yang, S., Chen, J. & Shi, J. The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on port performance: Evidence from China. Ocean Coast. Manag. 209, 105660 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Heaver, T. D. Reducing anchorage in ports: Changing technologies, opportunities and challenges. Front. Fut. Transp. 2, 20 (2021).

Google Scholar

Demers, M.-C.A., Davis, A. R. & Knott, N. A. A comparison of the impact of seagrass-friendlyboat mooring systems on Posidonia australis. Mar. Environ. Res. 83, 5462 (2013).

CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

ONeill, F. G. & Ivanovi, A. The physical impact of towed demersal fishing gears on soft sediments. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 73, i5i14 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

De Borger, E., Tiano, J., Braeckman, U., Rijnsdorp, A. D. & Soetaert, K. Impact of bottom trawling on sediment biogeochemistry: A modelling approach. Biogeosciences 18, 25392557 (2021).

ADS Article CAS Google Scholar

Hiddink, J. G. et al. Global analysis of depletion and recovery of seabed biota after bottom trawling disturbance. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 114, 83018306 (2017).

CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Sciberras, M. et al. Response of benthic fauna to experimental bottom fishing: A global meta-analysis. Fish Fish. 19, 698715 (2018).

Article Google Scholar

Amoroso, R. O. et al. Bottom trawl fishing footprints on the worlds continental shelves. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 115, E10275E10282 (2018).

CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Puig, P. et al. Ploughing the deep sea floor. Nature 489, 286289 (2012).

ADS CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Serrano, O. et al. Impact of mooring activities on carbon stocks in seagrass meadows. Sci. Rep. 6, 23193 (2016).

ADS CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Korpinen, S., Meidinger, M. & Laamanen, M. Cumulative impacts on seabed habitats: An indicator for assessments of good environmental status. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 74, 311319 (2013).

CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Halpern, B. S. et al. A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319, 948952 (2008).

ADS CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Eigaard, O. R. et al. The footprint of bottom trawling in European waters: Distribution, intensity, and seabed integrity. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 74, 847865 (2017).

Article Google Scholar

Sciberras, M. et al. Impacts of bottom fishing on the sediment infaunal community and biogeochemistry of cohesive and non-cohesive sediments. Limnol. Oceanogr. 61, 20762089 (2016).

ADS Article Google Scholar

Hale, R. et al. Mediation of macronutrients and carbon by post-disturbance shelf sea sediment communities. Biogeochemistry 135, 121133 (2017).

CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Thrush, S. F. & Dayton, P. K. Disturbance to marine benthic habitats by trawling and dredging: Implications for marine biodiversity. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 33, 449473 (2002).

Article Google Scholar

Sciberras, M. et al. Mediation of nitrogen by post-disturbance shelf communities experiencing organic matter enrichment. Biogeochemistry 135, 135153 (2017).

CAS PubMed PubMed Central Article Google Scholar

Jennings, S., Lee, J. & Hiddink, J. G. Assessing fishery footprints and the trade-offs between landings value, habitat sensitivity, and fishing impacts to inform marine spatial planning and an ecosystem approach. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 69, 10531063 (2012).

Article Google Scholar

Lucchetti, A. & Sala, A. Impact and performance of Mediterranean fishing gear by side-scan sonar technology. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 69, 18061816 (2012).

Article Google Scholar

Rijnsdorp, A. D. et al. Towards a framework for the quantitative assessment of trawling impact on the seabed and benthic ecosystem. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 73, i127i138 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

Shipping and the Environment. (Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2016). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49045-7.

Wlfl, A.-C. et al. Seafloor mappingthe challenge of a truly global ocean bathymetry. Front. Mar. Sci. 6, 2 (2019).

Article Google Scholar

Madricardo, F., Foglini, F., Campiani, E., Grande, V., Catenacci, E., Petrizzo, A., Kruss, A., Toso, C., Trincardi, F.Assessing the human footprint on the sea-floor of coastal systems: the case of the Venice Lagoon Italy. Sci. Rep. 9(1) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43027-7 (2019).

Halpern, B. S. et al. Spatial and temporal changes in cumulative human impacts on the worlds ocean. Nat. Commun. 6, 17 (2015).

Article CAS Google Scholar

Halpern, B. S. et al. Recent pace of change in human impact on the worlds ocean. Sci. Rep. 9, 11609 (2019).

ADS PubMed PubMed Central Article CAS Google Scholar

Howitt, O. J. A., Carruthers, M. A., Smith, I. J. & Rodger, C. J. Carbon dioxide emissions from international air freight. Atmos. Environ. 45, 70367045 (2011).

ADS CAS Article Google Scholar

Clydebank Declaration for green shipping corridors. UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) at the SEC Glasgow 2021 https://ukcop26.org/cop-26-clydebank-declaration-for-green-shipping-corridors/ (2021).

Neil, H. et al. What lies beneath? Guide to Survey Results and Graphical Portfolio, Queen Charlotte Sound/Ttaranui and Tory Channel/Kura Te Au (HS51) Survey. https://www.marlborough.govt.nz/repository/libraries/id:1w1mps0ir17q9sgxanf9/hierarchy/Documents/Environment/Coastal/Queen%20Charlotte%20Sound%20Guide%20List/QC_Sound_Guide_to_Seabed%20_Survey_Part_2.pdf (2018).

Watson, S. J. et al. What we do in the shallows: Natural and anthropogenic seafloor geomorphologies in a drowned river valley New Zealand. Front. Mar. Sci. 7, 772 (2020).

Google Scholar

Maritime Safety Office. World Port Index Pub. 150 27th Edition. https://msi.nga.mil/api/publications/download?key=16694622/SFH00000/Pub150bk.pdf&type=view (2019).

Pallentin, A., Verdier, A.-L. & Mitchell, J. S. Beneath the waves: Wellington Harbour. (2009).

Zezula, D. H12618. (2013).

Voiland, A. Waiting to Unload. NASA Earth Obervatory (2021).

Jouffray, J.-B., Blasiak, R., Norstrm, A. V., sterblom, H. & Nystrm, M. The blue acceleration: The trajectory of human expansion into the ocean. One Earth 2, 4354 (2020).

ADS Article Google Scholar

Sardain, A., Sardain, E. & Leung, B. Global forecasts of shipping traffic and biological invasions to 2050. Nat. Sustain. 2, 274282 (2019).

Article Google Scholar

Golden, J. S. et al. Making sure the blue economy is green. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 1, 13 (2017).

Article Google Scholar

Schwartz, H., Gustafsson, M. & Spohr, J. Emission abatement in shippingis it possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions profitably?. J. Clean. Prod. 254, 120069 (2020).

CAS Article Google Scholar

Miller, G. Just how many containers of cargo are stuck off Californias coast?. FreightWaves 2, 2 (2021).

Google Scholar

Meko, T. & Esteban, C. Satellite imagery shows the scale of the traffic congestion at the ports of Los Angeles. Washington Post 2, 2 (2021).

Google Scholar

Oberle, F. K. J., Storlazzi, C. D. & Hanebuth, T. J. J. What a drag: Quantifying the global impact of chronic bottom trawling on continental shelf sediment. J. Mar. Syst. 159, 109119 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

Deter, J., Lozupone, X., Inacio, A., Boissery, P. & Holon, F. Boat anchoring pressure on coastal seabed: Quantification and bias estimation using AIS data. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 123, 175181 (2017).

CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Palsoulis, P. Anchoring Guidelines: A Risk-Based Approach. https://maritimecyprus.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/2019intertanko_anchoring_guidelines_a_risk-based-approach.pdf (2019).

Zhuang, Y., Li, Y. & Su, W. Influence of anchoring on burial depth of submarine pipelines. PLoS ONE 11, e0154954 (2016).

PubMed PubMed Central Article CAS Google Scholar

Atwood, T. B., Witt, A., Mayorga, J., Hammill, E. & Sala, E. Global patterns in marine sediment carbon stocks. Front. Mar. Sci. 7, 165 (2020).

Article Google Scholar

Sala, E. et al. Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate. Nature 592, 397402 (2021).

ADS CAS PubMed Article Google Scholar

Read more:
The footprint of ship anchoring on the seafloor | Scientific Reports - Nature.com

Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into work teams and organizations requires strong leadership and a great deal of effort. But the resultimproved performance and emotional well-being among employeesmakes the undertaking worthwhile.

That message was at the heart of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as the Secret to Successful Teams, a panel discussion at the American College of Physicians 2022 Internal Medicine Meeting.

Youre not doing this work because its the latest trendy thing or its a box youve got to check, said Susan Hingle, MD, MACP, associate dean for human and organizational potential at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine. You should be doing it because it will allow members of your team or your organization to reach their full potential. And in order to do that, people need to feel like they belong.

Hingle illustrated the point using results of an employee well-being survey at the medical school. The survey found that factors such as an employees longevity or position at the school made little difference in their feelings about their job or the organization. But those who had experienced some form of bias reported substantially lower levels of well-being and engagement, Hingle said.

Building an inclusive team or organization requires a strong commitment from leadership, Hingle added. Leaders are role models, and the ones who develop policies and priorities, she said. They are the ones who really establish the culture. And culture is the piece that links DEI and emotional well-being.

One of the most important things leaders can do to create successful diverse and inclusive teams, she said, is to build relationships with team members. Leaders who do this [DEI] well focus on getting to know team members, and making them feel valued for who they are and what they can bring to the table, and really calling that out intentionally, she said.

John M. Flack, MD, MACP, professor and chair of the internal medicine department/hypertension at SIU School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of communication in building widespread support for DEI efforts.

People really need to understand why its important to have an inclusive team, because otherwise it can come across like youre just checking off a box or to be politically correct. Theres data to show that that companies in the top quartile of racial and ethnic diversity have higher profits than those who arent.

One of the hardest things in messaging [about DEI] is getting people to understand that its not a zero-sum game, where somebody loses if somebody else wins, he added. He cited the example of a gender-based survey measuring equity in salary and promotions at the school. We found that it [bias] cuts both ways, it wasnt just the usual thing you say where women get the short end of the stick, he said. So men shouldnt be bummed out by a focus on gender equity because at the end of the day it makes things better for everyone.

Tiffany Leung, MD, FACP, assistant professor of health, medicine and life sciences at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and the panels moderator, noted that organizations seeking to build DEI sometimes fail to distinguish between surface level and deeper level diversity.

Diversity on the basis of individual surface characteristics is important, but to get to where you unleash a teams full potential you need that deeper level of diverse values, beliefs and experiences as well, she said.

Another pitfall in building DEI, according to Hingle, is over-reliance on the concept of hiring for fit.

Certainly its important that someone fits because if they feel like they dont fit theyre unlikely to succeed, she said. But using hiring for fit in evaluation tools allows implicit bias to enter into the decision. And while everyone has biases to a certain extent, its important to be aware of them so they dont influence the decision of whether someone is a good fit for your organization.

The emphasis should always be on trying to build environments where people feel they can be their authentic selves, where their lived experiences can inform everything they do, Hingle added. When you create an environment that allows that to be unleashed, thats when youre going to find individuals and teams that thrive.

This article was originally published by sister publication Medical Economics.

Read the original post:
Building a diverse team takes effort, but the rewards are worth it - Contemporary Pediatrics