10 Incredible Facts About Space That May Surprise You
Space is full of wonders that challenge our understanding of reality and stretch the limits of imagination.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Extreme heat speeds up aging as much as smoking and alcohol consumption, reveals study
Image credits: Getty Images If you think extreme heat only makes you feel exhausted and sweaty, a new study will extremely change your beliefs. It has been known that extreme heat raises the risk of heat stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney diseases and more. Any change in the environment can put pressure on the body and affect its functioning. However, there has been limited research on how environmental stressors influence aging. Now a study published in the journal Science Advances has explored how heat affects biological aging, leading to gradual deterioration of cells and tissues and increasing the risk of age-related diseases. How does rising heat affect the body? Image credits: Getty Images The researchers examined blood samples from over 3,600 older adults across the United States. They measured the participant's biological age using epigenetic clocks that capture DNA modification patterns that change with increasing age. DNA modification or methylation refers to chemical modifications in the DNA that regulate the activeness of genes. Environmental factors can influence this regulation and change how genes function, thus affecting aging and disease risk over time. Results of the research on animal models showed that extreme heat triggered maladaptive epigenetic memory or lasting changes in DNA methylation patterns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch xu hướng AUD/USD? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo A single episode of extreme heat can lead to long-term changes in DNA methylation across different tissue types in mice. In order to analyse the effects of long periods of extreme heat on people, the researchers linked the epigenetic clock data with climate records to assess whether people residing in hot environments showed faster biological aging. Here, the results stated that older adults residing in areas with frequent hot days presented significantly faster epigenetic aging compared to those who lived in cooler areas. This link between biological age and extreme heat remained constant after analysing various individual and community factors such as physical activity levels and socioeconomic status. Participants living in locations with at least 140 extreme heat days annually (classified as heat days exceeding the index of 90 degrees Fahrenheit), experienced up to 14 months of additional aging compared to those who lived in areas with fewer than 10 such days annually. A key note here is that extreme heat can speed up biological aging as much as smoking and heavy alcohol consumption.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
'Gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carries India's spirit to space
'Gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carries India's spirit to space In a truly historic moment for India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). He is now the second Indian ever to go to space, and his achievement has made the entire country proud. While orbiting 400 kilometres above Earth, Captain Shukla had a live video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conversation was full of warmth and emotion and was watched by people all over the country. 'India look bigger than the map' One of the most touching things Captain Shukla said during the chat was: 'When I saw India from space, it looked much bigger than how it appears on the map.' This simple line moved many people. From space, there are no borders or divisions, just one land, one country, one identity. It was a powerful moment showing how far India has come. A New chapter for India PM Modi praised Shukla for making history and said that his journey marks the beginning of a new era for India in space. 'Even your name has 'shubh' (auspicious) in it, and your journey is a 'shubh aarambh' (a good start) to a new age,' the Prime Minister said. He also added with emotion: 'Right now, 140 crore Indians are feeling proud and connected to you. I am not speaking to you just as a Prime Minister, but as a voice for every Indian's pride and hope.' A Dream Come True Captain Shukla, calm and smiling from the ISS, replied: 'I'm safe, healthy, and thankful to be here. This is the start of a new era for India.' He also shared that he never imagined going to space would be possible for him. 'But under your leadership, India has not only learned to dream big but also found the courage to make those dreams come true.' Gajar Ka Halwa Travels to the ISS In the middle of a historic space mission, there was a warm and unexpected surprise aboard the spacecraft: gajar ka halwa, India's famous carrot dessert, along with aamras (mango pulp). Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking with a smile, said: 'I brought gajar ka halwa and aamras with me… it's not just about taste, it's a piece of home and memories.' 'Main gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon… yeh sirf swaad nahi, yeh ghar ki yaadon ka ek hissa hai,' Captain Shukla said in Hindi. This small but heartfelt gesture brought a bit of Indian culture and comfort to space. His fellow astronauts, Peggy Whitson from the US, Sawosz Uznanski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary — got their first taste of Indian hospitality, floating 400 km above Earth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, clearly pleased by the gesture, praised the cultural moment and gently reminded Captain Shukla of the great responsibility he carries, representing India not just in science, but in spirit. (With IANS inputs)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Advanced DNA profiling helped piece together familial links
Ahmedabad: Four of the 241 victims aboard the ill-fated AI 171 flight were a man, his wife, son and daughter. The forensic experts first relied on the man's paternal uncle to get a sample for the Y-STR (short tandem repeat) test. The relationship, however, did not prove helpful in establishing an identity beyond doubt. So, the experts again reached out to the family to request a sample of the deceased man's mother and performed the X-STR test. "The strategy worked. Through careful kinship analysis using advanced DNA profiling, the team successfully established the man's identity, which proved to be key in identifying three other members of the family," said H P Sanghvi, director of the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS). The identity of the last unidentified passenger aboard AI 171 was also confirmed on Friday. A team of 40 forensic scientists from the DFS and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) worked tirelessly to establish the identities of 254 of 260 crash victims based on DNA matches, a mammoth task that posed unique challenges. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad Dr Malay Shukla, coordinator at Centre of Excellence (CoE) in DNA Forensics, said that one of the cases involved three members of a family — a man, his wife and daughter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch xu hướng AUD/USD? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "In this case, we got the reference DNA from the couple's other daughter. Autosomal (non-sex chromosome) markers were used to narrow down the connection between the victims and the donor. To verify that all four were related to each other, X-STRs were used. With the use of both X-STR and autosomal STR, we could establish the identities," said Prof Shukla. Dr Bhargav Patel, head of the CoE in DNA Forensics at NFSU, said that they have matched the DNA samples of the victims with nephews, cousins, grandparents and maternal or paternal uncles. "In conventional matches, we generally rely on either X-STR, Y-STR or autosomal STR test to establish identities. But in the cases associated with the crash, more than one test was employed in several cases. In some of the cases, even mitochondrial DNA matches were used. While nuclear DNA (with X and Y chromosomes) is inherited from both parents, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited maternally," he said. The X-STR markers are inherited from mother to daughter and son, and from father to daughter, but not from father to son. Likewise, mtDNA is inherited maternally and can be matched with the maternal line. In one of the better-known cases from the airplane crash, the identification of former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani was carried out using the Y-STR from his nephew on the patrilineal branch. Earlier, his sister and son had provided the samples for the match. Experts said that ensure the quality of DNA samples, they relied primarily on teeth. Their second choice was bones such as the mandible (jaw) and clavicle (collarbone) that sustained severe temperatures. Several of the samples were in highly deteriorated condition, the team managed to match all samples, according to the experts.
