On:
In: Sport

Virat Kohli became the first cricketer in the world to cross 100 million followers on Instagram.© Instagram Virat Kohli on Monday became the first Indian to cross 100 million followers on Instagram. The right-handed batsman is also the first cricketer in the world to achieve the landmark and the International Cricket Council (ICC) took to the social media site to welcome Kohli into an elite club that features football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar, among other celebrities. After Kohli, actor Priyanka Chopra is the most followed Indian on Instagram with over 60 million followers. Apart from Instagram, Kohli also has a massive fan-following on other social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. As of now he has 40.8Continue Reading

Why breastfed babies have improved immune development – new findings

On:
In: Health

Our study revealed breastfed babies had twice the number of regulatory T cells. SeventyFour/ Shutterstock Life outside the womb is tough – not least because of the many bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can harm a baby. Not only does a baby’s immune system need to be able to recognise and eliminate pathogens, it also needs to be able to distinguish harmless substances and helpful bacteria important for health – such as those in our gut microbiome, which help break down foods and protect us from pathogens. Breastfeeding is known to be important for a baby’s immune development, and is also linked to numerous long-term health benefits, such as lower rates of obesity, asthma and autoimmune disorders compared toContinue Reading

On:
In: Sport

Fawad Ahmed thanked his fans for the kind messages.© Twitter The Pakistan Super League (PSL) between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators has been rescheduled for Tuesday after spinner Fawad Ahmed returned a positive COVID-19 test. Islamabad United informed that Fawad was put in isolation two days ago as he had shown symptoms while all the other team members have tested negative for coronavirus and have been cleared to play. “One of our players, Fawad Ahmed tested positive for Covid and was immediately put in isolation 2 days ago. All other Islamabad United players and members have tested negative and have been cleared to play. We wish Fawad a speedy recovery,” Islamabad United tweeted. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) match which wasContinue Reading

How COVID-19 has changed the way we give birth

On:
In: Health

LittleDogKorat/Shutterstock COVID-19 has changed how we give birth, where we give birth, and who is present when we give birth. The effects of these changes are yet to be fully understood, and while the experience of childbearing has become more difficult in many ways during the pandemic, there may also be some benefits in the long term. Childbirth is a time when women can feel particularly vulnerable. But they can find comfort in having capable and reassuring figures to provide them with support and motivation, and never more so than when labour takes a long time or is more complicated than usual. Midwives play a key role in this, but often their workload is such that they cannot always offerContinue Reading

Nuclear fusion: building a star on Earth is hard, which is why we need better materials

On:
In: Science

Inside a tokamak fusion reactor. Shutterstock/dani3315 Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun and all other stars. During fusion, the nuclei of two atoms are brought close enough together that they fuse together, releasing huge amounts of energy. Replicating this process on Earth has the potential to deliver almost limitless electricity with virtually zero carbon emissions and greater safety, and without the same level of nuclear waste as fission. But building what is essentially a mini star on Earth and holding it together inside a reactor is not an easy task. It requires immense temperatures and pressures and extremely strong magnetic fields. Right now we don’t quite have materials capable of withstanding these extremes. But researchers like meContinue Reading

Chatbots that resurrect the dead: legal experts weigh in on ‘disturbing’ technology

On:
In: Science

Tatiana Shepeleva/Shutterstock It was recently revealed that in 2017 Microsoft patented a chatbot which, if built, would digitally resurrect the dead. Using AI and machine learning, the proposed chatbot would bring our digital persona back to life for our family and friends to talk to. When pressed on the technology, Microsoft representatives admitted that the chatbot was “disturbing”, and that there were currently no plans to put it into production. Still, it appears that the technical tools and personal data are in place to make digital reincarnations possible. AI chatbots have already passed the “Turing Test”, which means they’ve fooled other humans into thinking they’re human, too. Meanwhile, most people in the modern world now leave behind enough data toContinue Reading

Four COVID-related skin complaints everyone should look out for

On:
In: COVID-19

shutterstock The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, a dry cough, and losing your sense of taste and smell. Other signs that are frequently seen include headaches, muscle and joint pain, nasal congestion, and fatigue. A less common symptom are rashes of various forms. These have been slower to be reported, partly due to the wide variety that have appeared in COVID-19 patients, making it more challenging to establish a consistent correlation. Nevertheless, knowing how COVID-19 affects the skin is important. A recent study found that for 17% of COVID-19 patients with multiple symptoms, skin rashes were the first symptom to appear, while for 21% of patients rashes were their only symptom. Being able to identify the effects ofContinue Reading

How watching TV in lockdown can be good for you – according to science

On:
In: Science

Finally some good news! bbernard/Shutterstock It’s easy to feel guilty when you’re lazing around in front of the TV in your pyjamas, eating ice cream straight out of the tub. But it’s not an unusual activity in lockdown. The extended nature of the pandemic has turned attention to the impact that it is having on our collective mental health. Many mental health organisations have proposed strategies to protect mental health, such as exercising, sleeping well and enjoying nature. This may make us assume that watching TV is ultimately bad for our mental wellbeing. But there is evidence to suggest that watching TV can also be good for us – if we go about it the right way. In many partsContinue Reading