Proxima Andromeda

 Do you prefer dogs or cats? The answer says a lot about you When it comes to pets, are you a dog lover or a cat lover? The answer to this millennial question could reveal interesting aspects of your personality. Several research studies have focused on deciphering the personality traits that distinguish each group. For example, from a demographic perspective, there are notable differences between people who prefer dogs or cats. Dogs or cats? Mikel Delgado, a researcher and animal behaviorist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, conducted a study in 2015 where she analyzed the personality of those who preferred one species or the other. She also took into account people who confessed to having no preference or simply disliked dogs and cats. Under the term "Big 5", Delgado encompassed the personality metrics employed by his research. These are agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, extroversion and neuroticism. In this context, the latter trait is defined as ner...

 Urban rats are getting bigger and bigger Urban rats do not stop growing, they are longer and fatter compared to other rodents. It is a strange phenomenon that defies Bergmann's rule, which postulates that animals grow smaller the higher the temperature of the environment they inhabit. If you go to great lengths to avoid coming face to face with a huge rat, we have bad news. Although most of the time they are out of sight, or we prefer to ignore them, the situation can change. These rodents, ancient companions of urban life, are growing like never before. A group of researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History was surprised to conclude a recent study . They found that these mammals are growing beyond what anyone could have predicted. The scientists analyzed the evolution of 140,000 measurements in more than a hundred mammals in North America over eight decades. Rats getting bigger and bigger. Roughly speaking, they found that urban rats are much longer and fatter than tho...

 Almond milk causes the death of millions of bees For some time now, healthier and more sustainable food alternatives have been in vogue. This is why the consumption of almond milk has intensified. In the United States alone, the habit of consuming almond milk has increased by 250% in the last 5 years. Almond milk is a big business and also an ecological problem. Almond milk contains fewer calories, as well as zinc, iron and fiber, among other minerals. It is very nutritious, easy to digest and is an alternative to traditional cow's milk. It is recommended in different diets and medical treatments. However, behind a business that handles only in the United States 1,200 million dollars a year, hides a great ecological problem. Bees are being affected and thousands of them are dying due to stress in the pollination of almond trees. Bees are very necessary insects for life on our planet and are irreplaceable natural pollinators. However, they are also the most affected as a consequenc...

 Dogs can detect lies according to study Are you one of those who talk to your dog? Almost everyone does. Many people feel that their dogs understand them very well. That they probably sense their emotions. Let me tell you, that's not far from the truth. At least, in one specific respect. Dogs can detect lies. Says who? Science. Perspicacious This experiment was previously practiced also on small children and apes. And the results generated the surprise of the researchers. The canines disobeyed the instructions of a trusted person. But only in one case: when they knew they were being lied to or given incorrect information. The study analyzed the behavior of some 260 dogs of different breeds. The process consisted of two stages. First, they would enter into a trusting relationship with a person. They would find the food hidden in one of the two bowls they had access to, which remained covered. Then it was on to the second stage of the experiment published in The Royal Society . Ano...

 Vaccinated people are less likely to be hospitalized and more likely to survive if hospitalized, study shows Recent preliminary research from India may offer more good news for people who have received covid-19 vaccines, even against the more virulent Delta variant. The study found that fully vaccinated people who ended up hospitalized (itself an uncommon risk among the vaccinated) were less likely to get sick and die than those who were not vaccinated and were in the hospital. However, partially vaccinated persons appeared to have a similar risk of severe illness and death as the unvaccinated once hospitalized. The study is a preprint published last month on the medRxiv website . The researchers looked at the clinical outcomes of more than 1,000 hospitalized patients in the city of Hyderabad, India, documented between April 24 and May 31 of this year. The researchers say that more than 90% of the cases involved the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to genetic sequencing...

 Growing near trees favors intelligence This is an unexpected finding. A group of scientists conducted research with children. They wanted to assess whether the environment favors certain brain development. It turned out that it does. Growing up near trees favors intelligence. 3,568 students from London participated. And the ages were between 9 and 15 years old. Something was discovered in the children who spent more time near forests. They showed better cognitive performance and mental health in adolescence. But, strangely, not all natural environments are equally influential. Grasslands, lakes or rivers do not seem to have the same impact. Other studies "Natural environments favor cognitive development. And so does the mental health of adolescents. Although not all of them equally," the authors write. Some connection between mental state and trees has been detected before. It was in epidemiological studies in children, in the United States and Denmark. They showed a particu...

 Women live longer than men It makes no difference whether it is the United States or Latin America. The average life expectancy of women is higher: 81 years versus 76 years for men. 81 years versus 76 years for men. Why is that? It is clear that women live longer than men. There are two biological causes and one social cause. Says Virginia Zarulli, professor at the University of Southern Denmark. Dangerous testosterone The first has to do with differences in sex hormones. Cisgender women produce more estrogen and less testosterone than men. And estrogen protects against cardiovascular disease. This is supported by a 2017 study. Its published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences, is cited by LiveScience. Having a lot of testosterone implies an increased risk of suffering from a number of diseases. For example, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. The hormone is linked to risky behaviors and higher levels of aggressiveness. It increases the risk of dying at an ear...