This week in science: The most tantalizing evidence ever for life on Mars; a samurai-inspired routine for seniors; psychologists analyze what Bluey is teaching kids; and much more!
Deadly Kissing Bug Disease Is on The Rise Across The US, CDC Warns
The CDC warns that the parasitic disease Chagas is spreading in the US. Patients may be unaware of their infection, though it can be deadly.
If Chagas disease is not discovered and treated within a two-month acute phase, the parasite can settle into an infected person's heart and digestive muscles and cause digestive, cardiac, and nervous system damage.
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Life on Mars? NASA's Stunning Discovery Is The Best Evidence Yet
A NASA rover has found the best evidence yet of ancient life on Mars: speckled rocks that may have been formed by biological processes.
"On Earth, things like these sometimes form in sediments where microbes are eating organic matter and 'breathing' rust and sulfate," says astrobiologist Michael Tice of Texas A&M University. "Their presence on Mars raises the question: could similar processes have occurred there?"
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Daily Samurai Routine Could Reduce Risk of Falls in Seniors
A new study found Rei-ho – a routine of mindful sitting, standing, and walking practiced by samurai – may reduce the risk of falls in seniors.
After three months of Rei-ho, the group using the exercises showed an average 25.9 percent increase in knee extension strength, compared to an increase of just 2.5 percent in the control group – a significant difference in a short space of time.
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Psychologists Watched 150 Episodes of Bluey. Here's What They Learned.
Psychologists analyzed 150 episodes of Bluey and found that the characters effectively teach kids about resilience and emotional regulation.
"When parents watch too, those moments become conversation starters. For example, 'What do you think Bluey felt then?', 'Have you ever felt like that?' or 'What would you do in that situation?'," the researchers write.
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Animals Are Evolving Along Two Opposite Paths For One Major Reason
Humans are driving animal evolution down two opposite paths: wild animals are shrinking, while domesticated animals are getting bigger.
Wild mammals and birds – herbivores and carnivores alike – were placed under increased selection pressures that caused them to shrink in body size as well as abundance. Meanwhile, humans favored and therefore bred larger domestic animals for the products they provide.
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World First: Physicists Created a Time Crystal That We Can Actually See
For the first time, physicists have created a 'time crystal' that can be seen in action with the naked eye.
A time crystal is a pattern of particles in a temporal dimension: in other words, time crystals repeat not just in space, but in time as well. These patterns were observed in the sample as an undulating series of colored stripes.
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