Researchers from the University of Berlin have looked into the seasonality of human sleep.
In 2020, analyzes suggested that early Neanderthals may have hibernated during the winter. Humans of the 21st century may have inherited this characteristic somewhat. The work of German researchers shows that paradoxical sleep is longer in winter. And therefore, that the duration of our nights should undergo variations according to the months. REM sleep follows slow wave sleep and is the last stage of a sleep cycle. The study shows that REM sleep lengthens by thirty minutes during the winter. According to the researchers, we should increase our sleep time during this period. The abandonment of the transition to winter time is no longer relevant. And that’s a good thing because for German scientists the transition to winter time is beneficial for sleep.
The study of the brain of fighter pilots allows us to better understand that of astronauts.
Belgian researchers want to understand the brains of astronauts in weightlessness. Since it’s easier to recruit fighter pilots than astronauts, they gave ten F-16 pilots an MRI scan and compared the results to those of civilians. Researchers from the University of Antwerp found greater connectivity in the parts of the brain that take part in complex cognitive tasks and greater connectivity in the regions of the brain that process information concerning spatial orientation. The Belgian researchers saw differences not only between pilots and civilians, but also between highly experienced pilots and less experienced ones. The connectivity of certain brain regions develops as pilots gain experience. These studies are intended to better understand the brain as humanity contemplates establishing a base on the Moon and long space missions to the planet Mars.
An artificial intelligence that chooses your menu at the restaurant…
A company based in San Francisco offers restaurants to scan you to offer you a menu supposedly adapted to your desires and your needs. It’s more for fast food. You are in front of an order terminal and there a device scans you to determine your height, your age, your gender and even your mood. If several people are in front of the terminal, the system offers offers adapted to groups. Based on this information, the terminal gives you personalized advice. More than 4,500 establishments already use this system, and not just restaurants: casinos and gyms have started. It’s still a funny tool…
To live longer, drink coffee!
Drinking a few cups of coffee a day is linked to a longer lifespan and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In any case, this is confirmed by new work which has just been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. It is the world’s leading journal of preventive cardiology.
What kind of coffee?
Ground, instant, decaffeinated: all have been tested… Coffee consumption would have a beneficial effect on arrhythmia and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The study looked at over 500,000 Britons. Participants completed a questionnaire highlighting the number of cups of coffee they drank each day.
Conclusion : all types of coffee have been associated with reduced deaths from any cause. The greatest risk reduction was seen in the group consuming two to three cups a day. Good breakfast !
