About Arun Kumar N

Arun has been associated with India International Times since 2018 and he has been a key reporter in covering science and space related stories. He can be reached at arunKnn@indiainternationaltimes.com.

Over 25 Lakh Officials Deployed For Assembly Polls in 5 States

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

In what is being described as one of the largest coordinated electoral deployments this decade, the Election Commission of India has mobilised over 25 lakh staff to superintend future Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

On March 15, the poll schedule was announced and it will include more than 17.4 crore eligible voters in the five States and the Union Territory, and by-elections in six other states. The magnitude of the deployment is about one election official in every 70 voters, which confirms the administrative nature of the exercise.

According to chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the wide presence is designed to make the elections violence-free and inducement-free and officials are instructed to remain completely impartial during the process.

It has close to 15 lakh polling staff and approximately 8.5 lakh security staff with 40,000 counting staff. Moreover, the Commission has sent approximately 49, 000 micro observers, 21, 000 sector officers and 15, 000 people specifically to monitor counting procedures.

On the ground level, there are more than 2.18 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who are the main contact with the voters. The Commission has also facilitated voter services by providing helplines and online services (ECINet application) to enable citizens file complaints or seek information online by the district/ returning officers.

In order to enhance the control, 1,111 central observers have been assigned to 832 Assembly constituencies. This set will consist of the general, the police and expenditure observers, who will be the field representatives of the Commission in keeping a check on the observance of the electoral norms. Majority of them are already in their respective constituencies.

These observers will be in close contact with the candidates, the political parties and the electorate and will provide a formal avenue of dealing with the grievances so that it can be addressed during the election period.

All the staff that will be deployed to do the election duties will work on behalf of the Commission as stipulated in the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which in effect means that they will be subordinated to temporary deputation so that the same accountability can be maintained everywhere.

This mass mobilisation follows an increased concentration on securing clean electoral procedures and the Commission reaffirms its effort of restricting inducements and a level playing field.

As the various stages of polling will be involved in many states that are politically important, the administrative and logistic component implemented will be the determinant in the smooth running of the elections.

Also Read:

What are PM MITRA Parks and where are they set up?

Weekender: Inside India’s Global Capability Centre Boom

Keel Laid Two Next-Gen Offshore Patrol Vessels To Expand Coast Guard Fleet

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

On Tuesday the Indian Coast Guard completed a milestone in its expansion program in fleet with the keel laying of two new generation offshore patrol vessels at a shipyard in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

The Yard 16402 and Yard 16403 ceremony, which is the second and third ships in a series of six, took place at a plant run by the partner yard of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, as part of an indigenous shipbuilding project under the push of the Indian government to be self-reliant in defence production.

The ships are designed under the government procurement route of Buy (Indian-IDDM), where the government procurement focus is on the local design, development and production. In December 2023, the contract of all six ships was signed.

The new offshore patrol vessels are strategized to have a long sea range as authorities claim that they can operate in the sea up to a distance of 5,000 nautical miles and at maximum speed of 23 knots. The length of every ship will be about 117 metres and will have 11 officers and 110 personnel.

AI-Based Predictive Maintenance

The sites will be prepared with modernized systems such as AI-based predictive maintenance, remotely operated drones, an Integrated Bridge System and an Integrated Platform Management System – systems that will promote efficiency at work and minimize downtimes.

Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, Deputy Director General (Materials and Maintenance), conducted the keel laying, an important occasion in the life of a ship that formally started the building of a vessel, in the company of top officials of the Coast Guard and the shipyard.

It is hoped that as the new vessels will be induced, the Coast Guard will be made more capable of carrying out surveillance, search and rescue, and law enforcement operations within the vast maritime areas of India. It is also introduced at the time of growing focus on coastal security and protection of maritime interests.

According to the officials, the project is part of continuing to modernise the fleet of the Coast Guard and assist in developing domestic shipbuilding capacities as part of the government initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

DNA Gaps: Why Most Neanderthal Men Preferred to Sleep With Modern Female Humans?

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The latest genetic study indicates that initial interactions between Neanderthals and modern humans were uneven, with some indication that most of the Neanderthals were men who slept with female modern humans, which could be the reason behind long term gaps in human DNA.

The experiment conducted by researcher, Alexander Platt and other researchers, investigates the distribution of Neanderthal genetic material in current human beings. Although the majority of those not in Africa have some traces of Neanderthal ancestry, these have been distributed unevenly throughout the human genome.

A particularly interesting characteristic is the existence of so-called Neanderthal deserts – large areas of the DNA, in which the genetic material of Neanderthals is virtually nonexistent. These deletions are more pronounced in the X chromosome and this poses a question on how the ancient interbreeding process occurred.

There has been long speculation among scientists as to whether these deletions were due to natural selection (whereby the deleterious Neanderthal genes are becoming more and more extinct) or that the interbreeding itself is the cause.

The researchers reversed the question to investigate. They did not simply study the Neanderthal DNA of the contemporary human beings, but rather the remnants of the early modern human DNA in the Neanderthal genomes. The comparison of these with genetic data of the sub-Saharan African populations, most of which do not have Neanderthal ancestry, helped the team recreate ancient gene flow patterns between the two groups.

Great Imbalances in DNA

Their results showed a great imbalance: the proportion of the modern human DNA in the Neanderthal X chromosomes was much higher than anticipated- approximately 62 percent higher. Researchers believe that such an asymmetry can best be attributed to the possibility that the vast majority of the interbreeding took place between male Neanderthals and female modern humans.

This would limit the survival of Neanderthal X-linked DNA into the subsequent generations of human population because males can only transmit their X chromosome to the females. This would over time lead to the low concentration of Neanderthal genetic material on the human X chromosome today.

The paper also indicates that social or behavioural influences, including mate preferences, could have contributed to the development of such patterns, but demographic influence, such as the variation in number or migration cannot be disqualified.

Natural Selection Behind Imbalance?

Moreover, this imbalance was probably supported by natural selection. Dangerous or incompatible genes of Neanderthals especially those associated with significant biological functions might have been gradually eliminated in human gene pool across generations.

The results provide a new understanding of the complicated relationships between the early human groups and the ones closest to their evolutionary lineage not only regarding genetic inheritance but also on social process that might have influenced the evolution of humans.

Using the combination of genomic evidence and evolutionary modelling, researchers indicate that the study is leading scientists nearer to the realization of how ancient interbreeding events still impact the genetic landscape of modern humans.

Also Read:

Neanderthal gene in modern women helps give birth to more children, says study

Research establishes traces of Neandertal DNA present in genome of modern humans

Organ Donations After Cardiac Death Soar in US, Expand Transplant Lifeline

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

One of the significant changes in the way people approach organ donation in the United States is the growing availability of transplantation organs, with almost half of all donors being patients whose heart has gone dead, according to latest studies.

According to the study by scientists at NYU Langone Health, it has been established that donation after circulatory death (DCD) has increased significantly in the last 25 years – marking an increase of 2 percent of all donors in 2000 to 49 percent in 2025. According to the findings published in Journal of the American Medicine, the development of medical technology is transforming transplant medicine.

The growth has been realized when demand is acute. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 100,000 individuals are already on transplant waiting lists in the U.S., and this fact requires finding new sources of viable organs.

Conventionally, organs donated have been infected out of patients who have been declared brain dead, those organs keep being oxygenated with the heart still beating. Conversely, DCD deals with patients who are not yet dead, but are on life support. In case life-sustaining treatment is withdrawn and the patient dies in a given period, then organs can be removed to be transplanted, though it must be otherwise previously agreed.

Drawbacks Overcome With Tech

In past, organs transplanted by such sources were less viable because of a short period of lack of oxygen following the cessation of the heart. Nevertheless, these drawbacks have been overcome with the recent technology advances.

Improved organ preservation has been achieved using techniques like normothermic regional perfusion in which blood flow to organs is resumed following cardiac death and machine perfusion systems in which oxygenated fluids are delivered extravascularly. These inventions have made innovations through which the surgeons can safely utilize organs that were not considered to be perfect.

According to researchers, this has expanded the pool of donors. The researchers discovered that current DCD donors are older individuals with higher probabilities of underlying diseases like diabetes or hypertension as compared to previous generation, which is more inclusive in the selection of the donor.

Syed Ali Husain, the lead author, indicated that the increase in circulatory-death donations is already producing a tangible impact, and thousands of patients were already getting transplants who otherwise would not have been able to survive the wait.

Regional Disparity Persists

The national data on transplants also indicated that there were disparities in the connections of the regions. DCD donors contributed up to 73 per cent of all donations in certain regions of the country and only 11 per cent in other regions indicating a lack of balance in the practice.

The researchers working on the study underlined the importance of developing uniform national standards and ongoing involvement of the population to protect the ethics and preserve a trusting attitude towards the process of donating.

Researchers believe that more papers are required to understand long-term outcomes and enhance protocols as the DCD is becoming more popular. Further research will aim to enhance the process of donor identification and understand the performance of organs of donors who died of a circulatory death as opposed to the performance of organs of those who died of a traditional brain-death.

The results represent an important development in the field of transplant medicine – one that may aid in reducing the disparity between supply and demand of organs, and also pose new challenges to clinical practice, ethics and popular opinion.

Also Read:

New Chip Helps Diagnose Heart Attacks Based on Blood Test in Minutes

Heart attack prevention lags for people with stroke, peripheral artery disease: Study

Bull Sharks Form Social Bonds, Finds Study; Changes age-Old Perception of Predators

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A recently published long-term study has been carried out in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji which has discovered that bull sharks have stable social connections, that they show preferences towards particular companions instead of associating with anyone randomly, which supports the old view of sharks as highly individualistic creatures.

The study conducted by the scientists at the University of Exeter, Lancaster University, Fiji Shark Lab and Beqa Adventure Divers monitored the behaviour of 184 bull sharks during six years. The analysis of people at three stages of life has been made sub-adults, adults and older, post-reproductive sharks, which provides one of the most comprehensive insights to date on shark social structure.

The researchers claim that the sharks showed what they refer to as active social preferences and the sharks often associate with specific individuals and shun certain individuals. These relationships were assessed using proximity of sharks which swam within one body length of one another and more complex relationships like parallel swimming and the pattern of the leader-follower movements.

According to lead researcher Natasha D. Marosi, the results indicate that there are similarities between the results and social behaviour in humans and other animals whereby people do not interact randomly but instead have a range of relationships.

In the study, the adult sharks constituted the center of these social networks and the most common and close interaction were among the sharks of the same size. Conversely, younger sub-adults and older sharks were not as socially bound meaning that there might be differences in social activity among life stages.

Males Prefer Larger Number of Social Contacts

It was also found by the researchers that both male and female sharks preferred associating with females. Nevertheless, males were determined to have a larger number of social contacts in general. The study hypothesizes one possible reason, which is that larger male sharks can reduce the threats of aggression by other large sharks through heightened social integration.

Professor Darren Croft of the University of Exeter stated that the research evidence suggests the degree of behavioural sophistication which is not normally associated with sharks, indicating that sociality can confer benefits such as foraging success, learning and mating opportunities and avoiding conflict.

The Shark Reef Marine Reserve, which is an enclosed zone where sharks flock throughout the year allowed tracking the same species over a period of time. This consistency enabled scholars to examine how social associations were changed with the passage of time as the sharks grew old.

The paper also emphasized the fact that younger sharks are more likely to be found in other habitats including nearshore, rivers and estuaries where evading predators, including adult bull sharks is their main survival strategy. Few sub-adults were seen coming into the reserve with some seemingly being able to establish relationships with older sharks, which could have helped them integrate and learn.

In the old sharks, however, the researcher found them to be less active socially, which they theorize might indicate a certain level of experience in hunting and survival, and therefore, experience no necessity of social interaction.

Researchers say that the findings may be used in conservation efforts. The improved knowledge of shark socialization can be used to inform the management policy, especially in the protection zones where human activity and ecotourism overlap with the marine ecosystems.

Fiji Shark Lab is currently collaborating with Fiji Ministry of Fisheries to integrate the behavioural perspectives of the study into the conservation process since scientists keep on trying to understand the social lifestyle of shark species, which have been severely misinterpreted over a long period of time.

Poor smoke does not equal poor risk: All solid fuels identified to produce ultrafine particles

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

University of Galway-led research has discovered that when low smoke manufactured fuels are burnt, they emit minute ultrafine particles which may be even more detrimental to human health.

The Ryan Institute at the University conducted several controlled burn experiments with peat, wood, “low-smoke” manufactured products, such as “low-smoke” coal – since 2022, banned in domestic stoves – and several domestic heating fuels to figure out precisely what various domestic fuels emit to the air.

The scientists quantified the smoke with sophisticated equipment that relies on monitoring the number of particles that are generated, their size, and their composition.

The team also took real-life measurements of air in Dublin and Birr, Co Offaly over a period of several years and thus they were able to compare lab results and what people actually breath in during periods of winter pollution.

With the help of these measurements and known statistical fingerprinting methods and proven lung-deposition models, the researchers were able to determine the most harmful contribution of fumes by different fuels and how deep these particles may enter the respiratory system.

The findings – the ones witnessed in a low smoke zone in Ireland and applicable in the rest of Europe and with immense implications on the regions that are in an extremely rapid transition like those in China and India – indicate that the EU, international and national regulatory frameworks must react quicker to the accumulating body of scientific evidence.

This study was published in Nature Geosciences.

This was a research conducted by the Centre of Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, in conjunction with Irish, Chinese, Australian and USA partners.

Director of the Centre of Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Professor Jurgita Ovadnevaite at the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, stated: “In an attempt to reduce the amount of particulate mass, our research indicates that emissions of the smallest particles have been inadvertently increased and this could be even more detrimental to the human condition than the larger ones. These ultrafine particles of the low smoke fuels get to the deepest point of the lungs, then to the cardiovascular system and it even gets to the brain.

On this basis, we highlight why we should abandon residential solid fuel burning as one of the broader societal goals to decarbonise the economy by 2050.

The research also reveals that there is a serious necessity to revise EU and International air quality standards and cover ultrafine particles in the list of pollutants so that the mass concentration may be managed without an increase in the number of ultrafine particles.

In the study, it is shown that the substitution of smoky fuels with the low-smoke counterparts doubles and even triples the amount of ultrafines emissions.

Taking into account the fact that the smaller ultrafine particles are capable of penetrating more deeply into the lungs and settling there, the newly recorded trend can offset some of the benefits of the reduction in smoke emission. Rather than decreasing the total exposure of the human being to ultrafine particles by decreasing the total mass of the particulate matter (PM), it leads to a subsequent increase in the number of ultrafine particles and, possibly, health effects.

Air pollution/Photo:en.wikipedia.org

Literature indicates that the concentrations of the number of particles in the air are greatly (ten times) underrated in the existing air quality models.
Air pollution causes a number of several million premature deaths every year around the world. One of the greatest factors contributing to this frightening statistic is exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5; less than 2.5 um in diameter). PM2.5 pollution is associated with over 1,700 premature deaths per year even in Ireland, which is commonly viewed to have clean air. Ultrafine particles (smaller than 100 nm in diameter), in comparison to PM2.5, cause more severe pulmonary inflammation and long-term lung retention because of their potential to penetrate deep to the respiratory tract even through the bloodbrain barrier. They become more toxic with diminishing size, greater specific surface area, constituents that are bound on the surface and their intrinsic physical characteristics.

Although the health impact of ultrafine particles continues to be identified as a health issue in the European policy, with the recent amendment of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (EU 2024/2881), the first time that includes the obligatory monitoring of ultrafine particles in the Member States. This research contributes to the literature that the directive should extend further and establish binding regulatory limit values of ultrafine particles.

The Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, University of Galway, offers evidence to policymakers in the country and EU, aiding in the formulation of air-quality standards, emission-reduction policies and planning of climate actions. Its effort is the foundation of the ability of Ireland to comply with new regulatory standards, such as the new EU regulations on the ultrafine particle monitoring.

The Oil Shock Lesson: Why Energy Diversification Is Back On The Global Agenda

India’s Silver Economy Emerges as ₹73,000 Crore Opportunity as Senior Citizens Double by 2050

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

India’s “silver economy”, the ecosystem of goods and services catering to the elderly, is rapidly transitioning from a niche social welfare concern into a formidable economic driver, currently valued at approximately ₹73,000 crore ($8.8 billion) and poised for explosive growth in the coming decades.

With the country’s senior population projected to surge from 153 million in 2020 to 347 million by 2050—more than doubling in three decades—the sector is expected to expand at an annual rate of 20 percent, potentially reaching $50 billion by 2030, according to government and industry data .

This demographic shift, which will see the elderly share of India’s population climb from 11 percent to 21 percent by mid-century, is reshaping everything from housing and healthcare to financial services and technology adoption. The old-age dependency ratio is forecast to move from 16 percent in 2020 to 34 percent by 2050, fundamentally altering family structures and caregiving dynamics across the nation .

Senior Living Market Gains Momentum

The most visible manifestation of this transition is the booming senior living housing market, which is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 17.4 percent. Industry research indicates the sector was valued at $3.55 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $14.14 billion by 2031, registering a remarkable CAGR of 25.92 percent during the forecast period .

Major players including Ashiana Housing, Antara Senior Care, and Columbia Pacific Communities are aggressively developing age-friendly “lifestyle” projects, expanding beyond traditional southern strongholds into northern and western metropolitan regions. This geographic diversification is being encouraged by state-level incentives that reduce transaction costs for older buyers.

Independent living currently dominates the market with a 64.50 percent share, where residents purchase or rent units resembling standard apartments but benefit from emergency call systems, housekeeping, and recreational programs. Assisted living, though smaller, carries a 27.35 percent CAGR, with developers now creating “continuum-of-care” campuses where independent, assisted, and memory-care wings sit side by side—allowing residents to shift care levels without leaving familiar surroundings .

However, adoption faces cultural headwinds. The Longitudinal Ageing Study of India reports that 26.7 percent of urban elders now live alone, yet the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 reinforces expectations of at-home care. Current penetration of senior living communities stands at merely 1 percent, compared to 11 percent in the United Kingdom, suggesting vast headroom for growth despite lingering stigma .

Healthcare Transformation and Government Initiatives

The healthcare dimension of the silver economy is equally transformative. With over 75 percent of Indian seniors living with chronic diseases, demand for home-based medical services, telemedicine, wearable health trackers, and remote monitoring is rising sharply. The Ayush sector—Ayurveda and Yoga—is seeing increased demand for preventive care among health-conscious older adults .

The Union government has responded with significant policy interventions. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the SAGE Portal, supporting startups developing elderly-care products with equity funding up to ₹1 crore, and the SACRED Portal, a digital platform helping citizens over 60 find re-employment opportunities .

Most significantly, the Union Cabinet recently approved expanding Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to provide free health coverage of ₹5 lakh per year for all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income. This groundbreaking move aims to benefit approximately 4.5 crore families containing six crore senior citizens .

“The eligible senior citizens will be issued a new distinct card under AB PM-JAY,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced. Senior citizens aged 70 and above belonging to families already covered under the scheme will receive an additional top-up cover of up to ₹5 lakh per year exclusively for themselves, which they need not share with other family members below 70 .

President Droupadi Murmu, addressing a joint sitting of Parliament in January, highlighted that during the past year-and-a-half, Vay Vandana cards have been issued to approximately one crore senior citizens, with nearly eight lakh receiving free treatment as hospital in-patients .

Budget 2026: Building Care Infrastructure

The Union Budget 2026-27 has doubled down on elderly care infrastructure, announcing that approximately one lakh allied health professionals will be added across ten disciplines—including optometry, radiology, anaesthesia, and applied psychology—over the next five years. The Union Health Ministry has been allocated ₹1,000 crore for the Scheme for Allied Health Care Professionals for the first time .

Additionally, a focused programme will train 1.5 lakh geriatric caregivers, addressing the rapidly rising long-term care needs of India’s elderly population. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that programmes aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) will be developed to train multi-skilled caregivers combining core care skills with wellness, yoga, and operation of medical devices .

“A strong care ecosystem, covering geriatric and allied care services will be built,” Sitharaman said while presenting the Budget. “In the coming year, 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained” .

This workforce expansion addresses critical shortages. According to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s National Health Workforce Accounts, India currently has about 12–13 lakh allied health professionals, while workforce assessments suggest the country requires at least 25–30 lakh to meet current and projected demand—implying a shortfall of over 10 lakh workers .

Financial Framework and Challenges

On the financial front, the Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme remains a primary tool for steady returns, while Atal Pension Yojana enrolments have reached over 8.27 crore by late 2025. Budget 2026 discussions have proposed increasing the standard deduction to ₹90,000 from ₹75,000 to ease the tax burden on retirees, alongside a ₹10,000 crore Biopharma Shakti initiative to boost domestic medicine manufacturing, aiming for long-term affordability of chronic disease drugs .

Yet significant challenges persist. India produces fewer than 80 geriatricians annually, creating a critical workforce gap. Limited digital literacy hinders many seniors from accessing online health and financial services, while accessible public transport and “barrier-free” urban design remain underdeveloped outside major urban centers .

Writing in The Times of India, public health professional Pratima Kishore and geriatrician Dr. Abhishek Shukla noted: “District hospitals should have dedicated geriatric outpatient services. Primary health centres must be equipped to manage chronic disease follow-ups and frailty screening. Referral systems should be streamlined so that older adults are not left navigating fragmented services” .

They emphasized that “a significant proportion of elderly health needs do not require hospitalisation. They require assistance with mobility, medication management, nutrition, physiotherapy and basic daily activities. Without formal systems, this responsibility continues to fall on families, particularly women, who shoulder a disproportionate burden of unpaid caregiving” .

Market Outlook

Industry analysts project that meeting anticipated demand will require roughly 2.4 million new units designed for older residents by 2030 . Competition is shifting from small local operators to integrated real-estate and healthcare alliances that bundle preventive care, telemedicine, and social engagement services.

Technology adoption, particularly wearables that transmit blood pressure and glucose readings, is improving risk management and reducing liability insurance premiums for operators. Partnerships with tertiary hospitals provide visiting specialists, while tele-diagnostics reduce response time during medical events .

The Elderline national toll-free helpline (14567) continues to provide information, guidance, and emotional support to seniors across the country, complementing the growing ecosystem of formal elderly care services .

As India ages while still strengthening its public health and social protection systems—unlike many high-income countries that aged after becoming wealthy—the window for strategic intervention remains open. How the nation responds to its demographic transition will shape not only health outcomes but economic stability, gender equity, and family resilience in the decades ahead.

Newer ground water is linked with increased risk of Parkinson disease

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

A new study has established that individuals whose drinking water was supplied by newer groundwater were at a greater risk of getting Parkinson disease as compared to those individuals whose drinking water was supplied by older ground water.

The study does not prove that newer groundwater causes Parkinson’s; it only shows an association.
Older groundwater would usually have less contaminants since it is mostly deeper and well covered.
It was discovered by the researchers that drinking water that was derived in carbonate aquifers was related to the 24 percent greater risk of Parkinson disease as compared to other varieties of aquifers.
It was also linked to increased 62 percent risks than when one uses water in glacial aquifers.
It has also been reported that newer ground water, less than 75 years, in carbonate systems was linked to increased risk of Parkinson by 11 per cent than older than 12,000 years of ice age ground water.

People whose drinking water was supplied by more recent groundwater were at a greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those whose drinking water was served by older groundwater as per a preliminary study published March 2, 2026, and will be presented at the 78th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology to be held April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online. The research does not demonstrate that newer groundwater is a cause of Parkinson disease but just indicates that there is a correlation.

The paper examined the age of ground water. It also examined aquifers which were the sources where groundwater was extracted. An aquifer refers to a layer of porous rock, sand or silt in the ground that contain and moves the ground water.

This study was carried out by a study author who at the time of conducting the research was a member of the American Academy of Neurology in Phoenix, Arizona, a researcher named Brittany Krzyzanowski, PhD at the Atria Research Institute in New York City, and is considered to have conducted the research in one way or the other as she was studying our exposure to modern pollution through drinking water. More pollutants have been exposed to newer groundwater, which is formed by precipitation that has fallen during the last 70 to 75 years. The aged groundwater tends to have fewer contaminants due to the fact that most of them tend to be deep and have a better protection against surface contaminants. Our research established that the groundwater age and groundwater location is a possible environmental risk factor of Parkinson disease.

The researchers used 12,370 individuals with Parkinson’s disease and over 1.2 million individuals without the disease to derive the results after matching the individuals based on variables such as age, sex and race and ethnicity. All the participants were within 3 miles of 1,279 groundwater sampling locations in 21 large aquifers in the U.S.

The researchers sought to examine age of groundwater, type and source of drinking water (either municipal groundwater systems or personal wells) to be used as a possible indicator of exposure to neurotoxic contaminants.

The most common aquifer in the United States is carbonate aquifers which are mainly composed of limestone and the water is trapped in the fissures and cracks. They are usually quite vulnerable to the contamination of the surface water by groundwater flowing through fractures very fast.

The composition of glacial aquifers is made up of sand and gravel containing water in the cracks and they are formed when the glaciers had moved forward and back over 12, 000 years ago. Such aquifers are more likely to facilitate a more diffuse flow and natural filtration.

Carbonate aquifers are prevalent in U.S. in portions of Midwest, South and Florida whereas glacial aquifers are prevalent in Upper Midwest and Northeast.

Of all individuals with Parkinson 3,463 received their drinking water as a product of carbonate aquifers, 515 received it as a product of glacial aquifers and 8,392 received it as a product of other aquifers. Of non-Parkinson 300 264 obtained their drinking water through carbonate aquifers, 62 917 glacial aquifers, and 860 993 other aquifers.

It was found that when factors like age, sex, income, and air pollution were taken into consideration, individuals that received their drinking water in municipal ground water system or in private wells that worked off carbonate aquifers were at a greater risk of developing Parkinson disease by 24% compared to everyone who received their drinking water in all other aquifers. Their risk was also 62 times and compared to individuals who had glacial water aquifers.

The safety of older groundwater was discovered under the condition when water was obtained in carbonate aquifers. The risk of Parkinson disease decreased by about 6.5 per one-standard-deviation of groundwater age. It was also discovered that newer ground water (less than 75 years old) of carbonate systems had 11% more likelihood of causing Parkinson disease than ground water older than 12,000 years old of ice age.

Carbonate systems

Krzyzanowski postulated that the data on the apparent protective effect of older groundwater is observed predominantly in carbonate systems due to their ability to present a more distinct contrast between newer and older water. Newly recharged groundwater in such aquifers is more susceptible to surface contamination, whereas older groundwater can also be cleaner in case it is segregated by a confining layer.

According to Krzyzanowski, on the contrary, groundwater flow in glacial aquifers is slower, and contaminants are filtered in their natural course by groundwater as it flows through the ground. Consequently, the amount of contamination between new and old groundwater in these aquifers might not vary greatly and thus might be difficult to detect.

Krzyzanowski observed that the origin of the drinking water of individuals can typically be determined through the local water utility or, in the case of a personal well, through state or county groundwater sources.

According to Krzyzanowski, this study emphasized the fact that the origin of our water, groundwater age, and the nature of water source, may influence the long-term neurological health. Although further studies are required, the integration of knowledge on groundwater and brain health can be beneficial to enable communities to evaluate and mitigate environmental risks.

One of the weaknesses of the study was that, it assumed that all people within a 3-mile area around a point of sampling had the same aquifer characteristics and age of the groundwater at the point of sampling.

Also Read:

World enters era of ‘global water bankruptcy’

WORLD WATER DAY: The ‘cold hard truth’

Market Failure? Samsung to Pull Plug on Galaxy Z TriFold After 3 Months of Launch

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Samsung may end Galaxy Z TriFold sales within months due to high costs and limited production
Strong demand was driven largely by scarcity rather than mass-market adoption
Device likely served as a proof-of-concept for future foldable innovations
Samsung expected to focus on mainstream foldables while refining next-gen designs

Samsung is preparing to discontinue sales of its ambitious Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone just months after its debut, according to fresh reports emerging from South Korea, raising questions about the commercial viability of next-generation foldable designs.

The premium device, priced at roughly $2,899, was launched initially in Samsung’s home market late last year before expanding to the United States and select regions earlier in 2026. Touted as a breakthrough in mobile hardware, the TriFold introduced a three-panel folding mechanism aimed at blending smartphone portability with tablet-scale usability.

However, industry reports now suggest that Samsung is planning to wind down sales in South Korea after one final round of inventory restocking. In the United States and other markets, availability is expected to continue only until existing production units are exhausted.

According to Korean media reports cited by SamMobile, initial batches were capped at around 3,000 units each, with only a couple of such releases in early phases. Broader industry estimates from Digitimes and Gadgets 360 suggest total production may have been in the range of 20,000 to 30,000 units globally, with some projections stretching to 40,000 units at most over the product’s lifecycle. By comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series has historically shipped over 2–3 million units annually, underscoring how marginal the TriFold’s scale was.

Sell Outs or Scarcity of Devices?

The much-publicised “sell-outs” were therefore a reflection of scarcity rather than widespread demand. TechBusinessNews reported that each batch sold out within minutes, but with supply running into only a few thousand units, the absolute number of buyers remained extremely small. In some markets, distribution was even narrower, and in regions like the UAE, it reportedly received as few as 500 units in early allocations.

Pricing further constrained adoption. The TriFold launched at approximately $2,899 in the United States, with global pricing ranging between $2,400 and $2,900, making it the most expensive smartphone in Samsung’s portfolio. At that level, the device sits far above even premium foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold lineup, effectively limiting its audience to early adopters and collectors rather than mainstream consumers.

Cost structures added to the challenge. Reports indicate that Samsung was making little to no profit per unit, largely due to the complex tri-fold hinge system and multi-display manufacturing process. Without scale efficiencies, the bill of materials remained high, leaving margins thin or negative. This is compounded by supply chain pressures, Gadgets 360 and TrendForce flagged ongoing RAM and storage component shortages, which further increased costs and constrained output.

From a business perspective, the device’s contribution was negligible. Digitimes analysts noted that the TriFold would account for only a “marginal” share of Samsung’s mobile revenue, while TrendForce estimates Samsung is targeting around 7 million foldable shipments in 2026 overall. Even at an optimistic 30,000 units, the TriFold would represent well under 1% of total foldable shipments, reinforcing its limited strategic weight.

Samsung is now expected to double down on its core foldable lineup, including the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series, which have shown more consistent demand globally. At the same time, the company is likely to continue investing in advanced form factors behind the scenes, with industry watchers anticipating refined multi-fold or rollable prototypes in the coming years.

What makes lithium-ion batteries fail? Microscopic metal thorns give leads to scientists

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

This is the first time that scientists have observed the growth of tiny metal thorns known as dendrites grow within lithium-ion batteries thus making the batteries short-circuit. Their results published Mar. 12 in the journal Science illuminate the hitherto unrecognized mechanical aspects of the lithium dendrites during their development.

Lithium dendrites have been the subject of study of scientists since a long time, yet their behavior within batteries has not been well understood. Dendrites are developed at the nanoscale; development is difficult to monitor in a closed system such as a working battery, but has been associated with battery degradation and failure.

The new work, an international alliance of scholars at the U.S. and Singapore universities, simulated and experimented and came up with the first view on how dendrites crystalize, according to co-lead author Xing Liu, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology and head of the NJIT Computational Mechanics and Physics Lab.

He says that it is a result of a close collaboration between experimental and computational mechanics and possibly could be used to make batteries safer.

Co-author Qing Ai, a former research scientist at Rice University, says: “The basic nanomechanical behavior of lithium dendrites has been a riddle of decades.”

Customized platforms
Lithium dendrites (named after the Latin word for branch) are about 100 times narrower than the thickness of a human hair and they are spouting out of anodes, which are negative terminals in lithium-ion batteries. The branches of dendrites may extend into an electrolyte in a lithium cell; in case the dendrites run to the negatively charged anode, and extend to the positively charged cathode, they may short out the battery.

Lithium dendrites are commonly known to be one of the largest impediments to commercialization of lithium-metal batteries, Liu says. Under battery operation, it is possible to have lithium dendrites form, break and be electrically isolated to the lithium metal anode to form so-called dead lithium. This is what causes a progressive depletion of battery capacity with time. Moreover, the dendrites may tunnel through the separator, and form an internal short between the anode and cathode. Capacity loss and short-circuit dendrite risks tend to be common in laboratory experiments.

Better still, lithium dendrites become almost impossible to eliminate in a battery once they develop.

At this point in time, says Liu, “there is no empirical way to cleanse dendrites of a working battery cell.”

In the new study, scientists at the Rice University together with their counterparts in Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Houston and the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore extracted dendrites of working batteries to see whether they were mechanically strong or not.

“In order to make the quantitative study of lithium dendrites possible, we constructed specialized sample preparation and mechanical characterization stations of such delicate work,” says Boyu Zhang, a Rice doctoral graduate and a co-lead author on the work.

Rice Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and Nanoengineering co-corresponding author Jun Lou headed a team at the Nanomaterials, Nanomechanics and Nanodevices lab in performing a direct probe into the mechanical behavior of dendrites as they grew in real batteries. The extremely delicate experiments were done by Ai and Zhang, former members of the lab of Lou with the help of study co-corresponding author Hua Guo and co-author Wenhua Guo of the Rice University Shared Equipment Authority.

In order to execute the experiments, they made air-tight platforms to prepare and study the samples since lithium is a highly reactive element that changes chemically and structurally due to the amount of air it is exposed to. The nature of the deformation of individual dendrites to controlled stresses was then exposed using high-resolution electron microscopy.

‘Like dry spaghetti’

Lithium bulk is soft and cushy; the dendrites of lithium, consequently, were supposed to be soft as well. The experiments however indicated otherwise. This observation of the failure of dendrites in real-time under the operation of a battery through the University of Houston team under the leadership of one of the co-corresponding authors Yan Yao, a professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, supported the idea that dendrites are brittle in liquid as well as solid electrolyte systems.

Liu says that for long it has been thought that the lithium dendrites are soft and ductile, resembling Play-Doh. However, it seems to us that they can be tough and brittle, too, and break like dry spaghetti.

Data on the observations was then modeled and theoretically analyzed by teams of NJIT and Georgia Tech.

To answer the question, Liu says that they did scale-bridging simulations to understand the reason lithium dendrites act contrary to expectations.

They discovered that when dendrites are growing in a battery cell, they will be covered by a thin coating of solid electrolyte interphase, known as SEI. The SEI coating causes the dendrites to become rigid and needle like and are able to pierce battery cells separators and electrolytes and are likely to break under stress and accumulate in the battery cell as lithium dead time fragments and lead to battery failure.

Liu explains that by knowing about the physics behind it, soon it will be possible to develop methods of making dendrites less susceptible to brittle fracture, such as; utilizing lithium alloy anodes. To scholars in the field of computational mechanics, the mechanisms to be found in the experiment, like the way that structures defame, or the reasons why they break and break down, are like musical notes and can be added to a symphony of high-performance materials and high-energy storage systems.

“The strengthening mechanism we identified in lithium dendrites adds a new note to this composition,” Liu says.

The Sun is Just a Secret Earthquake Machine with switch: Reveals Japan Study

As a lifetime passes in front of our eyes, here’s the structure of how aging plays out

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The daily habits of an animal may indicate their lifespan by the age of the midlife stage.

It is the disturbing end of a new study backed by the Knight Initiative of Brain Resilience at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute of Stanford where researchers placed scores of short-lived fish inside continuous, lifelong surveillance to investigate the connection between behavior and aging.

Growth of individual fish in the markedly different ways, although the genetics were similar and the environment was closely monitored. By the time the animals grew up to their youthfulness, those differences had already been shown in their swimming and resting habits–and were so great as to determine whether a fish would in the end live to a long or brief existence.

Although the study was in the case of fish, the results suggest that the ability to record minor, daily behaviors such as movement and sleep, which wearable devices now capture daily, might provide insights into the process of aging in humans.

It was published in Science on March 12, 2016, and was the result of a study headed by Neuro postdoctoral students Claire Bedbrook and Ravi Nath at Wu Tsai Neuro. The study was an extension of a Knight Initiative-funded project between the Stanford labs of geneticist Anne Brunet and bioengineer Karl Deisseroth, who were the senior authors of the study.

How to observe the process of aging?

In the majority of aging studies, the comparison is made between groups of young animals and groups of old ones. Though enlightening, those snapshots obscure the way ageing occurs in individuals over a period of time, and the way disparities among individuals occur.

Bedbrook and Nath were interested in what could be uncovered by observing aging throughout a lifespan in the entire adult lives. The aging trajectories of even animals of the same species, raised under comparable conditions, can be radically different, and they may greatly differ in length of life. The researchers posed the question whether in natural behavior the beginnings and the way of divergence of those individual paths can be found out.

The making of that question experimentally possible was done by the African turquoise killifish. Being one of the shortest-lived vertebrates examined in the lab with a typical lifespan of four to eight months, it still possesses certain important biological similarities with other longer-lived organisms, such as humans, such as a sophisticated brain.

This study is based on the Brunet lab pioneering the design of a killifish model to study aging, and the foundation of this research was the first to continuously follow individual vertebrates (day and night), and through their entire adult lives.

Bedbrook and Nath and their colleagues designed an automated apparatus where individual fish were kept in separate tanks which were monitored by a camera. Similar to a scientific version of The Truman Show, where the whole life of a man is filmed straight through, the installation filmed each and every moment of the animals lives. Overall, they trailed 81 fish and produced billions of video frames.

Based on those recordings the researchers extracted specific data concerning the posture, speed, rest and movement of the animals and were able to identify 100 different behavioral syllables or short recurrent actions that are the elementary building blocks of the movement and rest of a fish.

According to Brunet, the Michele and Timothy Barakett Professor of Genetics at Stanford Medicine, behavior is a marvelously coordinated display, a report on what is going on in the brain and in the body. Molecular markers are the crucial components, though they are mere slices of biology. Through behavior you observe the entire organism, incessantly and without any form of invasion.

Now having this life-long record of behavior, the researchers were able to start to ask another group of questions: When do animals begin to age differently? What is different about those paths at the beginning? And, can behavior in itself determine the length of lifespan of a person?

The indicators of an animal lifespan

The discovery of the early divergence in individual aging paths was indeed one of the most unexpected discoveries of the team. The researchers then tracked each fish throughout its lifespan and then clumped the animals according to the amount of time they eventually spent alive and then traced back to the point of behavioral distinction. They discovered at a young age (70 to 100 days of age) fish which would further survive shorter or longer lives were already acting differently.

Among the most obvious distinctions, there were sleep. Young adults had fish which lived shorter lives, were more likely to sleep at night, and more and more during the day. On the contrary, fish which survived longer in life tended to sleep at night.

But it was not sleep alone which signalled. Fish on paths to a longer life also swam more vigorously and faster when they ran about the tank–a gauge of spontaneous movement which, in other species, has also been found to be associated with longevity. Their nocturnal activities were also less.

Most importantly, such differences in behavior were not merely descriptive but predictive. The researchers demonstrated that only a few days of behavioral data of middle-aged fish were sufficient to predict lifetime with the aid of machine learning models. According to Bedbrook, behavioral changes at a very young age are informing us of future health, as well as, future lifespan.

Aging unfolds in steps

Their observations, also, showed that aging, at any rate in killifish, was not a gradual gradual drift. The majority of the fish passed through two or six fast behavior changes, with only a few days each, and then longer, more stable periods of several weeks. Notably, fish would develop in a certain sequence, as opposed to alternating between them.

“It was a slow process,” Bedbrook said, “of getting old. Rather animals are stable over a long period and then they change rapidly into a new level. The fact that this staged architecture can be seen as a result of unchanged behavior itself was among the most thrilling things we have discovered. This progressive trend follows the emerging evidence of human studies, such as the discovery that molecular characteristics of aging vary in waves, particularly in midlife and old age. The killifish results provide us with a behavioral perspective of the same thing.”

The scientists speculate that a life cycle of relative stability interrupted by short intervals of intense change might have been one of the processes of aging. It is more of a Jenga tower, where you can remove a lot of blocks without much impact, until you make one change that requires a re-organisation to take place, which will force a sudden re-organisation, than a gradual downhill slide.

The authors also compared the activity of genes in eight organs of adult fish at a time when behavior was predictive of future lifespan. Instead of studying specific genes, they sought concerted alterations between clusters of genes that collaborate in common biological activities.

The most distinguishable differences were in the liver, where those genes that played a role in protein synthesis and cellular homeostasis were more expressed in fish that took shorter aging pathways. These results provided a molecular clue that the internal biology of the animals in question is also being altered with the changing behavioral pattern during their growth.

Behavior reflects fresh perspective on old age

According to Nath, “behavior is a very sensitive measure of aging. One can observe two animals of the same chronological age and can know by the mere behavior of the animals that they are aging very differently.”

The sensitivity is manifested in most spheres of everyday life, and sleep became a significant indicator of the way the aging process was being experienced. Sleep quality and sleep-wake cycles tend to impair as an individual ages, and these alterations have been associated with age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease in human beings. Nath also wants to inquire if it is possible to manipulate sleep to achieve healthier aging, and whether it is possible to change the aging process of individuals by acting early before they start to decline.

Another goal of the team is to test the possibilities of modifying aging paths with the use of specific interventions, such as diet modification, and also, genetic alterations that can potentially affect the rate at which aging will occur.

In the case of Bedbrook, the killifish research presents the possibility of exploration further on the subject of what motivates changes in transition during the aging process and the possibility to delay, prevent, or reverse changes in aging. She further takes interest in taking the experimental system further towards more naturalistic environments where animals are given the opportunity to socialize and live in richer environments closer to the real world.

Now, she said, “we can map the process of aging in a vertebrate on a continuous basis. As wearables and long-term tracking become a reality in human beings, I am interested to learn whether the same principles, namely: early predictors, staged aging, divergent trajectories, will also apply in human beings.”

The other significant frontier is the brain itself. The lab created by Deisseroth works on equipment to record the neural activity during extended durations of time, and, as a result, one can trace the variations of neural activity and the aging trajectory of the same animals. Such experiments may show whether the brain reflects aging in the rest of the body or is more directly involved in determining the rate of the aging process.

Both Bedbrook and Nath will proceed with answering these questions as they start their individual laboratories at Princeton University this July, carrying the equipment and concepts that were created at Stanford to the next level in their studies.

Ultimately, it is hoped that such a resolution of aging will explain why aging is so diverse, and will guide to emerging strategies of healthy aging.

2,000-year-old Iron Age temple discovered in Denmark

The Oil Shock Lesson: Why Energy Diversification Is Back On The Global Agenda

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Energy crises have repeatedly reshaped the global economy, and the latest geopolitical tensions in the Gulf have revived concerns about the fragility of oil supply chains.

Nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with international markets.

Any disruption to shipping through this route can have immediate consequences for energy prices and economic stability.

The International Energy Agency has long warned that global oil markets remain vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. Even brief disruptions in supply can trigger price volatility, inflation and financial uncertainty.

Countries heavily dependent on imported energy are particularly exposed.

China, the world’s largest crude oil importer, relies on overseas supplies for a large share of its consumption. India faces an even greater challenge, importing close to 90 percent of its oil needs.

Both countries have responded by diversifying supply sources and building strategic petroleum reserves.

In the United States, the shale revolution has significantly reduced reliance on foreign oil. Domestic production has surged over the past decade, transforming the country into one of the world’s largest energy producers.

Europe Pursuing Different Strategy

Following the disruption of Russian gas supplies after the invasion of Ukraine, European governments accelerated investments in renewable energy and alternative fuel sources.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has repeatedly argued that the transition toward renewables is also a matter of geopolitical security.

The broader lesson, analysts say, is that energy diversification remains essential.

Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, has described energy security as “one of the central challenges of modern economies.”

Countries are now exploring multiple strategies, from expanding renewable energy capacity and nuclear power to investing in electric vehicles and hydrogen technology.

While oil will remain a crucial energy source for decades, the repeated shocks of the past half century have reinforced a consistent message: dependence on a single region or fuel source carries profound economic risks.

‘We’re Not Alone’ Spielberg’s UFO Remarks At SXSW Reflect Growing Focus on Alien Life

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has reignited debate about extraterrestrial life after suggesting that humanity may not be alone in the universe. His remarks come at a time when discussion about unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unexplained aerial phenomena is spreading rapidly across the internet and popular culture.

Speaking at the SXSW Film and TV Festival in Austin while promoting his upcoming science-fiction film Disclosure Day, Spielberg told audiences that although he does not have definitive answers about alien life, the possibility cannot be dismissed.

“I don’t know any more than any of you do,” Spielberg said during a live podcast session at the festival. “But I have a very strong suspicion that we are not alone here on Earth right now.”

The comments quickly gained traction online, where speculation about extraterrestrial encounters and government secrecy has grown sharply in recent years.

Spielberg’s upcoming film taps directly into that fascination. Disclosure Day, scheduled for theatrical release in June 2026, imagines the global consequences if governments were suddenly to confirm that alien intelligence had been interacting with Earth for decades. The film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colin Firth and marks Spielberg’s return to large-scale extraterrestrial storytelling.

During the SXSW discussion, the director suggested that the idea of “disclosure”—a moment when authorities reveal hidden knowledge about alien contact—has increasingly captured the public imagination.

Interest in UFOs has surged globally over the past decade. Reports about unexplained aerial encounters involving U.S. Navy pilots and subsequent discussions in the U.S. Congress have brought the subject into mainstream political and scientific debate. Governments and defence agencies now commonly use the term “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP) when referring to mysterious objects spotted in the sky.

Triggers Online Debate on Aliens

Online communities discussing UFO sightings and possible alien technology have expanded significantly. Videos of unexplained aerial objects regularly trend on social media platforms, while documentaries and podcasts exploring the subject attract millions of viewers worldwide.

Spielberg has long been associated with extraterrestrial storytelling. His 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind became one of Hollywood’s most influential science-fiction movies, portraying ordinary people encountering mysterious spacecraft. The film helped shape modern pop-culture imagery surrounding UFOs and alien contact.

Despite his long fascination with the subject, Spielberg joked that he has never personally experienced anything resembling a UFO encounter.

“I made Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” he told the SXSW audience. “I haven’t even had a close encounter of the first or second kind.”

The filmmaker also suggested that confirmed contact with extraterrestrial intelligence could challenge deeply held beliefs. According to Spielberg, such a revelation might disrupt “a lot of belief systems,” although he added that the change would not necessarily be destructive.

His comments arrive as curiosity about UFOs moves further into mainstream discourse. Once largely confined to science fiction and conspiracy circles, the question of alien life is now being discussed by scientists, policymakers and filmmakers alike.

For Spielberg, whose films have often explored humanity’s place in the universe, the renewed interest provides a timely backdrop. With Disclosure Day, the veteran director appears to be capturing a moment when speculation about extraterrestrial life has shifted from the fringes of culture to the centre of global conversation.

Race to Lead UN Begins: 5 Candidates, 1 Glass ceiling, 1 Deciding Vote

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The gun has been raised on one of the most far-reaching of international diplomats elections of 2026. There are five applicants to replace Antonio Guterres as the Secretary-General of the United Nations and starting April 20, one candidate will be subjected to the most examined job interview in the universe.
On Friday, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the interactive selection process, where each candidate will be subjected to a three-hour public session, question-and-answer format, and make his or her case to 193 member states, will commence next month. It is a very transparent, very neutral, and fair procedure, she said, where all candidates will be given equal chances and opportunities.
The meetings will be accessible to civil society groups and will be live-streamed through the internet and this will be a level of openness to the society that has not necessarily been a hallmark of past transitions in the summit of the UN.

The Five in the Frame

To date the sphere is an amalgamation of the familiar and the unobtrusive mighty.
The biggest name is that of the former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet who also is the UN High Commissioner of Human Right and has the support of three Latin American giants Chile, Brazil, and Mexico. Her resume is difficult to rival: elected two times as the president of one of the largest democracies in South America, and having served as the head of UN Women, she comes with political authority, as well as institutional knowledge.
In conjunction with her, Costa Rica has put forward Rebecca Grynspan, who is the present Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development also known as UNCTAD and the former Vice President of Costa Rica. In multilateral circles, Grynspan is a low-profile, consensus-seeking individual who has years of solid experience in the field of development economics, which the battered UN finances and Reform agenda could be desperately in need of.
The third candidate is an Argentine, Virginia Gamba, who has been nominated by Maldives and has even served as Secretary-General Guterres Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict and as the head of the Organisation to Prohibit Chemical Weapons.
The two men contending in the race are Rafael Grossi, an Argentinean member the International Atomic Energy Agency nominated to the organization by Argentina, and Macky Sall, the former president and prime minister of Senegal nominated by Burundi. Grossi comes with nuclear diplomacy qualifications at the time when the world is scurrying over the proliferation crises. Sall adds African political gravitas to a continent that has always felt underrepresented in the top leadership in the UN.
The nominations can be done until April 1, and the sphere may still grow.

Gender Question In Election

Gender is the elephant in the room or rather, in the General Assembly hall. In the call of candidates given by Baerbock and the then-president of the security council last year, he indeed urged women to nominate their names. The mood among many of the membership was simple, it was time, after 80 years of an organisation where there has never been once a woman within its leadership.
In the General Assembly resolution that regulates the election, the even and fair distribution is based on the gender and this is desired. They called out the name, three out of five candidates that have been called are women. However, that two men are also competing is a reminder that resolutions that demand gender parity do not have any enforcement mechanism. When it comes it is the vote that counts.

Process of Chosing the Winner

Its formal procedure is one to be appreciated, since the vote of the General Assembly which formally appoints the Secretary-General is not the entire affair.
The winning candidate has to be confirmed by a bare majority of the 193-member Assembly. However, in the Charter of the UN, the Assembly nominates the Secretary-General, under the recommendation of the Security Council, that is, the actual decision is made in that much smaller, much more controversial room, where the five permanent members have a veto vote. The United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France can each cast a veto of any candidate they consider unacceptable, irrespective of the kind of support such a candidate has by the larger membership.
It is a structural anomaly that has influenced all the elections of the Secretary-General throughout the history of the organisation, and it will influence this one, as well. The process of great-power negotiation behind that transparency of the dialogues in the month of April and the airing sessions is less transparent and significantly quieter.

What the Next Leader Will Inherit

The requirements that Baerbock outlined of the next Secretary-General were less of a job description and rather of a brief to manage a crisis. She said that the individual must possess robust and committed, efficient governmental skills that have experience in governmental structures and the administrative skill, namely the ability to direct the UN through internal reforms, would be equally significant as the diplomatic reputation.
Guterres is a two-term former prime minister of Portugal who retires at the end of this year. During his tenure, the organisation was put to the test due to a global pandemic, two major wars, an ever-growing climate crisis, and a rapid degradation of the international agreement that the UN was established to uphold. Whatever replaces him is not going into a silent office.

Nominations close April 1. Interactive candidate conversations start April 20 and are to be broadcast publicly.

Wolves kill, and ravens recall where: What is the scavenging strategy?

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The legend went that wolves were followed by ravens to fresh kills. Another scavenging strategy is of much interest, as demonstrated by a tracking study.

The raven is usually the first to be on the scene when the wolf pack is running down its prey. The ravens are already waiting in queue to grab hold of the scrap of meat that is an oddity and may arise even before the predators have time to dig. The scavengers are so fast in getting to wolf kills that it is uncanny to people how they got there and the answer is that wolves must have ravens trailing on them.

However, a recent study that followed ravens and wolves in the Yellowstone National Park during two-and-a-half years reveals that the predators adopt a much more advanced approach. Ravens know the locations that wolves will most likely kill and they will fly far back to the location. According to the first author of the study, Matthias Loretto, “they are capable of flying six hours without making a landing, directly to a kill site.”

The findings were published in the journal of science, with suggestions that ravens attempt to locate food scattered in the landscape by the use of spatial memory and navigation. According to Loretto, ravens can travel long distances by flying, and apparently they have a good memory so they do not have to always keep up with wolves in order to make out of the predators.

The research was conducted by the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (Germany) along with several other institutes across the world including the Yellowstone National Park (USA).

Putting a legend to the test

The research was conducted regarding the Yellowstone National Park where wolves were introduced in the mid 90s after 70 years. The wolves of the park are monitored using tracking collars which are implanted on a quarter of the wolf population in any given year, according to Dan Stahler, a Yellowstone biologist, who has been tracking the wolves of the park since its reintroduction, the ravens seem to prefer the company of the wolves: you find them flying directly overhead or even leaping behind them when they take down prey.

To the ravens, it is a lucrative foraging measure, because the wolves always generate food which the birds can deal with. “The rule of the birds, which we all had supposed, was,” says Stahler, “simply to keep near the wolves.” However, the assumption was not checked. He says he did not know what ravens could do because nobody had ever put them in the middle; nobody had ever put the scavenger into the perspective.

To get a full view of the behavior of the raven, the group fitted the birds with small GPS positioning devices, 69 ravens in all, which is, according to Loretto, simply insane. “The reason is that ravens are so watchful of the scene that they do not easily fall into traps,” he says. Researchers were keen to adjust the traps to the environment in order to trap the birds to tag them. To illustrate, traps placed near the campsites had to be covered with rubbish and fast-food lure, otherwise, the ravens would know that something was not right and would not approach it, according to Loretto who is now a scientist at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

Besides the tracking ravens, the researchers added the movement data of 20 Yellowstone collared wolves. They followed the animals through the winter when ravens most frequently occur with wolves and recorded GPS positions with intervals up to 30 minutes in the case of ravens and up to one hour in the case of wolves. They also added information as where and when wolves killed their prey which consisted mainly of elk, bison and deer.

The memory of lucrative sceneries

In more than two-and-a-half years of observation, scientists discovered only one unambiguous incidence of a raven trailing a wolf at a distance of over one kilometer or over an hour. “In the beginning we were confused,” says Loretto. “After we discovered that wolves were not being followed by ravens from a great distance, we could not understand why the birds came so fast to wolf killings.”

The pattern was obvious after the thorough analysis of the movement data. Instead of following predators at long distances, the ravens returned to certain locations where they could find wolf kills. Others covered as little as 155 kilometers per day, but in a highly directional way, towards locations where a carcass was likely to be found–although the time a kill will occur is indeterminate.

In regard to location, wolves kills are clumped into specific terrain features, which the wolves hunt more effectively, flat valley bottoms. Ravens were also much more likely to visit frequently wolfridden locations as compared to infrequently wolfrided locations, indicating that they learn and retain the long-term resource landscape that wolves cause.

Loretto says that ravens have already been known to recollect consistent food sources, such as landfills. “What did we find surprising is that they also appear to learn where the wolf killings are more frequent. One kill is random, and with time certain areas of the terrain prove more fruitful than others, but ravens seem to take advantage of this pattern.”

Greater understanding of the intellect of animals

The authors do not eliminate the possibility that wolves continue to be followed by ravens on a short distance. To locate wolf kills in their area, ravens must be able to determine this by short-range signals, probably by watching the movements of the wolves or hearing them howl. However, on a bigger level, the order is quite obvious: memory then, cues then. Spatial memory and navigation enables ravens to make decisions regarding where to start searching, in the first place, sometimes tens or even hundreds of kilometers.

Senior author Prof John M. Marzluff of the University of Washington adds: “What is evident in our work is the fact that ravens are able to be quite flexible in the locations they choose to feed. They do not remain attached to a certain wolf pack. They have the opportunity to select between numerous foraging opportunities since they have a good sense and recollection of the previous feeding places far and wide. This alters our way of thinking about scavenger finding food, and the notion may be that we have long underestimated certain ones.”

‘Plenty of fish in the sea’? Not anymore, say UN experts in Nice

Sound reveals ‘Ocean giants’ dance with wind to find food

What are the conditions suitable for life on distant moons

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Liquid water is said to be a necessity to life. Amazingly, however, there could be conducive conditions of life far away in an area that is not near a sun. A group of researchers working on the Excellence Cluster ORIGINS at LMU and the Max Planck Institute of Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) has demonstrated how moons of free-floating planets can retain their water oceans as liquid to as long as 4.3 billion years through dense hydrogen atmospheres and tidal heating – that is to say, roughly as long as Earth has been around and complex life can evolve.

Planetary systems are usually created when the conditions are not steady. In the event of close approach of young planets they have the ability to launch one another out of orbit. This results in free-floating planets (FFPs) that move around the galaxy with no parent star. A previous paper by LMU physicist Dr. Giulia Roccetti had indicated that gas giants that were thrown out in this manner do not always lose their moons in the process.

Oceans remain in their liquid state because of tidal heating

The ejection however does change the orbits of the moons. They are elongated to a high extent in which their distance to the planet is constantly varying. This leads to the tidal forces rhythmically deforming the lunar body, compressing the body interior, and creating heat due to friction. This tidal heating can be adequate to keep oceans of liquid water on the surface – without the power of a star, and in the coolness of interstellar space.

Hydrogen as stable heat trap

It is the atmosphere that dictates whether this heat remains on the surface or not. Carbon dioxide is a good greenhouse gas on earth. Prior research had shown that carbon dioxide would be able to stabilize life-supportable conditions on exomoons of up to 1.6 billion years. In really low temperatures of free-floating systems, however, carbon dioxide would condense, lose the protective effect on the atmosphere and the heat to escape.

Thus, the scientists of astrophysics, biophysics, and astrochemistry started to research the possibilities of the hydrogen-rich atmospheres being the alternative heat traps. Despite the fact that the molecular hydrogen is mostly transparent to infrared radiation, an important physical phenomenon occurs under high pressures: collision-induced absorption. During this process, hydrogen colliding molecules create temporary complexes, which are able to take up the thermal radiation and store it in the atmosphere. Simultaneously, hydrogen is a stable element even at the lowest temperature.

Parallels to early Earth

The results also provide new insights to the origin of life. The cooperation with the team of Professor Dieter Braun enabled us to understand that the cradle of life does not always need a sun, says David Dahlbudding who is a doctoral researcher at LMU and the lead author of the study. According to the case, there was a distinct relationship between these moons that were far away and the early Earth, which had high levels of hydrogen due to asteroid impact in order to form conditions that supported life.

The tidal force was even capable of providing heat, as well as, chemical development processes. There is deformation periodically, which produces local wet-dry cycles, where water evaporates and condenses. These cycles have been regarded as a significant process of the formation of complex molecules and may make essential steps in the direction to the emergence of life.

Life-friendly moons in interstellar space

The free-floating planets are believed to be common. It has been estimated that these so-called nomadic planets in the Milky Way may be as numerous as the stars. Their moons could also offer long term stable habitats. The new discoveries were therefore able to considerably expand the range of potential habitats in which life might exist – and indicate that life would not only exist but also be able to survive even in the darkest parts of the galaxy.

Watching water droplets merge on the International Space Station

Webb space Telescope Captures Clearest View of Neptune’s Rings, Unusual Moon ‘Triton’

Iran Rejects Claims of Allowing Indian Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz; Talks Still Underway, Says Jaishankar

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Iran has categorically denied reports suggesting it gave special permission for India-flagged oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing the claims as unfounded amid the ongoing conflict that has choked the vital shipping lane since late February.

The controversy erupted yesterday when several Indian news outlets reported that Tehran had quietly agreed to let Indian vessels transit the strait following a telephone conversation between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

An Indian government source, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated: “Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of India’s crude imports pass.” The source pointed to the recent safe passage of two India-flagged ships, Pushpak and Parimal, as proof of the arrangement, while noting that vessels tied to the United States, Europe or Israel were still being blocked.

Tehran moved quickly to shoot down the story. An Iranian source told Reuters the matter was “sensitive” and no such deal had been reached. Another contact in Tehran, quoted by NDTV, was blunt: “No, it’s not true.” Iranian state-affiliated media echoed the denial, insisting no exemptions had been granted for Indian-flagged crude carriers.

Oil tankers bombed by Iran

The Strait of Hormuz has seen traffic plummet since the escalation began. Satellite data shows only a handful of commercial vessels crossing in recent weeks, with several tankers coming under drone and projectile attacks. While one Liberia-flagged tanker carrying Saudi crude did reach Mumbai recently (with an Indian captain on board), that does not confirm any broader policy change for India-flagged ships.

India remains heavily exposed. Roughly 40 percent of its crude and 90 percent of its LPG imports normally flow through the strait. At present, about 28 Indian vessels with 778 crew members are stuck in the Persian Gulf, and three Indian sailors have already lost their lives in related incidents, according to shipping sources.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs described early reports of a breakthrough as “premature,” stressing that talks on safe passage and energy security are continuing but no agreement has been finalized.

The closure has slashed global oil flows by an estimated 10–20 million barrels per day, sending prices soaring and unexpectedly boosting revenues for exporters like Russia. For now, the diplomatic back-and-forth has only added to the uncertainty hanging over one of the world’s most critical energy arteries.

Trump Revokes Oil Sanctions on Russia for 30 days; Moscow to Mint $5 Billion by Month-End

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Thursday night the Trump administration issued a temporary general license authorizing the delivery, sale and offloading of Russian crude and petroleum products loaded onto vessels on or before March 12, 2026, to stabilize global energy markets following the soaring of crude oil prices by the 13 years war between the U.S. and Israel, who war with Iran.

The license, called General License 134, takes effect through the middle of the Washington time on April 11, giving a 30-day period to such transactions, even involving authorized entities or vessels.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the move on X, saying: “US is granting a provisional sanction to allow nations to buy Russian oil already at sea.”

Bessent further highlighted that the action will be a short-term, narrowly focused action that is only applicable in the oil already under transit but it would not give great financial relief to the Russian government, which gets most of its energy revenue as taxes levied at the point of extraction.

The move comes after the recent spike in oil prices due to the strikes by the U.S and Israel on Iran that started February 28, 2026, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and strikes on Iranian nuclear, missile, and military facilities.

Congestion of the Strait of Hormuz and less output of the Middle East have propelled prices upwards, with the Brent crude futures already trading past $100 a barrel on Thursday, although prices have soared to a high of 110-119 a barrel in recent trading.

Goldman Sachs predicts that in March Brent will exceed the $100-mark because of the volatility, which also marks the middle of a loss of supply that will result in a potential addition of supply to oil-starved markets.

Experts predict that the waiver will release up to 100-128 million barrels of Russian oil that is currently at sea and will likely add to affected markets. The presidential envoy of Russia Kirill Dmitriev advocated the move stating that the move concerns approximately 100 million barrels of it and it shows the involvement of Russian energy in global stability.

The license is a follow-up on a waiver of a prior March waiver specifically to India which is criticized. It has now allowed sales across the globe and this has given Russia a financial boost. The move has led to a rise in oil income in Moscow where certain reports reveal that there has been an increment of about $150 million per day more oil sales due to the rise in prices.

In February, Russia earned about $9.5 billion from oil and product exports, or roughly $339 million per day (based on 28 days). January revenues were $11.1 billion. Annual projections under normal conditions (pre-escalation) ranged from $113-129 billion for 2026, depending on sanctions enforcement.

India’s shift to Russian oil

Earlier March projections had India’s Russian crude imports dropping sharply to low levels (~129,000 bpd or less in some forecasts) due to intensified U.S. sanctions pressure and tariffs. However, with Middle Eastern supplies choked by the Iran conflict and Hormuz effectively closed, India has dramatically ramped up purchases. Indian refiners snapped up around 30 million barrels of Russian crude in recent days following a temporary U.S. waiver allowing deals on in-transit (already-loaded) sanctioned cargoes. March volumes are now tracking toward 1.5-1.6 million bpd so far, with projections for the full month potentially reaching 40 million barrels (pre-sanctions levels), as buyers like India and China seek alternatives to offset the ~10-20 million bpd global shortfall.

With U.S. temporary sanctions relief by Washington for 30 days Russia is likely to reap an estimated up to $150 million per day in extra budget revenues from surging oil prices and renewed demand, which means a ~14% jump over February averages, driven by higher export taxes. Cumulative early gains from oil export duties alone are pegged at $1.3-1.9 billion since the conflict escalated, with potential for $3.3-4.9 billion more by month-end if trends hold.

Mineral extraction tax surge

Russia’s key oil production levy (mineral extraction tax) is projected to nearly double in March to around 590 billion rubles (~$7.43 billion), thanks to the global price rally pushing taxable Urals prices well above the budget’s $59/bbl assumption (recently hitting $70-90+ levels in various reports, sometimes at premiums in India).

With Urals now trading much closer to (or occasionally above) Brent amid the crisis, and exports potentially stabilizing or rising on Asian demand, Russia’s full-year oil revenues could significantly exceed pre-conflict forecasts. Sustained high prices and volumes might push totals toward the higher end of prior estimates ($200-250 billion or more), offering major fiscal breathing room despite sanctions.

These developments highlight Russia’s unexpected position as a prime beneficiary of the energy crunch, flipping prior sanction dynamics in its favor, at least short-term.

Democrats Oppose Trump’s Move

The step has received criticism by congressional democrats and European leaders. The decision was condemned by senate democrats like Elizabeth Warren, Jeanne Shaheen, Chuck Schumer and others as giving Putin a huge financial hit during his war in Ukraine and the Iran conflict was deemed reckless and ill-conceived, and is claimed to have strengthened the argument that the administration is enriching Russia at the cost of Middle East shocks.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reacted to the decision saying it was wrong and the Iran fighting was inadvisable and windfall profits were enriching Russia. The administration has positioned the step as a logistical one, ensuring the stranded cargoes do not disrupt shipping instead of the relief of broad sanctions, but critics say that this is a way of undercutting long-term effort to stop Russian revenue.

Better brain health is linked with the enhancement of your biological age gap

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

The narrower the difference between your biological age and actual age the lower the risk of a stroke and the health of your brain.
The study involved 250,000 people. The scientists measured the level of 18 biomarkers in their blood to obtain their biological age. Brain scans were also done to a section of individuals.
Individuals that bridged the difference between their biological and chronological ages during the intervention were 23% less likely than the rest to experience a stroke in the future.
The research does not demonstrate that the reduction of the age gap is the reason of the reduced stroke risk and positive brain health changes. It only shows an association.
According to researchers, a healthy diet, regular exercise, proper sleep and blood pressure management can contribute to the age gap in the biology of the body, although this study has not assessed any lifestyle program.
The article is a preliminary study published in March of 2026 will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 78th Annual Meeting in April 18-22, 2026 in Chicago. It found that the closer your biological age is to your chronological age, the lower the risk of stroke and the better the signs of damage in the brain.

Betterment of age gap

The research does not demonstrate that betterment of the age gap is the reason behind better brain health; it only presents a correlation.

The researcher Cyprien Rivier of Yale University and an American Academy of Neurology member, said that efforts to “change our biological age may be one of the ways to help our brains stay healthy. Lifestyle habit, such as healthy diet, physical activity, sleep and good blood pressure management, which can help to prevent cardiovascular and metabolic disease, might help reduce the biological age difference, but we did not assess lifestyle interventions in the study.”

In the study, the biological age of 258,169 individuals of a health care research database was analyzed. They quantified 18 biomarkers in the blood, including cholesterol, average red blood cell volume and white blood cell count, to assess biological age at the beginning of the study and six years later in a sub-group of the participants. Researchers then found the participants who had a stroke after an average of 10 years. A group of the participants also administered tests on memory and thinking ability and brain scans to examine indications of brain damage.

In the beginning of the study, the biological age of the participants was 54 on average and their real age was 56. Their actual age was 62 years but on average, they were 58 years biologically six years on.

Individuals whose biological age was more than their chronological age at the conclusion of the study exhibited poorer brain scans and also poorer scores in the cognitive tests. They were also at a higher risk of stroke by 41 percent.

Those who lengthened the distance between their biological and chronological ages between the beginning of the study and the repeat measure had their risks of developing a stroke in the follow-up phase reduced by 23%.

Individuals who had some improvement also contained a smaller amount of white matter hyperintensities, an indicator of tissue damage to the white matter, by the conclusion of the study compared to those who had no amelioration in their biological age gaps. The overall amount of damage that they could do was 13 per cent less with each standard deviation of progress.

These outcomes factored in other factors that might influence the risk of stroke and damage to the brain including high blood pressure and other blood vessels conditions and socioeconomic outcomes.

Study’s Insufficiency

One of the weaknesses of the research was that although it identified correlations, it was not a causal study. In addition, only a smaller number underwent repeat blood tests and this does not allow the researcher to draw conclusions of change over time especially on cognitive tests.

The Cannabis compounds are promising in the battle against fatty liver disease

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

Scientists have found out that non-psychoactive cannabis substances, CBD and CBG, can help to reduce liver fat significantly and improve metabolic health. The researchers have found out that these compounds act by establishing a buffer of energy in the liver and by the re-activation of the cleaning crews inside the cells to clear undesirable waste products. These results point to the existence of a novel, plant-based direction of treating the most frequent chronic liver disease of the world.

According to a study by Prof. Joseph (Yossi) Tam, Dr. Liad Hinden, a PhD student, Radka Kocvarova, and the team of researchers led by Tam, at the School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, two compounds of the cannabis plant are useful in the treatment of fatty liver disease. The study indicates that the non-psychoactive and non-high-inducing Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) can help people live healthier lives due to its ability to alter how the liver processes energy and purifies itself.

The prevalent chronic liver disorder in the world is currently known as Maatotic asymptomatic liver disease (MASLD) which is associated with metabolic dysfunction. It is prevalent among about 1 in 3 adults, and strongly associated with obesity, hypertension and insulin resistance. Although lifestyle change such as diet and exercise is significant, it is not always easier to sustain it and known medicines approved to treat this condition are very limited. This renders the discovery of new medicines a top priority to the scientists.

The researchers demonstrated that CBD and CBG are not only fat-reducing tools with the help of sophisticated tools. In fact, they assist the liver to work more efficiently internally in a special mechanism of metabolic remodeling. The effect on the energy stores of the liver was identified as one of the most crucial findings. The compounds cause a rise in phosphocreatine levels which serve as a backup battery to keep the liver healthy despite the stress which is posed by high-fat diet. It is a novel finding because the liver is not normally dependent on such a system of energy in a heavy way.

Reinstate functions of cathepsins

Also, the experiment revealed that CBD and CBG reinstate the functions of cathepsins. They are enzymes that serve as the cleaning crew in the recycling centers of the cell and they are called lysosomes. With the help of getting this cleaning crew back at work the liver is able to better process and eliminate the harmful fats and waste. Another finding by the researchers was that the two treatments had significant lowering effects on the harmful lipids, including triglycerides and ceramides. Ceramides are those that are especially harmful since they have been identified to cause insulin resistance and liver inflammation.

The research found out that both compounds were useful but they had a slight difference in terms of benefit to metabolic health. CBD and CBG could all normalise blood sugar levels and enhance the glucose clearance in the body. Nevertheless, CBG seemed to influence some measures more strongly. It was much more effective in fat mass reduction in the body and insulin sensitivity than CBD. The CBG was also especially useful in reducing the total cholesterol and the bad LDL cholesterol levels.

Prof. Joseph Tam ssaid, “the findings of the research point to a new mechanism through which CBD and CBG improve the hepatic energy and lysosomal activity. Such dual metabolic remodelling results in a better process of lipids in liver and singling out such compounds as likely treatment options in MASLD.”

Though these findings are highly encouraging, the staff remarks that additional studies are required in order to comprehend how these findings can be optimally applied to human patients. The research provides a novel avenue in the use of plant-derived compounds to treat metabolic diseases because it is based on the energy and waste management in cells.

India International Times

World News From Indian Perspective

Author Archives: Arun Kumar N

About Arun Kumar N

Over 25 Lakh Officials Deployed For Assembly Polls in 5 States

Keel Laid Two Next-Gen Offshore Patrol Vessels To Expand Coast Guard Fleet

DNA Gaps: Why Most Neanderthal Men Preferred to Sleep With Modern Female Humans?

Organ Donations After Cardiac Death Soar in US, Expand Transplant Lifeline

Bull Sharks Form Social Bonds, Finds Study; Changes age-Old Perception of Predators

Poor smoke does not equal poor risk: All solid fuels identified to produce ultrafine particles

India’s Silver Economy Emerges as ₹73,000 Crore Opportunity as Senior Citizens Double by 2050

Newer ground water is linked with increased risk of Parkinson disease

Market Failure? Samsung to Pull Plug on Galaxy Z TriFold After 3 Months of Launch

Sell Outs or Scarcity of Devices?

What makes lithium-ion batteries fail? Microscopic metal thorns give leads to scientists

As a lifetime passes in front of our eyes, here’s the structure of how aging plays out

The Oil Shock Lesson: Why Energy Diversification Is Back On The Global Agenda

‘We’re Not Alone’ Spielberg’s UFO Remarks At SXSW Reflect Growing Focus on Alien Life

Race to Lead UN Begins: 5 Candidates, 1 Glass ceiling, 1 Deciding Vote

Wolves kill, and ravens recall where: What is the scavenging strategy?

What are the conditions suitable for life on distant moons

Iran Rejects Claims of Allowing Indian Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz; Talks Still Underway, Says Jaishankar

Trump Revokes Oil Sanctions on Russia for 30 days; Moscow to Mint $5 Billion by Month-End

Better brain health is linked with the enhancement of your biological age gap

The Cannabis compounds are promising in the battle against fatty liver disease