Les jeux freinent le déclin mental des gens âgés Si les jeux vidéo sont parfois décrits comme mauvais pour les enfants, ils seraient au contraire bons pour les plus de 50 ans, mobilisant et améliorant leurs facultés cognitives, affirme une étude américaine publiée cette semaine. Les centaines de personnes de plus de 50 ans observées par des chercheurs de l'Université de l'Iowa ont montré des signes d'amélioration de leurs capacités cognitives et de recul de plusieurs années du déclin lié à la vieillesse. Il s'agit de la dernière d'une série d'études qui visent à comprendre pourquoi, en vieillissant, on perd ces fonctions majeures du cerveau qui assurent le fonctionnement de la mémoire, de l'attention, de la perception et de la résolution de problèmes. Dans ce cas, 681 personnes en bonne santé ont été réparties en quatre groupes témoins, à l'intérieur desquels ont également été séparés les 50-64 ans et les plus de 65 ans. Le but est de monter en niveaux de difficulté.
300 millions d'ans UFO dents de roues trouvait dans la ville russe de Vladivostok | Observations OVNI hotspot During a cold winter evening a resident of Vladivostok found a rail-shaped metal detail which was pressed in one of the pieces of coal that the man used to heat his home. Mesmerized by his discovery, the responsible citizen decided to seek help from the scientists of Primorye region. After the metal object was studied by the leading experts the man was shocked to learn about the assumed age of his discovery. The metal detail was supposedly 300 million years old and yet the scientists suggest that it was not created by nature but was rather manufactured by someone. The question of who might have made an aluminum gear in the dawn of time remains unanswered. Nowadays, finding a strange artifact in coal is a relatively frequent occurrence. The metal detail which was found by Vladivostok resident is yet another discovery which perplexed the scientists. Another question that interests Russian scientists is whether the aluminum alloy is of Earthly origin.
Scientist creates lifelike cells out of metal Scientists trying to create artificial life generally work under the assumption that life must be carbon-based, but what if a living thing could be made from another element? One British researcher may have proven that theory, potentially rewriting the book of life. Lee Cronin of the University of Glasgow has created lifelike cells from metal — a feat few believed feasible. Even more remarkable, Cronin has hinted that the metal-based cells may be replicating themselves and evolving. "I am 100 percent positive that we can get evolution to work outside organic biology," he said. The high-functioning "cells" that Cronin has built are constructed from large polyoxometalates derived from a range of metal atoms, like tungsten. The metallic bubbles are certainly cell-like, but are they actually alive? Cronin's team has also created bubbles inside of bubbles, which opens the door to the possibility of developing specialized "organelles." The early results have been encouraging.
Miniature Chameleons Discovered—Fit on Match Tip Photograph courtesy Frank Glaw Match-tip tiny, Brookesia micra (juvenile pictured) is the smallest of four new chameleon species found on the African island country of Madagascar. With an average adult length of just over an inch (2.9 centimeters) from snout to tail, B. micra is among the tiniest reptiles in the world. (Related: "Record-Breaking Chameleons Live Only a Few Months.") Scientists think the diminutive new chameleon species might represent extreme cases of island dwarfism, whereby organisms shrink in size due to limited resources on islands. "The extreme miniaturization of these dwarf reptiles might be accompanied by numerous specializations of the body plan, and this constitutes a promising field for future research," study leader Frank Glaw of Germany's Zoological State Collection said in a statement.
La plus grosse émeraude du monde aux enchères à Kelowna | Colombie‑Britannique–Yukon La plus grosse émeraude du monde. La plus grosse émeraude du monde, évaluée à Calgary à 1,15 million de dollars, sera vendue aux enchères à Kelowna à la fin du mois. La pierre précieuse a la taille d'un melon d'eau. « Elle est d'un magnifique vert profond. Pour moi, c'est tellement beau, c'est spectaculaire! », s'enthousiasme le propriétaire de la compagnie d'enchères Western Star, Mike Odenbach. Selon M. L'actuel propriétaire de la pierre de 57 000 carats est un vendeur de Calgary. L'émeraude, nommée Teodora, provient cependant du Brésil, et elle a été taillée en Inde. Elle est présentement transportée de Calgary à Kelowna, sous haute sécurité.