Calculate your neighbourhood’s ‘cognability’

A new interactive mapping tool developed by the University of Michigan allows users to search local addresses and assess how neighbourhoods can support healthy cognitive ageing. The tool uses the “cognability” theory, which proposes that access to cultural and recreational facilities (art galleries, exercise facilities, public pools and museums), civic and social organizations, and even fast-food restaurants and coffee shops, may help protect older adults against cognitive deterioration.

Most research on cognitive function focuses on mitigating risk factors whereas “cognability” focuses on the features and elements of local areas and surroundings that help mitigate cognitive decline. Locations that have a lot of gathering spaces are highly sought after and this study shows how significant neighbourhood amenities can be. This is because dementia and ageing-friendly efforts typically lack relevant evidence about what should be built and how to support local communities. When developing the tool, race, gender, and education were considered, but early models did not find significant differences. Researchers noted that wealth drives an individual’s ability to buy in a neighbourhood with access to desirable features.  

The takeaway: improvements to and rejuvenation of “lacking neighbourhoods” can be simplistic. The mere act of adding benches under shaded trees, accessible washrooms in parks, and outdoor exercise equipment targeting all generations have a genuine impact.

Source: phys.org/Morgan Sherburne

What lobsters can teach us about immorality

The inevitability of ageing is a topic that has baffled scientists for decades. As we grow into adulthood, our cells duplicate and repair the damage done to our bodies. This specific ageing process happens to many different species, but not to lobsters who may have something to teach us about immortality.

Lobsters have long bodies with muscular tails and are said to experience continuous growth during their exceptionally long lives. The oldest known lobsters that have been captured were estimated to be between 120-140 years of age and weighing almost twenty pounds. It is rare for a lobster to die of old age. More often than not, their untimely demise is met either in the boiling pot or from moult exhaustion—the act of replacing their own shells due to their increasing size. 

Lobsters can thank their amazingly long lives to the telomerase enzyme, also called “immortality enzymes,” found in many of their cells. Their longevity often brings up the question of whether telomerase-based therapies could aid in a slower-ageing, longer life process for humans. However, it has already been determined that cancer cells typically activate the telomerase enzyme, which helps cancer cells multiply. 

More research is needed before we can catch up with the long living lobster. For now, lobsters will be laughing at us from the bottom of the ocean as we take our third nap of the day and forget where we left the car keys (again).

Source: University of New South Wales/Maddie Massy-Westropp

Can science help us build a better edible?

Consuming cannabis is a very different experience from inhaling. Anything from candies, chocolates, baked goods, hot and cold beverages, and even boxes of macaroni and cheese can now be infused with the intoxicant.

However, the science behind these products is lacking. Potency, duration and timing of an edible are not always reliable and are varied in their effects. The same THC (the main intoxicating chemical compound in cannabis) dose in an edible can feel very different between two consumers. One may experience a very mild result with plenty of energy while the other might be more content with a nap on the sofa. Chemistry and nutrition science is helpful in understanding the effects of absorbing cannabis. The goal is to develop precise products that can provide a consistent experience while protecting consumers. Cannabinoids, the chemical compounds found in cannabis such as THC and CBD, mimic ones found in the brain and other organs that can have distinct effects such as pain relief, altering moods and stimulating appetite. 

Inhalation of cannabis passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream, peaking 10 min. after inhalation and lasting several hours. Edibles peak two or three hours after consumption and may last for six to 20 hours depending on how your body reacts. Different products ingested at different times will have varying effects, and chemistry and nutrition science is the key to consistency and consumer assurance.

Source: Knowable Magazine/James Gaines