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The death of William (Bill) Rutter at the grand old age of 97 in July reminded me to remember not only him, but several of the other pioneers of our industry—lest we should forget them. In the late seventies, Bill was an important player in the cloning of the insulin gene. His group at UCSF, with Howard Goodman, was determined not to be left behind in the exploitation of the new recombinant DNA techniques. They actively competed with the Biogen group led by Wally Gilbert (now 93 years old) and with other people in the Biochemistry department at UCSF to…
Evelyne Bischof on cognition, biomarkers and the evolving science of keeping our brains younger for longer. As our bodies age, so do our brains – but the pace and pattern are far from predetermined. At this year’s Global Longevity Summit (28–30 October 2025, Geneva), leading experts will gather under the banner Mastering the Aging Clock: The Science of Longevity to explore how breakthroughs in biology, technology and policy are reshaping healthspan. Among them is Dr Evelyne Bischof, an internationally recognized longevity physician, Harvard- and Columbia-trained with clinical experience spanning Switzerland, the US and China. Known for her pioneering work in…
How do science prizes such as the Breakthrough Prize and the Turing Prize compare with the Nobel science prizes?Credit: Yomiuri Shimbun via AP/AlamyThe Nobel prizes are the most famous awards in science — and for many, the ultimate badge of research excellence and achievement. But in the past few years, a flurry of other prizes have popped up — in some cases to fill gaps in the subject areas covered by the Nobels, and in others, to offer a bigger financial reward. With the Nobel prizes set to be announced next week, how do these prizes compare with one another?Although…
Researchers collaborated with communities in Bulgaria to revive and decode a traditional practice of making yogurt with ants as the starter.Image credit:©iStock, seb_raHumans have been tinkering with ways to ferment milk into more shelf-stable products like kefir, cheese, and yogurt for thousands of years. Today, even though most commercially produced yogurt depends on standardized microbial cultures, various communities still rely on traditional practices like adding nettle roots, green chillis, or pinecones to warm milk.1 Perhaps the most intriguing among these is the Turkish and Bulgarian practice of making ant yogurt using the adult insects or their larvae as starters. In…
“The SFE + UAE combination enhances yield and concentration of bioactive compounds like phenols and curcuminoids, optimizing turmeric extract’s neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory potential and providing fractions with specific composition of bioactives, thus targeting different health benefits,” wrote the team of Columbian and Spanish researchers in Frontiers in Nutrition.“In this sense, both fractions could be advantageously employed to develop nutraceuticals and/or functional foods with specific health benefits.”Benefits of green extraction techniquesThe researchers noted the significant limitations of conventional extraction methods. Using solvents can cause environmental pollution and pose disposal problems. Additionally, the high temperatures used by manufacturers in solvent extraction can degrade the…
Pisces is ruled by Neptune in modern astrology, but once upon a time, it was ruled by Jupiter. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, and with it being the planet of growth, expansion, luck, abundance, and wisdom, when Pisces and Sag come together, they amplify all those themes for each other.
Manipulation comes easy.
Many Starbucks drinks contain two to three times the sugar of a glazed doughnut.Some Starbucks offerings pack nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar per Tall (12-ounce) drink.To cut added sugar, skip the sweetener or ask for a single pump, and keep serving sizes small. Whether you’re craving a caffeine kick or just want a cool, frosty drink, Starbucks has something for everyone. Unfortunately, that something can often include a boatload of sugar. In fact, some of Starbucks’ most popular drinks pack more sugar than the 13 grams of sugar in a Dunkin’ glazed doughnut. To complicate matters, most of these drinks’…
Luke TaylorRio de JaneiroThe famous 5?In April this year the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) agreed to recognise type 5 diabetes, saying that evidence supported a distinct new classification. In a comment published in the Lancet Global Health this week, the IDF urged global health bodies, including the World Health Organization, to follow suit.1Give us the lowdown in 5 Type 5 is a distinct form of diabetes linked to chronic undernutrition and health disparities. Some 25 million people (around 4% of the 589 million people with diabetes globally) are estimated to be affected, most of whom live in South East …
Growing up, it’s easy to take your birthday cake for granted. Sure, I expected one every year because it was a tradition in my family, but the dessert is more than that. It’s special, and defines the day you were born. It embraces the flavors you love, and whether it’s homemade or store-bought, it’s inherently yours in a way no other dessert can be. As an identical twin, the birthday cake choice carried even more weight. Sharing a birthday was inevitable, but my mom knew that my sister and I needed our individuality. Her solution was simple, but essential: We…