There’s fresh hope that dementia could be predicted up to 15 years before diagnosis, thanks to a blood test that looks for changes in certain proteins.
Professor Jianfeng Feng, an expert in computer science at Warwick University, worked on the study, and told Tech & Science Daily that they identified 11 proteins that are highly accurate at predicting future dementia.
These proteins, found in blood plasma, are effectively markers for the biological changes that happen in people who have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor Feng said the test could be seamlessly integrated into the NHS and used as a screening tool by GPs, but told us, for now, the actual analysis of the proteins in the blood can cost around £100 per protein.
A new spacesuit designed for NASA has passed a microgravity test.
The suit, developed by Collins Aerospace, was tested aboard a commercial microgravity aircraft.
During the flight, the pilot created weightless conditions for around 20 seconds at a time by conducting a series of roller-coaster-like manoeuvres, to test whether the wearer can move around in microgravity.
The next steps for the suit, which is planned to replace NASA’s current stock, include testing it in a vacuum chamber as well as a spacewalk test at the agency’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab; a 40-foot deep pool at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
A team of scientists have discovered that, under extreme temperatures, Gold does something quite unexpected.
Using the highest-resolution X-ray machines available in the world, the team found that the precious metal actually stopped melting and instead became harder and stronger past a certain heat threshold.
They then found that ââever-increasing amounts of heat were needed to bring the gold back to melting point, and researchers say the discovery is set to have wide-ranging implications for technology and industry.
A UN report suggests the world’s migratory species, animals such as turtles, whales, elephants and wild cats, are under threat.
The report found that overexploitation is the greatest threat for many migratory species, surpassing habitat loss and fragmentation.
That includes hunting and fishing, as well as the animals caught in fishing nets like turtles and dolphins, also known as ‘bycatch’.
The report said that efforts need to be stepped up to address unsustainable and illegal taking of migratory species, and said that bycatch and other incidental capture must be ‘massively reduced’.
Also in this episode:
Amazon Prime’s new paywall to access Dolby Vision and Atmos, plant-based diet ‘linked to better sexual health in men with prostate cancer’, researchers urged to take advantage of Horizon scheme and scientists discover ancient egg dating back 1,700 years still has liquid inside.
Listen above, find us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.
