New Delhi: Life expectancy is expected to see a significant enhancement worldwide with an estimated increase of 4.9 years in men and 4.2 years in women by 2050, according to a new study published in The Lancet journal Saturday.
The study conducted by Global Burden of Disease Study (2021), which was published in The Lancet journal, used several factors, including income per capita, education, and other health-risk factors to forecast global life expectancy.
The study also considers the impact of disability-adjusted life years. It derived its projections from an extensive evaluation of 88 risk factors and their resultant health impacts across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021.
According to the study, the main reason for this increase is because of health facilities to tackle cardiovascular diseases, Covid-19, and CMNNs (communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases), which are expected to grow even further in the coming years. Read more.
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Warm-blooded dinosaurs emerged millions of years ago
Contrary to the long-held belief that dinosaurs were sluggish, cold-blooded giants akin to modern reptiles, new evidence suggests a different narrative.
A new study published in Current Biology on 15 May revealed that during the Early Jurassic period, approximately 200 to 174 million years ago, two dominant dinosaur groups —theropods (like Tyrannosaurus rex and the swift Velociraptor) and ornithischians (such as the Triceratops)— also thrived in cooler climates.
This adaptation hints at the development of endothermy — a biological mechanism allowing these species to regulate their internal temperature independently of the environment.
In the early 20th century, dinosaurs were believed to be relying on the sun’s heat to regulate their temperature.
However, this finding suggests that some dinosaurs could generate their body heat, though the exact timeline is still unclear. The study used 1,000 fossils, climate models and evolutionary data for this research. Read more.
Step ahead in HIV vaccine trial?
In a landmark stride toward combating HIV, a clinical trial has sparked a beacon of hope.
A new study published on 17 May in 50 Cell journal highlighted a clinical trial for an HIV vaccine developed by the Duke Human Vaccine Institute that triggered the immune system into producing broadly neutralising antibodies against HIV.
These antibodies appeared in participants within weeks after vaccination— a promising sign that shows that the immune system can quickly start defending against HIV after vaccination.
Although the trial, conducted in 2019, faced a pause due to a non-critical allergic reaction, the results remain a testament to the vaccine’s potential.
Further development aims to create a robust response targeting multiple regions of the virus envelope — a crucial step for a successful HIV vaccine. Read more.
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MIT to help ‘moonwalkers’ in space
At the forefront of space exploration, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is leading a project that could redefine mobility for astronauts on lunar missions.
A mechanical engineering professor and his team are engineering a pair of robotic limbs called “SuperLimbs” that are designed to assist astronauts in navigating the moon’s terrain.
Due to the lack of gravity in space and the heavy weight of spacesuits, astronauts are prone to fall quite a few times and lose their balance when walking on the moon.
The new Supernumerary Robotic Limbs or “SuperLimbs” developed by Professor Harry Asada in collaboration with NASA are designed to help astronauts lift after a fall so that they can conserve their energy for other tasks.
An article published in MIT News on 15 May talks about this innovation and the back and forth between Asada’s team and NASA to test the prototype and get feedback from actual astronauts.
The article also says that, currently the researchers are developing this in the form of a backpack for ease of carrying. Read more.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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