Lydia Denworth

1 week ago | projektpulsar.pl | Lydia Denworth

Naukowcy łączą procesy mózgowe, które leżą u podstaw chęci poznania, co generalnie uważamy za ciekawość. Ustalają, w jaki sposób mózg skupia się na rzeczach nowych, radzi sobie z niepewnością, uruchamia sieci gratyfikacyjne i utrwala to, co zapamiętaliśmy. Zaczynają również rozumieć, dlaczego ciekawość rodzi niekiedy bardzo poważne konsekwencje. [Artykuł także do słuchania] Świat jest pełen ciekawych rzeczy. Ale od czego zacząć? Jak wybrać to, co warte uwagi? Co motywuje nas do zdobywania wiedzy?

2 weeks ago | scientificamerican.com | Lydia Denworth

The idea that our workouts could benefit the trillions of microbes that live in our guts—bacteria and viruses that help our immune systems, metabolism, digestion, and other key bodily functions—isn’t obvious. At least it’s not as obvious as the connection between diet and the gut microbiome, as these microbes are called. But evidence is growing that an aerobic workout such as jogging can improve the health of the gut microbes, which in turn improves overall physical health.

1 month ago | scientificamerican.com | Lydia Denworth

The rattling or whistling noises of regular snorers are famously hard on those who share their beds. Middle-aged men and people who are overweight come frequently to mind as perpetrators because they are the most common sufferers of sleep apnea, often caused by a temporarily collapsing airway that makes the person snore heavily. But recent studies in children and pregnant women have revealed that even mild snoring can negatively affect health, behavior and quality of life.

2 months ago | hechoencalifornia1010.com | Lydia Denworth

The world is full of things to learn. Where to start? How to choose what to pay attention to? What motivates someone to seek new knowledge? The desire to learn is partly a preference for novelty: we tend to seek out new information and experiences, and that adds to what we know. We also like to reduce uncertainty. Information can bring food, safety, relationships, and other physical rewards.

2 months ago | scientificamerican.com | Lydia Denworth

I recently met a 26-year-old chef named Caroline Horvatits whose story is simultaneously distressing and hopeful. About a decade ago, during high school, Caroline was stricken by gut pain so severe she couldn’t sleep and missed her midterm exams. After a colonoscopy, a gastroenterologist diagnosed her with ulcerative colitis (UC), a disease where the body’s immune cells overreact and attack the colon—part of the large intestine—leaving open sores in the lining.