Lifeboat Foundation

Innovative! Drought resistant and doesn’t need a lot of fertilizer. And it smells like bread. Especially good for Africa which was mentioned.

This fruit curiously smells like baking bread and tastes like potatoes – and it might also provide a means to help feed communities amid drought and famine.

Breadfruit, despite its name, is not made of bread. It’s a tall tree native to islands in the Pacific that produces a starchy fruit, similar to a jackfruit.

Continue reading “Scientists think this weird-looking, odd-smelling fruit holds the key to fighting world hunger as temperatures rise” »

Jeff Desjardins, Editor-in-Chief of Visual Capitalist, joins OPTO Sessions to discuss the profound and far-reaching potential of CRISPR and gene editing technology, which he believes could impact fields as diverse as oncology, agriculture and materials science.

On 8 December, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The decision marked a watershed moment in the history of healthcare, being the first time that gene therapies have won FDA approval.

One of the treatments, Casgevy, is the result of a collaboration between CRISPR Therapeutics [CRSP] and Vertex Pharmaceuticals [VRTX]. The other, Lyfgenia, was developed by bluebird bio [BLUE].

CNS News– A dispute over a McDonald’s food order in Atlanta, Georgia, escalated to a tragic conclusion when Tamanika Woods, a mother of four, was fatally shot. The incident, which took place two days after Christmas, involved 19-year-old T’Niya Evans, who has since been charged with murder and aggravated assault.

This altercation represents a stark example of how quickly conflicts can escalate to violence. According to reports, the argument began over missing food items from an order placed by Evans and her sister. Woods, who was defending a McDonald’s employee and friend, became inadvertently involved.

The dispute tragically ended when Evans allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Woods at point-blank range inside the restaurant. The event was captured on surveillance video, showing Evans confronting and shooting Woods. In a swift response, another patron apprehended Evans, preventing her escape until police arrived.

Understanding why we overeat unhealthy foods has been a long-standing mystery. While we know food’s strong power influences our choices, the precise circuitry in our brains behind this is unclear. The vagus nerve sends internal sensory information from the gut to the brain about the nutritional value of food. But, the molecular basis of the reward in the brain associated with what we eat has been incompletely understood.

A study published in Cell Metabolism, by a team from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, unravels the internal neural wiring, revealing separate fat and sugar craving pathways, as well as a concerning result: Combining these pathways overly triggers our desire to eat more than usual.

“Food is nature’s ultimate reinforcer,” said Monell scientist Guillaume de Lartigue, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “But why fats and sugars are particularly appealing has been a puzzle. We’ve now identified nerve cells in the gut rather than taste cells in the mouth are a key driver. We found that distinct gut–brain pathways are recruited by fats and sugars, explaining why that donut can be so irresistible.”

A newly invented fuel cell taps into naturally present, and ubiquitous microbes in the soil to generate power.

This soil-powered device, about the size of a regular paperback book, offers a viable alternative to batteries in underground sensors used for precision agriculture.

Northwestern University highlighted the durability of its robust fuel cell, showcasing its ability to withstand various environmental conditions, including both arid soil and flood-prone areas.

Longevity and regenerative medicine doctor Neil Paulvin shares the “holy grail” of longevity foods that he eats every day to boost his brain power and immune system.

India has used traditional methods of agriculture for generations, but with 1.4 billion people now dependant on the crops farmers produce, some are turning to technology to boost productivity and profit.

For example on one vineyard, sensor devices are being used to check weather and soil health.

Continue reading “Artificial intelligence comes to farming in India | BBC News” »

Kidney damage from diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. You can slow down kidney damage or keep it from getting worse. Controlling your blood sugar and blood pressure, taking your medicines and not eating too much protein can help.

If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Over time, this can damage your kidneys. Your kidneys clean your blood. If they are damaged, waste and fluids build up in your blood instead of leaving your body.

Kidney damage from diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. It begins long before you have symptoms. People with diabetes should get regular screenings for kidney disease. Tests include a urine test to detect protein in your urine and a blood test to show how well your kidneys are working.

Continue reading “Diabetic Nephropathy | Diabetic Kidney Disease” »

For older adults with mild high blood pressure, a new study suggests consuming tomatoes may help manage hypertension and may even lower the risk of developing high blood pressure in the first place.

In the study, people without high blood pressure who ate the most tomatoes or tomato-based foods had a 36% lower risk of developing hypertension than those who ate the least.

In people who already had high blood pressure, especially those with stage 1 hypertension, moderate consumption of tomatoes was associated with a reduction in blood pressure.