Triplets Can Turn Out Just Fine; A Black Hole Murderer
Discovered: Triplets can turn out okay, a black hole murderer is on the loose, time to start a moderate jogging routine and plants will adapt to climate change better than expected.
Triplets can turn out alright, after all. Being one of three triplet means having to share things among three, which can make a person turn out a little funny, probably. This research has no implications for the personality of triplets. But, there is some good news for the well being of those born in threes. "Although there are risks of prematurity in multiple pregnancies, and the possibility of serious morbidities in those born preterm," explains researcher Dr. Giancarlo Natalucci "Triplets who do not suffer from these issues may enjoy some benefits as compared to singletons at later stages," he explains. Though, the study only looked at a very small set of 19 groups of triplets, comparing them to 51 "singletons," the real-life scientific term for solo-babes. But, probably once you've made it past the "serious morbidity" phase, it's smooth sailing. [Reuters]
This black hole deserves to go to jail. There's a black hole murderer out there. See this hole, which weighs more than the sun, is invisible (black, get it) in the middle of galaxies and attacks when a planet or some other planetary thing least expects it. One such event happened recently and astronomers saw the whole thing go down. It was a bloody affair, too. "When the star is ripped apart by the gravitational forces of the black hole, some part of the star's remains falls into the black hole, while the rest is ejected at high speed," explains researcher Suvi Gezari. "We are seeing the glow from the stellar gas falling into the black hole over time. We're also witnessing the spectral signature of the ejected gas, which we find to be mostly helium. It is like we are gathering evidence from a crime scene. Because there is very little hydrogen and mostly helium in the gas, we detect from the carnage that the slaughtered star had to have been the helium-rich core of a stripped star," he continues. Disgusting. Someone, arrest that black hole! [Nature]
Time to start a moderate jogging routine. So in an unexpected twist, science has found a moderate form of exercise with big rewards. "The results of our research allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your health," said researcher and cardiologist Peter Schnohr. Go on! "We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don't actually need to do that much to reap the benefits," he continues. (This sounds like a trick ... but go on.) "You should aim to feel a little breathless, but not very breathless," he says. Science has sanctioned your half-ass work-out routine. Rejoice. Oh, and those benefits are pretty big: Risk of death was reduced by 44% for male joggers and 44% for the ladies. [European Society of Cardiology]
Plants will adapt better than expected to climate change. Even though humanity has thrown plants a curveball, making the earth all warm with its CO2 production and pollution and stuff, plants will adapt to the warmer temperatures. And, they will adapt better than previously thought, according to new research. "This suggests that predicted ecosystem changes—including continuing advances in the start of spring across much of the globe—may be far greater than current estimates based on data from experiments," explains researcher Elizabeth Wolkovich. But while this plant change will help them survive, it will augment entire ecosystems, something that could have weird consequences. "These findings have extensive consequences for predictions of species diversity, ecosystem services and global models of future change," she continues. [Nature]
Image via Shutterstock by Khuran.
