Sans titre

Mammals that live on meat are more likely to die of cancer than those that only eat plants, according to a study of tens of thousands of zoo animals from around the world.

Orsolya Vincze at the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary and her colleagues analysed post-mortem records for 110,148 animals from 191 mammal species that died in zoos to determine their risk of dying from cancer.

They found that carnivorous mammals were much more likely to die of cancer than mammals that rarely or never eat animals. The artiodactyls, a mostly herbivorous group that includes antelopes, sheep and cows, was the least cancer-prone order of mammals.

The most cancer-prone species was the kowari (Dasyuroides byrnei), a small, carnivorous, Australian marsupial, with 16 of the 28 post-mortem records available for the species stating cancer as the cause of death.

In contrast, none of the 196 blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) or the 213 Patagonian maras (Dolichotis patagonum) were recorded as having cancer when they died. Blackbucks are grass-eating antelopes native to India and the Patagonian mara is a large, grass-eating rodent found in Argentina.

The findings challenge the common belief that bigger animals with longer lifespans are most at risk of getting cancer, since they have more cells that can mutate and there is more time for mutations to occur. Instead, cancer risk appears to be heavily influenced by diet, although more research is needed to confirm whether the relationship seen in captive mammals is also found in wild populations, say the researchers.

One reason why carnivores may be more prone to cancer is that raw meat can contain viruses that have the potential to cause cancer when ingested, says Vincze. For example, cancers in some captive lions have been found to be related to papillomavirus in cow carcasses they ate, she says.

Another reason may be that carnivores are more exposed to pollutants that become increasingly concentrated in animals further up the food chain, says Beata Ujvari at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia, who was also involved in the study. Moreover, carnivores have high-fat, low-fibre diets and less diverse gut bacteria than plant-eaters, which are factors that have been associated with cancer risk in people, she says.

The finding that meat-eating mammals are more susceptible to cancer doesn’t necessarily mean that people who eat meat are also more at risk, since we have different lifestyles to other mammals and don’t tend to eat raw meat, says Ujvari. However, some human studies have linked meat consumption with increased cancer risk, she says.

At this stage, it is unclear why artiodactyls seem to be unusually resistant to cancer, but a better understanding of this could help protect us from cancer too, says Ujvari. Their low-fat, fibre-rich plant diet may be a factor, or they may have evolved natural anti-cancer defences to compensate for the extra cancer potential caused by their large size, she says.

Species like the blackbuck and the Patagonian mara are of particular interest due to their exceptionally low cancer mortality rates, says Vincze. “Understanding how they defy cancer may help us to develop cancer treatments.”

Tropical Futurism Envisions the Climate of Our Fate

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with enough infotainment to entertain the most tech-obsessed passengers.

Its OLED touchscreens span the dashboard like a pixelated surfboard, its heads-up camera is displayed in big-screen augmented reality, its on-board wellness systems surpass the serenity levels of several local spas I’ve visited here in Los Angeles — all factors in why it ranks as the best car I drove in 2021.

But many people who buy Mercedes’ $110,000 technological wonder won’t fully tap into the car’s advanced capabilities. Fewer than half of those who bought new cars this year will use all of the advanced technologies available in them during the first three months of driving it, according to J.D. Power’s 2021 Tech Experience Index. More than 60% will never use them, the index predicts.

“New-vehicle prices are at an all-time high, partly as a result of an increased level of content,” Kristin Kolodge, J.D. Power’s executive director of human machine interface, said in the report. “This is fine if owners are getting value for their money, but some features seem like a waste to many owners.”

Progress is healthy and vital for the auto industry. This year has been full of it. And new research shows it’s safer to use such new things as voice-activated technologies than touchscreens, which can distract drivers.

But some consumers, it seems, are not quite as excited as automakers hoped about the more intrusive safety technologies, mega-sized infotainment screens, auto-dimming mirrors, branded puddle lamps, haptic-feedback touchscreens, progressive driving assistants, and AI systems these new cars offer.

Instead of eliminating distraction, some of these new technologies create it — and driver distraction is estimated to be a factor in up to 30% of car collisions and nearly 60% of teen crashes.

In 2021, I reviewed dozens of new cars. Here are the most annoying technologies I found in them.

Lane Nannies Everyone who has driven a sports car as it is meant to be driven — quickly, efficiently, smoothly, thrillingly — will be able to commiserate with this one: momentary resistance from the steering wheel when you try to make a last-minute lane change. The stay-in-lane safety tech can feel discombobulating at best, distracting at worst. I have felt my heart jump more than a few times when trying to change lanes quickly and, for an instant, the steering wheel won’t comply.

General Motors’ Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti’s QX 55, and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG GT 63 S all offer lane-change assist programs, but nanny systems meant as crash avoidance often prove more annoying than helpful. (It helps to, uh, use your indicators, which often disengage the system for the duration of the lane change.)

IS THE FUTURE over? To some, it has been for some time. Ten years ago, the late critic Mark Fisher wrote of “the slow cancellation of the future” in his book, Ghosts of My Life, attributing cultural stasis to our collective inability to “grasp and articulate the present.” To Fisher, the future was already lost, not only to the fragmentation and acceleration we now accept as part of life shaped by the internet, but to “a general condition: in which life continues, but time has somehow stopped.” Such stasis ran counter to how Fisher’s generation understood the future as the destination at the end of an arcing arrow, ushered in by the pursuit of knowledge, liberty, and technological innovation. The future had been a myth whose certainty was owed as much to Marxist dialectics as to Henry Ford’s assembly line: We once rubbed sticks together to make fire and lived in feral chaos; soon, we will travel in inter-dimensional spacecraft and eliminate mass suffering. That myth has all but disappeared, as we have witnessed the eruption of past, present, and future into one simultaneous, repetitive, and famously uneven plane.

But wait — haven’t we witnessed leaps and bounds in innovation since Ghosts of My Life? Haven’t we since strapped into our VR headsets, watched esports championships in packed stadia, and sunk our wages into shadowy blockchains? How could the future have been over then, if it was to arrive for us now? Nearly a decade before Fisher, queer theorist Lee Edelman had something to say about that in No Future. In it, Edelman argues for a more specific cancellation: of “reproductive futurity,” or the organization of society and politics around generational succession.

Reproductive futurism and what we can think of as the “corporate futurism” of traditional innovation both favor superficial progress and narrative sequencing, “not toward the end of enabling change, but … of turning back time to assure repetition,” writes Edelman. Under reproductive futurity, we are collectively biased towards non-disruptive and incremental change, and against the radical, queer, or truly revolutionary that threatens the so-called “natural order” of biological sex, family values, and economic growth. So-called realism has trapped us in an interminable present, where even the most daring innovations fail to envision a better and more equitable world — and in fact depend on the failure of our imagination for their successes, if you consider how Amazon’s delivery-on-demand has merely set a precedent for further deteriorating working conditions; or that Elon Musk’s Hyperloop only makes sense in a future without public access to transit; or how Meta can only envision alternate-dimensionality as an office-cum-mall that hasn’t even corrected for landlords.

Augmented-reality smart glasses might be the talk of 2022, but Mojo Vision is continuing its development of smart contact lenses. We first got a look at the company’s Mojo Lens prototype two years ago at CES 2020, when it was still very much in the research and development phase. Not much has changed there; the product is still in very early stages. The idea is that these smart contacts use an embedded display to show notifications, serve as a teleprompter, and even help people with poor vision move about.

At CES 2022, the company says it’s now exploring the sports and fitness wearable market as one of the key areas where Mojo Lens will be adopted first. It announced “several strategic partnerships” with fitness brands like Adidas Running, Trailforks, Wearable X, Slopes, and 18Birdies, and Mojo Vision plans to build “interfaces and experiences” to suit the needs of athletes in these categories. Imagine an athlete not needing to look down at a watch or smartphone screen to view real-time data, but can see it during a workout. Sign me up. — Julian Chokkattu.

Samsung’s Home Hub Will Let You Control All The SmartThings

If your home is filled with gadgets from Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, you’ll soon be able to control all those devices from one central device called the Home Hub. But unlike Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest Hub–both of which put their own distinct spin on the smart display trend–Samsung’s version is a generic-looking 8.4-inch tablet that you can place on a dock or carry around the house. It does have two microphones built in, as well as two speakers, so it can listen for Bixby voice commands (yes, Bixby is still kicking) and announce notifications.

At launch, the Home Hub will allow you to control Samsung’s smart appliances, including its Family Hub refrigerator, Bespoke Washer and Dryer, and Bespoke AirDresser. So you can use the smart display for things like planning meals from the fridge or checking on usage patterns with your washer and dryer. Later on, Samsung will also add the ability to control more devices, like door locks and lights via the Home Hub.

It’s also worth noting that Samsung also announced it was one of the manufacturers joining the new Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA)–an initiative meant to expand support and connectivity across all smart-home brands. That way, you can pair smart-home products from a variety of brands rather than being tied to one. So, hopefully, that’ll apply to the Home Hub too.

Samsung hasn’t released exact details on availability or pricing, but the company did confirm that Home Hub is coming to Korea in March, then seeing a global release after that. — Brenda Stolyar

See Through the Smoke With Airthings View Monitors

Last year, in a move clearly inspired by the pandemic, the air monitoring company Airthings introduced a service that detects the potential for viruses to spread through an indoor space. Now, Airthings aims to tackle even more of the many ailments plaguing the air we breathe.

Airthings’ new $199 View Pollution device can detect everything from city smog to wildfire smoke. It’s dedicated to tracking the particle size of irritants, detecting the ones most likely to cause allergic reactions or trigger respiratory issues. For $299, the Airthings View Plus combines pollution- and virus-monitoring with Airthing’s standard radon detection capabilities.

Of course, tracking these airborne invaders is just a start. If you really want to ensure you’ve got the best indoor air quality, check out our guide. — Boone Ashworth.

TCL’s Second-Gen Smart Glasses Put a Cinema on Your Face

TCL’s second-generation version of its NxtWear Air wearable glasses aren’t augmented reality glasses à la Google Glass, but they let you view anything from your smartphone through the dual 1080p micro OLED embedded in the lenses via a USB-C cable. The idea seems like it would be handy if you don’t want to prop up your phone on a plane ride to watch a movie or play a game. The design aims to replicate the effect of having a 140-inch screen right in front of your face. (Yay?)

The company says the new version is 30 percent lighter than the previous version and more comfortable to wear, with better color reproduction in the panels. You get spatial audio in the arms of the glasses too. Unfortunately, TCL hasn’t shared exactly when the glasses will launch or how much a pair will cost. The predecessor was around $700, which is frankly an absurd price to pay for what is essentially a smartphone display glued in front of your eyes. — Julian Chokkattu.

Cync Rolls Out a Bunch of New Smart-Home Gadgets

Last year, C by GE gave itself a new name, Cync (now under the company Savant), and a few nice products followed. At this year’s CES, the company announced 15 new products it expects to launch this year, including 11 smart bulbs with different shape and color options. Those will be available starting in March.

I particularly liked Cync’s indoor camera. Now, two outdoor cameras are coming in February, one wired ($100) and one battery-powered ($130) with a solar panel accessory ($45) for charging.

Going in a new smart-home direction, a Smart Thermostat and Room Temperature Sensors were also announced. The company says the thermostat can be installed without a common wire, making it possible for more people to use it. The sensors monitor individual rooms to help control temperature accordingly. The thermostat will start at $120, the sensors at $30, and they will be available to order later this month. — Medea Giordano.

Motorola Cuts the Cord on Android Autos

Android Auto is a lot better than using many carmakers’ outdated infotainment systems. It’s often easier to use your phone for streaming music, navigating, taking phone calls, and more. Unfortunately, as with Apple CarPlay, a lot of factory and aftermarket car stereos require the mess of a physical USB cable between the dashboard and phone. It’s 2022 — aren’t we supposed to be free of cable tyranny?

Motorola’s MA1 is a wireless adapter for cars already equipped with Android Auto. It plugs into the stereo’s USB port and connects via Bluetooth Low Energy to any Android smartphone that’s running Android 11 or higher. Bluetooth Low Energy operates on lower power than regular Bluetooth, so your phone battery will drain more slowly. For media, it handily uses the 5-GHz band of Wi-Fi for speedier streaming. The MA1 goes on sale January 28 for $90. — Matt Jancer.

A tropical, evergreen tree from Cameroon, the first plant species to be named as new to science in 2022, has officially been labelled Uvariopsis dicaprio today in honour of the actor Leonardo DiCaprio. It adds to the list of the strange and spectacular plants that scientists have named in the past 12 months.

Martin Cheek at the UK’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and his colleagues — including researchers at the National Herbarium of Cameroon and the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon — analysed photos and specimens of the tree, which is found in Cameroon’s tropical Ebo forest.

They determined it was previously unknown to science, and also appears to be unknown among local communities. The team named the species after actor and environmental activist DiCaprio to commemorate his campaigning efforts to protect Ebo forest from logging.

Standing at around 4 metres tall, U. dicaprio can be identified by the distinctive and vibrant glossy yellow-green flowers that grow on its trunk. It is closely related to the ylang-ylang tree (Cananga odorata) which is native to India, South-East Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia.

“This is a plant which, for a botanist, just jumps out at you,” says Cheek. “It’s so spectacular.”

Currently, fewer than 50 individual trees have been spotted, and they are all confined to a single, unprotected area of Ebo forest. As a result, U. dicaprio is considered critically endangered.

Over the past year, there have also been many other newly named plant species.

In March 2021, 14 new species of blue-berried shrubs were named. These are all in the genus Chassalia, which belongs to the coffee family, and they include the species C. northiana, named after renowned Victorian artist Marianne North, who depicted the shrub in an 1876 oil painting.

“The amazing thing is that the first herbarium specimen of it wasn’t made until 1973,” says Cheek. “About 100 years after her painting.”

In August 2021, Mark Chase, also at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and his colleagues named seven new Australian species of wild tobacco (Nicotiana). These can be found throughout the Australian outback.

One of the more peculiar species is N. insecticida, which is covered in sticky hairs that trap and kill small insects — the first recorded wild tobacco plant to do so.

These newly named species highlight the often-underestimated biodiversity that exists in the arid regions of Australia, says Chase. “It’s a good example of how dynamic vegetation and animals can be when faced with hostile environments,” he says.

Additionally, during 2021, Johan Hermans, also at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and his colleagues named 16 species of orchids (Orchidaceae) from Madagascar.

One of the species, Didymoplexis stella-silvae, grows in complete darkness and its vivid white flowers only open immediately after rain and close back up after about 24 hours.

“Madagascar is an extraordinary, floating ark [of biodiversity],” says Hermans. But unfortunately, many plant species there are threatened by human activity. In fact, three of the 16 new orchid species are now extinct in the wild.

Ultimately, all these newly named species highlight the importance of documenting plant life.

“The planet is a poorer place when we lose the species that have taken, in most cases, millions of years to evolve,” says Cheek. “With so many useful products, from medicines to food to fibres, that come from plants, we don’t know what options we’re losing when these become extinct.”

Losing plant species will also have a knock-on effect for other organisms. “By protecting an orchid, you might be protecting an insect that [feeds on it],” says Hermans.

“It’s only once we know that a species exists, that we can do anything about getting it protected,” says Cheek.

Subject: Free Download — your instant $2,000 mobile app business

Hey,

Zapable here — hope you’re keeping great!

What if I told you we had discovered a new way for you to use a new ‘point and click’ software, in a SUPER untapped niche and add an extra $1000 — $10,000 every single month to your bottom line?

We’ve been:

1) Using this software and…

2) Selling businesses their own mobile app’s for $1000 -$5,000 each.

But here’s the icing on the cake….

It’s beginner friendly and no previous tech experience is needed!

It’s taking us 60 minutes max to build out these apps and we can turn them round for $1000 — $5,000 using this new service.

We have arranged a 100% Free training on May 4th 2021 @ 9AM EST

Get access to the webinar :

https://jvz4.com/c/2019683/367328

Since the Covid pandemic, businesses are terrified of getting shut down again.

A mobile app gives them a “lifeline” and is now not just a luxury… but an essential part of their business. And they are snapping them up for $1,000 > $5,000 each and they are so easy to build with this.

https://jvz4.com/c/2019683/367328

Do not miss this “one off training” where we show you live on screen everything!