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World’s tiniest pacemaker could revolutionize heart surgery
Researchers have developed a tiny, temporary pacemaker that dissolves when no longer needed, helping to overcome some of the challenges associated with current devices. Temporary pacemakers are often required after heart surgery but implanting them can require invasive procedures. This new device is injectable, requires no external power and is controlled using light shone through the skin. The tiny pacemaker has shown promise in animal and heart models, and the team think it could also be used in other situations where electrical stimulation is needed, like the brain.
Research Article: Zhang et al.
Measurements show that global warming is causing lakes to lose their oxygen, and a massive, 30-year analysis showing that a diet of plant-rich foods is associated with healthy ageing
Research Highlight: Life-giving oxygen is wafting out of lakes worldwide
Research Highlight: The best foods for healthy ageing ― and the worst
A large-scale population study suggests that getting a shingles vaccine reduces the probability of someone getting dementia by around one-fifth. By taking advantage of the way a shingles vaccine was rolled out in Wales, a team were able to compare dementia outcomes in vaccine-eligible people to those born just a few weeks earlier who were ineligible. Although more tests will be needed to confirm this finding and to understand the mechanisms behind it, the team hope that vaccination against this viral infection could represent a cost-effective way to for preventing or delaying dementia.
Research article: Eyting et al.
Data suggests that racial profiling plays a role in whether someone receives a traffic citation or fine, and studies suggest that paying researchers who review manuscripts could speed up the peer-review process, without affecting the quality of reviews.
Ars Technica: Study of Lyft rideshare data confirms minorities get more tickets
Nature: Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find?
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Briefing chat: How hovering bumblebees keep their cool
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This chunk of glass could store two million books for 10,000 years
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Briefing Chat: Caffeine slows brain ageing, suggests decades of data
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Briefing Chat: 'External lungs' keep man alive for 48 hours until transplant
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Briefing Chat: What Brazilian centenarians could reveal about the science of ageing
10:21|In this episode:00:36 Study probes genetics of extreme longevityNature: Still working at 107: supercentenarian study probes genetics of extreme longevity05:32 Controlling fluorescent proteins’ brightness with magnetsNature: ‘Remote controlled’ proteins illuminate living cellsSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.How your brain chemistry rewards hard work
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