Aspirin May Reduce Cancer Risks

A new Oxford University study has shown that a small amount of aspirin (75mg), taken daily, can greatly reduce cancer death rates. Professor Peter Rothwell, who directed the research, explained that healthy households should not start taking aspirin as if it were a vitamin, although the new discovery “tips things towards it being well worth it.”

The results were described as “promising” by Cancer Research UK, and family health expert Ed Yong said that they “encourage anyone interested in taking aspirin on a regular basis to talk to their GP first.” The full results of the study were publicized in the Lancet Medical Journal.

Explaining Saturn’s Rings

SaturnSaturn has been admired since ancient times for its beautiful, mysterious rings, giving it the appearance of a lovely jewel hanging in the heavens above. Many theories have been proposed for the formation of these wonderful rings, the latest of which being that the rings are the remnants of an ancient moon.

The theory suggests that Saturn was orbited by a large moon which lost its icy outer layer before its rocky inner part went plunging into the surface of the giant planet. These icy fragments continued to circle the solar system’s second largest planet, eventually spewing off small moons of its own. The estimate for the date of this event is said to be about 4.5 billion years ago.

Robin Canup is a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. Ms. Canup explains the logic of the theory in the following way. “Not only do you end up with the current ring, but you can also explain the inner ice-rich moons that haven’t been explained before.”

Canup is the author of the paper detailing particulars of the theory which appears on the December 12th internet edition of the journal Nature.

Top Ten Benefits of Water

waterEveryone knows that drinking water is a necessary part of life. We always hear warnings of dehydration, but we often fail to take them seriously. Here is a list of ten positive effects that water has on the body:

1.       Drinking water can help you lose weight by ridding the body of the by-products of fat breakdown. Dehydration also often causes hunger, even though the body does not actually need food. Water also has zero calories.

2.       Drinking water is usually an effective way to eliminate headaches.

3.       Your skin needs water in order to stay hydrated and flexible. Healthy skin makes your whole body look healthier.

4.       90% of the brain is water. Staying hydrated will help you stay more focused and alert during the day.

5.       Water regulates your body temperature. If you stay hydrated, you’ll feel more energetic and exercising will become easier, as your body will stay cooler.

6.       Water is directly involved with and aids your metabolism and digestive system.

7.       Proper hydration ensures that your muscles and joints stay lubricated, lessening the chances of cramps and sprains.

8.       Drinking sufficient amounts of water helps your body rid itself of toxins and waste, which can lessen the chances of getting sick.

9.       The cleansing qualities of the water in the body also help to relieve fatigue.

The health benefits of water directly affect the mood– when your body feels healthy, your mind feels healthy

Planetariums Reach for the Stars with New Technologies

Planetariums are a beloved tradition for family outings which are not only highly educational, but usually a lot of fun as well. But considering the incredible progress society has made in the technology of communications in the past 50 years or so, it seems strange that the technology almost every planetarium uses to display the heavens to observers has not changed in any significant ways since its first introduction in 1923, and that is the ‘star ball.’

Now there is a way of supplementing star balls with digital projectors and software, bringing the beauty of the entire universe into the dome shaped screen, the main even at the planetarium in a new and wonderful way.

The inexpensive change, estimated to cost about $38,000, would create a ‘rich and truly interactive experience’ to visitors. The technology is a team project of the University of Washington and Microsoft, and will bring to planetariums all over the U.S. a WorldWide Telescope, foru Sharp XV-Z15000 digital light processing projectors (DLP); a Navitar Screenstar conversion lens; an Nvidia GTX275 video card; and all the cables, switches and seven computers all running Windows 7 with 1TB hard drives and 6GB RAM.

“Planetariums with image resolution of a few million pixels typically cost several hundred thousand dollars,” said Andrew Connolly, team member and University of Washington associate professor of astronomy.

“Our system is about 8 million pixels, but at a fraction of the cost,” he said.

“Their cost is much less than most commercially available systems,” Mark Sonntag, director of the

Angelo State University (ASU) Planetarium.

Winter Health Tips

Winter is the season when many people get sick with flu, colds or coughs. Hence it is important take care of your health during the season of rain and snow. Here are a few winter health tips that guarantee an enjoyable winter:

First, a balanced diet assures proper health throughout the year and winter is no exception. In winter you should emphasize fresh foods and seasonal food items. Make salads with vegetables and fruit and eat healthy carbs and fats. Make sure to eat from a range of different foods so as to ensure that you get the vitamins you need to maximize your immunity and resistance power.

Although it isn’t hot, so you don’t’ feel thirsty, it is just as important to drink plenty of water duing the winter. Hot soups and herbal teas are also a good source of winter fluids.

Exercise! This is especially important in winter as it invigorates the body and develops the immunity system and resistance power of the body to fight the flu, cold and cough and other illnesses that frequent during the winter.

Dress in layers, with protective garments like sweaters and jackets to shield yourself from the cold winds and falling temperatures. Keep your head and feet particularly warm.

Stay warm and healthy and enjoy the winter!