Does Coffee Help You Live Longer? It’s Complicated

https://gizmodo.com/health-benefits-of-coffee-live-longer-study-1849016280


Photo: Scott Olson (Getty Images)

Another week, another coffee-is-good-for-you study that’s caught people’s attention. New research found a link between regular coffee consumption and a reduced risk of death. While the findings are the latest to suggest that coffee is perfectly fine to drink, they’re not necessarily strong proof that your daily cup of joe is life-saving.

The study was conducted by researchers at Southern Medical University in China and was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It looked at data from the UK Biobank, a long-running research project that’s been tracking the health of UK residents. As part of the project, people detailed their dietary habits, including their coffee consumption.

Compared to people who didn’t report drinking coffee, the researchers found, people who drank coffee (up to and above 4.5 cups a day) were less likely to die of any cause over a seven-year follow-up period. This pattern held true after accounting for other factors like a person’s lifestyle, and even when people reported drinking sugar-sweetened coffee.

“Moderate consumption of unsweetened and sugar-sweetened coffee was associated with lower risk for death,” the study authors wrote.

As Gizmodo has covered before, this is far from the first work to suggest that coffee is good for you. Other studies have found a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of heart failure, liver damage, and indeed, even early death. Overall, these studies outnumber the ones that suggest coffee could harm health. So by this point, there’s not much debate left as to whether coffee is an “unhealthy” food, at least for the average person. (People with certain conditions, such as clinical anxiety, might want to avoid the stimulant effects of caffeine, though.)

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All that said, it’s always tricky to study the benefits and harms of food, and nutrition scientists typically have to conduct research that comes with some major limitations. This study, the authors themselves note, only looked at people’s diets at a single moment of time. It’s possible that some people started or stopped drinking coffee after the start of the study. It’s also possible that people misremembered their typical diet, a well-known flaw in these kinds of surveys.

But perhaps the most important caveat is that correlation isn’t necessarily causation. Coffee-drinking people may be different from those who intentionally abstain. They might tend to exercise more or keep to a healthier diet, for instance. Scientists do try to adjust for these kinds of factors, but it’s often not possible to fully eliminate this sort of noise in the data.

Interestingly enough, the study didn’t find the same correlation for artificially sweetened coffee. That could mean that mixing your espresso with Splenda instead of a sugar packet makes the beverage less healthful, but it could also be an example of why these conclusions may not be quite as sturdy as the headlines make them look.

This kind of research, known as an observational study, is an important part of science. Often, we simply can’t run a gold-standard clinical trial to test out theories about the world. But we also shouldn’t take the numbers that any single study spits out as gospel (in this one, the associated risk of early death was up to 30% lower for coffee-drinkers). Given the bulk of the evidence, you can rest easy knowing that drinking coffee in moderation isn’t likely to cause you any harm. But any conclusion beyond that is murkier.

And honestly, who cares? I’m certainly not having my daily coffee because I think I’ll live longer as a result—I just like the taste and morning pep it gives me.

via Gizmodo https://gizmodo.com

June 5, 2022 at 11:21AM

Russian Space Agency Plans to Space-Jack a German X-Ray Telescope

https://gizmodo.com/russia-roscosmos-erosita-1849029588


A view of the eROSITA X-ray telescope prior to final packing in its carbon fiber structure.
Photo: MPE

Russia’s space agency has announced its intention to unilaterally seize control of a German telescope mounted to a Russian-built spacecraft. It’s a terrible, irresponsible idea, as even Russian scientists will admit.

The German developer of the eROSITA telescope, the Max Planck Institute, put the instrument into sleep mode this past February in protest of Russia’s unwarranted and ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The X-ray telescope is the primary instrument aboard the joint Russian-German Spektr-RG mission, which the Russian space agency Roscosmos launched to space in July 2019. The Russian ART-XC X-ray telescope is also attached to the spacecraft, and it works in tandem with eROSITA.

It now appears, however, that Russia is going to switch eROSITA back on without the explicit consent of the Max Planck Institute, as reported in Deutsche Welle. Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin, a devout supporter of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, made his intentions clear during a recent televised interview.

“I gave instructions to start work on restoring the operation of the German telescope in the Spektr-RG system so it works together with the Russian telescope,” Rogozin said. “Despite Germany’s demand to shut down one of the two telescopes at Spektr-RG, Russian specialists insist on continuing its work. Roscosmos will make relevant decisions in the near future.”

To which he added: “They—the people that made the decision to shut down the telescope—don’t have a moral right to halt this research for humankind just because their pro-fascist views are close to our enemies.”

Spektr-RG is currently in a halo orbit some 932,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth. The science phase of the collaborative 7.5-year mission began in October 2019. The eROSITA telescope is in the midst of an all-sky survey, in which it’s scanning the universe in the medium X-ray range “with an unprecedented spectral and angular resolution,” according to the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. The device consists of seven identical mirror modules, each of which contains 54 nested mirror shells that allow for the telescope’s high sensitivity.

Scientists with the eROSITA project are using the telescope to map out the large-scale structure of the universe, to detect obscured black holes in nearby galaxies, and to study the physics of X-ray sources, such as young stars, supernova remnants, and X-ray binaries.

Lev Zeleny, scientific director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, spoke out against the decision to switch eROSITA back on, saying: “Our institute—all scientists—strongly object to this proposal,” as he was quoted by Russia’s state-run Gazeta. The objection, Zeleny said, “is both for political and technical reasons,” saying it’s not clear if Russian astronomers will actually figure out how to use eROSITA, or if outside journals will go on to publish any scientific results that might come from the move.

The scientific supervisor of the Spektr-RG project, Rashid Sunyaev, is concerned that Russian astronomers might accidentally damage Germany’s telescope, as reported in Interfax, a private Russian media outlet. “This is a wonderful device, absolutely world class, which has already given a lot of data,” Sunyaev said. “We all dream of seeing it return to active work. But it is an amazingly complex device, and if we decide to ignore agreements with partners and turn it on ourselves, it can simply ruin it,” Sunyaev said.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has been damaging on so many levels, the science realm included. It will likely take years, if not decades, for these broken relationships to mend. Rogozin’s decision to space-jack a telescope would only make a bad situation worse. He’d best think twice.

More: NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly to Russia: ‘Your Space Program Won’t Be Worth a Damn’.

via Gizmodo https://gizmodo.com

June 7, 2022 at 03:09PM

Apple’s AR Headset Might Be Postponed

https://gizmodo.com/apple-ar-headset-postponed-delay-realityos-vr-wwdc-rumo-1849029196


Apple CEO Tim Cook
Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)

Notably absent from the WWDC keynote this year was any overt mention of augmented or virtual reality. There were subtle hints sprinkled throughout the keynote—virtual maps, live text, and Visual Look Up are new features asking to be integrated into a mixed reality headset—but Apple chose not to use the big event as a springboard for its upcoming platform.

We knew not to expect AR hardware, but some mention of the rumored “realityOS” wasn’t completely out of the question. Apple will, at some point, need to drum up excitement and support from developers, which could happen to some extent during the ongoing WWDC sessions. However, the moment we’re waiting for: Apple revealing to the world its plans for augmented reality, will have to wait.

How long we’ll wait remains a moving target, but one of the most reliable Apple analysts has already chimed in with an updated timeline. Ming-Chi Kuo, in the wake of the WWDC keynote, predicted that Apple’s AR/MR (augmented and mixed reality) headset would be delayed until Q2 of next year, falling a few months behind the original Q1 projection. Kuo says the postponement would be due to lockdowns in China caused by the ongoing pandemic. He previously said Apple wouldn’t want to announce a product so far in advance and give its competitors time to create copies.

Kuo broke down the key dates ahead for Apple’s upcoming AR headset and software platform. Here is Kuo’s proposed schedule:

1. EVT (Engineering Validation and Testing) starting from Q3 2022.

2. Apple event in January 2023.

3. Dev toolkit send two to four weeks later (late February 2023).

4. Pre-orders begin in Q2 2023.

5. In-store before WWDC 2023.

If these predictions are accurate, and all goes well on the manufacturing front, then Apple’s mixed reality headset could be available in stores by around this time next year. Keep in mind that while Kuo often cites anonymous sources, these latest predictions appear to be pure speculation. While they align with what other top analysts are saying, you should take these claims with a heavy dose of skepticism.

As for what to expect when the headset does arrive, the product is said to have an “innovative three-display configuration” that combines dual 4K OLED microdisplays with at least six optical modules to provide continuous “video see-through AR services.” It is said to have M1 Pro-level power and could come equipped with 14 built-in cameras for advanced tracking. All of that technology is expected to result in a steep asking price that is currently set at 3,000 real physical dollars.

via Gizmodo https://gizmodo.com

June 7, 2022 at 02:13PM

Nimbus tiny EV prototype is like a motorbike with a roof

https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/07/nimbus-launches-tiny-ev-prototype-thats-like-a-motorbike-with-a-roof/


As shared e-scooter companies have infiltrated cities and e-bike sales have soared, micromobility has been offered up as a panacea to save us all from the ill humors and packed streets caused by gas-guzzling cars. However, one of the major roadblocks in front of well-intentioned city dwellers who’d love to trade in their cumbersome and environmentally unfriendly vehicles for an e-bike or scooter remains: What happens when it rains?

Nimbus, a California-based electric vehicle startup, wants to solve that problem with a simple solution: Put a roof on it.

The company recently came out of stealth with a prototype for its Nimbus One, a tiny, three-wheeled EV that “combines the convenience and cost of a motorbike with the safety and comfort of a car.”

The thin, pod-like vehicle is only about 2.75 feet wide and 7.5 feet long, which Nimbus says makes it three to five times smaller than a compact car — the better to park and navigate busy urban streets. It also has room behind the driver’s seat for another passenger or storage for things like grocery runs. Nong said the Nimbus’s backseat will have ISOFIX points for baby seats.

The vehicle also tilts, like a motorbike or scooter would, due to Nimbus’s proprietary tilting technology.

“Scooters are fun, but they’re also kind of dangerous, but they lean, so that’s fun,” Nong told TechCrunch, noting the front airbag in the Nimbus. “Our vehicle does the same thing, but it takes the skill out of it. So my mom can get in and start to drive. Have you ever driven a boat? It drives kind of like a boat. You turn left and it pitches to the left.”

The Nimbus One is classified as an auto-cycle in the U.S., which means it’s “the best of both worlds,” according to Nong.

“We don’t have to pass these stringent, very expensive and lengthy processes for getting our vehicles certified,” Nong said. “But also, drivers don’t need a motorcycle license to drive, so anybody with a car license can use our vehicle. They don’t have to wear a helmet.”

Since the Nimbus is made for city driving, not highway driving, it has a top speed of 50 miles per hour. Its 9 kWh battery has a range of 93 miles and a charge time of 1.2 hours on a Level 2 charger or 5.4 hours on household power, according to the company. Taking a page out of Gogoro’s book, Nimbus’s batteries are removable, swappable and can be charged in the owner’s own home.

The Nimbus One’s minimalist interior includes a display screen, Bluetooth-connected speakers, power windows, a rapid phone charger, heating and optional air conditioning. The vehicle also has a front-collision warning and additional features can be sent to the vehicle with over-the-air updates, according to the company.

Pre-orders for the Nimbus One started over the weekend, and test drives will be offered within a month, said Nong, who noted the company is taking $100 down payment per order. The vehicles themselves will cost around $9,980 to buy outright, but the company also intends to offer them as a subscription service for $200 per month.

Nimbus expects first deliveries from impending pre-orders to come in the third quarter of 2022, but the company hasn’t yet chosen its launch city. Nong said Nimbus will roll out city by city, in part so the company can set up proper after-sales service to maintain vehicles in each city as it grows.

Nong says that while he expects most of Nimbus’ business to come from direct to consumer sales, the startup is also in talks with several shared micromobility operators, other vehicle sharing programs and food and grocery delivery companies. All vehicle functions, like door locks, power windows, speakers and even steering, braking and vehicle speed can be controlled via Nimbus’s central control unit and accessed via API, making the vehicles highly compatible for a vehicle-sharing program. In addition, up to four 2.2 kWh swappable battery packs can be equipped with the vehicle, a feature that has the potential to cut overhead costs associated with charging shared fleet vehicles.

Of course, manufacturing costs for any vehicle have never been higher than they are today, so Nimbus will need to raise another round to make it to production. The startup wants to raise $20 million in equity and $10 million in debt for its Series A, as well as bring on a customer who is also a strategic investor.

Nimbus closed a $4.7 million seed round last August and expects investors from that round — Thiel Capital, the JAM fund, Conscience, Ponooc and Gaingels — to follow on into the next round.

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June 7, 2022 at 05:09PM