Under pressure
Scientists discover a new factor that affects "brain age"
The concept of a person's “brain age” mixes together cultural, psychological, and physical health ideas. That swirl, plus one’s own genetics, can help us understand why some centenarians we’ve been lucky enough to know still retain so much of their sharpness.
by Nick LucchesiThe concept of “brain age” mixes cultural, psychological, and physical health ideas. That swirl, plus one’s genetics, can help us understand why some centenarians we’ve been lucky enough to know (RIP, Grandma Rawe) still retain so much of the sharpness that made them remarkable. It can also explain why other people seem to fade so quickly after retirement.
Research published this month shows that blood pressure levels when people are as young as their twenties or thirties can impact a person’s “brain age” as well. I’m Nick Lucchesi, an editor at Inverse.
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This is an adapted version of the Inverse Daily newsletter for Tuesday, October 19, 2021. Subscribe for free and earn rewards for reading every day in your inbox. ✉️
Millennials need to lower their blood pressure to decrease their brain age, a new study finds.
Twentysomethings need to lower their blood pressure — Sarah Sloat reports that elevated blood pressure places individuals at risk of accelerated brain aging. Meanwhile, optimal blood pressure can help brains stay six months younger:
Your age may not match the age of your brain. This is the difference between your chronological age — how many years you’ve been alive — and your biological age: how old your body appears. In a study published this October, scientists report on an influential factor that can tip the scales toward a younger or older brain: blood pressure.
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NASA Lucy launch story told in 9 images — Jenn Walter recaps the NASA Lucy mission, which launched on Saturday and will explore the Trojan asteroids in Jupiter's orbit. Its journey will last until the 2030s and possibly longer:
The Trojans are some of the most ancient objects in the Solar System.
And if all goes to plan, Lucy’s exploration will give us new data about the primordial days when the planets first formed.
Read the full story and see the images.
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Why pumpkin spice is so popular — Sarah Wells reports on the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (or PSL) and people's undeniable loyalty for it. The drink's scent and nostalgia are equally as important as taste — and scientists explain why:
The morning air is crisp, while amber-colored leaves crunch underfoot, leaving a miniature orchestra in your wake. Pumpkins line porches and safe inside under a blanket their residents are already bookmarking new Thanksgiving recipes.
This collection of moments can only mean one thing: it’s pumpkin spice latte (PSL) season. Fragrant with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg notes, this fall classic is a sweet and cozy reminder of the season. Originating at Starbucks in 2003, you can now find pumpkin spice latte variations at local and chain coffee shops across the country and injected into grocery items.
But the reason this drink has a cult following may have just as much to do with its actual taste as with the nostalgia we’ve cultivated around it, Sarah Cormiea tells Inverse.
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A planet orbiting a dead star hints at Earth's future — Will Earth survive the Sun's collapse? Astronomers spotted a planet orbiting a dead white dwarf star that hints at the future of our own Solar System.
Read the full story and see the photos.
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Filmmaker and co-showrunner for The Mandalorian Jon Favreau marks a birthday today.
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- Birthdays: John Lithgow (76), Jon Favreau (55; pictured above), Michael Gambon (81), Trey Parker (52), Omar Gooding (45). Source: AP.
- Song of the Day: “Pressure Drop” by Toots and the Maytals.
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