Science

Detox: Miracle Cure or Marketing Illusion?
SpotlightDetox: Miracle Cure or Marketing Illusion?

At the beginning of each year, following the indulgences of the holidays, or as summer approaches, the concept of “detox” resurfaces with renewed vigor. Celery juice, detoxifying herbal teas, crash diets and supplements with enticing names all promise a purified and lighter body, prepared to embrace the new season. The premise is simple and ...

Multiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease
SpotlightMultiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease

MS is a chronic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective layer around nerves, causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. This leads to symptoms like trouble walking, vision problems, numbness, bladder issues, fatigue, and sometimes ...

Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Devastating Form of Abuse
SpotlightShaken Baby Syndrome: A Devastating Form of Abuse

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is one of the most extreme and tragic forms of child abuse worldwide. Often triggered by a moment of anger or helplessness in response to persistent crying, a single violent shake can cause catastrophic brain injuries in infants – altering the course of a life before it has even begun. Behind this tragic reality lies a ...

Study Links Chemicals In Plastic To Cardiovascular Deaths
Study Links Chemicals In Plastic To Cardiovascular Deaths

Daily exposure to chemicals used for many plastic household items, could be linked to more than 356,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease worldwide in 2018, according to a study published on Tuesday. The study published in the Lancet eBioMedicine journal, led by researchers at NYU Langone Hospital in New York, focused on a phthalate chemical ...

ChatGPT Adds Shopping Help, Intensifying Google Rivalry
ChatGPT Adds Shopping Help, Intensifying Google Rivalry

OpenAI announced Monday that ChatGPT is now helping users find products online, enhancing its challenge to Google amid regulatory pressure on the search giant's market dominance. The new shopping capability further blurs the line between AI chatbots and search engines, signaling OpenAI's ambition to compete with Google in a market the ...

Less-Thirsty Rice Offers Hope in Drought-Stricken Chile
Less-Thirsty Rice Offers Hope in Drought-Stricken Chile

A cold, dry part of Chile might not sound like the best place to grow rice, a famously thirsty grain that thrives in tropical conditions. But a new strain of the world's favorite cereal developed by scientists in the drought-plagued South American country has generated hope that rice can be grown in seemingly inhospitable conditions. Using ...

Xi Says China Must 'Overcome' AI Chip Challenges.
Xi Says China Must 'Overcome' AI Chip Challenges.

President Xi Jinping said China must "overcome" the challenges of developing core AI technologies including high-end chips, state media reported Saturday, as Beijing seeks to become a world leader in the rapidly developing industry. China aims to dominate the artificial intelligence sector, a goal complicated by the trade standoff with Washington ...

Why Is Intermittent Fasting So Appealing Today?
ExplainerWhy Is Intermittent Fasting So Appealing Today?

Once primarily associated with religious practices, fasting has reemerged in a more flexible, accessible form—intermittent fasting—becoming a popular lifestyle choice. The principle is simple: alternate between fasting and eating periods within the same day or week. Among the most common methods is the 16/8 approach—16 hours of fasting ...

Remains Of 5,000-Year-Old Noblewoman Found In Peru Dig
Remains Of 5,000-Year-Old Noblewoman Found In Peru Dig

Archaeologists in Peru said Thursday they found the 5,000-year-old remains of a noblewoman at the sacred city of Caral, revealing the important role played by women in the oldest center of civilization in the Americas. "What has been discovered corresponds to a woman who apparently had elevated status, an elite woman," archaeologist David ...

China's BYD Reports Strong Q1 Profit Amid EV Sales Boom
China's BYD Reports Strong Q1 Profit Amid EV Sales Boom

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD reported strong first-quarter profits on Friday, propelled by surging sales as US rival Tesla struggles to maintain pace. China's EV market is the largest in the world, and BYD has emerged in recent years as the clear leader of the highly competitive sector, outperforming Tesla in annual revenue last year. The ...

Iraq Farmers Turn to Groundwater to Boost Desert Wheat Yields
ReportIraq Farmers Turn to Groundwater to Boost Desert Wheat Yields

Farmer Hadi Saheb cannot wait to see his wheat fields flourish in the heart of the desert after he tapped into groundwater reserves in water-starved Iraq. He is just one of many Iraqis who have turned to drilling wells in the desert to help sustain the country's agriculture. It is a risky move that threatens to deplete the groundwater in a ...