how reading makes people empathetic
Reading stories is a universal experience that may result in people feeling greater empathy for each other, regardless of a persons origin or language, a study has found. Researchers at University of Southern California in the US found patterns of brain activation when people find meaning in stories, regardless of their language. Using functional MRI, the scientists mapped brain responses to narratives in three languages — English, Persian, and Mandarin Chinese. The study opens up the possibility that exposure to narrative storytelling can have a widespread effect on triggering better self-awareness and empathy for others, regardless of the language or origin of the person being exposed to it. “Even given these fundamental differences in language, which can be read in a different direction or contain a completely different alphabet, there is something universal about what occurs in the brain at the point when we are processing narratives,” said Morteza Dehghani, a researcher.
New Ebola vaccine safe: scientists
The outbreak of Ebola in 2016 across West Africa, including Guinea, liberia, and Sierra leone, triggered scientists to take action against the deadly virus, which included setting up of trial vaccines. These vaccines are now showing promising data as a group of researchers have found an Ebola vaccine that is safe for children as well as adults and produces an immune response. Professor Sanjeev Krishna of St George’s University of london’s Institute for Infection and Immunity said, “An unprecedented Ebola outbreak showed how it is possible to work effectively and quickly in times of medical crisis. The results of the trial show how a vaccine could best be used to tackle this terrible disease effectively.”
bananas may prevent heart disease
Eating one banana and an avocado a day may prevent hardening of the arteries that can result in heart disease and death, researchers have found. The study, conducted on mice, showed these foods that are rich in potassium reduces vascular calcification — a common complication in heart and kidney disease. Calcification happens when calcium builds up in body tissue, blood vessels, or organs. This buildup can harden and disrupt your body’s normal processes. A potassium rich diet also reduces the risk of aortic stiffness — a classic cardiovascular risk factor. The hardening or stiffening of the arteries is called arteriosclerosis. The stiffness of arteries influences how hard the heart has to work to pump blood through the body. “The findings have important translational potential,” said Paul Sanders, professor at the University of Alabama.