All posts tagged: shape

Reprogrammable artificial muscle can change its shape, recover from damage, and even be reused

Reprogrammable artificial muscle can change its shape, recover from damage, and even be reused

Published by Jenni Sidey

Soft robots have long promised something rigid machines cannot easily deliver. They offer the ability to bend, flex, and handle the messy unpredictability of the real world. However, there has been a catch. Once many artificial muscles are built, they are stuck with the motions they were designed to make. A research team in South Korea says it has found a way around that problem. They created an artificial muscle that can be reshaped during use, recover after damage, and even have part of its material reused in another device. This advance could push soft robotics closer to systems that behave less like disposable tools. Furthermore, the systems may become more like adaptable machines. The work came from a joint team led by Prof. Jeong-Yun Sun of Seoul National University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Prof. Ho-Young Kim of the university’s Department of Mechanical Engineering also led the team. The study appears in Science Advances. Yun Hyeok Lee, Seungwon Moon, and Min-gyu Lee served as first and co-first authors. Schematic of an rDEA and …

Elsa Pataky, 49, details intensive ‘Norwegian’ workout that keeps her in shape

Elsa Pataky, 49, details intensive ‘Norwegian’ workout that keeps her in shape

Published by Daniella Wilson

Elsa Pataky opened up about how she maintains her svelte, athletic figure in an interview with Women’s Health, and revealed her beauty and health secrets in the process. The Spanish actress, who shares her kids India Rose, 13, and twins Sasha and Tristan, 11, with her husband, Chris Hemsworth, has an enviable bikini body thanks to her incredibly active lifestyle. The family of five lives in Byron Bay, Australia, where they boast a state-of-the-art home gym that Elsa frequents, as well as an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  © Getty ImagesElsa shared that she prefers the Norwegian 4×4 workout method “[My kids] keep me active. But I also train pretty hard,” she told the publication. “I go to the gym at least three times a week to do a mixture of weights and cardio.” Elsa shared that she has been doing a HIIT workout called the Norwegian 4×4 that helps to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. It involves four rounds of four-minute intervals where the body is pushed almost to the maximum heart rate. As for her diet, …

How Cognitive and Social Forces Shape Medical Decisions

How Cognitive and Social Forces Shape Medical Decisions

Published by Jenni Sidey

Most people have had this experience: sitting in a doctor’s office, hearing a recommendation, and agreeing to move forward—often within minutes. It may seem like a simple, fact-based decision. But research shows choices are also influenced by how information is presented, who is giving the recommendation, and how a person is feeling at the time. The way a diagnosis is explained, the options that are offered, and whether patients feel comfortable asking questions all shape what they choose. To understand how this plays out in real-world care, I interviewed Marc P. Pietropaoli, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with more than 25 years of experience examining how clinical recommendations—and how they’re delivered—shape patient decisions. How Options Shape Choices In medical visits, the way options are presented shapes what patients choose. Physicians set this “frame”—what is said, what is left out, and how choices are described. This isn’t manipulation; it’s part of clinical expertise. But it has real consequences. Research shows people make different decisions based on how the same information is presented. For example, a systematic review …

As Teens, They Founded a Billion-Dollar Startup. Now They Want to Shape the Future.

As Teens, They Founded a Billion-Dollar Startup. Now They Want to Shape the Future.

Published by Sam Flores

I met the three cofounders for lunch on Friday in the inner sanctum of Jeff Klein’s San Vicente, the members-only club in the West Village. (The club is generally restricted to guests 18 and older, but seems to have made an exception for the now 17-year-old cofounder and chief technology officer John Kessler.) Koh, the 21-year-old president of the company, is the most brash and outspoken member of the trio. He compares starting a business to “gladiatorial combat” and genuinely believes that if someone were to say he had to join the NBA in order to save his mother’s life, “I would be on the fucking All-Star team next year.” Cam Fink, 20, with an elusive accent acquired in the 17 different cities where he spent his childhood, is Koh’s more reserved and erudite counterpart. He reminisces about his teenage years, when he had time to read 100 books a year; fluently cites philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre; and even name-drops several deep cuts from the Vanity Fair archive, like Brian McNally’s 2008 “Letter From Saigon” …

What is CREC and how does it shape Pete Hegseth’s religious rhetoric?

What is CREC and how does it shape Pete Hegseth’s religious rhetoric?

Published by Sam Flores

(The Conversation) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s conservative evangelical religious beliefs drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. He is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – CREC – whose beliefs have been influenced by a 20th-century movement called Christian Reconstructionism. Many CREC leaders call for the implementation of biblical law and a theocratic state structured on Christian patriarchy. Theocratic states are ruled according to religious laws, which in the case of the CREC means a conservative evangelical understanding of Christianity. The CREC website claims to have over 160 churches and parishes spread across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Hegseth’s use of religious language and prayers has raised questions about his religious beliefs in relation to his role as secretary of defense. At a prayer service on March 25, 2026, during the current war in Iran, Hegseth said, “Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation.” He went on to add: “Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the …

Different types of childhood maltreatment appear to uniquely shape human brain development

Different types of childhood maltreatment appear to uniquely shape human brain development

Published by José Betancourt

A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry provides evidence that experiencing abuse or neglect during childhood is linked to specific physical changes in brain structure that vary based on a person’s age and sex. The research suggests these structural differences become most visible during young adulthood, with young women showing the most extensive brain alterations following early life adversity. An extensive international team of researchers, representing dozens of institutions across eight countries, initiated this study to better understand the relationship between early life adversity and brain development. Many people who experience childhood maltreatment eventually develop stress-related mental health conditions, such as major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Past studies often looked at the brains of people with these psychiatric conditions without separating the effects of the mental illness from the effects of the childhood trauma itself. The researchers wanted to isolate the physical impact of maltreatment across different stages of human life to see how the brain adapts to stress. “Early life adversity, and particularly childhood maltreatment, remains one of the most potent risk …

Healing From Our Trauma Helps Shape Future Generations

Healing From Our Trauma Helps Shape Future Generations

Published by Jenni Sidey

“I wish my parents had done the work of healing from their own childhoods,” Joanne said, letting out a long sigh. “Then I wouldn’t be sitting here with you, going over this again and again.” She added with a small laugh. “I mean, no offense!” “None taken,” I replied, smiling. “You’re right. If your parents had done their own work, maybe you wouldn’t need therapy as much—or at least not for this long.” Joanne had just completed her third year of therapy with me, and we had spent most of this time helping her unlearn dysfunctional patterns she had carried for decades. I continued gently, “But also, if their parents—your grandparents—had done their own healing, perhaps your parents wouldn’t have repeated the same patterns of abuse and dysfunction.” Joanne nodded, deep in thought. Then she added, “I realized the other day that I didn’t yell at my daughter when she spilled her juice. I normally would have snapped. I…I mean, there’s just so much going on, and sometimes spilled juice is the last thing I …

I’m a 72-year-old Pilates instructor who is in better shape than I was at 40—here are the exercises I swear by for deep core strength

I’m a 72-year-old Pilates instructor who is in better shape than I was at 40—here are the exercises I swear by for deep core strength

Published by Jenni Sidey

Pilates instructor Liz Hilliard is 72 years old and says she’s in better shape now than she was at 40. She puts it down to her workout regime. The founder of the Hilliard Studio Method has been teaching Pilates for decades, developing a method that blends traditional Pilates principles with resistance-based strength work. Training the core is an essential part of her workout regime. Article continues below You may like “Your core supports your spine, balance and posture, so keeping it strong is one of the best ways to stay mobile and resilient as you age,” she says. Below are Hilliard’s three top recommended core moves. Try adding them to your weekly workouts to build deep core strength as you age. 1. Standing oblique crunch Reps: 10-15 each side Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly so your hips lower into a half squat. Keep your knees stacked over your ankles and your shoulders over your hips. Place your fingertips behind your head with your elbows pointing out to …

How beliefs about demons shape the experience of mental illness

How beliefs about demons shape the experience of mental illness

Published by José Betancourt

For some evangelical Christians, attributing mental illness to demonic forces can offer a sense of meaning, while for others, it creates harmful barriers to medical care. A recent qualitative study published in Spirituality in Clinical Practice outlines how these widespread spiritual explanations act as a double-edged sword for individuals experiencing psychological distress. The research indicates that integrating religious beliefs with standard psychiatric care may be a safer path forward for many faith communities. Religion frequently shapes how people interpret their physical and mental health. Psychologists recognize that religious frameworks offer a primary system for individuals to make sense of the world around them. By relying on theological teachings, people construct meaning around their personal suffering. This process of religious meaning construction can influence health outcomes in both positive and negative directions. Within evangelical Christianity, foundational teachings often emphasize the active existence of spiritual forces. This includes the belief that angels, demons, and other supernatural entities directly influence the physical world. This worldview can lead to the belief that spiritual forces cause human ailments, including severe …