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  • CIA believes COVID likely originated from a lab, but agency has low confidence in its own finding

    CIA believes COVID likely originated from a lab, but agency has low confidence in its own finding

    WASHINGTON — The CIA now believes the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a laboratory, according to an assessment released Saturday that points the finger at China even while acknowledging that the spy agency has “low confidence” in its own conclusion.

    The finding is not the result of any new intelligence, and the report was completed at the behest of the Biden administration and former CIA Director William Burns. It was declassified and released Saturday on the orders of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency, John Ratcliffe, who was sworn in Thursday as director.

    The nuanced finding suggests the agency believes the totality of evidence makes a lab origin more likely than a natural origin. But the agency’s assessment assigns a low degree of confidence to this conclusion, suggesting the evidence is deficient, inconclusive or contradictory.

    Earlier reports on the origins of COVID-19 have split over whether the coronavirus emerged from a Chinese lab, potentially by mistake, or whether it arose naturally. The new assessment is not likely to settle the debate. In fact, intelligence officials say it may never be resolved, due to a lack of cooperation from Chinese authorities.

    “CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible,” a spokesperson for the agency wrote in a statement about the agency’s assessment.

    Instead of new evidence, the conclusion was based on fresh analyses of intelligence about the spread of the virus, its scientific properties and the work and conditions of China’s virology labs.

    Lawmakers have pressured America’s spy agencies for more information about the origins of the virus, which led to lockdowns, economic upheaval and millions of deaths.

    While the origin of the virus remains unknown, scientists think the most likely hypothesis is that it circulated in bats, like many coronaviruses, before infecting another species, probably racoon dogs, civet cats or bamboo rats. In turn, the infection spread to humans handling or butchering those animals at a market in Wuhan, where the first human cases appeared in late November 2019.

    Some official investigations, however, have raised the the question of whether the virus escaped from a lab in Wuhan. Two years ago a report by the Department of Energy concluded a lab leak was the most likely origin, though that report also expressed low confidence in the finding.

    Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, has said he favors the lab leak scenario.

    “The lab leak is the only theory supported by science, intelligence, and common sense,” Ratcliffe said in 2023.

    The CIA “will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA’s assessment,” the agency spokesperson said.

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  • Can AI help humans understand animals and reconnect with nature? A nonprofit research lab thinks so

    Can AI help humans understand animals and reconnect with nature? A nonprofit research lab thinks so

    MONTREAL — Peeps trickle out of a soundproof chamber as its door opens. Female zebra finches are chattering away inside the microphone-lined box. The laboratory room sounds like a chorus of squeaky toys.

    “They’re probably talking about us a little bit,” says McGill University postdoctoral fellow Logan James.

    It’s unclear, of course, what they are saying. But James believes he is getting closer to deciphering their vocalizations through a partnership with the Earth Species Project. The nonprofit laboratory has drawn some of the technology industry’s wealthiest philanthropists — and they want to see more than just scientific progress. On top of breakthroughs in animal language, they expect improved interspecies understanding will foster greater appreciation for the planet in the face of climate change.

    The Earth Species Project hopes to decode other creatures’ communications with its pioneering artificial intelligence tools. The goal is not to build a “translator that will allow us to speak to other species,” Director of Impact Jane Lawton said. However, she added, “rudimentary dictionaries” for other animals are not only possible but could help craft better conservation strategies and reconnect humanity with often forgotten ecosystems.

    “We believe that by reminding people of the beauty, the sophistication, the intelligence that is resident in other species and in nature as a whole, we can start to, kind of, almost repair that relationship,” Lawton said.

    At McGill University, the technology generates specific calls during simulated conversations with live finches that help researchers isolate each unique noise. The computer processes calls in real time and responds with one of its own. Those recordings are then used to train the Berkeley, California-based research group’s audio language model for animal sounds.

    This ad hoc collaboration is only a glimpse into what ESP says will come. By 2030, Lawton said, it expects “really interesting insights into how other animals communicate.” Artificial intelligence advancements are expediting the research. New grants totaling $17 million will help hire engineers and at least double the size of the research team, which currently has roughly seven members. Over the next two years, Lawton said, the nonprofit’s researchers will select species that “might actually shift something” in people’s relationship with nature.

    Standing to benefit are animal groups threatened by habitat loss or human activity that could be better protected with better understandings of their languages. Existing collaborations aim to document the vocal repertoires — the distinct calls and their different contexts — of the Hawaiian crow and St. Lawrence River beluga whales.

    After spending more than two decades extinct in the wild, the crows have been reintroduced to their home of Maui. But some conservationists fear that critical vocabulary has faded in captivity. Lawton said the birds might need to relearn some “words” before they reenter their natural habitat in droves.

    In Canada’s St. Lawrence River, where shipping traffic imperils the marine mammals who feed there, the group’s scientists are exploring whether machine learning can categorize unlabeled calls from the remaining belugas. Perhaps, Lawton suggested, authorities could alert nearby vessels if they understood that certain sounds signaled the whales were about to surface.

    Big donors include LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, the family charity founded by late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and Laurene Powell Jobs’ Waverley Street Foundation. The latter aims to support “bottom-up” solutions to the “climate emergency.” At the root of that crisis, according to Waverley Street Foundation President Jared Blumenfeld, is the idea that humans deserve “dominion” over the world.

    Blumenfeld finds that ESP’s work is an important reminder that we are instead stewards of the planet.

    “This is not a silver bullet,” he said. “But it’s certainly part of a suite of things that can help transform how we view ourselves in relation to nature.”

    Gail Patricelli — an unaffiliated animal behavior professor at the University of California, Davis — remembers when such tools were just “pie in the sky.” Researchers previously spent months laboring to manually comb through terabytes of recordings and annotate calls.

    She said she’s seen an “exponential takeoff” the past few years in bioacoustics’ use of machine learning to accelerate that process. While she finds that ESP has the promise to make finer distinctions in existing “dictionaries,” especially for harder-to-reach species, she cautioned observers against attributing human characteristics to these animals.

    Considering this research’s high equipment and labor costs, Patricelli said she’s happy to see big philanthropists backing it. But she said the field shouldn’t rely too much on one funding source. Government support is still necessary, she noted, because ecosystem protection also requires that conservationists examine “unsexy” species that she expects get less attention than more charismatic ones. She also encouraged funders to consult scientists.

    “There’s a lot to learn and it’s very expensive,” she said. “That might not be a big deal to some of these donors but it’s very hard to come up with the money to do this.”

    The current work largely involves developing baseline technologies to do all this. A separate initiative has recently described the basic elements of how sperm whales might talk. But ESP is trying to be “species agnostic,” AI Research Director Olivier Pietquin said, to provide tools that can sort out many animals’ speech patterns.

    ESP introduced NatureLM-audio this fall, touting the system as the first large audio-language model fit for animals. The tool can identify species and distinguish characteristics such as sex or stage of life. When applied to a population — zebra finches — it had not been trained on, NatureLM-audio accurately counted the number of birds at a rate higher than random chance, according to ESP. The results were a positive sign for Pietquin that NatureLM might be able to scale across species.

    “That is only possible with a lot of computing, a lot of data and many, many collaborations with ecologists and biologists,” he said. “That, I think, makes us, makes it, quite serious.”

    ESP acknowledges that it isn’t sure what will be discovered about animal communications and won’t know when its model gets it absolutely right. But the team likens AI to the microscope: advancements that allowed scientists to see far more than previously considered possible.

    Zebra finches are highly social animals with large call repertoires. Whether congregating in pairs or by the hundreds, they produce hours of data — a help to the nonprofit’s AI scientists given that animal sounds aren’t as abundant as the pages of internet text scraped to train chatbots.

    James, an affiliated researcher with the Earth Species Project, struggles with the concept of decoding animal communications. Sure, he can clearly distinguish when a chick is screaming for food. But he doesn’t expect to ever translate that call or any others into a human word.

    Still, he wonders if he can gather more hints about their interactions from aspects of the call such as its pitch or duration.

    “So can we find a link between a form and function is sort of our way of maybe thinking about decoding,” James said. “As she elongates her call, is that because she’s trying harder to elicit a response?”

    ___

    Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

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  • The Impact Of Lifestyle On Lab Results: What You Should Know Before Your Next Test

    Hormonal changes during pregnancy can significantly alter many lab values suspect pregnancy, as this will affect test interpretation.

    The Impact Of Lifestyle On Lab Results: What You Should Know Before Your Next Test
    What You Should Know Before Your Next Test
    VerifiedVERIFIED By: Dr Anurag Bansal, Technical Director, Agilus Diagnostics



    Written by Tavishi Dogra |Updated : November 13, 2024 2:30 PM IST

    Laboratory tests are essential for diagnosing ourselves and our overall state of health. However, a large portion of the population is not aware that one’s lifestyle variations dictate such tests’ outcomes and can cause confusion or unnecessary anxiety. It is, therefore, essential to be mindful of how your routine activities might influence the results of the following lab test and the measures you should consider taking.

    Key Lifestyle Factors That Affect Lab Results

    1. Dietary Habits: Eating and drinking can substantially impact your lab results. High-fat meals can temporarily increase triglyceride levels, while sugary foods can spike blood glucose readings. For tests recommended under fasting conditions, 12 to 14 hours of abstinence from food should be ensured for accurate reporting. Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions regarding food intake before a test.
    2. Exercise: While regular exercise benefits overall health, intense physical activity can temporarily alter specific biomarkers, vigorous workouts can affect glucose levels, cholesterol readings, and enzyme concentrations like creatine kinase (CK) or alter electrolyte levels, leading to inaccurate results. It’s generally advisable to avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours before a blood test.
    3. Alcohol and Smoking: Alcohol consumption can significantly impact liver function tests and blood sugar levels. Smoking affects various parameters, including blood oxygen levels and cardiovascular markers. It’s best to avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before a test and refrain from smoking on the day of testing.
    4. Sleep Patterns: Lack of sleep may change stress hormone levels and, therefore, influence the results of tests. When people do not get adequate rest, they often have high cortisol levels and poor blood sugar control. Keeping fixed sleeping hours as much as possible is essential, especially days before the lab tests.
    5. Stress: Both mental and physical stress can influence test results. Stress hormones like cortisol can affect various parameters, including blood pressure and heart rate. Practice stress-reduction techniques and try to schedule tests during periods of relative calm.
    6. Medications And Supplements: Prescription and over-the-counter medications can interfere with lab results. Even seemingly harmless supplements can skew test outcomes as they may recommend temporarily discontinuing certain ones before testing.

    Special Considerations For Certain Groups

    • Older Adults: Age-related factors can influence typical lab values. For instance, kidney function and hormone levels may naturally change with age. Healthcare providers consider these factors when interpreting results for older patients.
    • Pregnant Women: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can significantly alter many lab values suspect pregnancy, as this will affect test interpretation.



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  • 43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO says he hopes they’re having an adventure

    43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO says he hopes they’re having an adventure

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Forty-three monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina have been spotted in the woods near the site and workers are using food to try to recapture them, authorities said Friday.

    The Rhesus macaques made a break for it Wednesday after an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee didn’t fully lock a door as she fed and checked on them, officials said.

    “They are very social monkeys and they travel in groups, so when the first couple go out the door the others tend to just follow right along,” Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard told CBS News.

    Westergaard said his main goal is to have the monkeys returned safely with no other problems. “I think they are having an adventure,” he said.

    The monkeys on Friday were exploring the outer fence of the Alpha Genesis compound and are cooing at the monkeys inside, police said in a statement.

    “The primates are exhibiting calm and playful behavior, which is a positive indication,” the police statement said, adding company workers are closely watching the monkeys while keeping their distance as they work to safely recapture them.

    The monkeys are about the size of a cat. They are all females weighing about 7 pounds (3 kilograms).

    Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police all said the monkeys pose no risk to public health. The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical and other researchers.

    “They are not infected with any disease whatsoever. They are harmless and a little skittish,” Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander said Thursday.

    Authorities still recommend that people who live near the compound about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee shut their windows and doors and call 911 if they see the monkeys. Approaching them could make them more skittish and harder to capture, officials said.

    Eve Cooper, a biology professor at the University of Colorado Boulder who has studied rhesus macaques, said the animals have the potential to be dangerous and urged people to keep their distance.

    Rhesus macaques monkeys can be aggressive. And some carry the herpes B virus, which can be fatal to humans, Cooper said.

    However, Alpha Genesis states on its website that it specializes in pathogen-free primates. Cooper noted that there are pathogen-free populations of rhesus macaques that have been quarantined and tested.

    “I would give them a wide berth,” Cooper said. “They’re unpredictable animals. And they can behave quite aggressively when they’re afraid.”

    Alpha Genesis provides primates for research worldwide at its compound about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, according to its website.

    Locally, it is known as “the monkey farm.” And there is more amusement than panic around Yemassee and its population of about 1,100 just off Interstate 95 about 2 miles from Auldbrass Plantation, a Frank Lloyd Wright house designed in the 1930s.

    There have been escapes before, but the monkeys haven’t caused problems, said William McCoy, who owns Lowcountry Horology, a clock and watch repair shop.

    “They normally come home because that’s where the food is,” he said.

    McCoy has lived in Yemassee for about two years and while he plans to stay away from the monkeys, he has his own light-hearted plan to get them back.

    “I’m stocking up bananas, maybe they’ll show up,” McCoy said.

    The Alpha Genesis compound is regularly inspected by federal officials.

    In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture fined Alpha Genesis $12,600 in part after officials said 26 primates escaped from the Yemassee facility in 2014 and an additional 19 got out in 2016.

    The company’s fine was also issued because of individual monkey escapes as well as the killing of one monkey by others when it was placed in the wrong social group, according to a report from the USDA.

    The group Stop Animal Exploitation Now sent a letter Thursday to the USDA asking the agency to immediately send an inspector to the Alpha Genesis facility, conduct a thorough investigation and treat them as a repeated violator. The group was involved in the 2018 fine against the company.

    “The clear carelessness which allowed these 40 monkeys to escape endangered not only the safety of the animals, but also put the residents of South Carolina at risk,” wrote Michael Budkie, executive director of the group.

    The USDA, which has inspected the compound 10 times since 2020, didn’t immediately respond to the letter.

    The facility’s most recent federal inspection in May showed there were about 6,700 primates on site and no issues.

    In a 2022 review, federal veterinarians reported two animals died when their fingers were trapped in structures and they were exposed to harsh weather. They also found cages weren’t adequately secure. Inspectors said criminal charges, civil penalties or other sanctions could follow if the problems weren’t fixed.

    Since then, Alpha Genesis has undergone six inspections with minor problems reported only once.

    In January 2023, the USDA said temperatures were out of the 45 to 85 degree Fahrenheit (7.2 to 29.5 degree Celsius) required range at some of the compound’s monkey cages. The inspection found moldy food in one bin, sharp edges on a gate that could cut an animal and sludge, food waste, used medical supplies, mechanical equipment, and general construction debris on the grounds.

    Supporters of medical research involving nonhuman primates said they are critical to lifesaving medical advances like creating vaccines against COVID-19 because of their similarities to people. Keeping a domestic supply of the animals is critical to prevent shortages for U.S. researchers.

    Humans have been using the rhesus macaque for scientific research since the late 1800s. Scientists believe that rhesus macaques and humans split from a common ancestor about 25 million years ago and share about 93% of the same DNA.

    These monkeys have been launched into space on V2 rockets, used for AIDS research, had their genome mapped and made stars of their own reality television show. They were in such high demand in the early 2000s that a shortage led to scientists paying up to $10,000 per animal.

    Outside of rats and mice, rhesus macaques are one of the most studied animals on the planet, said Dario Maestripieri, a behavioral scientist at the University of Chicago who wrote the 2007 book “Macachiavellian Intelligence: How Rhesus Macaques and Humans Have Conquered the World.”

    The animals are very family oriented, siding with relatives when fights break out. And they’re adept at building political alliances in the face of threats from other monkeys. But they can be painful to watch. Monkeys with lower status in the hierarchy live in a constant state of fear and intimidation, Maestripieri said.

    “In some ways, they kind of represent some of the worst aspects of human nature,” Maestripieri said.

    ___

    Lovan reported from Louisville, Kentucky, and Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.

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  • Researchers in a lab near Lake Erie study how toxic algae can damage health

    Researchers in a lab near Lake Erie study how toxic algae can damage health

    TOLEDO, Ohio — Steven Haller remembers the look of fear on people’s faces when toxic algae in Lake Erie made it into his community’s water supply 10 years ago, shutting it down for two days.

    Since then, Haller, a clinical researcher in the University of Toledo’s department of medicine, has set out to help provide answers about how harmful algal blooms can affect the health of people who live and play nearby.

    “I see all of the concern in the faces of people here,” Haller said. “They want the answers. They want to know.”

    For residents in Lake Erie’s western basin, the blooms are a common sight. As spring rains push excess nutrients off farm fields and into the creeks and rivers of the watershed, the bacteria that live in the lake feed on that phosphorus and nitrogen, tinting the water green, producing a thick sludge when severe and potentially turning toxic to humans and animals.

    Research has shown that toxins from these bacteria called microcystin can make animals and people sick when they come into contact with infected water. At Haller’s lab, researchers hope to better understand how these toxins affect people, especially those with health conditions like asthma.

    At the lab, which Haller manages along with David Kennedy, an associate professor of medicine, researchers are examining how microcystin affect people with health conditions such as liver, gut or lung diseases by growing cell samples and exposing the cells to the toxin.

    “We’ve shown that in all those instances, exposure to microcystin makes the disease process worse,” Haller said.

    One new area of study here is the effects of the toxins when aerosolized — that is, made airborne. In the lab, scientists use a machine that uses high pressure to spray toxin onto human lung cells. At the lake, the toxins could aerosolize as waves hit rocks on shore or as boats and personal watercraft churn through the water.

    Monitoring the air near Lake Erie is key to understanding how the toxins can get aerosolized.

    On a warm afternoon around the peak of a bloom near Toledo, Kennedy climbed a ladder about 15 feet onto the top of a small concrete building near shore where an air monitor was collecting and filtering air from the lake. Kennedy installed a clean air filter after collecting the previous week’s, stained a light gray from airborne particles.

    The sampling runs through the end of the bloom season, possibly through November, Kennedy said. After that, all the filters will be analyzed. It’s the first year they’ve conducted this research on Erie, but their work follows peer-reviewed research published in 2023 that found evidence of microcystin in the air at Grand Lake St. Mary’s, Ohio.

    While Kennedy and Haller are waiting to see if microcystin is in the air near Lake Erie, they have initial results from their controlled experiments that show inflammation in lung cells increases when exposed to these aerosolized toxins. For asthma, it increases “significantly,” Haller said.

    Some residents of Toledo said they’ve gotten used to taking precautions against the algae.

    “When it starts getting like this, it’s bottled water for everything,” said Malissa Vallestero, who was fishing with family at a park on Lake Erie during this year’s bloom. “I don’t really drink the water that comes from here anymore.”

    Dan Desmond, who was walking along the beach at Maumee Bay State Park with his grandnephew, said he checks on the bloom before getting near the lake.

    “If I was coming down to go in the water, it would definitely ruin my day,” he said.

    Along with their lab studies, Haller and Kennedy are enrolling community members in a study in collaboration with the University of Michigan. Over the next five years, they hope to study 200 people to see if algal blooms affect their health. Researchers will ask participants questions about their health during the course of the algal bloom season, run lung tests, take blood samples and try to quantify toxins in their bodies if they have them.

    “I want to be able to provide those answers both ways, whether there’s an effect or there isn’t,” Haller said.

    ——

    Follow Joshua A. Bickel on X and Instagram at @joshuabickel.

    ——

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.



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  • Boosting Cognitive Health with Natural Supplements: How Mind Lab Pro Supports a Sustainable Lifestyle

    Boosting Cognitive Health with Natural Supplements: How Mind Lab Pro Supports a Sustainable Lifestyle

    brain health nooptropics, plants for the mind. Image generated via AI

    As we tackle daily challenges and constant digital interruptions, sustaining our cognitive health becomes key to staying on top of our game. This is where natural supplements come into play, not just for a quick fix but a long-term boost. Mind Lab Pro has carved out a niche as a leading choice among these. Crafted with a blend of all-natural ingredients, it’s geared towards enhancing various aspects of cognitive health—think memory, focus, mood, and mental clarity. But Mind Lab Pro isn’t just about boosting your brain; it’s about supporting and nurturing your brain health sustainably, making it a reliable ally in your quest to stay sharp and effective.

    The Science of Nootropics

    Ever wondered what nootropics are all about? Nootropics are supplements designed and taken to improve cognitive functions like memory, creativity, and focus. They are your brain’s buddies, helping you stay sharp and think clearly, especially when the pressure’s on. They’re not just about giving you a quick jolt of energy like your morning coffee; they aim for a deeper, long-term enhancement of your mental capabilities. 

    Now, let’s dive into how Mind Lab Pro fits this picture. It’s a powerhouse that targets multiple aspects of brain health to boost cognitive performance. The secret sauce? A carefully researched and selected mix of ingredients that work together to enhance different parts of your brain function. For instance, it includes things like Citicoline and Phosphatidylserine, which help beef up your brain cell membranes and improve nerve signal transmission. Then there’s Bacopa Monnieri, a traditional herb that sharpens memory, and Lion’s Mane Mushroom, great for nerve growth and brain plasticity.

    The coolest part? Mind Lab Pro does all this without relying on artificial stimulants, which means you get the cognitive boost without any of the jitters or crashes. It’s equivalent to giving your brain a gym membership that helps it get stronger and more agile over time, ensuring you stay sharp and effective, no matter the challenges.

    Key Ingredients in Mind Lab Pro and Their Benefits

    brain health nooptropics, plants for the mind. Image generated via AI

    Ever peeked inside a supplement like Mind Lab Pro to see what makes it tick? It’s like a superfood salad for your brain. Each ingredient is carefully picked for its benefits and how they all come together to help your noggin stay in tip-top shape. Let’s break down these brain-boosting powerhouses:

    Citicoline (Cognizin®): 

    Imagine a turbo boost for your brain’s power stations. Citicoline ramps up the production of acetylcholine, a vital neurotransmitter for memory and learning. It’s like high-grade oil that keeps your brain’s gears smooth and speedy, enhancing your ability to think quickly and remember more​.

    Bacopa Monnieri: 

    This ancient herb is like a shield for your brain. It’s packed with antioxidants that protect your brain cells from free radical damage. Plus, it boosts memory retention and reduces anxiety, making it easier to stay calm and focused even when the pressure piles on​.

    Lion’s Mane Mushroom: 

    This isn’t your ordinary mushroom. It’s a natural brain booster that supports the production of nerve growth factors, leading to better neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt and grow. Think of it as fertilizer for your brain, helping it to stay healthy and resilient as you age​.

    Phosphatidylserine: 

    This fatty substance is fundamental for healthy brain cells. It’s essential for the function of neuron membranes, which means it helps your brain cells communicate swiftly and efficiently. Plus, it’s a stress-buster, regulating cortisol levels to keep you cool and collected under fire​.

    L-Theanine and Caffeine (Suntheanine®): 

    The dynamic duo of mental clarity. L-Theanine, found in green tea, is calming, while caffeine gives you that well-known energy kick. Together, they help you focus intensely without caffeine’s usual jittery side effects alone. It’s like having the energy to power through your to-do list while being in the zen zone​.

    Each component in Mind Lab Pro works synergistically to boost your immediate focus and energy and protect and enhance your brain health over the long haul. So, you’re not just getting a quick fix but investing in your brain’s future.

    Mind Lab Pro’s Support for Sustainable Cognitive Enhancement

    brain health nooptropics, plants for the mind. Image generated via AI

    When we talk about boosting our brain power, it’s not just about the short bursts for acing an exam or powering through a late-night project. What about the long haul? That’s where Mind Lab Pro shines with its focus on sustainable cognitive enhancement. It’s all about keeping your brain in peak condition day in and day out without relying on harsh stimulants that leave you crashing later.

    Mind Lab Pro’s formula is stimulant-free, which means you avoid the peaks and troughs associated with caffeine or other harsh chemicals. Instead, it supports your brain’s natural processes, enhancing them without overriding your body’s systems. This approach ensures a smooth experience with no jitters or crashes and promotes long-term brain health, which is crucial as we age.

    User testimonials and clinical studies are testimony to its effectiveness and safety. Many users report improved focus, memory, and mental clarity that doesn’t taper off as the day progresses. Instead, they feel sharper and more agile in their thoughts and decisions​. Clinically, Mind Lab Pro has shown promising results in various studies, underlining its ability to enhance cognitive functions sustainably. These studies highlight significant improvements in memory, mood, and problem-solving abilities​. This commitment to safe, long-term brain health improvement makes Mind Lab Pro a standout choice for anyone looking to support their cognitive functions for today and maintain their mental edge well into the future. It’s about nurturing your brain, giving it the nutrients it needs to thrive daily, making Mind Lab Pro a smart choice for sustainable cognitive enhancement.

    Lifestyle Factors That Complement the Use of Mind Lab Pro

    Although taking a supplement like Mind Lab Pro won’t make your brain grow overnight, it can help. It is essential to combine it with a healthy lifestyle to reap the greatest benefits. Let’s discuss how maximizing those brain benefits can be achieved with a balanced diet, frequent exercise, adequate sleep, and drinking plenty of water.

    Balanced Diet: You are what you eat, right? Including plenty of omega-3s, antioxidants, and whole grains in your diet can help support your brain’s health on a cellular level. Think of food as fuel—high-quality fuel keeps your engine running smoother and longer. Incorporate foods like fish, nuts, berries, and leafy greens to support your Mind Lab Pro regimen.

    Regular Exercise: Get moving to get smarter! Exercise isn’t just good for your muscles; it also increases blood flow to your brain, which can help keep you sharp. Whether it’s a brisk walk or a full-on gym session, regular physical activity can enhance the effects of Mind Lab Pro by boosting mood and cognitive function.

    Adequate Sleep: Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Sleep is when your brain consolidates memories and repairs itself, so skimping on it can negate the benefits of any cognitive enhancers. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to let your brain (and Mind Lab Pro) do their best work.

    Hydration: Water, water everywhere—make sure you drink it! Dehydration can lead to brain fog and a decrease in cognitive performance. Keeping hydrated helps maintain optimal brain function and complements Mind Lab Pro’s effects.

    Conclusion

    Throughout this article, we’ve unpacked how Mind Lab Pro supports cognitive health with its all-natural, carefully selected ingredients and how it encourages a holistic approach to brain enhancement. Remember, while Mind Lab Pro is a fantastic tool for boosting your cognitive functions, integrating positive lifestyle changes like a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and proper hydration can elevate your mental game. So, consider both the power of dietary supplements and the impact of healthy living for optimal cognitive health and a sustainable lifestyle.

     

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  • Chocolate’s future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab

    Chocolate’s future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab

    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes.

    Scientists and entrepreneurs are working on ways to make more cocoa that stretch well beyond the tropics, from Northern California to Israel.

    California Cultured, a plant cell culture company, is growing cocoa from cell cultures at a facility in West Sacramento, California, with plans to start selling its products next year. It puts cocoa bean cells in a vat with sugar water so they reproduce quickly and reach maturity in a week rather than the six to eight months a traditional harvest takes, said Alan Perlstein, the company’s chief executive. The process also no longer requires as much water or arduous labor.

    “We see just the demand of chocolate monstrously outstripping what is going to be available,” Perlstein said. “There’s really no other way that we see that the world could significantly increase the supply of cocoa or still keep it at affordable levels without extensive either environmental degradation or some significant other cost.”

    Cocoa trees grow about 20 degrees north and south of the equator in regions with warm weather and abundant rain, including West Africa and South America. Climate change is expected to dry out the land under the additional heat. So scientists, entrepreneurs and chocolate-lovers are coming up with ways to grow cocoa and make the crop more resilient and more resistant to pests — as well as craft chocolatey-tasting cocoa alternatives to meet demand.

    The market for chocolate is massive with sales in the United States surpassing $25 billion in 2023, according to the National Confectioners Association. Many entrepreneurs are betting on demand growing faster than the supply of cocoa. Companies are looking at either bolstering the supply with cell-based cocoa or offering alternatives made from products ranging from oats to carob that are roasted and flavored to produce a chocolatey taste for chips or filling.

    The price of cocoa soared earlier this year because of demand and troubles with the crop in West Africa due to plant disease and changes in weather. The region produces the bulk of the world’s cocoa.

    “All of this contributes to a potential instability in supply, so it is attractive to these lab-grown or cocoa substitute companies to think of ways to replace that ingredient that we know of as chocolatey-flavored,” said Carla D. Martin, executive director of the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute and a lecturer in African and African American Studies at Harvard University.

    The innovation is largely driven by demand for chocolate in the U.S. and Europe, Martin said. While three-quarters of the world’s cocoa is grown in West and Central Africa, only 4% is consumed there, she said.

    The push to produce cocoa indoors in the U.S. comes after other products, such as chicken meat, have already been grown in labs. It also comes as supermarket shelves fill with evolving snack options — something that developers of cocoa alternatives say shows people are ready to try what looks and tastes like a chocolate chip cookie even if the chip contains a cocoa substitute.

    They said they also are hoping to tap into rising consciousness among consumers about where their food comes from and what it takes to grow it, particularly the use of child labor in the cocoa industry.

    Planet A Foods in Planegg, Germany, contends the taste of mass market chocolate is derived largely from the fermentation and roasting in making it, not the cocoa bean itself. The company’s founders tested out ingredients ranging from olives to seaweed and settled on a mix of oats and sunflower seeds as the best tasting chocolate alternative, said Jessica Karch, a company spokesperson. They called it “ChoViva” and it can be subbed into baked goods, she said.

    “The idea is not to replace the high quality, 80% dark chocolate, but really to have a lot of different products in the mass market,” Karch said.

    Yet while some are seeking to create alternative cocoa sources and substitutes, others are trying to bolster the supply of cocoa where it naturally grows. Mars, which makes M&Ms and Snickers, has a research facility at University of California, Davis aimed at making cocoa plants more resilient, said Joanna Hwu, the company’s senior director of cocoa plant science. The facility hosts a living collection of cocoa trees so scientists can study what makes them disease-resistant to help farmers in producing countries and ensure a stable supply of beans.

    “We see it as an opportunity, and our responsibility,” Hwu said.

    In Israel, efforts to expand the supply of cocoa are also under way. Celleste Bio is taking cocoa bean cells and growing them indoors to produce cocoa powder and cocoa butter, said co-founder Hanne Volpin. In a few years, the company expects to be able to produce cocoa regardless of the impact of climate change and disease — an effort that has drawn interest from Mondelez, the maker of Cadbury chocolate.

    “We only have a small field, but eventually, we will have a farm of bioreactors,” Volpin said.

    That’s similar to the effort under way at California Cultured, which plans to seek permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to call its product chocolate, because, according to Perlstein, that’s what it is.

    It might wind up being called brewery chocolate, or local chocolate, but chocolate no less, he said, because it’s genetically identical though not harvested from a tree.

    “We basically see that we’re growing cocoa — just in a different way,” Perlstein said.

    ___

    Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California.

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