Learning Mind

Remember the saying “Smile, it’s not going to kill you”? Well, leave it to science to prove that very saying true. It seems that smiling and being optimistic may be associated with better cardiovascular health. In particular, a recent study found that those who reported being more optimistic tended to have better heart health. What does that mean for the rest of us? Quit sulking and be positive and grateful for the opportunities presented to you! But who needs that, you have a better excuse to smile at your co-workers, it’s for your health.

The Study

The study on optimism and heart health conducted at the University of Illinois is one of the first to take into play socioeconomic factors, age, race, and smoking just to name a few. What this means is that the study was more inclusive and is relatable to a larger audience. Participants were between the ages of 45 and 84 were not only asked to take a few physical exams, do blood work, but also fill out forms relating to their mental health. Those participants who reported having higher levels of optimism, in turn, had medically backed better health!

We always think that technology is now at its highest peak and advancing rapidly, because the research restrictions that plagued it in the past, have been lifted. Yet, we constantly discover inventions of as far back as the ancient times that puzzle us, not only because we cannot understand how it was possible to create such things without the knowledge and sophisticated equipment that we nowadays have at our disposal, but also because, despite our advancement, we cannot even comprehend the underlying principles of inventions thousands of years old. And we have certainly not been able to recreate them.

Let’s take a look at some of these inventions:

1. Greek fire

Actually the original Greek term is “liquid fire” but since it is a term used in the Game of Thrones series, we needed to make a separation. The “liquid fire” depicted in the series is actually based on the original “Greek fire” which was used by the Byzantine navy against enemy ships.

Let’s consider a few astrological discoveries made in the previous year: Dark matter – it has been ascertained that dark matter is only as mysterious as dark energy, which gives us a deeper look into the riddles of space. Exoplanets, heavenly bodies in distant galaxies, have given promise to life sustaining materials and habitable conditions. Now, in the year 2015, we try and grasp a whole new meaning to our universe. Are we a part of a giant wormhole?

Is our universe a vehicle of travel?

It is possible that our galaxy is more stable than we thought. Although originally being only the subject of interest for astrophysicists for years, wormholes have gained public notice due to the entertainment industry. Maybe you should watch “Interstellar” and consider the fact that our universe could be a giant wormhole. It is possible, after all!