28.8.11

Drink More Water

drink more waterResearch indicates that chugging H2O curbs appetites. In fact, in one study by the American Chemical Society, dieters who drank water three times a day before meals over 12 weeks shed about 5 pounds more than those who did not boost their water intake.

Water’s benefits don’t stop there: Agua also keeps you energized, so you’ll have the vigor needed to burn additional calories in the gym, on the tennis court, or wherever the day takes you. “Even being slightly dehydrated can lead to feeling fatigued,” says personal trainer Jim White, RD, owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Virginia Beach, VA.

And soda fiends out there can chop more than 200 calories from their diets by replacing a 20-ounce bottle of nondiet cola with some refreshing H2O.

17.8.11

HTV-2 - An unmanned Hypersonic Glider

HTV-2 - An unmanned Hypersonic GliderAn unmanned hypersonic glider developed for U.S. defense research into super-fast global strike capability was launched atop a rocket early Thursday but contact was lost after the experimental craft began flying on its own, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said.

The problem occurred during the critical point of transition to aerodynamic flight, DARPA said in a statement that described the mission as an attempt to fly the fastest aircraft ever built.

Shaped like the tip of a spear, the small craft is part of a U.S. military initiative to develop technology to respond to threats at 20 times the speed of sound or greater, reaching any part of the globe in an hour.

The HTV-2 is designed to be launched to the edge of space, separate from its booster and maneuver through the atmosphere at 13,000 mph (21,000 kph) before intentionally crashing into the ocean.

10.8.11

Study: Secret to Long Life in Genes, NOT Lifestyle

Secret to Long Life in GenesResearchers trying to unlock the secret of longevity studied a population of Ashkenazi Jews who have lived to at least 95 and found their eating and lifestyle habits are no better than those of the general population.

In fact, men in the long-lived group drank slightly more and exercised less than their average counterparts. The findings are published in the online edition of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

'This study suggests that centenarians may possess additional longevity genes that help to buffer them against the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle,' said the senior author, Dr Nir Barzilai, the director of the Institute for Aging Research at Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The study involved 477 Ashkenazi Jews aged 95 to 122 who were living independently. Three-quarters were women. All were enrolled in a study aimed to uncover the secrets to longevity.

Ashkenazi Jews were chosen because they are more 'genetically uniform than other populations, making it easier to spot gene differences, the study said. The elder group had similar habits in terms of height-weight ratio, smoking, exercise level and diet as similarly matched people in the general population.

5.8.11

Are you ready to go up, up and away again?

SUPERMAN Man of SteelThe first photo of Henry Cavill in costume as Superman for the new big-screen version entitled "Man of Steel" was just released very recently. It shows Superman looking like he's rising to his feet against a smoking, smoldering vault door.

The costume retains the basic look from the comic books: blue with a red cape and boots. But the suit has a textured, almost rubbery look that's different from previous movie incarnations, like Christopher Reeve's stretchy bodysuit. The colors look darker and more muted than previous versions of the suit, and the raised "S" insignia on his chest also looks better. Since he's in shadow its difficult to tell if he's also wearing the classic red trunks which are actually getting eliminated in the upcoming revamp of the "Superman" comic books.

Cavill, a 29-year-old British native best known for the TV series "The Tudors," recently told Total Film magazine that he's been working out and chowing down to get himself into shape for the role. "I'm on 5000 calories a day," Cavill said, "You've got to eat protein first, then a little bit of carbs." He needs plenty of fuel for his exhausting workout routine: "I'm training two and a half hours a day, pushing my body beyond its normal limits."

It was also announced earlier this week that Cavill will be joined by Laurence Fishburne, who will play Perry White, Clark Kent's editor at the Daily Planet. Fishburne is just the latest Oscar nominated actor added to the cast, which includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, and Michael Shannon as the villainous General Zod. Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner also star as Superman's biological and adoptive father, respectively. "Man of Steel," directed by Zack Snyder, will not fly into movie theaters until June 14, 2013.