Being active and organized may be best predictor of longer life, study finds–The Guardian
Research into longevity and mortality risks is big business, with a constant stream of new scientific papers. Many assess how broad, catch-all personality types (like openness, conscientiousness, extraversion or agreeableness) affect longevity. A new study, though, reveals that specific self-descriptions predict mortality risks better than broader categories. The recent research shows that tiny, specific self-descriptions seem better at predicting who lives longer. The word “active” comes first. Why should we be surprised?! Participants in the project, that covered more than 22,000 adults in four major studies who described themselves as “active,” had a 21% lower risk of dying during the study period, even when age, gender and medical conditions were taken into account. The traits of being lively, organized, responsible, hard-working, thorough and helpful followed closely behind as predictors of a long life.
Is ‘inflammaging’ part of getting older? Here’s what experts say––The Washington Post
As we age, we tend to have more aches, pains and diseases. Researchers believe that some of these may be related to “chronic, smoldering low-grade inflammation” as one researcher described it, which is associated with many health issues. But new research suggests that not everyone may experience inflammaging: some Indigenous people don’t seem to be affected at all compared with people in industrialized countries. Researchers are studying how to curb this type of inflammation to stave off its health effects.
The case for gradual population decline–Project Syndicate
Contrary to conventional wisdom, rapid population growth rarely delivers demographic dividends, while low fertility rates do not necessarily lead to stagnation. In fact, persistently high fertility often exacerbates underemployment, limits investment in education and infrastructure, and entrenches poverty across generations. The best example for how low fertility rates don’t undermine economic growth is Japan: although its population has decreased by 4 million since 2000, its GDP per capita has increased by 0.6% annually. A must read: rich and rewarding.
Patients are diagnosing themselves with home tests, devices and AI chatbots–The Wall Street Journal
People increasingly turn to do-it-yourself healthcare amid long waits for medical appointments and an explosion in self-care, testing and health tracking options. This looks at some of the most important developments shaping the new DIY healthcare paradigm—and precautions that come with using them.
A Striking Stat:
Almost half (47%) of people aged 16 to 21 would rather live in a world without the internet.
Source: British Standards Institution survey of 1,293 young Britons, 2025
