Technology News

Hourglass figures not always healthy for women
Having an imperfect body may not be all that bad, says a new article, which claims that imperfections come with substantial benefits for some women. ANI

Sleep terrors may run in the family
A Canadian study of twins suggests that night terrors, which send children into sudden inconsolable screaming, may run in the family. ANI

Swedish scientists make body-swapping a virtual reality
Cognitive neuroscientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet (KI) have successfully created the illusion of body swapping by making subjects perceive the bodies of mannequins and other people as their own. ANI

Earths magnetic field may be responsible for suicides

Scientists believe that earths magnetic field may be responsible for suicidal behaviour among people.

London, Apr 25 : Scientists believe that earth's magnetic field may be responsible for suicidal behaviour among people.

Oleg Shumilov of the Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems in Russia studied earth's geomagnetic field from 1948 to 1997 and found three seasonal peaks, from March to May, July and October.

And they discovered a link between geomagnetism peaks and increase in the number of suicides in the northern Russian city of Kirovsk.

Various other studies have also found a casual link between human health and geomagnetism.

A review conducted in 2006 by Michael Rycroft, formerly head of the European Geosciences Society, on cardiovascular health and disturbances, suggested that a link was possible and the impact was more at higher altitudes.

He said that geomagnetic health problems affected 10pct to 15pct of the population.

"Others have found similar things [to Shumilov's results] in independent sets of data," New Scientist quoted Rycroft, as saying.

"It suggests something may be linking the two factors," he added.

Another 2006 Australian study suggested a connection between peaks in suicide numbers and geomagnetic activity.

Furthermore, a 13-year review of South African data on suicides and magnetic storms also hinted a link.

A 1994 study also showed 36.2 pct increase in men admitted in hospital citing depression in the second week after geomagnetic storms.

"The intriguing correlation between geomagnetism and suicide justifies more research into its mechanism," said Rycroft.

Kelly Posner, a psychiatrist at Columbia University said that pineal gland, responsible for regulating circadian rhythm and melatonin production, is sensitive to magnetic fields.

"The circadian regulatory system depends upon repeated environmental cues to [synchronise] internal clocks," said Posner.

"Magnetic fields may be one of these environmental cues," he added.

Posner also revealed that these storms can disturb body clocks and precipitating seasonal affective disorder thereby boosting suicide risk.

ANI