Women are not simply “smaller men.” For many years, medical research has primarily focused on male rodents, which lack the intricate hormonal cycles found in females, subsequently applying these findings to women as if they were the same. Fortunately, recent decades have seen a growing understanding that this oversight is detrimental to women’s health, often leading to treatments that are less effective for them than for men.
Recent studies on how sex chromosomes influence immune systems reveal another layer to this narrative. Overlooking the intricacies of women’s bodies impacts everyone, not solely women (see “Women’s Immune Systems Are Stronger – Now We Know Why”).
A significant part of the issue arises from averaging effects. While statistical methods can help clarify fluctuations and unveil impactful insights, excessive reliance on them can obscure critical signals. Women generally possess more robust and responsive immune systems compared to the average man, showing longer-lasting responses to vaccines and a lower likelihood of mortality from infections in older age.
“
Neglecting the complexity of women’s bodies affects everyone, not just women. “
However, by combining male and female participants in medical research trials, distinct sex differences in reactions to antiviral medications and vaccines, although better than excluding women entirely, may still be obscured. This could result in men receiving inadequate dosages for effective treatment and women receiving excessive amounts. Furthermore, minimal attention has been given to how these differences impact transgender individuals.
Ultimately, researchers are uncovering how the X chromosome and hormones contribute to these sex-based differences. Insights from this research should help in refining treatments for a variety of conditions, from long COVID-19 to cancer, benefiting everyone. Embracing the complexity of our bodies rather than viewing women as “smaller men” is crucial.
A newly identified honey bee species is part of the genus Apis. Megachile is associated with endangered flowering plant species, such as Marianthus aquilonalis.
Australia is undergoing a pollination crisis, compounded by limited understanding of plant pollinators and taxonomic challenges.
Many endangered plants lack known visitors, threatening efforts to safeguard their populations.
The native bee population in Australia is also at risk due to insufficient monitoring, with numerous regions unexplored and many native species still undescribed.
A new Megachile honey bee species was identified during the survey of Marianthus aquilonarius, which is exclusive to the Bremer Ranges in Western Australia.
Dr. Kit Prendergast, a researcher from the University of Southern Queensland and Curtin University, stated: “We found this species while assessing rare plants in Goldfields and observed that the bees were visiting both endangered wildflowers and adjacent Malayan trees.”
“DNA barcoding confirmed that the male and female belonged to the same species and did not match any known bees in the DNA database, nor did the specimens I collected morphologically correspond to any in museum collections.”
“This is the first new member of this bee group reported in over 20 years, highlighting how much life remains to be discovered, especially in areas threatened by mining like the Goldfields.”
Finding new species of Megachile emphasizes the necessity of understanding Australia’s unique bee habitats before they are irrevocably altered.
“Since the new species was found in proximity to the endangered wildflower, both are likely to be affected by threats such as habitat disturbance and climate change,” Dr. Prendergast said.
“Many mining companies still neglect to survey native honey bees, risking overlooking undiscovered species, including those that are endangered and essential for ecological health.”
“If we remain unaware of the native bees we have and the plants they rely on, we jeopardize both before we even realize they exist.”
This discovery is discussed in the following article: paper published this week in the Hymenoptera Research Journal.
Meta has sparked controversy by utilizing a female student’s back-to-school photo to market one of its social media platforms to a 37-year-old man, a decision deemed “outrageous” and “upsetting.”
The man is pitted against Mark Zuckerberg’s Elon Musk’s X, receiving a post urging him to “get the thread.”
Meta employed the child’s images after they were shared on Instagram by their parents as school started back up. The parents were unaware that the meta setting allowed for this usage. One mother noted her account was private, yet the posts were automatically visible in public threads. Another mother mentioned that she posted the photo on her public Instagram account. Stranger interactions highlighted their child’s posts as “suggested threads.”
The recipient conveyed to the Guardian that the post felt “deliberately provocative and ultimately exploitative of the children and families involved.”
The father of the13-year-old girl featured in the post expressed that it was “absolutely outrageous.” All images portrayed female students in short skirts, showcasing bare legs or stockings.
“Discovering her image used by such a large company in a context that felt sexualized for product promotion made me feel quite sick,” he stated.
Meta, a massive company valued at £1.5TN, based in Menlo Park, California, defended its actions, stating the images did not breach their policies. They encouraged users to explore the thread by highlighting public posts that adhere to community standards and recommended guidelines. Although their system does not recommend threads shared by teenagers, these posts were generated from adult accounts that permitted public viewing.
The man who received the post noted that he was solely sent promotional content featuring female students, with no representation of boys in school uniforms, which he felt added a “sexualization aspect.”
One mother of a 15-year-old said the images were used in a promotional post featuring a prominent “thread” button. “It was a photo of my daughter heading to school. I never anticipated Instagram would utilize it for promotion. I absolutely hate it. She’s a minor,” she lamented.
She firmly rejected any agreement, stating, “It wasn’t for the money of the world. [its platform].”
Her Instagram account, typically modest with 267 followers, saw her child’s post attract nearly 7,000 viewers.
Another mother whose 13-year-old child’s photo was similarly featured remarked:
Meta categorized such posts as “recommended tools,” insisting that public posts should serve this function.
A corporate representative stated, “The shared images do not violate our policy and are postings from schools published by parents. There are systems in place to prevent teenagers from recommending shared threads.”
The 37-year-old London Instagram user who received the post requested to remain anonymous.
He noted he had not liked or posted similar images prior to receiving photos of the schoolgirl.
“To me, this feels intentionally provocative, introducing trendy and popular content, ultimately exploiting the children and families involved and jeopardizing online safety.”
“We advocate for children’s rights online,” said Beeban Kidron, a crossbench peer and advocate.
“Meta prioritizes corporate growth over children’s rights to privacy, which is the only reason we can fathom for sending a photograph of a female student to a 37-year-old man.”
She urged the Regulator of Communications to consider implementing measures this summer to prevent unidentified adults from contacting children, stating that “companies should not have the right to feed sensitive content to children.”
Ofcom’s illegal harm initiatives aim to combat online grooming, emphasizing that “Your child’s profile, location, and connections should not be visible to others.”
Meta’s system suggests that if a thread profile is public, posts from an adult profile could be recommended on Facebook or Instagram, allowing others to “discover, follow, and interact with you.” Users can turn this off or switch a thread profile to private.
Although they are about half the size of male gorillas, female gorillas can surpass their male counterparts in competitions for status and resources. A recent study highlights this intriguing finding.
This discovery upends the long-held belief that gorilla society is primarily patriarchal, emphasizing male dominance over females, and sheds light on the origins of human gender relations.
Researchers from the German Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Torque in Finland examined 25 years of data gathered from observations of gorilla behaviors across four distinct groups.
Wild mountain gorillas have often been viewed as a prime example of strict male dominance in primate societies, largely due to the size disparity between males and females.
It is true that gorilla society has a hierarchical structure, with one alpha male reigning at the top, while other gorillas vie for status beneath him.
However, this new research suggests that gorilla hierarchies may be much more gender-equitable than previously thought.
“Female gorillas frequently outperform males,” stated author Reed Dr. Nikos Smitt, a researcher at Max Planck and Turku, in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “This is crucial for understanding power dynamics; it’s not solely about size and strength.”
Indeed, 88% of female gorillas exhibited superior performance compared to at least one adult male in groups with multiple males, particularly against those who were young or old.
Additionally, when female gorillas faced off against males other than the alpha, they won more than a quarter of the time, even when significantly outmatched in size.
According to Dr. Martha Robbins, Director of the Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Research Project, this success is likely linked to the relationships between these high-ranking females and their alpha males. BBC Science Focus reported her insights: “Gorillas are aware of their group’s social status and dynamics. Though non-alpha males are typically larger and stronger, they often choose to hold back to avoid confrontations with alpha males. It’s advantageous for them to be compliant in a group setting.”
This image illustrates the size differences between women with toddlers in the non-invasive national park of Bwindi, Uganda, and male mountain gorillas – Credit: Marthalobins
Researchers have also found that the stakes in these conflicts often involve priority access to food, another finding that challenges previous assumptions.
Earlier studies suggested that female gorillas exclusively competed for food among themselves, with males primarily competing with females. However, this research reveals that both genders vie for food resources.
These observations could reshape our understanding of gender dynamics within human societies.
The researchers noted that male dominance over female counterparts is not a straightforward outcome of evolution, but rather reflects “human’s flexible social and mating frameworks.”
Furthermore, they argue that this is supported by observations among our close relatives, such as bonobos and chimpanzees, where males are larger than females, yet females hold more dominance.
As a result, scientists suggest that humans are unlikely to inherit patriarchal structures from their primate ancestors.
Read more:
About Our Experts
Dr. Nikos Smitt is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Torque in Finland and associated with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. His research delves into the evolution of social structures and mating systems, as well as the dynamics of conflict and cooperation.
Dr. Martha Robbins serves as the director of the Bwindi Mountain Gorilla Research Project and leads the Primate Behavior and Evolution group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Her research is centered on the evolution of social behavior.
Two extinct hominins, Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus, exhibited much greater sexual dimorphism than chimpanzees and modern humans. According to Dr. Adam Gordon, a paleontologist at the University of Albany and Durham, Australopithecus afarensis displayed even higher levels of dimorphism.
Reconstructing the face of Australopithecus afarensis. Image credit: Cicero Moraes/CC by-sa 3.0.
The sexual size dimorphism is not just a mere physical trait; it indicates deeper behavioral and evolutionary strategies.
In line with sexual selection theory, the sexual size dimorphism seen in modern primates typically correlates with intense male-male competition and social structures, fostering a one-sided mating system where one or more large males dominate access to multiple females.
Conversely, low sexual dimorphism is characteristic of species that exhibit paired social structures with lower competition for mating opportunities.
Contemporary human populations show low to moderate sexual size dimorphism, with males generally being slightly larger than females on average, although there is considerable overlap between the sexes.
Fossil data is often incomplete, making it exceedingly difficult to ascertain the gender of ancient individuals.
To overcome this issue, Dr. Gordon utilized a geometric averaging method for estimating size from multiple skeletal elements, including the upper arm, femur, and tibia.
Resampling techniques were then employed to simulate thousands of comparisons between fossil hominins and living primates, ensuring that the statistical model accounted for the incomplete and varied nature of fossil samples.
A comparative framework was developed using data from contemporary gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans with known genders and complete skeletons.
Unlike earlier studies where ambiguous or inconclusive statistical results were interpreted as signs of similarity, Dr. Gordon’s approach unveiled clear and significant differences, even with relatively small fossil samples.
To eliminate the potential of body size changes in Australopithecus afarensis reflecting broader evolutionary trends rather than gender distinctions, Dr. Gordon also analyzed time series trends over a 300,000-year span from the Khadar Formation in Ethiopia.
His analysis indicated no significant size increase or decrease over time, suggesting that the observed variations were more likely due to differences between males and females.
“These were not minor differences,” Dr. Gordon stated.
“In the case of Australopithecus afarensis, males were significantly larger than females—possibly more so than the great living apes.”
“Both of these extinct hominin species displayed gender-specific size distinctions from modern humans, yet differed from extant ape species in this regard.”
Australopithecus africanus. Image credit: JM salas/cc by-sa 3.0.
Dr. Gordon’s previous research indicates that the elevated sexual size dimorphism seen in living primates may correlate with considerable resource stress. In situations where food is scarce, smaller, healthier females can better meet their metabolic needs and reproduce quicker than larger females, leading to offspring with smaller mothers and greater size disparities between males and females.
The pronounced sexual size dimorphism observed in both Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus suggests a high level of male competition, akin to differences noted in chimpanzees and gorillas. However, the distinctions between the two fossil species could reflect varying intensities of sexual selection or resource stress in their environments (e.g., differences in the length of dry seasons that could affect female body size).
In any event, the high sexual size dimorphism of these fossil hominins starkly contrasts with the more balanced sizes seen in modern humans, offering insights into different models of early human existence.
The implications of these findings are significant. Australopithecus afarensis, which inhabited the Earth between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago, is often viewed as very closely related to the direct ancestors of modern humans.
However, its pronounced sexual dimorphism suggests that early human social systems may have been much more hierarchical and competitive than previously believed.
On the contrary, Australopithecus africanus—which appears slightly later in the fossil record—exhibits less dimorphism compared to Australopithecus afarensis. This could represent different evolutionary branches within the human lineage or perhaps reflect various social behavioral stages in the development of hominins.
“We often categorize these early hominins together as a single group called Gracile Australopithecines, believed to have interacted with their physical and social environments in similar ways,” Dr. Gordon explained.
“While there is some truth to this, the significant differences in dimorphism between the two species indicate that these closely related hominins were under distinct selection pressures, unlike those affecting modern human pair bonds.”
The survey findings will be published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology.
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Adam D. Gordon. 2025. Dimorphism of sexual size in Australopithecus africanus and A. afarensis in contrast to modern humans despite low power resampling analysis. American Journal of Biological Anthropology 187(3): E70093; doi: 10.1002/ajpa.70093
Alex Garland’s 2015 film Ex Machina and Sierra Greer’s Annie Bot (featured below) uphold the long tradition of female robots
Maximum Film/Alamy
This year, the Arthur C. Clarke Award for the year’s best SF fiction novel was granted to Sierra Greer’s recent work, Annie Bot. Throughout the story, Annie, a sensuous sex robot designed to revere a self-centered owner, gradually cultivates a unique personality. Yet, she is not the first artificial woman to embark on this journey. The earliest fictional female robots were simple mechanical toys, yet over time they have evolved into complex beings akin to their human counterparts.
Artificial beings have a deep-rooted history across cultures. “Every society across the globe has crafted narratives about automata for centuries,” says Lisa Yaszek, a scholar at Georgia Tech. These stories generally fit into three categories; while most depict automated laborers or weaponry, the creations of female robots typically align with domestic and sexual themes. An instance from Greek mythology, Galatea, embodies the ideal woman who comes to life when her creator, Pygmalion, falls in love with her.
Historically, these fictional automata have often mirrored real inventions. Novelties that mimic living beings began to emerge. By the 18th century, technological advancements rendered these creations increasingly lifelike and beautiful. Therefore, it’s no surprise that imaginations conjured up automata indistinguishable from reality. One of the unsettling visions of this was Eta Hoffmann’s 1817 tale Sandman, where the beautiful Olympia captivates Nathaniel despite her unsettling rigidity. Learning that Olympia is merely a moving doll ultimately drives Nathaniel to madness and demise.
In the 19th century, artificial women were often relegated to similar roles. Real women were generally expected to provide domestic services for men. In 1886, in The Night Before the Future, Auguste Villiers imagined a contemporary Pygmalion who constructs a flawless mechanical woman, annoyed by the flaws of real women. Alice W. Fuller lampooned this idea in a 1895 short story, Wife Manufactured to Order. The protagonist abandons his opinionated girlfriend in favor of the machine, yet finds himself exasperated by the robot’s mindless adoration.
By 1972, Ira Levin questioned what fate would await real women if robots could assume their roles.
This vision of an absolutely compliant Galatea has persisted through decades of fiction. “The ideal is an extremely obedient, accommodating, available woman,” outlines My Fair Woman: Female Robots, Androids, and Other Artificial Beings.
When writers envisioned automata, societal anxieties increased during the Industrial Revolution, worrying that new machines could outpace human capabilities. Fiction like Samuel Butler’s 1872 novel Erewon hinted at machines evolving their own cognitive abilities. By the dawn of the 20th century, these concerns peaked with two significant works of fiction.
Playwright Karel Čapek’s 1920 work R.U.R. depicted a world striving to elevate all people to the upper echelons of society by delegating labor to synthetic beings he called “robots.” The term robota means serf or forced labor. As foreseen by Butler’s Erewon, the robots in R.U.R. eventually rise against their creators.
Shortly thereafter, Thea von Harbou released Metropolis, adapted into Fritz Lang’s groundbreaking 1927 film. In it, female robots are designed to resemble human women of the working class. While the human Maria advocates for unity and peace, her robotic counterpart incites chaos and destruction.
Ten years later, author Leicester Del Rey introduced Helen O’Loy, presenting a mechanical femme fatale in the form of the synthetic housewife Helen, who develops feelings akin to Robot Maria. In mid-century fiction, such bots often eclipsed more rebellious counterparts. The Twilight Zone featured another robotic wife, while the Jetsons boasted the reliable Rosie the Robot maid.
Yet, the illusion of domestic happiness proved fragile. By 1972, Ira Levin posed a chilling question on what would happen if robots replaced real women. In his novel The Stepford Wives, Joanna discovers that the men in her community are murdering their outspoken wives and substituting them with docile, mechanical replicas.
In subsequent decades, franchises like Terminator and The Matrix tackled fears surrounding the technological replacement of humans—a concern that had loomed since the Industrial Revolution. However, when roles lost to machines are domestic, not all women express discontent with this outsourcing. In Iain Reid’s 2018 novel Foe, a woman confronts her human husband and ultimately claims her position with a robotic replica.
Moreover, the 2010s introduced two influential artificial women. In the 2013 film Her, a man becomes infatuated with the AI named Samantha, leading to a strained relationship with a real woman. Meanwhile, 2014’s Ex Machina features an abuser who coerces his employee Caleb to evaluate the robot AVA. As Caleb develops affection for AVA, she skillfully manipulates him to secure her escape from her creator. Though neither Samantha nor AVA are malicious, they pursue their own interests, prompting questions about the implications for those around them.
Recent narratives increasingly spotlight the journeys of artificial women themselves. In Annie Bot, Annie narrates her own evolution, prioritizing her emotional growth over that of her owner. Greer illustrates that if the bot identifies as a woman, she deserves to forge her own path. A similar approach is evident in this year’s film Fellow, which focuses on the experiences of Iris, a sex robot, as she seeks autonomy—her journey towards liberation is more nuanced than Annie’s.
But what lies ahead for these artificial women (Samantha and AVA, Annie and Iris) if they assert their independence? Their future depends on the creativity of tomorrow’s writers.
Arts and Science of Writing Science Fiction
Engage in science fiction writing this weekend, focusing on the creation of new worlds and artistic expressions.
Topics:
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The #MeToo movement against women’s sexual abuse gained traction in 2017, leading to what I term the #Anatomytoo moment, during which the derogatory anatomical label attached to female genitals was challenged and deemed unacceptable.
The long-used term for the vulva, referring to the external genitalia of women, was “Pudendum,” a word that historically reflected a biased view within the male-dominated medical field. Interestingly, “Pudendum” traces back to the Latin word Pudere, meaning “to be ashamed,” casting the female anatomy in a negative light as something shameful.
What’s even more unfortunate is that for centuries, “Pudendum” was applied equally to both men’s and women’s external genitals. Over time, men shed the associated stigma, leaving women to bear the burden of this label alone.
Consequently, it’s not surprising that many women feel discomfort regarding their genitals. A UK study revealed that 65% of young women struggle to use terms like “vulva” or “vagina.” This part of their own body often remains unnamed.
Names carry significant weight, as reflected in the evolution of the term “Pudendum.” As a result, it was removed from official anatomical terminology in 2019.
But “Pudendum” is just the surface issue in the broader context of male dominance in anatomy. Female anatomy features a considerable number of anatomical eponyms, which are body parts named after individuals, predominantly male.
A review of 700 anatomical terms identified that 424 were named after male doctors. Among the few exceptions, there was only one woman and several mythological figures and historical leaders, highlighting the gender imbalance.
This systemic patriarchy is unsurprising, given that in 1847, when many of these terms were coined, women were seldom represented in the study of internal anatomy, particularly regarding female reproductive organs.
For example, Gabriele Falloppio is commemorated in the namesake tube connecting the uterus to the ovaries, while Skene’s Glands, named after Alexander Skene, contribute to female ejaculation. The “G” in G-spot honors Ernst Gräfenberg, whereas Bartholin’s gland is named for Caspar Bartholin the younger, linked to sexual lubrication near the vaginal entrance.
The prevalence of masculine terminology is one reason why medical professionals increasingly favor more precise terms. For instance, Bartholin’s glands are referred to as the larger vestibular glands, and Skene’s glands are called paraglandular glands, while the fallopian tube is termed the uterine tube.
Despite this push for change, anatomical eponyms remain widely used in both medical practice and everyday language. Terms like “Fallopian Tube” have yet to be fully supplanted by more contemporary terminology. Moreover, even when linguistic adjustments are made, vestiges of the original terminology often stick around.
While “Pudendum” is eliminated, the equally charged term “Pudendal” survives, referring to female nerves, arteries, veins, and canals, perpetuating remnants of male-centric anatomical language. Most people remain unfamiliar with these terms.
Unlike “vagina,” which is derived from the Latin word for “sheath,” suggesting an alternative name of “vagina,” rebranding this term isn’t on the agenda. However, many still overlook the fact that other female reproductive parts also deserve recognition.
For pudendal nerves and arteries, only one term in the anatomical lexicon encapsulates their enduring stigma: it remains an embarrassment.
Even so, I developed a new affection for her, likely influenced by the looming possibility of Jesse’s departure. Jesse doesn’t pretend to be the quintessential woman. She shares little in common with the almost-perfect Alexa, aside from the deep, resonant voice of authority that Laurie Anderson masterfully crafted in her 1980s music and speeches. (Anderson channels an enigmatic papal craftsman, perhaps a retired geology professor. “There are a few things that can be examined easily, such as the expanse of Greenland, the famous dates of the 19th century rubber conflict, Persian adjectives, snow composition, and more. I could hear Jesse mimicking some stereotypes of women, oscillating between technology and deliberate artifice.)
In fact, let’s explore many other female voices produced by modern media. One commonly heard female voice in Japanese anime unsettles me physically. Even more astonishing is the voice of the much-admired Internet Trad Wife, soft, gentle, and calm; she sifts through the wheat and chaff concerning her children. Do they play with obedience against the backdrop of death? – Quietly handling the sticks behind the lens. Former Christian fundamentalist wife and mother, Tia Levings, has garnered a substantial following on TikTok. Notably, her prior “Fund Voice” — breathtaking and high-pitched — draws inspiration from a 1963 book titled “Attractive Woman.” Meanwhile, a new generation of women learns to cultivate the same voice, accentuated by videos that feature soft lighting.
As many sociologists caution, when pornography in the digital era becomes distorted, young men’s perceptions of what an ideal sex life resembles may skew the notion of how a woman’s voice should sound. AI potentially creates a dizzying feedback loop of these authentic female voices, perhaps even those with the most substantial followings, from which it likely learns, rather than roaring.
As the mother of two teenage boys, I’ve grown accustomed to various noises from their basement escapades. However, when silence was abruptly disrupted by my son yelling loudly during a Fortnite battle, I was surprised. It fascinates me that my son, like many dedicated Fortnite players, opted for what he refers to as a female skin for his avatar. This choice reflects that from around the age of 11, he immersed himself in closely identifying with powerful female characters who facilitate shooting, evading, and outsmarting his opponents. Perhaps he chose female avatars at a younger age, emulating older players he admired; or perhaps they select female skins for their faceless nature, as the game requires hours of staring at the back of that avatar (which is notably rounded and toned for some female skins). Nonetheless, I was equally intrigued by another aspect of his Fortnite avatar—its relation to her and her friends.
These avatars are like remote cousins to the female TikTok influencers who mirror Jesse. I can argue that the influencers who narrate Jesse in their videos use technology to quiet their true selves. The essential elements of their humanity are entirely absent, revealing only their youthful façades to thousands of followers.
However, I reconsider my perspective and arrive at a different conclusion. Perhaps in selecting Jesse, they discover means to shield themselves and assert subtle claims of power. Their voices remain private, allowing the world to perceive only that. Jesse might be irritating, but she seems unfazed. This could explain why many women embrace her in her endless “get ready with me” videos. Jesse is loud and unapologetic. She is a pill, yet wholly artificial, far exceeding any male validation.
Menopause marks a significant transition in a woman’s life when the ovaries cease hormone production, but the journey leading up to this milestone can span several years. This extended phase is known as perimenopause.
On average, menopause occurs around age 51, meaning many women begin noticing symptoms of perimenopause in their mid-40s. These symptoms can vary greatly from one individual to another. While hot flashes and irregular heavy periods are commonly cited, not everyone experiences them.
Additionally, even within the same person, symptoms can differ in type, frequency, and intensity.
More than 75% of women report experiencing a range of symptoms, with about 25% indicating that these symptoms significantly impact their quality of life. Common issues include sleep disturbances, anxiety, and weight gain.
Unfortunately, these symptoms are often overlooked or dismissed by professionals as resulting from other medical conditions.
Symptoms and Treatment
Insomnia is often one of the earliest symptoms, potentially starting in one’s late 30s or early 40s. Research shows up to 60% of women over 40 are affected by sleep problems.
Changes in mood are also common, with women experiencing feelings of anger, irritability, sadness, and depression.
Other possible symptoms include brain fog, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, joint and muscle pain, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, and discomfort.
Many women hesitate to seek medical help due to embarrassment or a desire to avoid making a fuss. While consulting a healthcare provider is crucial, currently, there are no official menopause or perimenopause tests for women older than 45.
This highlights the importance of tracking symptoms and noting when they occur. By discussing these experiences with your doctor, women can collaboratively determine the best treatment options.
For instance, there is robust evidence supporting the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, particularly for alleviating hot flashes and night sweats.
HRT has also been shown to help some women achieve better sleep and may alleviate negative cognitive symptoms. Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can assist with management and stabilize mood and sleep patterns.
However, prescribing clonidine and antidepressants as first-line treatments is considered outdated.
Other studies indicate that HRT may also help maintain bone mineral density and reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures later in life.
HRT encompasses various medications, including estrogen, combinations of estrogen and progestogen (another female hormone), and testosterone. These can be administered through patches or gels.
The type and dosage of HRT depend on the specific condition being managed, individual risks, and personal preferences. There is no definitive cutoff for starting HRT; the benefits must outweigh perceived risks.
New Research
Women undergoing HRT also experience a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. Studies have indicated that starting estrogens as part of HRT early in the perimenopausal phase may further lower the risk of coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Specifically, the cardiovascular disease prevention benefits are notable for women who begin HRT in their 50s as compared to those who start after age 60.
However, initiating HRT solely for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia is not recommended. There are known risks associated with certain types of HRT, including an elevated risk of uterine cancer when estrogen-only HRT is used without progestogens, as well as an increased risk of blood clots.
Osteoporosis generally affects older adults and postmenopausal women. HRT can help treat it. – Image credits: Science Photo Library
The primary concern remains breast cancer. This area is complex due to variable risks linked to historical clinical trial data, along with personal and family health histories, and lifestyle factors such as alcohol intake and obesity.
This variability can impact the clinical significance of the data for each individual.
Current evidence suggests that estrogen-only HRTs have little to no correlation with breast cancer risk, while combined HRTs may increase the risk by 3-4 cases per 1,000 women.
Alternative Treatment
Local estrogen HRT, applied topically, has proven very effective for managing vulvar and vaginal pain and dryness, as well as recurrent urinary tract infections.
Moreover, testosterone treatments paired with estrogens may benefit some women with low sexual desire.
Unfortunately, HRT isn’t a panacea. A review of current clinical trials shows no significant improvements in cognitive function, bone density, body composition, strength, or psychological health for women undergoing treatment.
Many women may opt against HRT, particularly those with a history of breast cancer.
Previously, alternative treatments were limited, primarily focusing on antidepressants and clonidine. These options have shown limited effectiveness and significant side effects. Recently, the new non-hormonal medication Fezolinetant has received approval for managing blood flow issues.
Natural Relief
In addition to medication, lifestyle and behavioral modifications—like improving sleep, increasing physical activity, and adopting better nutrition—carry no associated risks and can yield significant benefits.
Starting with sleep is often beneficial. When well-rested, focusing on enhancing activity and diet becomes more manageable.
Implementing good sleep hygiene practices, avoiding screens before bedtime, maintaining a consistent sleep routine, and utilizing CBT have all been shown to mitigate insomnia and other sleep disorders in women undergoing menopause.
Increasing activity levels can also be incredibly beneficial. Strength training exercises help build and maintain muscle and bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis, enhances flexibility, and reduces insulin resistance.
Aerobic activities such as running, swimming, and cycling can improve long-term heart and brain health. Maintaining a balanced diet rich in fresh foods while limiting ultra-processed items is advantageous at any life stage.
Although menopause can be challenging, various proven interventions can assist in making this transition smoother.
Menopause marks a pivotal moment in a woman’s life when the ovaries cease hormone production, but the transition leading up to this significant event can span several years, known as perimenopause.
On average, women experience menopause around age 51, resulting in most women starting to notice perimenopause symptoms in their mid-40s. These symptoms can differ greatly among women, with hot flashes and irregular heavy periods often recognized as indicators, although not everyone experiences the same symptoms.
Additionally, even within the same individual, symptoms can vary in type, frequency, and intensity.
Over 75% of women report experiencing a range of symptoms, with about 25% stating that their symptoms significantly impact their quality of life. Symptoms can include sleep disturbances, anxiety, and weight gain.
It’s worth noting that these symptoms have historically been overlooked and often attributed to other health conditions by experts.
Symptoms and Treatment
Insomnia is frequently one of the first symptoms, which can begin in a woman’s late 30s or early 40s. Research indicates that as many as 60% of women over 40 experience insomnia.
Other symptoms may encompass mood swings, with women often feeling persistent anger, irritability, sadness, and depression.
In addition, symptoms may include cognitive issues like brain fog, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, joint and muscle pain, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, gender dyscomfort, and pain.
Despite this, many women delay seeking medical attention due to feelings of embarrassment or a desire not to “make a fuss.” While it’s crucial to obtain medical guidance, there are currently no specific menopause tests for women over 45.
This underscores the importance of tracking and documenting symptoms to share with healthcare providers, aiding in the determination of the best treatment options.
For instance, there is substantial evidence supporting the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in accordance with the guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, particularly for alleviating hot flashes and night sweats.
HRT has also been shown to assist some women in achieving better sleep and can sometimes ease negative cognitive symptoms. Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may help manage blood flow issues, stabilizing mood and sleep patterns.
It is now considered outdated to use medications like clonidine and antidepressants as first-line treatments.
Other studies suggest that HRT can also be beneficial in maintaining bone mineral density and reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures later in life.
HRT encompasses various types of medications, including estrogen, combinations of estrogen and progestogen, and testosterone, which can be administered through patches or gels.
The appropriate type and dosage of HRT depend on the specific condition being treated, individual risk factors, and personal preferences. There is no strict age cut-off for starting HRT; rather, it should be guided by the benefits outweighing perceived risks.
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New Research
Women undergoing HRT may also benefit from a decreased risk of colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. Research indicates that initiating estrogens as part of HRT early in the perimenopausal phase could further lower the risk of coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Notably, the cardiovascular disease prevention benefits are most pronounced among women who commence HRT in their 50s, compared to those who start after 60.
However, HRT is not recommended solely for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and dementia due to known risks associated with certain HRT treatments, including the possibility of uterine cancer when estrogen-only HRT is used without protective progestogens, which does not elevate blood clot risks.
Osteoporosis generally affects older adults and postmenopausal women. HRT can help treat it. – Image credits: Science Photo Library
The primary concern remains breast cancer prevalence, a complex issue influenced by varying risks outlined in clinical trial data, individual and family history, as well as lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and obesity.
This directly impacts the clinical relevance of the data for individual patients.
Current evidence suggests that estrogen-only HRTs have little to no association with increased breast cancer risk, while combined HRTs may correlate with an increased risk of 3-4 additional cases per 1,000 women.
Alternative Treatments
Topical local estrogen HRT has proven highly effective in managing and preventing significant vulvar and vaginal pain and dryness, as well as recurrent urinary tract infections.
Moreover, testosterone treatments alongside estrogens may assist women experiencing low sexual desire.
Nonetheless, HRT cannot serve as a one-size-fits-all solution. A review of current clinical trials reveals no significant enhancements in cognitive function, bone density, body composition, strength, or psychological health among women undergoing treatment.
Additionally, many women may prefer to avoid HRT, particularly those with a history of breast cancer.
Previously, alternative treatments were sparse, primarily revolving around antidepressants and clonidine, both of which have demonstrated limited effectiveness and notable side effects. However, a new non-hormonal medication, Fezolinetant, has recently been approved to manage blood flow issues.
Natural Relief
In addition to medication, lifestyle and behavioral modifications—such as sleep, physical activity, and nutrition—carry no associated risks and can yield significant benefits.
Improving sleep is often an excellent starting point, as restorative sleep makes it easier to enhance activity levels and diet.
Establishing good sleep hygiene, avoiding screens before bedtime, maintaining a consistent sleep routine, and practicing CBT have been shown effective in addressing insomnia and other sleep disorders affecting women in the menopause transition.
Elevating physical activity levels can also be tremendously beneficial. Engaging in strength training exercises helps build and maintain muscle and bone density, aiding in the prevention of osteoporosis, while promoting flexibility and reducing insulin resistance.
Aerobic exercises such as running, swimming, and cycling can further enhance heart and brain health. At any stage in life, adhering to a balanced diet rich in fresh foods while limiting ultra-processed products is advantageous.
Although menopause can be challenging, a range of effective interventions can ease this transitional period.
woman Bonobos New research is discovering that they team up to find strength in numbers and combine them to dodge wild men.
With ChimpanzeesBonobo is one of the closest relatives of humans. Scientists have been wondering why bonobos live in general Women dominate Men are physically bigger and stronger, so they are social.
30 Years of Observation in the Congo – The only place where endangered bonobos are seen in the wild is to support the idea of sisters who unite to assert their powers.
These groups of girls found women who ousted male bonobos out of the trees, secured food for themselves, and ranked them higher on the community’s social ladders, researchers found.
“It’s very clear not to step on as a male bonobo,” said Martin Sarbeck, Harvard research author.
The findings were published in the Journal Communications Biology on Thursday.
The combined number of female bonobos appears to change the tide to male fitness, Sarbeck said. This type of strategy allows women to get women to top the top in the Animal Kingdom. Find power in the group as well.
Female bonobos linked, even if they had no close relationships, supported each other against men, and solidified their social status. The observations show how female bonobos work together to protect themselves from male violence, bioanthropologist Laura Lewis said at the University of California, Berkeley.
The findings “support the idea that humans and our ancestors use coalitions to maintain and maintain power over millions of years,” Lewis, who was not involved in the study, said in an email.
LIna Nielsen recalls the moment when inspiration struck. While lounging around the Olympic Village in Paris with her sprinting comrades, she felt bored. “I turned to Yemi Mary John and said, ‘Let’s transform this into TikTok,'” Nielsen recounted. She retreated to her room, grabbed the flip phone assigned to each player, and entered the following into an Excel sheet: “Come on, come at me.”
Shortly after, she swiftly created a five-second parody of Kelly Rowland’s music video text message blunder. “It’s amusing how a video that’s both simple and effortless can be so impactful,” Nielsen remarked with a chuckle. She still finds it hard to believe that her TikTok channel was the most popular among all British athletes at the Olympics, surpassing even the second-place finisher Tom Daley. By the end of the two-week Olympic event, her channel had more views than the Australian and German teams combined.
Nielsen, along with her twin sister Raviai, who also participated in the Paris Games, joined countless athletes in sharing glimpses of village life, ranging from chocolate muffins to cardboard beds. “It served as a good distraction because too much focus on competition can lead to intensity. Social media helped to take my mind off things,” she stated. While Nielsen was defeated in the 400m hurdles semi-finals, she later aided the British relay team in clinching a bronze medal in the 4x400m event.
The “TikTok Olympics” of 2024 uncovered surprising trends, revealing that female athletes outnumbered their male counterparts on social media platforms. Research conducted by the Women in Sport Trust disclosed that female athletes constituted 69% of TeamGB’s total TikTok content and 67% of its views. Globally, women’s voices dominated the discourse in Paris, spanning from Australian water polo ace Tilly Kearns to Dutch skateboarder Keet Oldenbubing.
American gymnasts’ feeds showcased Mykayla Skinner criticizing her former teammate’s work ethic before seizing the gold medal, and Simone Biles celebrating post-victory with the caption, “Champions. Lack of talent, lazy, Olympians.” The subsequent attention on this post evolved into its narrative.
However, the standout star of the competition was American rugby luminary Ilona Maher. Her signature lipstick and unfiltered demeanor in the fake Love Island video from the Olympic Village captured hearts. The 28-year-old, who bagged a bronze medal for the United States in Paris and was a runner-up on Dancing with the Stars, soared to fame upon joining the Bristol Bears team recently.
“I won’t even earn six figures in rugby, that’s the harsh reality,” Maher shared in a recent interview. “Some might perceive that I’m not serious about my career, with TikTok-ing and all, but it’s necessary for me. That’s where I generate most of my income.”
Her candidness plays a vital role in her appeal. “She stays true to herself,” remarked rugby sevens player Ellie Boatman, who scored in the quarter-final clash between Great Britain and the United States. “Her authenticity resonates with audiences. She candidly shares about her journey. Initially hesitant, she now takes pride in it, something that many women can relate to.”
Boatman has amassed a substantial following of her own, with her kit rundown being Team GB’s most-viewed video. Her online presence has grown through open discussions about overcoming eating disorders, advocating social media as a platform for sportswomen to exhibit vulnerability and authenticity.
“Previously, athletes merely kept their focus on performing and diligent work,” Boatman reflected. “Now, people are more intrigued by the person behind the athlete. It’s wonderful to witness more narratives about personal journeys unfold recently.”
In an era where highly-paid male athletes appear disconnected from reality, empathy becomes a unique selling point in the sports industry.
Jenny Mitton, managing partner and head of women’s sport at M&C Saatchi Agency, noted that sportswomen naturally possess effective social communication skills due to the historical need for them to advocate for themselves. “When they are passionate about an issue, be it excelling in the sport or combating discrimination, their sincerity shines through, resonating with audiences,” Mitton added. She pointed out that authenticity is what flourishes on social media platforms.
This newfound power of female athletes in addressing important issues on social media is seen as a positive development by Lina Nielsen, who, living with multiple sclerosis, aspires to advocate for those with disabilities. “Using my voice to raise awareness about MS is something I strive for,” Nielsen expressed, highlighting the impact social media has in driving change and creating a platform for important conversations.
The number of girls studying computing GCSEs in England has more than halved in less than a decade, leading to warnings about “male dominance in shaping the modern world”.
The sharp fall in female participation comes as government changes to qualifications see the old Information and Communications Technology (ICT) GCSE abolished and replaced with a new Computer Science GCSE.
Government reforms aimed to create “more academically challenging and knowledge-based” qualifications, but the introduction of the new curriculum had the unintended consequence of reducing female enrolments, new research from King’s College London has found.
In 2015, 43% of ICT GCSE candidates were women, but in 2023, just 21% of those taking GCSE Computer Science were women.
To put the figures in perspective, 40,000 girls took ICT GCSEs and a further 5,000 took Computer Science in 2015. By 2023, with ICT no longer available, just 18,600 girls will have taken Computer Science.
When asked why, girls who chose not to study computer science said they didn’t enjoy it and that it didn’t fit into their career plans, the survey found.
Critics of the old ICT qualification complained that they only taught students how to use Microsoft Office. In contrast, the new Computer Science GCSE, with its emphasis on computer theory, coding and programming, is perceived by many students as “harder” than other subjects.
The study recognised that computer science GCSEs are here to stay, with 88,000 students taking the subject in 2023, and a four-fold increase in the number of A-level candidates between 2013 and 2023.
“However, these successes coincide with a general decline in computer and digital skills education at secondary school level, particularly affecting girls, certain ethnic groups and students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds,” the report said.
The report included a series of recommendations calling for urgent curriculum reform, more support for computing teachers and “expanding the current narrative about computing to focus on more than just male tech entrepreneurs.”
“The lack of women in the computing industry could lead to increased vulnerability and male dominance in shaping the modern world,” the authors warned.
“There is an urgent need for action to encourage more girls to study computing at school so they can gain the digital skills they need to participate in and shape the world,” said Dr Peter Kemp, lead researcher on the study and senior lecturer in computing education at King’s College London.
“Current GCSEs focus on developing computer science and programming skills and this appears to be preventing young people, particularly girls, from taking up the subject. We need to ensure that computing is attractive to all pupils and meets the needs of young people and society.”
“All students should leave with the digital skills they need to succeed in the workplace and society,” says Pete Dolling, head of computing at Fulford School in York. “The curriculum needs to be reformed to include a comprehensive computing GCSE that provides essential skills and knowledge, going beyond just computer science.”
Maggie Philbin, OneThe technology broadcaster and director of TeenTech, which promotes digital skills, added: “At the moment many students consider the subject to be ‘difficult’ and will vote with their feet if they want to achieve the best results. It’s time to look at this subject with a fresh eye and work with teachers to design a curriculum that is more engaging and that teachers can be confident delivering.”
A brown male Thomisus guangxicus Spider (center) in a Hoya pandurata flower with a pale amber female just below it.
Wu Shimao
A species of spider discovered in China may have evolved a male-female pair that looks like a flower, allowing it to blend into the background.
“This may be the world's first case of cooperative imitation,” said Shi-Mao Wu of Yunnan University, who observed it with colleagues. Jiang Yun Gao.
Spiders of the family Tomicidae, also known as crab spiders, are ambush predators that usually live on or near flowers.
They are known for their excellent camouflage abilities that prevent them from being detected by prey or predators. Some species can even change color to match the color of the flower they sit on.
Wu and Gao were in the rainforest of southwestern China's Yunnan province when a male crab spider attacked them. Tomysus guanxicus Something caught Mr. Wu's attention.the spider was sitting on the flower Hoya pandurataa plant that lives on ancient tea trees in the forest.
“The first time I observed a male spider, I didn't see a female spider,” Wu said. Only when I got closer did I notice that the male spider was lying on the female's back. “They tricked my eyes really well,” he says.
Researchers hypothesize that the small, dark-colored males mimic pistils (female organs in the center of flowers), while the females mimic fused petals.
Researchers say that only when individual spiders of both sexes come together will the flowers match in appearance.
but, Gabriele Greco A professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is not convinced. “It's very difficult to determine the nature of the observed behavior,” he says.
In fact, in many spider species it is common for the male to stand over the female during mating. “A simpler explanation might be simple interactions related to courtship and mating,” Greco says.
Since the beginning of time, men and women have tended to have different social roles, interests, and occupations. It is natural to think that perhaps these stem from innate differences in their brains and more obvious differences in their bodies. This idea has long been controversial, but now that ideas about gender are changing more rapidly than ever, the question of whether male and female brains are different has become more acute. There is. This remains a controversial issue even among neuroscientists. Nevertheless, they are finally cutting into historical discrimination and gender politics and trying to get to the truth.
Early measurements of skull volume showed that, on average, male brains are slightly larger and heavier than female brains. Some commentators argued that this “five ounce deficit” was the key to the man's superior abilities. In fact, the simple explanation is that the larger the body, the more brain tissue it requires to move it. This is a relationship found across animal species.
The situation became even more complicated in the 1990s with the advent of brain scanning technology, which suggested sex differences in the size of certain brain regions and structures. These findings often turned into compelling stories about, for example, why women are more empathetic on average or why men are more likely to become engineers. But studies from the early decades of brain scanning research should be taken with a pinch of salt, he says. leeds elliott at Rosalind Franklin University in Illinois. “When we control for brain size, all claims about volumetric differences in individual structures disappear…
Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) The peoples of mainland Alaska overlapped with the first peoples of this region for at least 1,000 years. However, it is unclear how mammoths used the space they shared with humans. In a new study, scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and elsewhere analyzed a 14,000-year-old female mammoth tusk discovered at an archaeological site in Fairbanks. swan point They showed that she migrated nearly 1,000 km (621 miles) from northwestern Canada to inhabit the Shaw Creek watershed in interior Alaska, an area with the highest concentration of early remains in interior Alaska. Early Alaskans appear to have built their settlements based in part on the prevalence of mammoths, utilizing them for raw materials and perhaps food.
The piece shows three mammoths being observed by an ancient Alaskan family from a sand dune near the Swan Point ruins, a seasonal hunting camp inhabited 14,000 years ago. Image credit: Julius Csostonyi.
The woolly mammoth at the center of the study, named Elmayujaye by the Healy Lake Village Council, was discovered at Swan Point, Alaska's oldest archaeological site, which also contained the remains of a juvenile mammoth and a baby.
Mammoth fossils have also been found at three other sites within 10 km of Swan Point.
In the study, University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher Audrey Rowe and her colleagues conducted detailed isotopic analysis of complete tusks and genetic analysis of the remains of many other mammoth individuals, comparing the subject's movements and similar Pieced together relationships with other mammoths in location and environment. Neighborhood.
They determined that the Swan Point area was likely the gathering place for at least two closely related but distinct maternal herds.
“This is a fascinating story about the complexity of mammoth life and behavior, about which we have little insight,” said Dr. Hendrik Poynar, director of the McMaster Center for Ancient DNA at McMaster University.
The authors sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of eight woolly mammoths found at Swan Point and other nearby sites to see if and how they were related.
They also conducted isotopic analysis of a 14,000-year-old tusk from Elmayujaye (Elma) taken from Swan Point.
“Mammoth tusks grew like tree trunks, with thin layers showing steady growth, and isotopes of different elements such as oxygen and strontium providing information about the target's movements,” the researchers said. Ta.
“The female mammoth lived most of her life in a relatively small area of the Yukon Territory and died when she was about 20 years old.”
“As she grew older, she traveled more than 1,000 kilometers in just three years, settling in interior Alaska and dying near related babies and boys, suggesting that she may have been the matrilineal leader. unknown.”
“Mammoths are estimated to behave much like modern elephants, with females and young living in close-knit matrilineal herds, and adult males traveling alone or in looser groups of males. They are often thought to have a wider range than females.
The researchers extracted and analyzed ancient DNA from Elmayujay's tusks and found that the mammoth was closely related to other mammoths at the same site, and more distantly related to other mammoths at a nearby site called Holzmann. found.
“Early humans had a deep understanding of mammoths and the art of hunting them, and used mammoth habitats for scavenging and hunting detritus as raw material for tools,” the researchers said.
“In addition to the direct effects of hunting on mammoth populations, human activities and settlements have also affected mammoth populations indirectly by restricting mammoth movement and access to preferred grazing areas. There is a possibility.”
“For early people in Alaska, these areas were important for observation and viewing, as well as potential food sources,” Dr. Poyner said.
The data collected suggests that people organized seasonal hunting camps based on where mammoths congregated, and that this may have had an indirect effect on the localized extinction of mammoths in Alaska, which was further exacerbated by a rapidly changing climate and changes in vegetation. This suggests that it may have played a role.
However, such deprivation does not seem to have affected the mammoths involved.
“She was a young adult in her prime,” said Professor Matthew Wooler, director of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility and a researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
“Her isotopes showed that she was not malnourished and that she died during the same season as the Swan Point seasonal hunting camp where her tusk was found.”
“This is more than just looking at stone tools and ruins and making assumptions. This analysis of lifetime migration is very helpful in understanding how humans and mammoths lived in these areas,” McMaster said. said Dr. Tyler Murchy, a postdoctoral fellow at the university.
a paper The findings were published in this week's magazine scientific progress.
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Audrey G. Lowe other. 2024. The female woolly mammoth's lifelong migration ends in an ancient Alaskan hunter-gatherer camp. scientific progress 10(3); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk0818
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