Curly hair may have been absolutely critical to humans evolving millions of years ago, scientists have discovered. In fact, having curly hair could have been the key reason as to why humans developed, grew taller and came to have larger brains. It’s all to do with regulating body temperature, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State University. Given that hair can help to protect the head from the sun’s rays, it’s thought that thicker, curlier hair types could have been key to human life progressing in Equatorial Africa. Scientists recreated the kinds of conditions that early humans would have experienced, using wigs featuring different hair types on models. They found that curls were most effective in keeping the models cool in an environment measuring 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) and 60 per cent humidity. Tina Lasisi is the study's lead author. She spoke to Newsweek about the findings and said: "We hypothesized that tightly curled scalp hair would provide some benefits, but the extent of these benefits was uncertain. "Previous studies on mammalian coats have shown that hair can limit the amount of sunlight reaching the skin, but we were particularly surprised by the significant reduction in solar heat radiation impact provided by tightly coiled hair.” The reduction in heat caused by tight curls could have led to the development of larger brains. "Once humans developed large brains, they could employ other behavioral and social strategies to cope with heat, potentially diminishing the relative advantage of curly hair," she said. "This could have led to a diverse distribution of hair textures worldwide. Furthermore, since straight hair better retains heat, populations in colder environments may have experienced selective pressure for straight hair." She added: "Future research should aim to answer these questions by incorporating our data into mathematical models of human physiology or conducting experiments with human subjects who have different hair textures to examine the impact on their thermal regulation.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

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TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 6, 2023--

The “Girlhood” website is going viral on TikTok, but what is it and why are young girls flocking to the site? Being a teenage girl is hard at the best of times, but mix in social media, phones and other technology and it can be made even harder. But, equally, girls are now finding community and advice online thanks to the Girlhood website that has gone viral on social media. On the site, youngsters can find advice about anything from break-ups to school from “big sisters” who are older young women who have been through it themselves. What is Girlhood? The Girlhood website is a blog-style forum that offers young girls and teens the chance to get advice and help with issues. Girls around the world can communicate, share advice and vent their thoughts and feelings with peers. It was created by two girls, Mia Sugimoto and Sophia Rundle, who explained on Instagram that it is an “organization encouraging teenagers to share their stories and find the support they need”. @gir1hood Its okay cuz now i give the best advice? link in bio to visit our site :) #girlhood #fyp #trending #positivity #teengirls #breakup #ex They explain: “Stories can be funny, scary, relatable or entertaining! We want every girl to know that they belong, and there are girls all over the world willing to help.” Girls can submit questions in order to receive advice or submit amusing stories that can be anonymously shared on the blog. Those over 15 can also apply to become a respondent and offer their advice to girls who are trying to navigate similar situations. To do this, you have to apply via a form that seeks to “gauge your character” and assess the kind of advice you might give. While Girlhood does not profess to offer professional help or mental health services, it does create a safe space for people to share their advice based on personal experience. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Artificial intelligence startup Cohere has raised $270 million from a mix of venture capital and strategic investors including