When learning a new language‚ it’s easy to get the impression that native speakers can churn out sentences far faster than your brain can process. Surely you don’t speak this rapidly in your mother tongue? Rest assured‚ this isn’t necessarily your poor language skills or linguistic relativism – some languages may indeed be “faster” than others. Of course‚ the speed of speech can vary from person to person. Some folks just speak slowly‚ while others spit out words like a machine gun. Likewise‚ most individuals will change the tempo of their speech depending on the setting‚ their mood‚ and so on.However‚ one of the most widely accepted ways to study a language’s speed is the number of syllables per second. Numerous linguistics studies have looked into this metric and many come to the same conclusion: Japanese is the fastest language.A 2011 study by researchers at the University of Lyon looked at seven different languages and ranked them on their syllables per second. Japan came out on top with 7.84 syllables per second‚ followed by Spanish (7.82 syllables per second)‚ French (7.18)‚ Italian (6.99)‚ English (6.19)‚ German (5.97)‚ and Mandarin (5.18).Interestingly‚ the perceived speed of a language might also have something to do with how much information it can encode.Another study from the University of Lyon in 2019 looked at 17 different languages across Europe and Asia in terms of information per syllable. Although Japanese is apparently spoken quickly‚ it does not pack in much information with each syllable. Perhaps‚ the researchers ponder‚ the language is spoken quicker in a bid to fill the sentences with more meaning. “We find robust evidence that some languages are spoken faster than others (for example‚ Japanese and Spanish speakers produce about 50 percent more syllables per second than Vietnamese and Thai speakers). Also‚ some languages 'pack' more information per syllable due to their phonology and grammar (for example‚ English has about 11 times more types of syllable than are possible in Japanese)‚" Dan Dediu‚ co-author of the 2019 study‚ said in a statement."However‚ more importantly‚ there is a tradeoff between the two such that 'informationlight' languages are spoken faster than the 'informationdense' ones‚ balancing out at a rate of about 39 bits/second in all languages in our sample. Crazy‚ isn't it?" added Dr François Pellegrino‚ lead author of the study.You should take all these findings with a pinch of salt‚ however. Many disagree that solid data backs up the claim that there are significant tempo differences between different languages and dialects.An older study from the 1960s compared the speech rate of six Japanese speakers and six American-English speakers‚ concluding there were no significant differences in speech rate between the two groups.It’s also noteworthy that many of these linguistic studies have focused on European and East Asian languages‚ neglecting the thousands of other diverse languages that exist in the world. While it’s true that almost half of the world’s population speaks one of only ten languages as their mother tongue‚ there’s a wealth of curious and wonderful languages out there that are likely to defy all assumptions. 

This week‚ a CRISPR-edited pig kidney has successfully been transplanted into a living person‚ breeding efforts welcome ridiculous-looking hatchlings of the world’s rarest fish‚ and scientists simulate black holes in the lab using “quantum tornados” for the first time. Finally‚ we investigate the longest solar eclipse on record.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday.Study Claiming Humans Built A 25‚000-Year-Old Pyramid In Indonesia Removed By JournalA journal has retracted a controversial study that claimed that humans had begun constructing a "pyramid" in Indonesia as far back as 25‚000 years ago. In November 2023‚ the study garnered a lot of media attention for its extraordinary claim that a mountain in Indonesia is actually the world's oldest pyramid built by ancient humans. But reactions from archaeologists since publication were highly skeptical about its bold conclusions. Read the full story hereA CRISPR-Edited Pig Kidney Has Been Transplanted Into A Living Person For The First TimeIn a world first‚ doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a living human recipient. The patient‚ 62-year-old Richard “Rick” Slayman‚ had been living with end-stage kidney disease‚ relying on dialysis to survive after a previously transplanted human kidney had begun to fail. Read the full story hereThe World’s Rarest Fish Is Making A Comeback‚ One Ridiculous Baby At A TimeBehold‚ the rarest fish in the world! The red handfish‚ Thymichthys politus‚ is known from just two small patches of reef off the coast of Tasmania‚ thought to be home to around 100 adults. Habitat degradation and climate change have threatened them with extinction‚ but thanks to a breeding program‚ they welcomed 21 hatchlings in 2023 and you have to see them. Read the full story hereFirst-Ever "Quantum Tornado" Lets Scientists Simulate Black Holes In The LabBlack holes are objects at the limit of our physical theories‚ so the better we understand them‚ the better we can test our knowledge of the universe. While astrophysical black holes are studied in so many ways‚ it would be much easier to analyze one in the lab. Unfortunately‚ having one in a lab would lead to the destruction of said lab and probably the planet‚ so scientists have found the next best thing: they have created a simulation using a quantum tornado. Read the full story hereArchaeologists Find Shipwrecks Using Clues From Homer's IliadArchaeologists have used the Iliad‚ an Ancient Greek epic poem written in the 8th century BCE set towards the end of the legendary Trojan War‚ as a guide to locate shipwrecks off the coast of Greece. Researchers have located 10 shipwrecks that sunk at points between 3000 BCE to World War II around the island of Kasos. Among these sources was Homer's Iliad‚ which references Kasos as a trading hub that joined the fight against Troy. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: When Was The Longest Recorded Solar Eclipse In History?Not all solar eclipses are equal – even if we’re ignoring partial and annular eclipses‚ some are more impressive sights than others. Next month’s North American eclipse will last a lot longer than the 2017 equivalent‚ but how long can an eclipse theoretically last? And when was the longest eclipse of all? Read the full story here More content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? Issue 20 March 2024 is out now. Check it out for exclusive interviews‚ book excerpts‚ long reads‚ and more.PLUS‚ the entire season 3 of IFLScience's The Big Questions Podcast is available now.

Anyone who’s experienced a menstrual cycle knows it can often feel like you’re at the whim of your hormones‚ but some people believe they have a solution: seed cycling. But what exactly is it – and‚ most importantly‚ does it actually do anything to help?What is seed cycling?Cast aside the image of a little pumpkin seed on a bicycle – this kind of cycling is of the menstrual variety. According to its proponents‚ seed cycling helps to balance out the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.This naturopathic practice starts by assuming that someone’s menstrual cycle is 28 days‚ which has historically been considered the average‚ though a normal range is actually anywhere between 23 and 35 days. This is then split into two 14-day phases. If you don’t have a regular cycle‚ a common suggestion is that you go with the phases of the Moon (yes‚ really).The first phase is presumed to coincide with the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle‚ which starts on the first day of your period. Over the next 14 or so days‚ there’s an increase in the production of estrogen. To boost this‚ the suggestion is to eat raw‚ ground-up pumpkin and flax seeds up until you ovulate.Then begins phase 2‚ which is supposed to match up with the luteal phase‚ where production of the hormone progesterone increases‚ peaking and then dropping if there’s no pregnancy. Fans of seed cycling claim that switching to munching on ground-up sesame and sunflower seeds from the point of ovulation and throughout this phase will boost progesterone levels.There are several supposed benefits to chowing down on all those seeds that are touted by proponents of seed cycling; people suggest it can help periods become more regular and less painful‚ ease premenstrual syndrome‚ help with conditions involving hormones like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)‚ manage menopause symptoms‚ and even help with infertility.Does seed cycling work?All of those supposed benefits might sound pretty amazing‚ but there’s a significant catch. Whilst there might be an abundance of anecdotes (of which many are on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram) claiming that seed cycling is beneficial‚ there’s a lack of solid scientific evidence to back any of those claims up.Many of the oft-quoted studies referenced by seed cycling proponents aren’t actually about seed cycling‚ though they do cover the seeds involved in it. One of these is a 1993 study that examined whether supplementing a traditional Western diet with flaxseed had any effect on the menstrual cycle. Though the researchers found that‚ compared to controls‚ participants’ luteal phases were longer‚ and none experienced anovulation when taking flaxseed‚ there were no significant changes to the overall average cycle length‚ nor the concentration of estrogen during the follicular phase. The study concluded that the changes they saw were down to a group of compounds found in flaxseed called lignans – but there’s little weight in that conclusion‚ given there were only 18 participants.Other studies have also looked at the components of the seeds that are supposed to be beneficial. It’s often claimed‚ for example‚ that the apparent effects of pumpkin seeds come from their zinc content. A recent review of 36 studies found that zinc supplementation could potentially improve some elements of PCOS and painful periods.However‚ it found little evidence to support any role in treating endometriosis or menopausal symptoms. Similarly‚ a study examining two weeks of supplemental zinc sulfate’s effects on 32 postmenopausal patients found no significant evidence of it having any effect on estrogen or progesterone levels. However‚ there were only eight participants per experimental group.It’s only in the last few years that studies specifically on seed cycling have started to pop up. Even then‚ they’re few and far between‚ with far from enough evidence to suggest that the practice has any “hormonal balancing” benefits – a recent review concluded as much.A study published last year looked at the effectiveness of seed cycling in treating PCOS and concluded that it improved hormone levels. However‚ there’s a major problem with making such a conclusion: participants in the study (of which there were only 90) had to undergo a number of other changes‚ being instructed to take up 40 minutes of "brisk" walking‚ 60-minute "regular" walks‚ 10 minutes of deep breathing each morning‚ and a specific portion-controlled diet – so it’s not actually possible to determine if seed cycling was responsible for any changes seen.The overall pictureIf you’re experiencing problems with your menstrual cycle‚ or suspect that you might be having hormonal issues‚ it’s best to speak to a healthcare provider. The evidence (or rather lack of it) suggests that seed cycling isn’t going to help. However‚ unless you’re allergic to the seeds involved‚ it’s unlikely to cause harm to your health either. In fact‚ seeds can be part of a balanced diet‚ adding unsaturated fats‚ protein‚ and fiber.The biggest harm coming from seed cycling might end up being the hole it burns in your wallet – or the sheer boredom of eating seeds every. single. day.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Two projects using the James Webb Space Telescope will look at the auroras of Uranus and Saturn to discover what processes make them tick.