THE PEAK REPORTER

Researchers from Sao Paulo Federal University studied the effect of smoking on fertility by comparing the sperm of 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers. They found that smokers' sperm was more likely to have DNA damage, as well as some partially and fully inactive mitochondria . Mitochondria are the parts of the sperm cells that generate the energy needed to complete tasks, such as traveling to the egg for fertilization. Men who smoke also have more flawed acrosomes in their sperm. Acrosomes are located near the heads of sperm cells, and they contain the digestive enzymes needed for the sperm to break down the membrane of the egg cell at fertilization. The scientists also examined 422 proteins in the patients' sperm. Proteins are essential to every cell, playing a role in its structure, function and regulation of cell processes.When comparing the two groups of men, researchers found that one protein was absent from the smoking group, while 27 were underrepresented and 6 were overr...

THE developer of popular mobile browser, Opera, has made public its plan to invest $100 million, the equivalent of N30 billion, over the next two years to facilitate the growth of Africa’s digital economy. The company, which aims to speed up internet adoption in Africa and strengthen the internet ecosystem with local partners, made this known at a press briefing in Lagos, yesterday, where it also declared readiness to set up shop in Lagos in the next three weeks, increase awareness of an affordable internet experience and spend between 30 to 40 billion on infrastructure in Nigeria. Speaking on the company’s goal, Richard Monday, Vice President Africa, Opera Software said; “Africa is a very important market for Opera. Nine of the top 20 Opera Mini user countries are from Africa, as such we aim to invest heavily in Africa, build a local platform and grow with the local business partners. This platform will expand the user base for content providers, e-commerce business...

CANON in partnership with its Nigerian distributor, Jamaica Trading Company, has introduced two hero products in Nigeria – the EOS 5D Mark IVcamera and E-series of PIXMA printers – E474 and E414, to enable its customers champion the significance of everyday moments and live their stories. Strengthening its in-country presence and focus, Canon invited its end-users to get a hands-on experience of the newly launched products and experience Canon’s portfolio that enable a seamless input to output journey for the user, right from photo capture to printing. The company also used the occasion to announce the results of the photo competition #CelebrateAfrica campaign that traced the full life cycle of an image from the photographer and their camera. The campaign encouraged African residents from all walks of life to share their best images that challenged stereotypes, documenting modern stories that went beyond the hoary cliches. An overwhelming 2,790 photo entries from 2...

For the first time, the software giant, Microsoft has disclosed plans to establish datacenter in the African continent including Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. The investment would address the needs of African customers and recognizes the potential for digital transformation in Africa through the power of cloud. The development which is expected to enable greater innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the continent when fully deployed will directly deliver the company’s mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Expanding on existing investments, Microsoft will deliver cloud services, including Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics 365, from datacentres located in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa with initial availability anticipated in 2018. This announcement expands on ongoing investments in Africa, where organizations are using currently available cloud and mobile services as a platform for ...

When you do have to be in your seat, however, good posture is key to preventing the sore muscles, strained eyes, and poor circulation that frequently accompany a desk job. According to the Cleveland Clinic , which is considered one of the world's top hospitals, there's an easy way to find a healthy sitting position. It involves four basic steps that, assuming you're reading this on a tablet, phone, or computer screen, you can try right now: First, sit at the end of your chair (that's right, don't rely on your backrest). Let your body go into a slouching position. Now, try to sit up straight, accentuating the curve of your back as much as possible. Hold this position for a few seconds. Next, release the position a little bit - Cleveland specifies that you shouldn't move more than about 10 degrees. This should be your sitting position! Now that you've got it, make sure the rest of your body is in the proper alignment to ensure you're not cutting off y...

In a Twitter thread posted May 15 , Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates said if he had to do college all over again he'd major in artificial intelligence, energy, or biosciences. He called them all "promising fields where you can make a huge impact." Experts in technology and economics generally agree that the next 20 years will see profound changes in the way companies use AI to automate their factories, construction sites, and retail locations. Powering those systems will be largely untapped sources of renewable energy , like solar and wind power. Gates himself predicted humanity will see an "energy miracle" within the next 15 years. All the while, the US biotech market is growing at impressive rates , particularly as private firms race to develop smarter drugs and treatment options for antibiotic-resistance bacteria. Gates' advice to pursue one (or more) of these three fields comes from personal experience. As co-chair of the Gates Foundation, he'...

1. Security researchers have linked the global WannaCry cyberattack to North Korea. They found that an early version of WannaCry shares code with another program called Contopee, which is reportedly connected to a North Korean state-sponsored group. 2. Google's AI company DeepMind might have been given inappropriate access to NHS patient data, according to the UK's watchdog for healthcare privacy. The National Data Guardian's leaked letter to DeepMind suggests the AI firm will have to answer questions about its data-sharing deal with the Royal Free Hospital. 3. A former female employee is suing Silicon Valley startup UploadVR for alleged discrimination and "rampant sexual behaviour." The woman claimed the company's executives set up a room for sex at the office and called it the "kink room." 4. Apple is reportedly adding glucose monitoring as a feature in an upcoming version of the Apple Watch . BGR reports that Apple might integrate the new funct...

When it comes to cocktails, Americans' tastes have evolved quite a bit over the last decade. Few people know this better than Eben Klemm, a former scientist-turned-mixologist who currently curates cocktails for New York's Knickerbocker Hotel . He also collaborates with various restaurants and bars - like Pearl & Ash, Le Diplomate, and Uptown Brasserie - through his consulting company, Cane & Maple. According to Klemm, drinkers aren't just sticking to sweet concoctions anymore. "There's been a general movement [towards] acceptance of strong, complex, and bittersweet drinks," he said. "Almost any place I put them on the menu, they're one of the top sellers." By "strong" and "bittersweet," Klemm means the Old Fashioned, and to a lesser extent, the Negroni. "Any decent bar or restaurant in almost any city in this country now can and will sell Negronis and Old Fashioneds. These were unsellable a decade ago," ...

The researcher - who is known as MalwareTech on Twitter and has been described as an "accidental hero" - registered a garbled domain name hidden in the malware to track the virus, unintentionally halting it in the process. Andrew Mabbitt, the cofounder of Fidus, said on Twitter that Hutchins is "one of the most intelligent and talented people I know". "He gets paid to do his hobby which is most people's dream in life," he added. The cyber attack plunged NHS England into disarray on Friday, and affected organisations around the world including French car manufacturers, Russian banks, and a Spanish telecoms operator, according to reports over the weekend. The attack took the form of ransomware that is nicknamed "WannaCry". Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts data on your computer, then asks for payment in return for decryption. In this case, messages seen by affected NHS staff showed that the attackers were asking for $300 (£232)...