People with higher levels of trust—in both others and institutions—report higher levels of subjective well-being, an important indicator of quality of life and predictor of health and longevity, than those with lower levels of trust, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The study also found that well-being and trust reinforce each other over time.

What it's about:

Completely or largely avoiding meat and other animal products has become perfectly normal for a growing number of people in Germany. The reasons for this trend are varied and numerous. Ethical concerns such as animal welfare, climate protection, and environmental impact often play a central role. But many also hope to improve their health. “Eating an almost entirely plant-based diet can have health benefits,” says Professor Cornelia Weikert in the latest episode of “Risiko,” the science podcast from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). However, cutting out meat doesn’t automatically make a diet healthy. “Even plant-based diets can be very unbalanced — for example, if they rely heavily on foods that are high in sugar, salt, or fat but low in essential vitamins and trace elements”.

A rich and varied mix of microbes in the mouth, particularly bacteria, is not only important for our oral health, but may hold clues for other conditions. A new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing finds that a lower diversity of microbes in the mouth is associated with depression.