)— As the population ages, renewed attention is being given to the institutional buildings where many older adults reside, such as nursing homes and long-term care settings, which affect the health and quality of life of those living in them. Research suggests that built spaces exert strong and subtle influences on the brains and bodies of aging persons. For example, the way space is designed can play a role in the risk of falling, infection control, avoidable hospitalization and confusion.

Unfortunately, this research is not currently incorporated in a systematic way into new construction or renovation projects. A multidisciplinary team led by Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has developed a framework for evaluating long-term care architectural drawings and designs. Entitled “Bioethics Peer Review for Long-Term Care Design (BPR-LTC),” the framework’s intent is for evidence-based design principles to be incorporated into the development of spaces for older adults.

Scientists have long understood that heating a metal softens it. New study shows that, counterintuitively, heat strengthens pure metal in extreme conditions. On the other hand, alloyed metals become softer, which is in line with intuition. Findings could lead to better designed metals for applications in extreme conditions, including outer space.