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GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com | 21 IN THE KNOW BUSINESS The New Barbie For a while now Barbie, the long-reigning queen in the world of dolls, has been battling for relevance as little girls began to flock towards some flashier, more alternative choices. Little girls have grown bored of Barbie's static appearance, one that has often been criticized for it's unrealistic proportions. But all that has changed with Mattel's debut of Barbie's biggest makeover yet, introducing new curvy, petite and tall versions of the plastic icon. e three body types are also sold in an assortment of skin tones, eye colors and hairstyles—even electric blue! Will this be Barbie's saving grace? We'll find out. HEALTH Premature Ovarian Ageing Science shows that a woman's fertility rate decreases significantly after age 31. With more women opting to have children later in life, a new test may help them determine when a person's fertility levels will drop. e new test, called What's My Fertility, developed by researchers at the Centre for Human Reproduction, allows women to learn if they are at a higher risk for premature ovarian aging. If patients choose to conceive children later in life, patients can freeze their eggs for use in IVF treatments. Currently, the fertility test is only available for women in Britain, but if it is successful, similar testing will be available around the world. AUTOMOTIVE The Wheels On The Bus… First it was self-driving cars and now self- driving buses have arrived in the United States. Already in use in Finland, France and soon Spain, the EZ10 bus is designed for short trips to carry people to the "last mile" of their journey. e bus uses GPS to follow a pre- programmed route and is outfitted with laser sensors to avoid obstacles. Each electric bus carries up to 10 passengers and includes ramps for wheelchair access and strollers. e Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon, California will be the first place in the United States to use the French- designed robo-buses. SCIENCE Technology Makes Brains Younger 50 is the new 42, at least for our brains. Scientists have discovered that the mental demands of technology on the brains of middle-aged people are making them sharper than previous generations. While many researchers were worried that the increased stimulation from smart phones, tablets and computers might cause people to stop thinking, the opposite is happening. People over the age of 50 are scoring higher on cognitive function tests, often the same or better than people eight years younger. e average person needs to remember 10 passwords a day to access email, pay bills online and login into social media networks. Support the efforts of the ladies at Gravitas Magazine with a subscription- GravitasMag.com! To read more about the ideas featured, visit us online.

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