As the crescent moon ushers in a sacred chapter in the Islamic calendar, Omanis can officially begin preparing for a long and meaningful holiday for Eid-ul-Adha (also known as Bakra Eid, Bakrid, Bakhreid, Eid-ul-Zuha, Eid al-Adha, Eid Qurban, Qurban Bayarami or the Feast of Sacrifice). Based on precise astronomical predictions, Eid-ul-Adha 2025 in Oman will begin on Friday, June 6, giving the Sultanate’s residents a generous long weekend to celebrate and reconnect with family and friends. Plan your ultimate June getaway as Oman announces 5-day holiday for Eid-ul-Adha 2025 and predicts the date and time for Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH crescent moon sighting.(Image by PIxabay)

According to Dr Subaih bin Rahman Al Saadi, a leading Omani expert in celestial sciences, the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH is expected to be sighted on the evening of Tuesday, May 27. His calculations show that the moon will set 36 minutes after sunset in Muscat, appearing 8 degrees from the sun and 7 degrees above the western horizon — ideal conditions for a confirmed sighting.

This sighting means that Wednesday, May 28, may mark the first day of Dhul Hijjah, placing Arafah Day on Thursday, June 05, followed by Eid Al Adha on Friday, June 06, 2025.

What this means for your holiday plans

Thanks to Royal Decree No. 88/2022, Oman will observe the official Eid-ul-Adha holidays from Dhul Hijjah 9 to 12. However, with the first day of Eid-ul-Adha falling on a Friday, the government has announced a compensatory day off to ensure that the public and private sectors enjoy a complete holiday stretch.

Oman’s rich culture, natural landscapes, and adventure activities attract Indian travellers(Image by Pixabay)

As a result, Omanis are in for a five-day break — starting Thursday, June 5, and continuing through Monday, June 9. It is the perfect opportunity for family gatherings, spiritual observance, serene staycations or a quick travel escape.

Eid-ul-Adha: A time of sacrifice and celebration

Eid-ul-Adha, or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is one of the most revered occasions in the Islamic calendar as it commemorates the unwavering faith of Prophet Ibrahim and is marked by prayers, charitable acts and the symbolic sacrifice of livestock. Beyond its spiritual significance, it is also a time for families to come together, share meals and reconnect with tradition.

Sheep graze ahead of the June 6th Eid al-Adha, or “Feast of Sacrifice,” when Muslims around the world slaughter sheep and cattle in remembrance of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son. (AP Photo/Fateh Guidoum)

With a long weekend ahead, residents in Oman have ample time to embrace both the religious and leisurely aspects of the holiday. Whether you are planning a quiet retreat in the mountains, a family trip to the coast or simply soaking in the calm of a slower pace, Eid-ul-Adha 2025 promises a deeply meaningful and refreshingly restful break.

Stay tuned for more lifestyle tips and travel ideas to make the most of your Eid-ul-Adha holidays in Oman.

Machine-learning model can reliably predict cognitive performance based on lifestyle indicators

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A new study offers insight into the health and lifestyle indicators—including diet, physical activity and weight—that align most closely with healthy brain function across the lifespan. The study used machine learning to determine which variables best predicted a person’s ability to quickly complete a task without becoming distracted.

Reported in The Journal of Nutrition, the study found that age, blood pressure and body mass index were the strongest predictors of success on a test called the flanker task, which requires participants to focus on a central object without becoming distracted by flanking information.

Diet and exercise also played a smaller but relevant role in performance on the test, the team found, sometimes appearing to offset the ill effects of a high BMI or other potentially detrimental factors.

“This study used machine learning to evaluate a host of variables at once to help identify those that align most closely with cognitive performance,” said Naiman Khan, a professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who led the work with kinesiology Ph.D. student Shreya Verma. “Standard statistical approaches cannot embrace this level of complexity all at once.”

To build the model, the team used data collected from 374 adults 19 to 82 years of age. The data included participant demographics, such as age, BMI, blood pressure and physical activity levels, along with dietary patterns and performance on a flanker test that measured their processing speed and accuracy in determining the orientation of a central arrow flanked by other arrows that pointed in the same or opposite direction.

“This is a well-established measure of cognitive function that assesses attention and inhibitory control,” Khan said.

Previous studies have found that several factors are implicated in the preservation of cognitive function across the lifespan, Khan said.

“Adherence to the healthy eating index, a measure of diet quality, has been linked to superior executive function and processing speed in older adults,” he said. “Other studies have found that diets that are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins are associated with better cognitive function.”

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet, and a diet that combines the two, called the MIND diet, all “have been linked to protective effects against cognitive decline and dementia,” the researchers wrote. Physical factors, such as BMI and blood pressure, along with increased physical activity also are strong predictors of cognitive health, or decline, in aging.

“Clearly, cognitive health is driven by a host of factors, but which ones are most important?” Verma said. “We wanted to evaluate the relative strength of each of these factors in combination with all the others.”

Machine learning “offers a promising avenue for analyzing large datasets with multiple variables and identifying patterns that may not be apparent through conventional statistical approaches,” the researchers wrote.

The team tested various machine learning algorithms to see which one best weighed the various factors to predict the speed of accurate responses in the flanker test. The researchers tested the predictive ability of each algorithm, using a variety of approaches to validate those that appeared to perform the best.

They found that age was the most influential predictor of performance on the test, followed by diastolic blood pressure, BMI and systolic blood pressure. Adherence to the healthy eating index was less predictive of cognitive performance than blood pressure or BMI but also correlated with better performance on the test.

“Physical activity emerged as a moderate predictor of reaction time, with results suggesting it may interact with other lifestyle factors, such as diet and body weight, to influence cognitive performance,” Khan said.

“This study reveals how machine learning can bring precision and nuance to the field of nutritional neuroscience,” he said. “By moving beyond traditional approaches, machine learning could help tailor strategies for aging populations, individuals with metabolic risks or those seeking to enhance cognitive function through lifestyle changes.”

We celebrate life by marking moments—birthdays, anniversaries, milestones. But what if you could measure life by the amount of time you have left?

That’s the premise behind the Death Clock, an app that uses artificial intelligence to predict your expiration date. For some users, this can be a powerful catalyst for change that inspires them to make better choices. For others, it can be a digital Pandora’s box, offering more anxiety than clarity.

The intent isn’t to incite fear, explains Brent Franson, Death Clock founder and CEO. It’s about giving people control over their futures. And his goal is bold: to help 100 million people add 10 more years to their lives.

The science behind the app

The Death Clock’s proprietary AI isn’t just pulling numbers out of thin air. It’s built on a foundation of actuarial data and government-produced life expectancy tables. But while those models offer broad life expectancy estimates, Death Clock refines these predictions by incorporating datasets from the CDC and drawing insights from over 1,200 longevity studies.

These studies include cutting-edge research from institutions such as UCLA, Stanford and NYU. This rich blend of data—along with the input from a clinical advisory board of doctors and researchers in longevity, preventative medicine and behavioral health—allows the app to craft highly personalized predictions, giving users a glimpse of how their unique lifestyle choices and habits could shape their future lifespan.

Photo from deathclock.co

So how does it work? Users answer 29 detailed questions about their sleep patterns, diet, lifestyle habits and family medical history, like “How much of your day do you spend sitting?” and “What is your typical LDL cholesterol level?” For more accurate results, the app can be linked to wearable fitness and sleep trackers you already own. Blood tests and other health records can also be uploaded for analysis.

In return, the app delivers two projections: the exact date of your death if you stick to your current habits (mine is Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2062), and a more optimistic timeline—how many extra years you could gain by making healthier choices, like walking more or getting better sleep.

Franson believes that knowing the trajectory of your death can add clarity to your life.

“You’re going to die. That’s just a fact of life,” he says, matter-of-factly. “This existence we have is amazing, and it’s beautiful,” he continues. “We’re all lottery winners… but we don’t really notice it, because we’re just walking around with a bunch of other lottery winners.

“Whether you live to 75 or whether you live to 150, it’s too short…. Being reminded [of] this can help you savor the time that you do have.”

Motivation fueled by mortality

For many users, the Death Clock isn’t a harbinger of doom, Franson says. It’s a wake-up call. Seeing a number stamped on your remaining years taps into something primal: the instinct to fight for more time. And unlike a doctor’s gentle nudge to eat better or exercise more, seeing a timeline laid out in stark digits hits differently. It can force one to immediately confront the consequences of an extra martini or those skipped workouts.

That’s why the app doesn’t just solely dish out cold, hard death dates. It nudges users toward healthier habits, offering personalized recommendations that can shift their projected life expectancy. Quit smoking? You might gain a couple of years. Start hitting 10,000 steps daily? Your countdown gets a little longer. It’s like having a digital health coach in your pocket.

While the exact date the app gives isn’t necessarily spot-on, Franson believes it is “directionally accurate.” That is, it can help people quantify the longer-term impact of the decisions they make today and take action now. “The Alzheimer’s I get at 70 or the heart disease that gives me a heart attack at 75, that stuff starts at 40,” Franson says.

For him, these numbers were more than just data points—they were a personal alarm bell. When he first tried the app for himself, it predicted he’d die at age 78. “My heart health isn’t great and I don’t sleep well and I’ve got a lot of stress,” he admits. But the app also predicted he could reach age 93 with some adjustments to his lifestyle. “I’ve got three kids, [so] 93 sounds a lot better to me than 78.” That gap could be the difference between seeing his grandchildren hit important milestones or not, he adds.

While users can discover their predicted death date for free, those looking for a deeper dive can opt for a personalized longevity plan. The app offers a free trial, after which users can continue for just $40 a year.

The potential for anxiety

While some users might find motivation in their mortality, others could spiral into anxiety. Bertalan Meskó, Ph.D., also known as “The Medical Futurist,” has spent years analyzing the intersection of technology and health care, and warns that AI-powered mortality predictions can be a psychological minefield.

Questioning the real-world value for patients, Meskó says, “Using such apps might even cause additional anxiety, as it’s complicated enough to do disease or health management in the jungle of health care data, information and decisions.”

One potential problem lies in how our brains process uncertainty. While the Death Clock’s predictions are based on sophisticated algorithms and large datasets, these can’t account for the unpredictable nature of life. For instance, no amount of data can predict a sudden car accident or environmental factors beyond our control that may result in death. Yet, for some users, that projected date can feel set in stone, an unavoidable end point looming in the distance. This illusion of certainty can be misleading, too, lulling users into a false sense of security. If the app predicts you’ll live to 92, it’s easy to assume you’ve got decades to spare, leading to procrastination instead of action.

There’s also the risk of cyberchondria, a modern phenomenon where excessive exposure to health-related information online fuels unnecessary worry. Imagine receiving a predicted death date and then falling down a rabbit hole of Google searches, obsessing over longevity hacks and health risks. Instead of inspiring positive change, it can lead to a life consumed by fear and hypervigilance.

Meskó points out that while AI is transforming health care, integrating it into patients’ lives in a meaningful, safe way is a complex challenge.

“It is inevitable to use this breakthrough technology for fine-tuning medical decisions and lifestyle choices,” he explains. “However, it is indeed an ethical and cultural challenge to help patients deal with the influx of suggestions and pieces of advice.”

In other words, AI has the potential to empower users with valuable insights, but without proper context or guidance, it can overwhelm rather than enlighten. When mortality predictions are delivered without a framework for emotional support or expert interpretation, users may find themselves drowning in data, unable to distinguish actionable advice from existential noise.

As AI continues to revolutionize health care, the Death Clock offers a fascinating glimpse into how technology can shape our relationship with mortality. Meskó believes that AI can be a powerful tool for improving health outcomes, but it works best when paired with human expertise and empathy.

“The absolute best strategy in dealing with the use of advanced technologies in health care is by discussing it with medical professionals,” he advises. “In an ideal way, physicians and patients should use these technologies to improve their relationships. They should be able to deal with cybersecurity and ethical risks together, while patients are proactively discovering the use of AI in their care, and their physicians could act as guides during the process.”

Photo by Bolyuk Studio/Shutterstock

ST. LOUIS – A new app called Death Clock AI is gaining attention for its ability to predict users’ death dates using artificial intelligence.

The app, which is free to download, analyzes users’ life choices through a series of 29 multiple-choice questions to estimate their lifespan down to the exact day, month, and year.

“Diet, exercise, family history. We ask about biomarkers, things like your cholesterol or your blood glucose,” said Brent Franson, founder of Death Clock AI, explaining the types of questions users answer.

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Once users complete the questionnaire, the AI calculates an estimated age of death and provides insights into how much of their life is completed, including the number of weekends left.

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The app also predicts the most likely causes of death, such as cancer risk, sleep quality issues, and cardiovascular health. In addition to predicting death dates, Death Clock AI offers a personalized longevity plan aimed at extending users’ healthspan.

This plan includes recommendations for bloodwork, supplements, screenings, and devices to support health improvements. Users can access a free three-day trial of the longevity plan or opt for a subscription at $9.99 monthly, with a current annual fee offer at $39.99.

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The Death Clock AI app aims to encourage users to improve their daily habits for a healthier, longer life.

All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Brent Franson wasn’t afraid of dying. He was afraid of dying from Alzheimer’s disease.

He remembers seeing sufferers on TV growing up, with their listless expressions and inability to walk. It left him certain he did not want to develop the devastating condition.

His worst fear was revealed when he used the Death Clock – an artificial intelligence that predicts – down to the minute – when and how a person will die.

Franson invented the app, which analyzes a person’s body metrics and lifestyle, and input his own information. The 43-year-old was shocked when the Death Clock projected his demise at 76 years old.

Among possible causes of his death: Alzheimer’s. It made sense, Franson thought.

In his 20s, he had become addicted to anti depressants and sedatives, which left him unable to sleep properly for a decade – a risk factor for neurological decline – and he had a gene that predisposed him to dementia.

Franson was also working late, eating large late-night dinners and balancing his role as husband and father-of-three.

Determined to change his fate, however, Franson made major lifestyle changes – becoming what he called a ‘sleep athlete.’ He fine-tuned his schedule to make time for rest and exercise and to create a better work-life balance.

One year later, he ran his information through the Death Clock again and it revised its estimate — adding an extra nine years to his life expectancy.

Brent Franson is the CEO of Death Clock, a groundbreaking app that gives users a prediction of the day they are going to die

The most likely cause of death? Alzheimer’s was still a possibility, but so were cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

‘Something does have to kill you eventually,’ Franson told DailyMail.com.

He added: ‘My biggest fear in life, it’s not death. It’s Alzheimer’s. Just the thought of having to live with Alzheimer’s — so this was really a wake-up call for me.’

As the aging population of the US continues to grow, so will the rates of dementia. Currently, an estimated 6.8million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – the vast majority of whom are over 65 years old.

By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million.

A lack of sleep – especially a lack of deep sleep – has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s in numerous studies.

Experts say it stops the body from clearing out waste products from the brain — raising the risk of dangerous amyloid beta protein clumps forming that raise someone’s risk of the disease.

More than one in three adults — 50 to 70million people — regularly do not meet the CDC’s recommendation of at least seven hours of sleep every night.

One study has suggested sleeping six or fewer hours per night before age 70 is linked to a 30 percent increased risk of dementia compared to people getting seven hours or more.

It can also drive other unhealthy behaviors, like exercising less or eating more sugary treats, which can also raise risk.

To boost his sleep, and slash his risk of Alzheimer’s, Franson began by banning all mobile phones from the bedroom.

He set a consistent bedtime of 9.30pm, and made sure to have his last meal at 5.30pm every night.

Scientists say a consistent bedtime helps the body’s circadian rhythm while eating too close to bedtime means the body is still digesting, disrupting sleep. Some suggest it can take three to four hours for a meal to transit into the intestines.

He also lowered the bedroom temperature to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). Experts recommend sleeping at temperatures between 60 and 67 degrees to reduce the body’s internal temperature and ensure a restful night’s sleep.

He had two sets of blackout blinds installed in his bedroom, as well. One that descends horizontally from the ceiling, and another that moves vertically across the window, to block out all light while he sleeps.

The Death Clock app asks users to describe their lifestyle, including exercise and diet

Another lifestyle change was cutting out alcohol.

Alcohol has also been linked to sleep disruption, reducing the amount of time spent in REM sleep — a stage for memory consolidation — disrupting the sleep cycle.

The Alzheimer’s Society says drinking alcohol also reduces the volume of the brain’s white matter, which helps the brain transmit signals between different regions.

This can lead to issues with the way the brain functions. Alcohol can also shrink the parts of the brain involved in memory.

Franson also makes sure to exercise during the day, saying he alternates between weight lifting, cardio exercises and yoga.

A July 2022 study published in the journal Neurology analyzed the health information of 501,400 people from a British health database over 11 years. Researchers found people who engaged in consistent vigorous activity — sports or working out — had a 35 percent reduced risk of developing dementia.

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Even people who reported completing household chores saw a benefit and had a 21 percent lower risk of dementia.

A separate October 2022 meta-analysis of 38 international studies found people who engaged in activities like regularly walking, running, dancing, playing sports or swimming had a 17 percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who did not.

And while there is plenty of fancy and expensive health tech, Franson said sleep, diet and exercise are more than 90 percent of the puzzle of longevity.

He added that nine percent was cancer screenings and about one percent was ‘all this crazy stuff that people like to talk about.’

Franson added: ‘The discussion in the longevity space is often focused on the wrong thing.

‘People devote a lot of time talking about things like Ashwaganda or full-body scans when, compared to sleep, diet and exercise, these are going to make only tiny incremental differences.’