Beat the Monday blues
Find yourself fighting the Monday blues on a weekly basis? A study from the University of Hong Kong has shown how long-term exposure to weekly anxiety can imprint on our brain’s chemistry.
Through observing cortisol — a hormone that manages anxiety — levels in hair follicles, the study revealed that after suffering the “anxious Monday” effect for just two months, adults tested experienced an increase of 23 per cent in cortisol. The study also showed the long-term effects of this anxiety, illustrating it remained present in retirees.
A prehistoric taste for bone broth
You might think bone broth is all the rage at the moment. However, researchers have discovered signs of “fat factories” dating back to humans’ archaic ancestors — the Neanderthals.
Archaeologists, working with samples found near Leipzig, Germany, have uncovered evidence that Neanderthals were systematically rendering fat from bones 125,000 years ago, suggesting they processed bones to access vital fat, critical for survival in lean seasons. It’s an exciting breakthrough in discovering how our ancient ancestors lived and ate.
Gene genie for the hard of hearing
A new jab capable of reversing congenital deafness has successfully been tested. A study saw a small sample of 10 young subjects given an injection of a healthy version of the OTOF gene — which allows for the ear’s cochlear hair cells to transmit sound vibrations — in their inner ear.
Remarkably, in all cases the subject’s hearing improved, with effects taking hold within a month and an average improvement in decibel detection range from 106dB to 52dB after six-12 months. Experts hope this sparks a new wave of gene therapy to counter other forms of deafness.
Telescope spies its first exoplanet
For years, the James Webb Space Telescope has been scanning the skies fruitlessly in search of an exoplanet — until now. Recently, Nasa's famous telescope struck galactic gold when it laid eyes on a previously unknown celestial body now called "TWA 7b".
The exoplanet, meaning a planet outside our solar system, has a similar mass to Saturn and is around 110 light years away from Earth. The striking, infrared image shows a black void in a sea of space debris. After running simulations scientists were confident they had found their elusive planet.
Kick-start a longer life with coffee
Coffee is the fuel of modern life, but it also may be the key to longer living, according to a study from Queen Mary University. The research discovered that caffeine activates a system called AMPK the enzyme that regulates the body's energy metabolism and boosts our energy levels by upping glucose and fatty acid uptake.
The study found that by activating the AMPK system, caffeine positively influences cell growth, stress responses, and DNA-repair — processes which have all been proven to impact the length of life by slowing cellular ageing.
