Neat News - Neat things do happen

On a mummy that is more than 5500 years old forensic tests have been carried out and the basic recipe for mummification has been found. It consists of plant oil such as sesame oil, a root extract, some gum as from acacia, and some tree resin such as pine resin. The latter is important for its antibacterial properties.

The liver is a vital organ and has the ability to repair itself. However, it may lose this ability, for instance in case of injury or drug overdoses. A liver transplant is then often the only chance of survival for a patient. Now it has been found out that a cancer drug has the potential to restore the regeneration capability of the liver. This may make some liver transplants unnecessary.

In order to deal with the new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is hope that infected people may be treated for the first time with an experimental antibody, called mAB114, which has been isolated from the blood of an Ebola survivor.

By using artificial tactile sensation and virtual reality two patients were able to feel their artificial limb as if it were part of their body. The sensation is partly due to nerve stimulations transmitted to the stump.

Cycling has many health benefits. In a study conducted in seven European cities it has been shown that people using a bicycle as main mode of transport perform better in many health categories including mental health.

In experiments with mice it has been found that autistic mice become more sociable if their levels of serotonin - a messenger chemical - is increased. The findings may lead to a therapy for autism.

The simple measure of increasing the taxes is an effective and cost-effective measure to reduce the consumption of alcohol and in consequence the harms caused by it.

There is research that seems to point in the direction that glaucoma is an autoimmune disease. This may lead to a new treatment of the disease that may lead to blindness.

Three to five exercises of 45 minutes a week, such as team sports, cycling, or aerobics, have a significant positive impact on the mental health of people. This has been found in a study with 1.2 million participants. This is also the case for people with depression; people in this group who do not do exercises had on average 11 days of poor mental health compared to just 7 days for those who do exercises.

In Southeast Finland a prehistoric settlement has been found in a lake - Lake Kuolimojarvi. It gives insights on how people lived in the Early Neolithic Stone Age between 6000 and 10000 years ago.

Blue diamonds are very rare - they make about 0.1 percent of all diamonds found. Now it has been found out that they were formed in great depth - more than 660 kilometres below the surface of the Earth.

A new vaccine against Zika has been developed and proved effective in experiments with mice. It contains two of the three proteins of Zika and causes an immune reaction.

Chile has decided on a complete ban of supermarket plastic bags within two years in order to end their very bad impact on the environment.

Weight loss leads to remission of diabetes type 2 in half of the cases even up to six years after the diagnosis.

Pope Francis has changed the catechism and with it the teachings of the Catholic Church. It states now that the death penalty is inadmissible in all circumstances, since "it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person"

While many parts of Europe are aching under very hot weather, a study has been published that summarizes many of the health benefits of regular sauna bathing. It is good for the blood pressure and other vascular problems, skin conditions, arthritis, headaches, and the flu, inter alia.

CO₂ in the atmosphere leads also to increased levels in the oceans. Seagrass meadows cannot solve but alleviate the problem.