Neat News - Neat things do happen

The Lego group and the Lego foundation are developing Lego bricks with Braille imprints so that blind and visually impaired children can learn Braille while playing with Lego bricks. It is planned that after tests, next year sets will be made available to selected organizations and blind and visually impaired children free of charge.

In order to get rid of unwanted plants, standardly poison is applied that then damages the environment and humans. There is an alternative that is becoming now more popular, applying hot steam (of 135 degrees Celsius).

A new gel containing calcium and phosphate can repair and regrow dental enamel.

A new study finds that the administration of testosterone seems not to reduce empathy, contradicting assumptions about the causes of autism.

Tomatoes contain an antioxidant, lycopene, which also improves sperm quality.

Having a dog means that people live longer. Dog owners have a 24 percent reduced mortality risk. In particular, a dog reduces the risks of heart attacks and strokes. It is assumed that it is due to increased exercise and reduced loneliness.

3.5 million years ago there was a big explosion at the centre of the Milky Way. This is relatively recent considering an age of the Earth of about 4.5 billion years. The explosion was felt 200,000 light-years away.

Old Roman scrolls that were found in Herculaneum are almost 2000 years old. They were covered in ash from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 B.C. and contain the most complete collection of Roman scrolls. However, they are too fragile to be rolled out and read. Now scientists try a combination of synchrotron radiation and artificial intelligence to read them and gain new insights in Roman life.

A new form of batteries using aluminium has double the energy density as traditional ones. This may lead to a more environmentally friendly battery type.

A man with an injury of his spinal cord that left him paralyzed had a brain implant and has now learned to walk again with the help of an exoskeleton.

New research of the Nabataean culture is under way in Saudi Arabia. The culture was active in antiquity and left impressive monuments.

Because of drug resistance, tuberculosis is developing (again) to a big killer. A new combination of drugs (pretomanid with bedaquiline and linezolid) has a high success rate of fighting tuberculosis. This should be complemented by five steps to reduce new infections.

Reducing the weight by 10 percent in the first five years after the start of the disease have a very good chance to recover from diabetes type 2.