Neat News - Neat things do happen

Olive oil found in southern Italy has been dated to a time between the 12th and 11th century BC, that is, the copper age. It is the oldest known production of olive oil and 700 years older than previous finds.

In France, the number of smokers dropped from 13 to 12 million in the year from 2016 to 2017. It is assumed that this is due to a changed public perception of smoking.

There are indications that a new vaccine may significantly extend the life expectancy of people with a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The vaccine stimulates the immune system to attack the cancer cells.

A new approach for diagnosing health problems in the stomach and the intestines has been developed. It consists of a bacterium that reacts to blood, for instance. It sends its findings via an ultra low power sensor to a smartphone. The combination of the chip and the bacterium can be just swallowed.

An oxyfluoride has been developed that can take visible light to do photocatalysis. This may lead to a new material to generate solar energy by artificial photosynthesis.

Standard 3D printers use one type of material to build 3D objects. Scientists have adapted the technique to use multiple materials to build more sophisticated biomaterials that in the longer run may be used as transplants.

There seems to be a link between inflammation of the gut and Parkinson's disease. Also transplants of faecal microbes from Parkinson's patient into rodents with Parkinson's can worsen their motor symptoms. This link may lead to new ways of preventing or slowing the disease.

Resistance of bacteria against antibiotics is a major health issue. There is an approach to complement antibiotics by inhibitors which are designed not to eliminate bacteria, but to minimize the damage they can do to human cells.

Sleep deprivation increases the risk of early death in under 65 year olds. Longer sleep during the weekends can compensate to a certain degree for shorter sleep during the week.

Scientists have developed a gel that stimulates blood vessel growth and suppresses inflammation. This way they managed to regrow neurons in mice with a stroke. If this could be transferred to humans, brain tissue of stroke patients could be regrown within two months.

Three sessions of 30 minutes of exercise per week not only keep some of the arteries young, but can also revert the stiffening process. Five such sessions have the positive effect on all arteries. The rejuvenation can be observed even in people in their 60ies, however, it seems not to happen when they are in their 70ies already. Still the exercise sessions have a positive effect on the heart.

In a new study it has been established that there are no reasons not to go 100 percent renewable for our energy needs.

There is a new view that the first weeks after surgery are particularly important to prevent cancer from spreading. By boosting the T-cells in the immunce system and reducing the cortisol level (which is linked to stress) the patient's own immune system has a better chance to deal with dormant cancer cells that have already traveled in the body and may otherwise begin to grow or to metastasize.

In Iceland a technique has been developed to pump CO₂ 1000 metres down into rocks consisting of basalt which is porous and then turns within one to two years into chalky calcites, binding the greenhouse gas permanently.

Robots have been used to grow mini-organs, so-called organoids, from human stem cells quickly. Such a small organ (e.g., a small kidney) can then be used in order to test the effectiveness of drugs without having to use animals or humans in the first instance.

Sleep can be an important facilitator for creativity and new ideas may be generated while people are sleeping. But how does this happen? There is a suggestion that the interplay between REM and non-REM sleep phases are important, the latter being more structured and organized, the former allowing for unexpected connections.

In many countries such as Nigeria, Brazil, and Indonesia, there is a loss of trees. However, in many countries there is the opposite tendency and the number of trees is increasing. In Europe, the USA, Japan, and New Zealand forests have increased in the last 100 years; and in China and Chile over the last 50 years. In India the number of trees has increased between 1970 and 2010, although at the same time the population doubled. The effect has been also attributed to a feel good factor of people with farmers focusing onto the best lands and abandoning marginal lands which are retaken by trees.

A new encryption method has been developed in which the font in a text is changed so slightly that it cannot be seen. However, computers can detect the variations. This way it is possible to convey messages such as some meta-information about the text which are not visible to the human eye.

In a study that involves simulations of dynamic networks it has been found that a paradoxical norm, the right to hospitality, is a good human conflict resolution strategy fostering cooperation. This is different in the animal kingdom in general, where territoriality is widespread. Human hosts more easily concede on their home turf than guests. An example given involves one piece of food that has to go to either the host or the guest. A better understanding of this behaviour may improve human conflict resolution approaches.

Researcher managed to engineer human cells that when transplanted to diabetic mice take over their insulin production. This may lead to a treatment of diabetes type 1.

Some molecules in medical drugs come in two different forms, right-handed and left-handed versions (the property is called chirality). While the one can improve a condition, the other may produce unwanted side-effects. The perhaps worst example is that of thalidomide where the bad version caused deformities in babies. Now a method based on magnetism has been developed that can separate the two forms so that patients can reduce bad side effects of the medication.

A new online maths course has been developed and in its evaluation it has been found that students taking it have on average a more positive attitude towards mathematics and achieve higher. It is assumed that this is due to a resulting more anxiety free approach resulting from the course.

In experiments with rats, scientists found an early indication that a daily dose of baking soda may help against autoimmune diseases. It seems to have a positive effect on the spleen which sends in reaction to the soda a relaxing signal to the immune system.

In a study with type 2 diabetes patients it was found that eating up to 12 eggs per week had no negative effect on the cardiovascular risk.

Cannabis can not only be used to treat the effects of cancer and/or chemotherapy, but cannabinoids may also kill cancer cells and be used directly against the cancer.

A diet including walnuts can have a positive impact on the health such as the health of the heart. In a new study it has been found that behind this seems to be the positive effect that walnuts have on the microbes in the gut.

In experiments with mice it has been shown that a 24h fast can give stem cells a boost and help them to regenerate. There are attempts to get the same effect from a drug that can act as a metabolic switch.

A new method to encode information in a very thin layer of magentic material looks promising for the creation of very powerful data storage devices.

A new device has been developed that can directly produce hydrogen from water using sunlight. The device is significantly more efficient than previous ones, the hydrogen can be used as a clean fuel in fuel cells.

Individuals react differently to exercise, likewise to cold. In a new study it has been found that exercise and cold trigger the same hormone, a so-called lipokine, that plays a role in burning fat reserves as a response to exercise or cold. This insight may help to develop a treatment for obesity.

Taking a picture on a daily basis and posting it on social media correlates positively with well-being, since it means that people stay in touch with their friends.