Not to long ago we told you about a story that claimed if wanted to get smarter you should drink a beer everyday. Now comes more proof that the world’s oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage is good for you (in moderation of course). A study at Spain’s University of Granada had a bunch of students perform strenuous exercise in temperatures around 104 degrees then split the group into two halves. One half was given a half-pint of beer while the other half was given the same amount of plain old water. The professor who conducted the study said the results indicated that hydration was “slighty better” in those who drank a beer after exercise than those who drank just water. So as if you needed another excuse, there you go.
via: Telegraph

Move over Jamie Sommers, Bionics are about to become a reality. Researches at the University of Manchester have successfully transformed fat tissue stem cells into nerve cells. The significance of this feat being that damaged limbs and organs can potentially be brought back to life or regenerated.

In a study published in October’s Experimental Neurology, Dr Paul Kingham and his team at the UK Centre for Tissue Regeneration (UKCTR) isolated the stem cells from the fat tissue of adult animals and differentiated them into nerve cells to be used for repair and regeneration of injured nerves. They are now about to start a trial extracting stem cells from fat tissue of volunteer adult patients, in order to compare in the laboratory human and animal stem cells.

Following that, they will develop an artificial nerve constructed from a biodegradable polymer to transplant the differentiated stem cells. The biomaterial will be rolled up into a tube-like structure and inserted between the two ends of the cut nerve so that the regrowing nerve fibre can go through it from one end to the other.

This ‘bionic’ nerve could also be used in people who have suffered trauma injuries to their limbs or organs, cancer patients whose tumour surgery has affected a nearby nerve trunk and people who have had organ transplants.

And you just thought it was all Science Fiction!

via: Slashdot

A new study that’s being published in The Journal of Nueroscience indicates that low to moderate consumption of alcohol may actually improve your memory. so far the study has only observed the reaction in rats but I’m sure there will be no loss for people to participate in human testing.

“There are human epidemiological data of others indicating that mild [to] moderate drinking may paradoxically improve cognition in people compared to abstention,” says Maggie Kalev, a research fellow in molecular medicine and pathology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and a co-author of an article in The Journal of Neuroscience describing results of a study she and other researchers performed on rats. “This is similar to a glass of wine protecting against heart disease, however the mechanism is different.”

Ok, so we already knew that a glass of wine could help stave off heart disease, so now if you have a beer everyday you’ll get smarter and if you want to go for the trifecta of health and live longer, well, stay out of the gym.

Scientific American via Boing Boing

Staring at women’s breast is good for men’s health and makes them live longer, a new study reveals.

Researchers have discovered that a 10-minute ogle at women’s breasts is as healthy as half-an-hour in the gym.

A five-year study of 200 men found that those who enjoyed a longing look at busty beauties had lower blood pressure, less heart disease and slower pulse rates compared to those who did not get their daily eyeful.

Dr Kren Weatherby, who carried out the German study, wrote in the New England Journal of Medicin: “Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well endowed female is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute arobics workout.”

“Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation.”

“There is no question that gazing at breasts makes men healthier.”

“Out Study indiciates that engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of a stroke and heart attack in half.”

“We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life four to five years.”

Well, there you go. Documented medical advice that you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to stay healthy. Finally, I can exercise while surfing the net for photos.

Update: So it seems this is an Urban Legend since no actual study can be found in the archive of the New England Journal of Medicine. I really think the Myth Buster guys should take this one on and find out for sure. What do ya’ll think? (Thanks to the folks that sent this in).

If you liked this post consider Stumbling it or bookingmarking with one of the sites below.