Cronut craze: I queued for two hours for a £4 pastry and this is what I learned September 30, 2016 In 2013, Dominique Ansel’s New York bakery started selling a croissant-doughnut hybrid, which he called the Cronut. Nine days later, he’d registered the pastry’s name and crowds of people were queueing around the block to try the odd new delicacy. Now the super-baker has brought his brand, and his Cronuts, to London. The store opened [...]
Scientists have found having adult kids stuck at home could create health benefits for parents September 30, 2016 Stuck with your adult children still living at home? There’s good (and rather counter-intuitive) news: scientists have found inter-generational living has huge benefits for mental health. Unemployment, student debt and low earnings for graduates mean more adult children than ever are moving back home after university. But a study looking at families across Europe found [...]
Four reasons Twitter is a prime takeover target September 23, 2016 With (more) rumours of a takeover sending share prices up by more than 20 per cent, Twitter’s run of bad luck may about to be over. But why would a firm known for its inability to make money be an appealing takeover prospect? Here's why the company might not be such a bad bet… 1. Its share [...]
Humans do have a ‘sixth sense’ and scientists have just found the gene for it September 23, 2016 Are you always bumping into things? Do you wonder why you’re clumsier than your compatriots? It may all be down to genetics. Scientists in the US have discovered a gene in humans that controls the ability to sense where parts of your body are in space, which may explain why some of us are more [...]
How to cure an itch, living as a goat, and the personality of rocks – the quirkiest scientific discoveries awarded at Nobel spoof ceremony September 23, 2016 Scientists have a reputation for being humourless, but the annual Ig Nobel Prize honours those whose research has managed to both amuse, and make us think deeper about the world around us. The science itself is mostly serious, with winners usually having had their papers published in respected, peer-reviewed journals. However, even the most stony-faced [...]
Being in a higher level job makes you less likely to respond to treatment for depression September 23, 2016 People in high-flying careers may find it harder to find ways to deal with depression, according to doctors. Up to a third of people receiving treatment for depression, which can include therapy and antidepressants, do not find it eases their symptoms. But a new study may help doctors cater their prescriptions to patients more effectively, by [...]