Inbreeding Helps Gorillas Survive

Nearly everything we head about inbreeding leads us to believe that it is harmful to genetics. And we'd be right. It's when offspring are produced from the mating of individuals that are closely related, and can lead to genetic weaknesses and defects. But when a population shrinks to the brink of extinction, there isn't much choice in a mate, and so inbreeding occurs. One example of this is the mountain gorillas, which has become one of the most intensively studied creatures in the wild. This has made them one of the most iconic endangered species in the world, with less than 900 individuals left. Half of these live in one of three national parks on the Virunga mountain range in East Africa. Although 880 is a drastically low number, the population of mountain gorillas has increased a fair bit since 1981, when the population hit a low of only 235 left in the parks. Thankfully, due to conservation efforts and support from the public, the amazing creatures are pulling themselves back - but they still have a long way to come. As you might expect, the drop in population size led to an increase of inbreeding, which raised concerns that such a small gene pool would harm the long-term future of the mountain gorilla. A low level of genetic diversity exposes the animals to environmental changes and diseases by reducing their genetic ability to adapt, and also potentially causing harmful mutations. To study this further, an international team of scientists launched what would become the first in-depth, whole-genome analysis of the mountain gorilla. What they discovered was quite shocking, and their findings have been published in Science. Inbreeding has actually benefitted mountain gorillas, removing many harmful genetic variations instead of adding them. It means that they have genetically adapted to living in small populations. However, the researchers found out that this isn't a recent change for the animals. "We worried that the dramatic decline in the 1980s would be catastrophic for mountain gorillas in the long term," said Dr Yali Xue, one of the study's authors from the Sanger Institute near Cambridge. She explained that, on the contrary, the study results suggest that gorillas have been living in this manner for thousands of years, which is much longer than previously thought. Over the course of several years, blood samples were collected from seven mountain gorillas and six eastern lowland gorillas, which is the other subspecies of eastern gorilla. In mountain gorillas, it was found that inbreeding had led to a significant loss of genetic diversity, with them inheriting identical segments of genes from both mother and father in nearly a third of their genome. In fact, both of the eastern subspecies were found to be between two and three times less genetically diverse than western lowland gorillas, which have a larger population. Dr Mike Cranfield, another author of the study, is the co-director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, which collected many of the blood samples in the study. Dr Cranfield explained that further collaborations with small, isolated populations of gorillas would help to lead to a consistent and viable approach to conserving them. “The fact we think the genetic health of the population hasn’t been damaged by the decline it went through, is just amazing,” he added. “And [it] eliminates the need for possibly introducing outside genes to recuperate the population.” Dr Chris Tyler-Smith is the Sanger Institute senior author and said the team will now be able to compare all of the gorilla population genomes. The study will allow the team to "begin to understand similarities and differences [of gorilla subspecies], and the genetic impact of inbreeding". And according to the senior author from Cambridge University's Department of Genetics, Dr Aylwyn Scally, despite the mountain gorilla being critically endangered and low in genetic diversity, there is hope for them yet. “They can continue to survive,” he said, “and will return to larger numbers if we help them.”

Model-Teacher Crowdfunds Students’ Books

Like something from fiction, Samuel has a secret identity. By day, he is Mr Pearce, teaching English to 13- and 14-year-olds. But at night and weekends, he becomes Sam Worthen, fashion model, strutting his stuff on the runways of the world. To make things simpler here, we're just going to call him Sam. Sam, 24, is originally from Massachusetts in the US, but is now living and working (mostly) in New York. He was "discovered" on a train one day, by another male model who thought they shared a profession. Since then, "Sam Worthen" has worked with some big name brands, such as Diesel and Alexander McQueen. But whatever you're thinking, Sam is a teacher first and foremost, and nothing means more to him than his 67 students and trying to nurture their interest in reading. A couple of months ago, Sam's dual identity hit the headlines and he was concerned about his students finding out. He couldn't see how them knowing about his model-moonlighting could benefit them in any way. But Sam is just one of many teachers in the US who have to spend their own income on books and materials for their students. Of course, after living expenses, this income only goes so far, so Sam has spent a lot of time brainstorming money-raising ideas to contribute to more books. And after talking with his agent, it came to him: he could use his newfound publicity to raise money for the books his class needed. To go about this, he set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding web page, setting a target for $3,000 after working out that amount would enable to him to buy three books per child in his class. He believes that far too many students in New York don't have enough access to books, and he wanted to make them as readily available for his class as possible. "Reading fluently is the most powerful tool for lifetime success," he said in the campaign description. He added that some of the children can read books from home, but most of them have to rely on the library collection in the classroom. In his eyes, those who are reluctant to read need only find what he calls "the right book" to get them started. Once they've finished a book, Sam will ask his students what kind of book they would like to read next and he'll try to track down the perfect book for them. But this all costs money, and he is struggling to keep all of his students readings books that keep them inspired to read, which is why he launched the crowdfunding campaign. Within hours of launching the campaign, more than $5,000 had been donated, and Sam informed donors that he and his students were deeply grateful for the support. And because the goal had already been reached - with room to spare - he was closing the campaign early. Sam also pointed out that there are lots of teachers who, just like him, are struggling to provide their students with materials they have to buy out of their own pocket. He hopes that his crowdfunding idea has inspired other teachers to reach out, or potential donors to contribute to other cause similar to his own. But that's not the last people will hear from Sam and his students. He's set up an Instagram account for the campaign called @therightbook. Every time he buys a new book for his class, he'll take a picture of it and post it on the account, sharing the title, price, and how much of the fund is left. He'll also be adding photos of their classroom library as it grows. It seems there is nothing this teacher won't do for his children. He'd much rather be in front of his class than on the runway, and his reasons aren't selfish. Teaching comes before his modelling, and he said he will never accept a modelling job that could compromise the learning of his students. "There are so many models who can do a job with equal results [as me]," he pointed out. "But a substitute teacher, no matter how qualified, is never going to get the same results in the classroom." So, there you have it, folks. A smart and caring teacher looking out for his students the best way he can, and not just a pretty face.

Park Restoration Unearths 175-Year-Old Time Capsule

In October, we told you about the rediscovery of a bronze box in New York that turned out to be one of the oldest examples of a time capsule known to us. It was something of a tradition in Victorian times to lay time capsules inside the foundation stone of important buildings. One such Victorian time capsule, thought to be nearly 200 years old, has been discovered in a park undergoing restoration in Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Brooke Park's £5.6 million regeneration will see  many of its features restored to their former glory. In one part of the park once stood the Gwyn's Institute, an orphanage for boys. John Gwyn was a local businessman who left a large chunk of his fortune to "feed, clothe, and educate orphans", and so the Gwyn's Institute was born. Although the orphanage was demolished in 1986, some of the grounds survived, with remnants of grass terraces and the location of the pond still visible. According to Colin Kennedy, Brooke Park's Development Manager, there are papers from the time that indicate a time capsule was inside the foundation stone of the Gwyn's Institute. This would date any such time capsule back to 1840. The local council planned a one-day excavation for the site, and there, carved into the foundation stone, was the promised time capsule in the form of a sealed lead cylinder. The time capsule hasn't been opened yet, but gently shaking it revealed a rattling sound, suggesting that coins lay within. "We know broadly speaking what it would contain," explained Mr Kennedy, "but not in detail." Referencing a time capsule found in the Guildhall Restoration, also in Londonderry, Mr Kennedy said that there was a good chance of finding money inside the lead cylinder. "Traditionally, this was a thing done in Victorian times," he added, "where we would have coins of the day and some papers of the day." Contractors working on the Guildhall in October 2010 came across a glass vessel inside the building's foundation stone. The stone had originally been laid on 23 August 1887. The contents of the Guildhall's time capsule - a glass vessel holding coins, newspapers and a handwritten letter explaining the history of the building - are now on display in the now-restored Guildhall's first floor. The Gwyn's Institute time capsule is thought to be a couple of decades older than the Guildhall artefact, but it's yet to be opened. The local council's Museum and Visitor Service are currently examining the cylinder, wanting to ensure that it is handled with the proper care and attention so as to not destroy it or its contents. "We need to determine the timescale of when we open this," Mr Kennedy said, "but, obviously, everyone is very excited." And we'll be sure to update you as soon as we find out what's inside!

Bendy Battery, Speedy Charge!

A team of US scientists have built a prototype of what could become the first viable aluminium battery to hit the commercial market. But that's not all - this battery is cheap, safe, flexible, and only takes a minute to charge! Unlike conventional batteries that sit in a hard casing, the electrodes (cathode and anode) sit in a soft pouch, which is filled with a liquid salt solution. Also unlike conventional batteries, the anode is made from aluminium and the cathode of a graphite foam that the team has developed. The Stanford University team in California said that their battery has many advantages over those other batteries. For example, common alkaline batteries, those that you use in most electronic toys or devices, often aren't rechargeable. Even when the batteries are reusable, they will eventually get thrown away and have a harmful effect on the environment. Lithium-ion batteries are becoming increasingly common, found in such devices as smartphones. But if the battery becomes too overheated or damaged, it can spontaneously catch fire, making it a safety hazard. So much so, in fact, that some airlines have banned the batteries from being transported through the air. "Our new battery won't catch fire, even if you drill into it," declared Professor Hongjie Dai. He is the senior author of a paper on the battery that has been published in the journal Nature. Of course, you might not expect your battery to withstand such rough treatment on a regular basis, but these things are good to know. Aluminium has been attracting the attention of battery engineers for years because it is lightweight and inexpensive. But up until now, the material hasn't yielded a viable product. "People have tried different kinds of materials for the cathode," explained Professor Dai. "We accidentally discovered that a simple solution is to use graphite, which is basically carbon." The team tried out different graphite materials to see which generated the best results, finding that foam works the best. The battery can only function when the two electrodes are connected, which happens when the pouch is filled with the liquid salt electrolyte solution. At room temperature, the electrolyte is essentially just salt in liquid form, making it very safe and not flammable, unlike the electrolytes found in lithium-ion batteries. The empty pockets in the graphite sponge allow ions in the solution easy access to the graphite, helping the battery to work faster. The prototype battery can work through more than 7,000 cycles of the ions transferring between the anode and cathode. It's incredibly impressive when you take into consideration that most lithium-ion batteries only last around 1,000 cycles, and it's also hundreds of times better than any other previous experimental batteries made using aluminium. So far, the only downside that the team has found with the battery is the voltage output, which is half that of a lithium-ion battery. However, this two-volt output is still better than the 1.5 volts of an alkaline battery. Professor Dai believes the voltage can be improved if the team plays about with the cathode material, but at the moment they all have very high hopes for their battery. After all, they did manage to charge a smartphone in only a minute when they strapped two of the pouch batteries together and plugged them into an adaptor. "Our battery has everything else [apart from high voltage output] you'd dream that a battery should have," said Professor Dai. "I see this as a new battery in its early days. It's quite exciting!"

Spring is Here: Volunteers Help Horseshoe Crabs

The horseshoe crab is a marvel by today's standards. The creatures have been around hundreds of millions of years, making them living fossils and older than the dinosaurs. There are many features of the horseshoe crab that makes it extraordinary - their eyes, their blood, their ability survive all this time - and yet, they're in decline. So, what do we know about them and how can we help them? First things first, horseshoe crabs are harmless to humans. They're carnivores, but only like eating soft things like worms. They also have a claw at the tip of eight of their ten legs, as well as pincer-like arms, but these aren't a threat to someone holding the crab. The tail of the creature is long and rigid, and while it might look quite threatening, the main purpose of it is to help the crab flip over if its gets stuck on its back. The entire creature, besides its tail, is covered by a carapace or shell, and when the crab lies on the sea bed, it looks very much like a species of ray. Of the crab's ten eyes, one pair is able to detect both visible and ultraviolet light. The eyes are located all over the body, including on its tail and its shell - the latter's main function is to help the crab easily find a mate during spawning season. The crabs have relatively poor eyesight, considering their many eyes. But these eyes haven't changed in all the time of their existence, and so offer incredible insight into science and what we can learn about our own eyes. Another amazing aspect of the horseshoe crab is its blood, which is blood. While human blood is red because of the iron in it, the crab's blood contains copper. The blood also contains something called amebocytes, which play an important role in protecting the crab from bacteria, viruses, and infections, much like our white blood cells do. However, unlike white blood cells, when the blood detects a foreign body, it coagulates around the invader, suffocating it until it is no longer a threat. Scientists have found that blood harvested from a horseshoe crab can be used to detect infection in human surgical procedures, as well as in medical research. But don't worry - taking the blood from a crab doesn't mean killing it. They catch a crab, bleed it a little and release it back in the ocean. As we said earlier, despite the horseshoe crab's incredibly long history, the numbers have been declining over recent years. Some of this is down to them being caught to use as bait for eel fishing, but a part of it is also loss of habitat - an all-too-familiar story for lots of declining species around the world. The crustaceans primarily live in shallow waters, but make their way to the shore to mate. Although they can do this at any time of year, swarms of crabs arrive on the coasts of the US in Spring to mate. Then, in May and June, the female lays her eggs in the sand and the male fertilises them. The potential parents then have to make their way back to the ocean, but the receding tide can leave some of the crabs stranded. But help is at hand in the shape of a volunteer programme in New Jersey. "ReTURN the Favor" has been set up by a coalition of non-profit groups that enlist the help of volunteers to help rescue those crabs who haven't quite made back on their way home. The programme was started in 2013, with volunteers returning in 2014 and this Spring. Last year, more than 500 people showed up to rescue almost 32,000 horseshoe crabs along Delaware Bay, which lies between the states of New Jersey and Delaware. But New Jersey isn't the only place hoping to help save horseshoe crabs. Biologists in Florida are also asking for the public's help in observing the marvellous creatures. This initiative is being led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). Kelly Richmond, FCW Public Information Specialist, said that volunteers would help provide extra sets of eyes. With more people observing the crustaceans, the FCW will hopefully be able to get a more accurate idea of how many horseshoe crabs arrive on their beaches this Spring. "Although horseshoe crabs spawn year-round in Florida, Spring is a prime time for them to congregate and spawn along sand beaches and shallow coastal waters around the Sunshine State," she explained. We can learn a lot from these amazing creatures, not least of which, about their ability to survive as long as they have. And as with any creature whose numbers are dwindling, we should do whatever we can to help them survive even longer. You never know - they might yield the key to the longevity and one day return the favour.

Perfume that Smells Better the More You Sweat!

There are lucky people out there who can spritz themselves with perfume first this in the morning, and the glorious scent is still hanging around at the end of the day. But for some people, the first hint of perspiration and the perfume is gone. For those people, they could finally be a sweet-smelling solution! A team of scientists in Northern Ireland have said they have developed a delivery system for perfume that would ensure that the more a person sweated, the better they would smell. They have published their work in the journal Chemical Communications. So, how did this come about? Researchers from Queen's University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (Quill) in Belfast were able to isolate the molecules that allow a fragrance to be released when it comes into contact with moisture. To create the delivery system, the team tagged a raw fragrance onto an ionic liquid, which is salt in liquid form and has no smell of its own. It resulted in the aroma only being released when it came into contact with water, like that released when a person sweats. Project leader Dr Nimal Gunaratne described it as a similar to the fragrance being tied to a lead weight, keeping it from flying away. And water acts as the scissors to cut the metaphoric string, allowing the aroma to be released. As if all this was already very exciting, the system is also able to remove the bad odours that form when a person sweats. Contrary to what a lot of people think, it isn't sweat that causes bad body odour. If it were, then everyone would smell terrible as soon as they started to perspire, which we know is simply not the case. Instead, there are glands in the armpits called the apocrine sweat glands that release a protein-rich sweat that some bacteria like to feed on. The horrible smell comes from enzymes in the sweat breaking down as the bacteria feed on it. In a press release, Dr Gunaratne explained that it was an exciting breakthrough, and there are endless commercial possibilities for the use of the new delivery system. "Not only... can [it] be used in perfumes and cosmetic creams, but it could also be used in other areas of science," he added. The team is now working with another company to develop product ideas for the new system. It's fair to assume that those of us who can't get our lovely fragrances to stick around can be optimistic - we'll keep you updated!

Vinyl Records Make Comeback with First UK Chart

Many of us have grown up listening to vinyl, perhaps your own records, or that of your parents or older siblings. Whatever the case may be, listening to vinyl has played an important role for a lot of people, providing the soundtracks to their lives. There is just something about vinyl. Just think about sliding the PVC disc from its sleeve, gently placing it in the record player, moving the stylus to just the right point, enjoying the unique sound. It's all part of something that simply can't be replicated in CDs, MP3s, or YouTube. Which might be why vinyl has been making a comeback, so much so that the Official Charts Company (OCC) has launched its first official vinyl albums and singles charts in the UK. As is usually the case when new music technology is released, it was thought that vinyl records would decline and then kind of disappear, which certainly looked like what was going to happen. But as OCC Chief Executive Martin Talbot points out, vinyl records became popular in the 60s and 70s. A couple of decades later, and vinyl was in decline, especially with the introduction of cassettes. "[They] got right the way down to the bottom," he said, "and then started climbing back out again." And climbing back out it is! By the end of last year, vinyl sales were almost back at the same level they were in 1995, and they’re already up by almost 70% this year. The OCC decided to launch the charts in response to this increase in sales, and in time for Record Store Day, which was on 18 April. “We have seen specialist music shops start to stock more vinyl. We have seen fashion retailers start to stock vinyl," he explained. "There are now mail order services where you can get vinyl much more easily than maybe ten years." He explained that although it is a niche audience that has been buying vinyl over the past decade or so, more and more diverse groups of people are starting their own record collections. He even cited his 15-year-old daughter and her friends as examples. And that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. There are people out there buying vinyl because they don't think any other format compares to the quality of sound. There are others that simply wish to own collectors' items. Some people simply wish to hang the record cover art on their wall. This was how it was in the past, and this is what is starting to happen again. A happy scenario of "Some Things Never Change". According to the first Official Vinyl Singles and Official Vinyl Albums, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is a favourite amongst vinyl buyers, with it being the biggest-selling vinyl album of the year so far. The first official number-one album belongs to All Time Low with Future Hearts, which was echoed in the UK album chart broadcast on BBC Radio 1. The vinyl singles chart was topped by Baby Wants to Ride by Underworld vs Heller & Farley. There are also some classic acts making appearances in these new charts. Led Zeppelin, Prodigy, and Nirvana have all shown up in the album chart, with the Rolling Stones, Beatles and David Bowie (twice) feature in the singles chart. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) co-owns the OCC and represents the UK’s recorded music industry. Gennaro Castaldo, Director of Communications at BPI, thinks the new charts make perfect sense. He explained that the new charts will help BPI to better understand which types of music and which artists are behind the vinyl comeback. "[It] will also help guide a new generation of younger, but emotionally-engaged, fans," he added, "as they contemplate the vinyl delights that await them." The vinyl charts are posted exclusively on the OCC website every Sunday. If you want to check them out (and maybe bookmark them), you can see the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Vinyl Singles Chart by clicking on their names.

Hospital Launches App to Help Children Sleep

If you're a parent, carer, or you've looked after children overnight, then you may have witnessed what can only be called a glitch in the child's sleeping pattern. While most children will sleep soundly, there can be phases where the child just doesn't want to go to bed, or will wake up during the night. If the child is usually a sound sleeper but suddenly starts waking up in the middle of the night, then you are likely to express concern to your doctor. But there are millions of other parents doing just that. Professor Paul Gringras is a specialist in sleep disorders and children's sleep medicine at Evelina Children's Hospital in London. He explained that doctors at the hospital have developed an app for parents concerned about their children's sleep. The app, called the Kids Sleep Doctor, allows for parents to get the advice they seek without having to wait for lengthy periods of time, while also relieving some of the pressure on NHS waiting lists. Once the app has been downloaded, details about the child's bedtimes are entered, such as where the child fell asleep and how many caffeinated drinks were consumed during the day. The app then offers initial advice. Parents and carers record their children's sleeping habits for the next five days, including details about how many times the child has woken in the night and what time they went to bed on those nights. That's when the full service kicks in, tailored to the child based on the details that have been entered. For instance, like in the example we gave earlier, if your young child suddenly starts waking up in distress during the night, it is likely they are suffering from night terrors. Around 10% of children experience night terrors at some point during their young lives, but how can parents help? This is where the Kids Sleep Doctor comes in, not only recognising the probable situation, but also offering advice tailored for that child. Although it is likely the child will grow out of having night terrors, no parents wants to see their child going through that, so the app might suggest trying a technique called scheduled waking. This simply involves waking the child up half hour after they have gone to sleep, which shifts the child's sleep pattern and somehow prevents the night terrors from happening. At the other end of the spectrum, what about teenagers who struggle to sleep until so late that they are too tired for school the following day? The app might suggest encouraging the teen to exercise in the afternoon, which Professor Gringras describes as powerful as any drug for promoting healthy sleep. "Hopefully [the children] are sleeping in the normal range, but if they're outside that, then it advises parents," Professor Gringras added. The Kids Sleep Doctor app has even been designed in colours least lightly to emit sleep-disrupting light wavelengths, in a dark and orange palette. Parents will be able to enter details about their children's sleeping habits while looking over them, without having to worry that the device will wake them once they have finally dozed off! As the app is more about reducing pressures on the NHS than making money, the app is offering advice for free to parents with children from the age of newborn to 16 years old. Currently, it is only available on the iPhone, but versions for Android and Windows devices will be released in the near future. Professor Tanya Byron is a child therapist and psychologist. She commented on the app launch, explaining that many children suffer from inconsistent sleep patterns, and the whole family can be affected as a result. "Getting a good night's sleep is so important for a child's physical and mental development, behaviour, and concentration, to name but a few," she said. "We know parents know their children better than anyone, and I'm confident that the Kids Sleep Doctor app will help parents to understand and better manage their child's sleep problems."

Anon Donor Pays for Girl’s Life-Changing Operation

We all want our children to grow up to be happy and healthy, and we will do anything we can to make sure that happens. But there are some things beyond our control. Take Kaitlin Nguyen from California, for example. She is only three years old, but she was born with a lymphatic malformation in her face. There is a lump in one of her cheeks, next to her mouth, which makes it difficult for her to do certain things we take for granted, such as talking or eating. The lump is quite large but isn't cancerous or life-threatening. However, Kaitlin's mother, Thuy, was hoping that it could be removed before the little girl started school, to avoid bullying from other children who don't understand. A lymphatic malformation is a build-up of fluid called lymph that can appear anywhere on the body, but typically in the neck or armpits. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, a network of vessels that lymph circulates through. A lymphatic malformation forms when these vessels fail to form correctly during the first few weeks of pregnancy, and as they occur so soon after conception that they can't be prevented. The family approached Dr Gregory Levitin, who is the Director of the Vascular Birthmark Center in New York . Unfortunately, their California-based insurance company was unable to pay for the surgery in New York, and it was too expensive for the family to afford on their own. In the past, a person who wishes to remain anonymous reached out to the doctor, wanting to pay for the surgery of a man with a large birthmark. This man couldn't afford to pay for the operation, so the donor stepped in and paid the costs. The donor was so please the results that he informed Dr Levitin that he would be willing to pay for the operation of someone else who wasn't able to afford it. "These are people who have fallen through the cracks and wouldn't have gotten surgery otherwise," explained Dr Levitin. So Dr Levitin spoke to this unnamed person about Kaitlin, showing him a couple of pictures and telling her story. The donor fell in love with the little girl in those pictures and said he would be happy to pay for her surgery. On April 7, Kaitlin went into the operating theatre to undergo the long and challenging operation of having the lymphatic malformation removed from her face - and it was a success! "This was a real game-changer operation," described the doctor. "It's my expectation that she will be just like any other three-year-old girl who walks down the street with beautiful brown eyes and a cheery smile." Kaitlin is recovering well, and it looks like she can look forward to the bright and happy future her parents wanted for her. And this is all down to an anonymous person who just wants to help other people. "I wanted to say, 'Thank you,' to the donor who made this happen for Kaitlin," her mother said. "I would love to thank him!"

“Significant” Oil Find Near Gatwick Airport

According to UK Oil & Gas Investments (UKOG) , there could be around 100 billion barrels worth of oil lying underneath the south of England, and it could be removed without having to resort to fracking! In October, we told you about a new oil field that had been discovered in the North Sea , a location that has produced around 45 billion barrels' worth of oil over the last 40 years. It is thought that more than twice that amount is in the ground near Gatwick Airport in West Sussex. UKOG drilled at their Horse Hill-1 well last year, and their analysis indicated that there could be more than 150 million oil barrels per square mile in the local area. They believe that only a fraction of this amount would actually be accessible, but further testing and drilling is required to find out more. The area of focus is called the Weald Basin, which spans Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. There are already 13 oil production sites across the Weald Basin that have been producing onshore oil for decades. But after drilling deeper than they had in nearly 30 years, UKOG discovered possibly the largest potential oil resource in that time. "We think it has national significance," said the company's Chief Executive, Stephen Sanderson. He went on to explain that UKOG is hoping to recover between five and 15% of the oil, if not more. Such large quantities would mean that UKOG would be producing up to 30% of the UK's oil by 2030, just from the Weald Basin. Ultimately, it could also have a positive impact on Britain's future economy. In addition to the find, a study from the Imperial College London suggests that much more oil could be recovered from the region than previously indicated. Professor Alastair Fraser from the university has been analysing rock samples from the Weald Basin and believes that up to 40 billion barrels could be removed from the ground. "Now, that's getting significant," he announced. "That's a resource; that's what's there in the ground - we've still got to get it out." UKOG Chairperson David Lenigas said it would take a long time for production of the site to begin, but once it did, there would be thousands of new jobs. "The key thing is there is a potential resource of significance here, but the fast track or the slow track is really going to be determined by Westminster," he pointed out. Of course, there are many people worried about the find and how it will be removed from the ground, but the company has insisted that fracking is not on the agenda. When oil or gas is trapped inside rocks, some companies use fracking to pump water, sand and chemicals into these rocks to free up the resources inside. But according to UKOG, the rocks at the Horse Hill well are naturally fractures, which would mean traditional methods, such as horizontal drilling, could be used and fracking would not be necessary. "Horse Hill is a conventional well, with conventional testing, and we've got permission from the governmental authorities for a conventional programme," Mr Lenigas explained. "There will be no fracking at Horse Hill."

Medieval Eye Infection Remedy Kills MRSA

Who would have thought that something as simple as an eye remedy could be the key to killing superbugs resistant to antibiotics, like MRSA? But that's what scientists have found after recreating a treatment for eye infections found in an Anglo-Saxon manuscript. The manuscript in question is called Bald's Leechbook; a leather-bound book detailing remedies for various ailments. It is usually kept in the British Library and dates back to the 9th century, making it more than a thousand years old! The Leechbook is one of the earliest examples of a medical textbook, containing advice for treatments, medicines, and salves. One such salve, Bald's Eye Salve, was being put under the microscope, so to speak, with the recipe being followed exactly as translated by Anglo-Saxon specialist Dr Christina Lee. "Medieval leech books and herbaria contain many remedies designs to treat what are clearly bacterial infections," Dr Lee explained, going on to list other health problems for which the book offers treatment advice. Dr Lee, from the University of Nottingham, found that the recipe was relatively simple. It involves rather mundane ingredients such as garlic, either onion or leeks, and English wine, but with added "oxgall", which is the bile from a cow's stomach. However, the method of preparation was very specific, citing the use of a brass vessel for brewing and a strainer to purify the concoction. The instructions also indicated that the mixture had to be left for nine days before it could be used. A microbiology team from the university made four separate tests of the salve. They also created a control treatment, using just the distilled water mentioned in the recipe in the brass vessel, without any of the other ingredients. With each test, the individual ingredients were tested against the MRSA bacteria, as was the control solution and the finished salve they had made. As was expected, when the ingredients were applied on their own, they all only had a small effect on the bacteria. But when they were combined, the scientists were in for a shock. "We thought that Bald's Eye Salve might show a small amount of antibiotic activity," said Dr Freya Harrison, lead researcher in the lab. "But we were completely blown away by just how effective the combination of ingredients was." The remedy was found to kill up to 90% of the bacteria! Dr Harrison explained that the project was a way of exploring new approaches to modern health care, using medieval remedies with ingredients that were found to kill bacteria or affect their ability to cause infection. "I still can't quite believe how well this one-thousand-year-old antibiotic actually seems to be working," she exclaimed. "When we first got the results, we were just utterly dumbfounded. We did not see this coming at all." Dr Steve Diggle is another member of the team, and he agreed that he didn't expect anything of this magnitude to happen either. "I was genuinely amazed," he said. According to Dr Lee, there are many other medieval books along the same lines as Bald's Leechbook. These books contain treatments for what appear to be bacterial infections, but years before bacteria were even discovered. "We were genuinely astonished at the results of our experiments in the lab," she said. "The potential of these texts to contribute to addressing the challenges cannot be understood without the combined expertise of both the arts and science." The findings were replicated by Dr Kendra Rumbaugh, a microbiologist from Texas Tech University. She explained that MRSA and other such wound infections are very difficult to treat and that before she was able to replicate the results herself, she was sceptical about the outcome. "However," Dr Rumbaugh concluded, "this ancient solution performed better than the current gold standard, and killed more than 90% of the MRSA." The findings were presented to the Annual Conference of the Society for General Microbiology in Birmingham, which started on March 30. Here's the recipe (though, we don't recommend trying this at home!): - Equal amounts of garlic and another Allium (onion or leek), finely chopped and crushed in a mortar for two minutes - Add 25ml (0.87 fl oz) of English wine - taken from a historic vineyard near Glastonbury - Dissolve bovine salts in distilled water, add and then keep chilled for nine days at 4°C

UK’s First National Videogame Arcade

Have you ever thought, "If only there were a place dedicated to the art and history of video games in the UK?"... Well, now there is! The National Videogame Arcade (NVA), the UK's first national centre dedicated to video games, opened its doors to the public. The £2.5 million NVA can be found in Hockley in Nottingham and boasts an array of activities. Across its five floors, you can find interactive exhibits, cinema, café, education space and vintage arcade machine - enough to send every big kid's heart racing! And while the exhibits are likely to change and adapt over time, as with any cultural centre, there will be a permanent fixture. This comes in the form of an interactive exhibition called A History of games in 100 Objects, mapping the history of video games in Britain. A permanent fixture to the centre is an interactive exhibition called A History of Games in 100 Objects, which will map the history of video games in Britain. The centre will also be holding regular events and evening classes for those interested in learning how to make their own video games. But why Nottingham? According to Ian Livingstone, the city was chosen because of its long legacy of gaming. Mr Livingstone is considered one of the founding fathers of the gaming industry in Britain, co-founder of the Games Workshop (which is behind Warhammer) and based in Nottingham. He said that it was about time that the UK had its own centre devoted to video games. Mr Livingstone pointed out that there is evidence of video gaming around us all the time. From people playing on their smartphones whilst travelling on public transport, or getting home from a long day's work and turning on their games consoles, video gaming is portable and everywhere. "It's not just guys making games for guys," he added. "There is cultural and diverse content and also diversity in creation, which is more important." The games entrepreneur is hoping that the centre will encourage children who want to play games to grow up wanting to make games. "Computer science is the new Latin," he pointed out. "It underpins the digital world just as Latin did the analogue world, and games encapsulate all the ways in which it marries the arts and sciences." The opening of the NVA may have been prompted from the success of GameCity, an annual festival celebrating video games as cultural works. The event started back in 2006, in conjunction with Nottingham Trent University, and with the backing of Nottingham County Council, the event has been going strong ever since. Jonathan Smith is one of the centre's director and said that he hopes the place will become a sort of gathering place for people to enjoy the art form, as well as becoming a unique visitor attraction. He believes video games to be great learning tools for children, not only encouraging social interaction with others, but also creativity and experimentation. "[Video games] are a part of a healthy diet of different learning techniques and of different activities," he explained. He added that they played just as important a role as running around outside and making things with your hands. Jonathan and his colleagues believe, like Mr Livingstone, that the centre could help some children realise their dreams of becoming games developers when they are older. "Games are made by people who are constantly learning and trying to do the best they can," he said. "We want to demonstrate that everyone can participate in that process in some way. Everyone can make games." Come opening time - 10am on Saturday morning - queues of gamers were eagerly awaiting the doors to open. "It has been really exciting!" Jonathan exclaimed. "We have invested so much in resources and emotionally. Luckily, we have been able to see the place full of excited people." It was hoped that the centre would attract a huge and diverse crowd of people, and that is just what they got. "We couldn't be happier with where we are!" If you're interested in visiting the NVA or simply learning more about it, you can find out more information on its website, here .

The Healing Power of Blood

Blood, the extraordinary fluid that runs through our veins. It nourishes us and sustains us. If our skin is broken, blood clots and protects the wound. It regenerates our bodies. It is our lifeforce. Despite all of this and decades of research, we still know so little about blood, and we're only just beginning to learn how to exploit its full potential. Our past and ancient mythology are filled with examples of beings surrounded by blood. From the Egyptians to the Romans, Vlad the Impaler and Dracula, besides just being a part of us, blood has also been a big part of our history too. And let's not forget the huge symbolism of blood found in many religions. And a common theory cropping up over all that time is that blood can restore and rejuvenate us. If you asked our ancestors, they might suggest bloodletting. For nearly 2,000 years, bloodletting was a common medical procedure that could even be carried out by your hairdresser. Someone with a fever or infection would have some of their blood removed in order to take away the "overheated" parts that would raise a person's temperature when they were ill. As you can imagine, though, this didn't always end well! In Hungary, towards the end of the 16th century, Countess Elizabeth Báthory believed that bathing in the blood of virgins would restore her own fading youth. She is said to have slaughtered 650 young girls for this purpose, making her one of the world's most prolific female serial killers to date. While these stories in themselves don't sound particularly cheerful - as well as being filled with potential nonsense and unnecessary death! - there might be some elements of truth in this old-time reasoning... So, what would happen to older people if they were injected with that from younger people? University of California biologist Dr Saul Villeda has been carrying out research on mice to find out. His theory was that if you took the blood of a young mouse and injected it into an old mouse, the blood would become transformed and rejuvenated. And he wasn't wrong. The old mice were found to perform much better in memory tests such as finding their way back to their nests, after a blood transfusion from a younger specimen. Like people, when mice age, the neurons in their brains become tired and don't work as well. But when young blood was added to the mix, the neurons starting sprouting new connections to other neurons and became as sprightly and sharp as the young mice they once were. Although most of the studies in this field have only been carried out on rodents, clinical trials on human patients with Alzheimer's disease have begun at Stanford University, which is also in California. These trials involve young volunteers donating their blood to the study participants. "My hope is that we can identify the youthful factors in blood that we want to raise and the ageing factors we have to lower," Dr Villeda explained. He added that isolating these components would lead to a much more controlled process than taking the blood of one person and giving it to someone else. But that's not all. There is also a special anti-ageing fluid inside our blood called platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. This can be obtained by taking a sample of a person's blood, placing it in a centrifuge (lab apparatus that rotates at high speed), and extracting the PRP. Why? Because the PRP can then be injected into a person's face as part of a procedure that has become known as a Vampire Facelift. Of course, you don't do all this yourself, and the PRP must come from your own blood. Back in the UK, Janet Hadfield is the director of Biotherapy Services, which is researching PRP. She said that the process had been used for years already to treat sports injuries and promote the healing of wounds. There have also been trials at the Royal London Hospital to see if PRP could help speed up repair in people with Type 2 diabetes. Patients with the condition are particularly prone to developing wounds that don't help properly, and so far, the results are suggesting PRP could help with this. While it isn't very clear at the moment as to why PRP works in this way, it is thought to be something to do with the spinning action of the centrifuge. Large amounts of growth factors are released from the blood, factors that promote both collagen growth and wound healing . This is where Dr Michael Mosley comes in. Although qualified as a doctor, he makes his living as a journalist for the BBC. He wanted to carry out some experiments on his own blood, one of which was the Vampire Facelift. When he asked Dr Hadfield what he could expect from the treatment, she informed him that after a couple of weeks, the tone and texture of the skin on his face should be improved. So, a couple of weeks later, he checked it out. "Just as promised, there were some subtle changes," he said in his report for the BBC. "But it is expensive and the improvement was not impressive enough to make me want to do it again." But it does go to show that something was happening there. On top of everything else, our blood is actually extremely nutritious, rich in iron, protein and vitamin C, and very high in calories (twice as many than in beer!). Dr Mosley decided that one of his experiments would involve testing out this nutrition for himself. And what better way of doing that than making black pudding out of his blood - and eating it? If you're not quite sure what black pudding is, it's a type of blood sausage usually made from curdle or boiled pork blood. This is then mixed with chunks of pork fat and stuffed into a sausage casing. It may not sound particularly appetising, but is considered a delicacy in quite a few countries - including the UK. Dr Mosley carried out a total of six experiments on his own blood, recorded in his documentary The Wonderful World of Blood. It was aired on BBC Four on March 25, but you can check it out on BBC iPlayer here (it's available until April 29). So, what do you think? Are we all going to become vampires in the future, striving, like Countess Báthory, to find the secret to eternal youth through blood? Perhaps. Or we can simply wait to see what the scientists can discover through their experiments, and there may be a pill for that in no time. Our blood is extraordinary!

Nations Make Climate Pledges to the UN

The US is the latest nation to make a pledge for tackling climate change, making a formal offer to the United Nations. Altogether there are to be 196 of what is being called Intended Nationally Distributed Contributions. The wealthiest nations were given the informal deadline of March 31 to make their pledges, though some failed to submit in time. This early date was set to make sure the submissions were entered in time to be processed before the UN Climate Change Conference, to be held in Paris later this year. The US and China create more greenhouse gas pollution than any other countries in the world. But the US is addressing the issue with restrictions on their emissions. In 2013, they created tougher standards for vehicles and also added new restrictions on power plant emissions. Based on 2005 levels, the US has promised to cut its carbon emissions by up to 28% by 2025. "The target is fair and ambitious," the US announced. "The United States has already undertaken substantial policy action to reduce its emissions. Additional action to achieve the 2025 target represents a substantial acceleration of the current pace of greenhouse gas emission reductions." Brian Deese, White House Climate Advisor, described the offer as "a big deal" in a blog post. He added that not only is the target achievable and ambitious, but the nation has the tools to reach it. In contrast, China has said that it will reduce emissions after 2030, but will produce at least 20% of its energy from renewable sources and nuclear by the same date. Switzerland, Norway, and Mexico are amongst the 33 countries to have committed to specific goals. And the EU as a whole has promised to cut emissions by 40% by 2030, based on the levels from 1990. "The declarations are an important first step," said Dr Jeremy Woods from the Imperial College London, who leads the Climate-KIC's Global Calculator. Once all 196 pledges are in, they will be examined by UN analysts and other countries to determine if they are adequate and fair. This is likely to tide over until the latter end of the year, just in time for the Climate Change Conference starting on November 30.

Graphene Light Bulb to Hit Shelves

The first consumer product made from graphene is set to go on sale within the next couple of months - light bulbs! Graphene is a super-strong carbon material, a micro-thin layer of which is said to be stronger than steel. The material was discovered by Professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at Manchester University, which later led to them both being knighted and receiving the Physics Nobel Prize. The University of Manchester also opened the National Graphene Institute (NGI) earlier this month, with more than 200 researchers working on graphene. The NGI was awarded £38 million from the government through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, as well as a further £23 million from the European Regional Development Fund. Everyone is fully aware of the potential of this amazing material! And because of the unrivalled amount of graphene the University has at its disposal, more than 35 companies from around the world have partnered up with them to develop projects. However, making graphene in large quantities is still incredibly expensive at the moment, but the new dimmable light bulb only uses a small quantity to cover the coat a filament-shaped LED inside. Professor Colin Bailey is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Manchester University, and one of the directors of Graphene Lighting, the company that the light bulb was developed in partnership with. According to Professor Bailey, the graphene light bulb is based on the traditional light bulb design but will use up to 10% less energy. It will also last longer before it needs replacing, with the graphene allowing the filament to conduct heat and electricity more efficiently. Even manufacturing costs compared to other LED light bulbs are lower, and the components are more sustainable. "This light bulb shows that graphene products are becoming a reality," the professor added. "Just a little more than a decade after [graphene] was first isolated - a very short time in scientific terms." The graphene light bulb is expected to be cheaper than other LED bulbs currently on the market, which can cost around £15 each. The University and its partners are now looking into other practical and commercial uses for the material, such as frames for cars and aircraft, working side by side on the graphene products of the future. "This is just the start," said Professor Bailey. "It is very exciting that the NGI has launched its first product despite barely opening its doors yet." James Baker, Business Director for the NGI, explained how the new light bulb was proof that partnering with the Institute could lead to delivering products that could be used by millions of people. "This shows how the University of Manchester is leading the way," he added, "not only in world-class graphene research, but in commercialism as well."