Scientists say they believe they have discovered the mechanism behind what causes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In a new study, researchers discovered that stomach infections such as food poisoning that trigger cells that release a compound called histamine. Histamine, in turn, can lead to an ‘allergy’ that causes digestive intolerance and increases abdominal pain. The team, from … Read more
Icebergs in the Antarctic gradually melting further and further from the frozen continent could be the trigger that plunges Earth into a new ice age, study finds. Researchers from Cardiff University reconstructed past climate conditions and identified tiny fragments of Antarctic rock dropped in the open ocean as part of a study designed to understand … Read more
Sudden stratospheric warming event around the North Pole could trigger another ‘Beast from the East’, scientists warn British researchers studied stratospheric warming events from the last 60 years During these episodes, temperatures in the stratosphere can rise by 90°F in days This disturbance can travel downwards and cause cooling shifts in the jet stream The team worked … Read more
In May I had an ischaemic stroke and I am not sure why. My speech has returned but my mind still goes blank, causing considerable anxiety and depression. I’m 73 and I’ve also been looking after my wife, who has been shielding. Could stress have brought on the stroke? John Prentice, Causewayhead, Stirling. Remaining unwell … Read more
Earlier this year it was reported that Alana Cutland, a 19-year-old Cambridge University student,pictured, jumped to her death from a light aircraft 5,000 feet over Madagascar in July 2019 after taking doxycycline for 11 days Becky Goodwin remembers very clearly the moment earlier this year when she reached her lowest point. The 30-year-old had just … Read more
Sound of an aeroplane flying overhead at night could be last thing you hear as study finds the noise can trigger a heart attack within two hours Experts studied 24,886 deaths from cardiovascular disease from 2000–2015 All the cases the team considered were located in the vicinity of Zurich Airport They analysed the deaths in comparison … Read more
As A New Year looms, it is hard not to be pessimistic about what 2021 may hold. Hundreds of thousands more job losses, companies going bust, factories ground to a standstill, chaos at Channel ports, no ski trips to the Alps and little point in booking a springtime city break in Europe. And on top … Read more
Researchers say they have documented the first instance of a coronavirus patient being struck down with sudden paralysis he experienced before. In a case report, published in the journal Pathogens, the 54-year-old man visited the emergency room after complaining of difficulty swallowing and weakness in his arms and legs. After diagnosing him with COVID-19, doctors … Read more
A near-normal Christmas would only ‘throw fuel on the fire’ and put older generations in harms way, a top scientist has warned, as ministers admit they ‘don’t want to be grinches’ and Number 10 says it will let families meet indoors over five days but the country will then face a 25-day lockdown to pay … Read more
‘On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… five days of quarantine!’: Britons react to news that allowing festive family get-togethers could trigger month-long ‘lockdown 3.0’ in January England could face 25 days of extra restrictions for five days of festive freedom Jokesters flooded Twitter with memes about potential ‘lockdown 3.0’ … Read more