Firstly. I was not aware quite how well known this humble blog was, yet it seems that it is read by some of our best and brightest. Following my blog earlier in the week, No Space Babies!!, that discussed the needed invention of some form of cryogenic freezing for space travel (since it seems we can’t procreate in the great vacuum). And lo! I was heard, a mere few days after reading my blog, scientists have conducted research that could lead to just such that!
Studies conducted on American Black Bears (Am I allowed to say that?) have revealed how their bodies react to their annual five to seven month hibernation. They found that the bears show a reduction of about 75% in their metabolic rates, and also, that they did not lose as much muscle and bone mass as would be expected in a human. Scientists believe that if they can discover the genes that provide this protection, they could use it to create new therapies and medicines. But, more importantly (getting to the crux of it here), it could help scientists to develop suspended animation! Allowing humans to sleep off months of gruelling space travel. Let's just hope that we don't also start to grow fur at the same time.
It’s nice to know you’ve helped science along.
On a different bear-related note, Panda Pops (anyone from my generation and older should remember these) have finally gone ‘extinct’. Apparently they simply could not survive in this health obsessed world any longer, their parent company wanting to focus on fruit and water based drinks that weren’t full of artificial crap. Let the bell toll and the funeral bier pyre burn. Another one bites the dust. Cheers Jamie Oliver.
The i newspaper had a story that caught my eye concerning the world’s heaviest drinkers, and wouldn’t you believe it, they're Eastern European. Moldova is a fairly unremarkable country, with a poor economy, though it does have one major product: booze. And they are light years ahead of the competition to be crowned Sir Drinks-a-lot. Let’s apply some perspective. The global average for alcohol consumed per year is 6.1 litres of pure alcohol. The Moldovans are nearly three times ahead of this, guzzling their way through 18.1 litres per year. And that‘s just the general population. Imagine what they’re like when they go to Uni.
Lastly I was asked to do a comparison between Egyptian headdresses: “baguettes or saucepans - what’s the best?” I would go through the pros and cons of each, but we all know there’s no contest.
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| All Hail Breadman! |
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