Vatican Says E.T. Could Exist

The BBC reports that "The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out.
Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.
Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.
The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.
The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.

Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.
Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future.
Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.
To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin."

"Great tits cope well with warming"

The BBC reports that "At least one of Britain's birds appears to be coping well as climate change alters the availability of a key food.
Researchers found that great tits are laying eggs earlier in the spring than they used to, keeping step with the earlier emergence of caterpillars.
Writing in the journal Science, they point out that the same birds in the Netherlands have not managed to adjust.
Understanding why some species in some places are affected more than others by climatic shifts is vital, they say.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) commented that other species are likely to fare much worse than great tits as temperatures rise.

The research uses a long record of great tits in a breeding site at Wytham Woods near Oxford, where observations began in 1947..."

Now...What were you thinking when you read the title for this story?

If you're interested, then here is the rest of this story.

BBC's OddBox

President Bush conducting an orchestra, exploding cola fountains and the penguin with a wetsuit.

'Youngest inventor' patents broom

The BBC reports that "A five-year-old boy is thought to be the UK's youngest person to patent an idea after inventing a labour-saving broom to help his father sweep leaves.
Sam Houghton, of Buxton, Derbyshire, was just three when he came up with a double-headed broom to collect large debris and fine dust simultaneously.
After passing the rigorous patenting process, his idea is now protected from anyone who might copy it.
His father, Mark, said there were no plans to market the broom.

Sam, who was inspired by animated inventors Wallace and Gromit and Archie the Inventor from TV series Balamory, said: "I saw my Daddy brushing up and made it. There are two brushes because one gets the big bits and one gets the little bits left behind.
"I don't know if I want to be an inventor when I grow up but this was fun."
Sam had been watching his father at work in the back yard, swapping between a large broom, for leaves and twigs, and a small one, for finer particles, when he came up with his idea.

Mr Houghton, who by chance is a patents lawyer, was so impressed he decided to help Sam apply for a patent.
He said: "It was such a simple solution that only a child could have come up with it.
"I was swapping from one broom to the other and he asked why. When I said it was to pick up the different leaves and twigs it must have got him thinking.
"He got a large elastic band from the shed and put it over the two brooms, holding them just the right way to use both together. He then called me and announced that had had made up an invention."
Insisting the broom itself was all Sam's idea, he said: "Putting the application together was just a matter of extracting the underlying principle and carefully describing that and Sam's specific way of using the invention."
"I do have experience of patents so I knew what to do next but I am convinced there are other young children who come up with ideas but never have the chance to get a patent for them."

The broom works with the coarser brush at the front to pick up larger objects and the finer brush at the back..."

Here's the rest of the story.

"Man wrestles croc to rescue wife"

The BBC reports that "A woman has been rescued from the jaws of a saltwater crocodile in Australia after her husband jumped onto its back and forced it to flee.
The attack took place in the Litchfield National Park near Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.
The crocodile lunged at its victim as she stood on the banks of a river, locking its jaws around her legs before trying to drag her into the water.
Police have said the heroism of her husband almost certainly saved her.
As the crocodile attacked, Wendy Petherick shouted to her husband Norm who told reporters he acted instinctively.
"I saw Wendy in the water, trying to pull something out of her leg, and I knew it was a croc," he said.
"I acted quickly, just jumped on top of it, and looked for the eyes. I found them, and poked its eyes, and that's when it released her, I think."
The 36-year-old woman suffered serious injuries and will have surgery in Darwin.
Her husband escaped unharmed.
Last week, police in the Northern Territory opened fire on a crocodile as it closed in on a drunken man who had accepted a dare to swim in dangerous waters."

Landmine Beauty Pageant...

Our friends at the BBC report that "Landmine victims are to take part in a beauty contest in Angola, where tens of thousands have been injured by mines.
The pageant has been organised by Angola's de-mining commission, and aims to restore the confidence of victims and raise awareness of their plight.
Millions of mines were planted in Angola during a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002.
The "Miss Landmine Survivor" contest will be held on 2 April in a luxury hotel in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
Eighteen women will take part, one from every province in the country.
All of the contestants have been maimed by landmines.

The co-ordinator of Angola's de-mining commission, Madalena Neto, says the aim of the competition is to restore self-esteem in women injured in mine explosions, and to show that there is beauty in all people.

She says she wants the contestants to become ambassadors for victims of landmines.
Tens of thousands of Angolans have lost limbs or suffered other injuries in mine explosions.
And they continue to do so, even though the war ended six years ago.
It is rare to visit an Angolan town or village without seeing people struggling to cook, care for children or otherwise get on with their lives whilst struggling with a stick or, if they are lucky, a pair of crutches or an artificial limb.
The UN says that, despite an extensive de-mining programme, millions of landmines remain littered across Angola - and this means great stretches of the country are still out of bounds, too dangerous to farm or to travel through.
Perhaps the "Miss Landmine Survivor" contest will remind the rich and powerful in central Luanda that there is still a lot of work to be done, both in terms of ridding the country of landmines and of improving the lives of their victims."

"Dolphin woos with wood and grass"

The BBC reports that "A South American river dolphin uses branches, weeds and lumps of clay to woo the opposite sex and frighten off rivals, scientists have discovered.
Researchers observed adult male botos carrying these objects while surrounded by females, and thrashing them on the water surface aggressively.
Writing in the journal Biology Letters, they say such behaviour has never before been seen in any marine mammal.
The boto lives in only two rivers, and numbers are thought to be declining.
A group of British and Brazilian researchers studied the dolphin's unique courtship behaviour over three years in the Mamiraua Reserve, a flooded rainforest area on the Amazon.
"You see them coming up with bits of wood or lumps of rock in a very ritualised manner," recalled Tony Martin from the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University.

"Quite often they'd slowly come up above the surface in a vertical posture holding this stuff in their mouths, then sink down rotating on their own axis.
"They would also throw it or smash it against the surface, and it does appear that the waving around and bashing is to impress the ladies; but at the same time there's a lot of aggression between adult males, and we have to infer that's part of it."
Professor Martin's group established that rock carrying and branch thrashing were almost exclusively the preserve of adult males, and that they did it more when lots of adult females were present.
Although the males were more aggressive towards each other at these times, they were never seen to hit each other with the rocks or plants...

This research stemmed from a larger project, Projeto Boto, aimed at conserving the Amazon dolphin and its habitat.
River dolphins are among the most threatened of all cetaceans; the baiji, a native of the Yangtze in China, may already have gone extinct in the last two years, while numbers of the Indus or blind river dolphin of South Asia are believed to be down to around the 3,000 mark.

Compared to these species, the South American dolphin is in good health in its traditional haunts along the Amazon and Orinico rivers. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species suggests "there are probably tens of thousands of botos in total".
But the future does not appear secure. The Red List concludes that the boto is threatened by dams (causing fragmentation of their habitat) and pollution, such as from mercury used in gold mining..."

Here is the rest of the story.

Hospital bridles at horse in elevator...

The BBC reports that "A Hawaiian hospital has restated its rules on pets after a man took a horse up in a lift (elevator) in a bid to cheer up a sick relative with his favourite steed.
Man and beast were stopped by security guards only after reaching the third floor, after apparently passing through the lobby unchallenged.
The patient was allowed to see them but it turned out to be the wrong horse.
A hospital spokeswoman said there was a visitation policy for dogs and cats, but not for horses.
"We just hope people understand this is not a place for a horse," said Lani Yukimura at Wilcox Memorial Hospital.
"It's a very dangerous thing. Our greatest concern is patient care."
Security managed to remove the visitor and the horse with "just a few scuff marks", she added.
According to the Star Bulletin newspaper, the man had arrived after staff at the front desk went home, and called from the lobby to announce his arrival.
After he and the horse were escorted out, he put the animal in a trailer in the car park and left, the paper adds."

"Hamsterballing"?...

The BBC reports that "The chicken poo catapult, hamsterballing and a play in a toilet.
It can only be the week's weird and wonderful video stories in Newsbeat's Odd Box with Dominic Byrne."

Unusual Way Of Keeping Your Dead Pet's Memory

The BBC reports that "A Newcastle couple have found a unique way of keeping their beloved dead pets close to their hearts - by having the dog hair made into woolly jumpers.
Beth and Brian Willis lost their white Samoyed, called Kara, 12 years ago and Swedish Lapphund, Penny, in 2002.
After seeing a picture of Princess Diana wearing a dog fur stole at Crufts, they collected thousands of dog hairs from brushes and carpets.
The pair said the his and hers dog memorials were "warm and waterproof".
Mr Willis, who worked for Pickfords Removals for 27 years, wears his doggy jumper into town every Saturday to do the weekly shop. The 73-year-old said: "They are extremely warm and pretty much waterproof. I've always got a sweat on by the time I get from the bus to the shops."
Mother-of-three Mrs Willis first used the fur of Kara, to knit her husband's sweater in 1990.

Mrs Willis, 71, said she had the idea after seeing a picture of Princess Diana wearing a dog fur stole at Crufts.
She said: "Kara was a pedigree Samoyed. She was so posh, if she could have talked she'd not have spoken to the likes of us.
"We found out from the breeders we got the pups from that it was possible to use their coat for clothes.
"It is the most amazing stuff. It's like mohair but more lightweight and more soft, and the more you wash it, the more soft and fluffy it gets."
Mrs Willis added: "People are surprised when they find out we're wearing dog wool clothes. Some think it's disgusting and ask how we can do it, but it seems very normal to us."
Even now, Mrs Willis has enough hair left over to make a new jumper, and it has been sent to a friend in Derby to be spun."

Playing a burning piano

The BBC reports "A Japanese musician has recreated an old performance by playing an improvised jazz piece on a burning piano.
Yosuke Yamashita was reproducing the stunt he performed for a short film in 1973."

Tea 'healthier' drink than water?

The BBC reports that "Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers.
The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates.
Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found.
Experts believe flavonoids are the key ingredient in tea that promote health.

These polyphenol antioxidants are found in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been shown to help prevent cell damage.

Public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, and colleagues at Kings College London, looked at published studies on the health effects of tea consumption.
They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack.
Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer, although this effect was less clear-cut.
Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay, plus bone strengthening.
Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

She said it was an urban myth that tea is dehydrating.
"Studies on caffeine have found very high doses dehydrate and everyone assumes that caffeine-containing beverages dehydrate. But even if you had a really, really strong cup of tea or coffee, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid.
"Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth," she added.
There was no evidence that tea consumption was harmful to health. However, research suggests that tea can impair the body's ability to absorb iron from food, meaning people at risk of anaemia should avoid drinking tea around mealtimes.

Dr Ruxton's team found average tea consumption was just under three cups per day.
She said the increasing popularity of soft drinks meant many people were not drinking as much tea as before.
"Tea drinking is most common in older people, the 40 plus age range. In older people, tea sometimes made up about 70% of fluid intake so it is a really important contributor," she said.
Claire Williamson of the British Nutrition Foundation said: "Studies in the laboratory have shown potential health benefits.
"The evidence in humans is not as strong and more studies need to be done. But there are definite potential health benefits from the polyphenols in terms of reducing the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancers.
"In terms of fluid intake, we recommend 1.5-2 litres per day and that can include tea. Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink."
The Tea Council provided funding for the work. Dr Ruxton stressed that the work was independent."

Record high for older pregnancies

The BBC reports that "The number of women aged over 40 becoming pregnant is at a record level, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.
The conception rate for the over 40s in England and Wales rose by 6% between 2005 and 2006, and now stands at 12.2 pregnancies per 1,000 women.
The overall pregnancy rate rose by 3% over the same period, the ONS said.
But teenagers are having fewer babies, with a slight fall in pregnancies among 13 to 15-year-olds.
There were an estimated 866,800 conceptions in 2006, a rise of 25,000 from the previous year.
The most likely age for motherhood was 25 to 29, with a rate of 129 pregnancies for every 1,000 women in this age group.
Four out of five women who became pregnant went on to give birth.
More than half of the pregnancies happened outside marriage, although the figures only cover those where the parents were unmarried at the time of the birth, and both appeared on the birth certificate.
More women are putting off motherhood until their 40s, partly due to advances in fertility techniques which help those who are unable to conceive naturally at that point.
While they and their unborn babies do face slightly increased risks during pregnancy and childbirth, studies have suggested that they are just as able as younger mothers to look after children..."

"Female G spot 'can be detected' "

Our friends at the BBC report that the "mysterious G spot - supposedly a route to female sexual satisfaction - can be located with ultrasound, claim Italian scientists.
Some women say stimulating a certain part of the vagina triggers powerful orgasms, but medicine has not been able to pin down the exact location.
Researchers told New Scientist magazine they found an area of thicker tissue among the women reporting orgasms.
But specialists warned there could be other reasons for this difference.

The existence of the G spot has remained controversial since the 1980s, when the term was coined as a way to explain why some women were able to achieve orgasm through vaginal stimulation, while others were not.
Some specialists claim that the term has led to over-anxiety among women who cannot reach satisfaction this way, and their partners.

The latest research, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, was carried out the Dr Emmanuele Jannini at the University of L'Aquila, and involved just 20 women.
Ultrasound was used to measure the size and shape of the tissue beyond the "front" wall of the vagina, often suggested as the location of the G spot.
In the nine women who reported being able to achieve vaginal orgasm, the tissues between the vagina and the urethra - which carries urine out of the body - were on average thicker than in the 11 women who could not reach orgasm this way.

Dr Jannini said: "For the first time, it is possible to determine by a simple, rapid and inexpensive method if a woman has got a G spot or not."
However, Dr Tim Spector, from St Thomas' Hospital in London, told New Scientist that the thicker tissue might actually be part of the clitoris - another extremely sensitive area.
Another suggestion was that, rather than being the cause of more orgasms, having these frequently might actually lead to better-developed musculature in this area.
Dr Petra Boynton, a sexual psychologist at University College London, said that an entire industry had grown up around the idea of a G spot, and it was unhelpful to label women unable to find theirs as "dysfunctional".
She said: "We're all different. Some women will have certain area within the vagina which will be very sensitive, and some won't - but they won't necessarily be in the area called the G spot.
"If a woman spends all her time worrying about whether she is normal, or has a G spot or not, she will focus on just one area, and ignore everything else.
"It's telling people that there is a single, best way to have sex, which isn't the right thing to do.""

'Sexercise' yourself into shape

Our friends at the BBC report that the "NHS has some new advice for people struggling to schedule a fitness routine into their daily lives - a workout between the sheets.
According to the NHS Direct website, "sexercise" can lower the risk of heart attacks and helps people live longer.
Endorphins released during orgasm stimulate immune system cells, which also helps target illnesses like cancer, as well as wrinkles, it states.
Sexual health experts said such claims could not be scientifically proven.
"It's good to see the NHS are promoting sexual wellbeing," Dr Melissa Sayer told the Guardian newspaper.
"Yes, there is evidence that sex has benefits for mental wellbeing, but to say there is a link with reduced risk of heart disease and cancer is taking the argument too far."
NHS Direct, however, told the paper the content was "backed by science and clinical evidence" and "isn't just a bit of fun".

The advice, published under the headline "Get more than zeds in bed", is one of several sexual health-related articles to be found on the NHS Direct website.
Sex with a little energy and imagination provides a workout worthy of an athlete, the article says.

"Forget about jogging round the block or struggling with sit-ups.
"Sex uses every muscle group, gets the heart and lungs working hard, and burns about 300 calories an hour."
The advice suggests "regular romps this winter" could lead to a better body and a younger look.
Increased production of endorphins "will make your hair shine and your skin smooth," it adds.
"If you're worried about wrinkles - orgasms even help prevent frown lines from deepening."
The article goes on to say that orgasms release "painkillers" into the bloodstream, which helping keep mild illnesses like colds and aches and pains at bay.
The production of extra oestrogen and testosterone hormones "will keep your bones and muscles healthy, leaving you feeling fabulous inside and out". "

This week's weird news from the BBC

A benefit for high heels?...

The BBC reports that "wearing higher heels - although perhaps not stilettos - may improve your pelvic floor muscles and in doing so boost your sex life, a study suggests.
An Italian urologist and self-professed lover of the sexy shoe set out to prove that high heels were not as bad for women's health as some suggest.
The shoe has been linked to a range of problems - from corns to schizophrenia.
But in a letter to European Urology, Dr Maria Cerruto said her research showed it was time to stand up for the heel.
She said her study of 66 women under 50 found that those who held their foot at a 15 degree angle to the ground - the equivalent of a two inch heel - had as good posture as those who wore flat shoes, and crucially showed less electrical activity in their pelvic muscles.
This suggested the muscles were at an optimum position, which could well improve their strength and ability to contract.

The pelvic floor muscles are an essential component of the female body. As well as assisting sexual performance and satisfaction, they provide vital support to the pelvic organs, which include the bladder, bowels and uterus.
But they often weaken after pregnancy and childbirth, and as the woman gets older. There are exercises to strengthen them, but Dr Cerruto hopes her findings may eliminate the need for these.
"Women often have difficulty in carrying out the right exercises for the pelvic zone and wearing heels could be the solution," she said.
"Like many women, I like high-heeled shoes," she added. "It's good to know they have potential health benefits."
Gill Brook, a women's health physiotherapist in Bradford, stressed the findings did not suggest that stilettos were a good thing for those keen on improving their pelvic floor function.
"But for women who like a slightly higher heel, these are reassuring findings - although we haven't yet done away with the need for regular exercises to maintain what is such an important part of the female body." "

Is this too racy?...

The BBC reports that "...RyanAir has been told to withdraw an advert featuring a model in schoolgirl-style clothes and a headline "hottest back to school fares".
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the "irresponsible" image appeared to link teenage girls with sexually provocative behaviour.
The advert shows the model with a bare midriff in a short skirt, tie, shirt and knee-high socks in a classroom.
Ryanair refused to withdraw the image, but ASA dismissed this as "PR bluster".
The advert has been removed and it will not run again, an ASA spokesman told BBC News.
Media space owners will not accept the advert again, the spokesman said.
Ryanair, in turn, described the ASA ruling as "censorship".
The advert, which was printed in three newspapers reaching 3.5 million readers - the Herald, Daily Mail and Scottish Daily Mail - prompted 13 complaints to the ASA from readers who found it offensive.
After an investigation, the watchdog ruled the advert breached the advertising code's rules on social responsibility and decency.
"We considered that her appearance and pose, in conjunction with the heading 'Hottest', appeared to link teenage girls with sexually provocative behaviour and was irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence," the watchdog said.
The ASA told Ryanair to withdraw the advert and ensure its future promotions complied with the advertising code.
However, the airline said the model's clothing reflected what was currently fashionable among young women and that the number of complaints was insignificant compared to the three newspapers' combined readership.
Ryanair also said its advert was considerably less suggestive than some others appearing in the media.
"It is remarkable that a picture of a fully-clothed model is now claimed to cause 'serious or widespread offence', when many of the UK's leading daily newspapers regularly run pictures of topless or partially-dressed females without causing any serious or widespread offence," said Peter Sherrard, head of communications for the airline.
"This isn't advertising regulation, it is simply censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising."
Mr Sherrard added that Ryanair believed the advert was not irresponsible nor offensive and would therefore "not be withdrawing this ad" and would "not provide the ASA with any of the undertakings they seek".
Ryanair's stance was dismissed by the ASA spokesman as "public posturing".
The Herald, which received a complaint from a reader, said they were not prepared to run it again.
The Daily Mail and Scottish Daily Mail had not received any complaints from readers but said they would not run the promotion again."

Eat Your Veggies...

The BBC reports that "Eating broccoli may protect against heart disease, US research suggests.
Rats were fed an extract of the vegetable for a month, and the effect on their heart muscle was measured.
Compared with animals whose diet did not change, the hearts of the broccoli rats functioned better and displayed less damage when deprived of oxygen.
The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study suggests broccoli may trigger production of proteins which protect against heart damage.
The health benefits of broccoli have been widely touted, particularly in regard to its potentially protective qualities against cancer.
But working out both if and how this may be the case has proved a challenge.
Now researchers at the cardiovascular research centre at the University of Connecticut believe they have at least shown how the benefits may work in animal hearts.
The broccoli diet appears to persuade the body to produce a protein called thioredoxin, which protects against cell damage in the heart.
Broccoli contains sulforaphane, which is seen as particularly effective in triggering this process.
However, the lightly steamed version of the vegetable may be more powerful than the one which has been left to boil.
"If broccoli is over-cooked it loses a lot of its protective effect," said Professor Dipak Das, who led the research team.
The researchers are now looking into whether the vegetable and others of its family - including cabbage and Brussels sprouts - may also help fight other diseases.
"There is strong evidence to suggest that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can help to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease," said June Davison of the British Heart Foundation.
"Broccoli can count as one of these portions. However different fruit and vegetables have different combinations of vitamins and minerals, so aim to eat a variety to get the most benefit.""

Good News... Bad News...

The BBC reports that "a man has been accidentally shot by a rescuer who was trying to free him from the jaws of a crocodile in northern Australia.
The victim, in his late 20s, was attacked by the reptile near a popular tourist spot on the Mary River south-east of Darwin.
He was flown to hospital by helicopter for emergency surgery for bite and bullet wounds.
He is currently in a stable condition in hospital.

Crocodile attacks and shootings are rare in Australia.
To suffer both at once is - to say the least - unfortunate.
Jason Grant was collecting crocodile eggs at a remote reptile farm when he found himself locked inside a giant set of jaws.
For a few terrifying moments the animal wildly shook its victim before the intervention of a fellow worker.
He fired two shots at the saltwater crocodile. One hit the target, while the other struck the arm of his stricken colleague.
It was enough though to bring the drama to an end.
The injured man was flown to hospital in Darwin, where he is recovering."