How Britain can poach America's top scientists
While this was a hand-over of scientific power, it catalysed the Anglo-American scientific alliance, which has seen a flow of talent ever since between our two nations. At times there have been concerns that this might be one-way traffic: from us to them.
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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Just one bite of food consumed by 75m Americans daily linked to cancer
Experts are sounding the alarm over a common food that - in any quantity - may increase the risk of chronic diseases. Processed meat items such as sausages, bacon, ham, salami, pepperoni, and jerky have long been staple American foods. However, scientists are now warning that no amount of processed meats of any kind is safe to consume. Researchers from across the US have found that people who eat processed meat, even as little as one hot dog a day, have an 11 percent greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, they found that those who eat processed meat have a seven percent increased risk of colorectal cancer, as well as a two percent higher risk of ischemic heart disease. In the US, the processed meat market is a substantial industry with revenue projected to reach $43.49 billion in 2025, and the CDC reports over 75 million adults eat processed fast foods every day. Previous research has shown that consuming excessive amounts of sodium, nitrates and chemical preservatives found in these products can harm cell DNA and create cancerous tumors in the heart, as well as the colon. These substances can also damage pancreatic cells - contributing to Type 2 diabetes. Researchers analyzed over 60 other studies to find out whether processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fatty acids can increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and ischemic heart disease (IHD), a condition in which the heart muscles do not receive enough blood and oxygen due to narrowed or blocked arteries. Over time, this can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. Once they collected data from other studies, the scientists evaluated it using the burden-of-proof method - a newer type of meta-analysis that looks at both how strong and how many links are between diet and disease. Results showed that people who ate 50g of processed meat daily - the equivalent of two slices of ham - had a 30 percent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not eat any processed meat. Furthermore, they also found that those who ate 50g of processed meat daily had a 26 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. No such link was found between eating 50g of meat and IHD. Additionally, the researchers also found that drinking a 12oz sugar-filled soda every day was associated with an eight percent increase in Type 2 diabetes risk and a two percent increased risk of IHD. Dr Mingyang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who was not involved in the study commented: 'When we look at the actual data there, it's really remarkably consistent and remarkably strong, and even in the lower dose of consumption, we can still see an increased risk of disease.' Since this study - published in Nature Medicine - was observational, it only found associations between eating habits and diseases rather than a direct link between what people ate that caused the disease. However, previous research has shown that processed meats, preserved by smoking, curing, salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives, can contain harmful compounds, such as carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). These carcinogens can harm cell DNA and pave the way for the development of cancerous tumors in the colon. Furthermore, previous research shows that chemicals like nitrosamines, formed from preservatives in processed meats, may harm pancreatic cells, leading to lower insulin levels. When these cells are damaged, they may not produce enough insulin - forcing the body to become less responsive to the insulin that is produced, a condition known as insulin resistance. This could lead to high blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, processed meat is often high in saturated fat, which has previously been linked to increased inflammation in the heart. It is also filled with sodium and nitrates - both of which can increase bad cholesterol, increase blood pressure and potentially lead to tumors in the heart, as well as the colon. Dr Song recommends cutting back on eating processed meats, sugary drinks and avoiding hydrogenated fats where possible. Dr Nita Forouhi, head of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Cambridge who was not involved in the study, added: 'A good diet is not just about what to avoid. It's also important to get good nutrients. 'Wider research has shown us that overall dietary patterns that include higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fermented dairy products like yogurt are good for health and longevity.' Over 50,000 Americans are expected to die from colorectal cancer this year, while 150,000 are predicted to be diagnosed with the disease. While still a minority, experts remain concerned about increasing cases among younger people as officials estimate 2,600 new cases among those under 50. Studies also suggest that cases in people between 20 to 24 have risen by 185 percent as of 2024. Additionally, over 37 million American adults suffer from Type 2 diabetes. The CDC reports that over 100,000 Americans die of the condition every year. Ischemic heart disease also affects over 16 million Americans, of whom over 300,000 die of the condition.
ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Iron Age Roman settlement uncovered after rare sword find
An Iron Age Roman settlement has been discovered following a rare sword find, archaeologists have excavation near Willersey, Gloucestershire, has revealed what could be evidence of a Roman villa, marking a remarkable archaeological find that spans several centuries of British investigation began two years ago when metal detectorist, Glenn Manning, made an extraordinary discovery during a metal detecting rally. Glenn Manning, who was only on his second detecting expedition, uncovered two iron Roman cavalry said" 'Finding two swords in the same spot was amazing, the morning before the rally, I had a feeling I would find something special. I'm excited to find out more about them.' The swords were donated to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester, where they will form part of the museum's collection. Following the sword discovery, Historic England conducted geophysical surveys of the area, which revealed the possibility of extensive prehistoric and Roman remains. The subsequent excavations, carried out earlier this year, uncovered evidence of settlements spanning several centuries. The archaeological team discovered three or four Iron Age ring ditches, a substantial rectangular enclosure, and the remains of Roman limestone buildings, which could constitute a villa. Ian Barnes, senior archaeologist at Historic England, explained the significance of the find: 'This excavation provides valuable insights into the nature of settlement patterns from the Early Iron Age through to the Roman period in Gloucestershire. "This new evidence will help us to understand more about what happened around the period of the Roman Conquest, which must have been a tumultuous time.' The long swords, known as 'spatha,' were used by Roman cavalry from the early second century AD through to the third century AD. These weapons are contemporary with the villa, though archaeologists remain uncertain about how they came to be at the site. Peter Busby from Cotswold Archaeology praised the collaborative effort: 'I am very proud of how much our team of volunteers, professional archaeologists, and metal detectorists achieved in 15 days, despite the heavy January rain. "We turned a ploughed field, the swords, and geophysical anomalies into the story of a settlement spanning hundreds of years – the first stage in telling the history of these fields and their cavalry swords.'Further archaeological work is required before Historic England can make recommendations to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the site's protection as a scheduled Roman cavalry swords will be on display for public viewing at the Corinium Museum from 2nd August, offering visitors the opportunity to see these extraordinary artefacts that have unlocked centuries of local history.
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Truth behind Amelia Earhart's missing plane may have been solved
A team of researchers believe they may have found Amelia Earhart's missing plane 88 years after she mysteriously disappeared. American aviation pioneer Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan vanished on July 2, 1937, while attempting to fly around the world. They had set off from New Guinea and were due to touch down on a coral islet in the Pacific called Howland Island to refuel, but they never made it. Despite several searches over the decades, and countless theories as to what happened, their plane was never found. But a team at Purdue University in Indiana now feels confident they have located the Model 10-E Electra aircraft at the bottom of the sea, off the small, remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro in Kiribati, almost 1,000 miles from Fiji. They said satellite imagery shows objects that they believe are theremains of the plane's tail, wing, and body sitting just metres from the shoreline. Artifacts from the 1930s and human bones had already been discovered on the island, which sits near Earhart's intended flight path. The island also matches the location where four of her distress calls were traced to. Richard Pettigrew, executive director of the Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI) at Purdue, suspects Earhart and Noonan may have miscalculated and ended up on Nikumaroro Island instead of Howland Island, which lies further north. Speaking to WISH TV, he things Earhart carried out a 'successful landing on the reef with an intact aircraft'. 'I think it's likely Amelia was planning to be rescued, refueled, take off again and make it to Hawaii and continue on to California to complete her journey,' he added. 'We know there are radio transmissions from her for a period of about 4 or 5 days. She was basically sending out SOS.' The human bones, discovered on the island in 1940, were forensically analysed in 2017 and found to have dimensions that matched Earhart's bone lengths more closely than 99% of the population. The period specific artifacts meanwhile, included a woman's shoe, a compact case, a jar of freckle cream, and a medicine vial. A further clue supporting the theory that Earhart's journey ended on or near Nikumaroro, is a photo taken just three months after the disappearance that appears to show the plane's landing gear on the Nikumaroro reef. A satellite image from 2020 shows what looks like the same object, which is known as the Bevington Object, in the same spot decades later. A team from ALI began researching Earhart's disappearance that year. Speaking about the latest satellite discovery, ALI said in a statement: 'This object in the satellite images is exactly the right size to represent the fuselage and tail of the Electra. 'It also appears to be very reflective and is likely to be metallic.' The team, which is calling the object Taraia, are now launching a new mission, named the Taraia Object Expedition, which will be carried out in three phases over several years. The first phase will be an on-site examination of Nikumaroro, the second will include a full-scale archaeological excavation and the final phase aims to recover what's thought to be the aircraft remains. 'We believe that the result of this Phase-1 field examination will probably be the confirmation that the Taraia Object is indeed the Lockheed Electra aircraft,' the team shared. 'This work, then, is likely to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.' Among previous missions to the island was that of well-known ocean explorer Robert Ballard, who was supported by National Geographic. He carried out a systematic search of the deep waters around Nikumaroro but found no trace of the plane. However, ALI researchers said this doesn't mean the aircraft is not there. 'The plane ending up in the deep water is not actually a likely scenario, given what we know about the prevailing winds and currents along the northwestern edge of the island,' they explained. In 2017, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) searched the island using dogs that detected the scent of human remains, but no physical evidence was found. Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas in 1987 to a father who was a railroad lawyer, but later suffered from alcoholism, leaving the family often struggling for money. She left junior college early to become a nurse's aid and helped care for soldiers wounded in World War I and later started a premed programme, but quit after her parents asked her to move back home California. It was there she took her first flight as a passenger in 1920 and was entranced immediately, saying:'As soon as I left the ground, I knew I had to fly.' She started taking lessons, bought her first plane and by 1922 became the first woman to fly at 14,000 feet. More Trending Earhart was chosen as the first female passenger to fly across the Atlantic in 1928, and became celebrity overnight. Then in 1932 she became the first woman, and second person ever, to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic. It took her 15 hours, in which time she had to contend with mechanical issues, cold, tiredness and a drop of 3,000 feet on her descent. Despite the arduous journey, she gave herself another challenge, to fly solo nonstop across America, which she successfully completed in 19 hours and five minutes. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Melania Trump joins Donald in welcoming Gaza hostage who was 'very important' to her MORE: What is Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' and what does it mean for Americans? MORE: How one skeleton upended how historians view Ancient Egypt
