What sounds like Jurassic Park could soon become reality.  Japanese scientists have apparently embarked on an ambitious project to revive the woolly mammoths.

Scientists have obtained samples of hair frozen in the siberian ice for thousands of years and managed to piece together the mammoth’s genetic code. Another option would be taking skin or tissue samples from a carcass already in a research collection.

Good news for all berry-lovers: New research suggests that black raspberries may help prevent bowel cancer. Scientists have found that a freeze-dried version of the fruit could reduce the number of tumours in a strain of mice prone to the disease by 60 per cent.

Also, previous studies have indicated that black raspberries are packed with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

There have been various scientific reports and studies which have indicated that pets make for healthier and more balanced children. Having a pet can be an incredible experience for children and not only provides them with a playmate but also teaches them to care for a living being. Regardless of recent news articles on dog attacks, dogs have been and remain one of the most popular types of pets.

Recently, a new study even found that dogs can reduce stress in autistic children and help curb problem behaviours.

With Christmas fast approaching, there are more than plenty of dogs in rescues all over the country. If you want to do something special this year, why not pop round to your nearest shelter and give a dog a second chance.

New exciting stuff: A study of ancient remains from fossils to mummies has concluded that cancer is a man-made disease. Cancer has always been linked with lifestyle choices but these findings seem to underline the fact that this ferocious disease is fuelled by the excesses of modern life.

The DailyMail reports:

We all acknowledge that smoking is bad for your health and can ultimately be fatal. Smoking during pregnancy not only poses a risk for the mother but also for the unborn child. The children of women who smoked while pregnant are more likely to be obese in their teenage years, a study has revealed. Researchers found that those who were exposed to cigarette smoke while in the womb had significantly higher quantities of fat than their non-exposed peers later in life. The exposed teenagers had a third more fat around their internal organs and 26 per cent more fat directly under the skin, according to the international team that carried out the study.

Numerous studies have suggested that breast milk helps keep babies healthy. But could it also be a cure for cancer, diabetes or arthritis? That’s the suggestion from a number of studies on its use as a treatment for conditions as varied as cancer, diarrhoea and diabetes. In the latest research published last week, a Swedish team reported that the sizes of bladder tumours were reduced just five days after patients were injected with a breast milk compound. The team at Gothenburg University had been looking at the antibiotic properties of breast milk when a researcher noticed that cancerous lung cells in a test tube died on contact with breast milk. They then isolated the key compound – a protein called alpha-lactalbumin.

A major DNA study suggests that we humans all have a little bit of Neanderthal in us. The discovery leads scientists to believe that Neanderthals have – at least twice – intergred with our ancestors. Some researchers have argued that the Neanderthals were driven to extinction by modern humans. But others say the two species merged. The new findings come from a genetic analysis of nearly 2,000 people from around the world. Dr Jeffrey Long, a genetic anthropologist at the University of New Mexico, who carried out the study, said: ‘It means Neanderthals didn’t completely disappear.’ He added: ‘There is a little bit of Neanderthal left over in almost all humans.’

Brain training games do nothing to keep the mind nimble, according to Cambridge University researchers. The scientists concluded that while we get better at the complex computer exercises with practice, there is no evidence that this is of any use in everyday life. Healthy middle-aged people would do more for their brain by eating a salad, going for a stroll or taking up ballroom dancing, experts said. Read the full article on the Daily Mail.

Are women more emotionally aware than men? Why does your arm hurt during a heart attack? Could people who see fairies be telling the truth? These are just some of the questions answered in a fascinating new book on the brain. Written by Rita Carter, a leading science and medical writer, it provides extraordinary insights into the way our brains work – and why we behave and act in the ways we do…

There are a number of structural and functional differences between male and female brains.

The human brain is divided into two hemispheres that do different things. They are connected by the corpus callosum, a thick band of nerve tissue that carries information between the two.

This band of nerves is slightly larger, on average, in women than in men  -  which means the emotional right side of the brain is better connected to the analytical left side.

This may be why women are more emotionally aware.  Read more on the DailyMail website.

If you need a strong anti-inflammatory to ease your aching joints, then try eating basil. Several varieties of basil – with their fresh-tasting, aromatic leaves – have been shown to be as strong as anti-inflammatory medication when it comes to easing the swelling and pain of arthritis. The research, presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, found that, when taken orally, concentrated extracts from two types of basil – Ocimum americanum and Ocimum tenuiflorum – reduced joint swelling by up to 73 per cent within just 24 hours.