GOOD NEWS
Thought-provoking culture, insightful science and inspirational snippets to bring you up to date on all things uplifting, hopeful and happy-making
Skin savvy
As the sun sets on summer, don t banish that SPF to the back of the cupboard.
The Wellcome Sanger Institute has warned that people in Britain have facial skin that has four times more DNA damage from sun than that of people living in Singapore – despite the Asian country having three times higher UV levels. Scientists believe the gap is due to differences in skin type. The UK population is more at risk of developing common skin cancers, with 17 times more cases in the UK.
The good news is that we can act to protect ourselves – clinical advice is that we should all wear a SPF 30-plus year round, which is now often found in face creams, so remember to use one every day.
Strictly confidential
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has found that around a fifth of British people have received an unwanted romantic or sexual approach after giving their confidential contact details to a business. This rises to 29 per cent among 18- to 34-year-olds. Emily Keaney, ICO deputy commissioner, says: ‘There may be, amongst some, an outdated notion that to use someone’s personal details given to you in a business context to ask them out is romantic or charming. But, put quite simply, it is not – it is against the law.’ She urges victims of these GDPR breaches to report it at ico.org.uk.
Sister act
It seems three is not the magic number when it comes to mothers who have daughters! A long-term study by the London School of Economics found that parents who have two children of the same sex are more likely to try for a third. But mums who have a third girl experience a dip in happiness in the following decade, compared with those who have a third boy or a child of the opposite sex. Experts believe this could be a natural aversion to having a household heavily balanced towards their own sex, rather than due to the number of offspring.
Memorable scent
Drifting off to sleep amid the fragrance of lavender isn’t just relaxing: scientists think daily exposure to the scent can help reshape the brain and boost memory – potentially reducing the risk of dementia. A small-scale study of 65- to 80-year-olds also saw them exposed to peppermint and rosemary each night for several months, with their test scores involving learning and word recall increasing over time. A control group who did not experience the smells did not demonstrate the same progress.
Fewer than one in ten couples who own a dog together and then split up manage to agree a shared custody arrangement, according to a
