HEALTH, SCIENCE AND NATURE BRIEFS

TAKING A STAND

The benefits of sit-stand desks may have been overstated, according to a new US study. Although there are some positive effects, such as lower-back pain relief and a small decrease in blood pressure, they are not preventing weight gain as many early adopters had hoped. Researchers say there is more to learn about how we can better use these desks to help people in the workplace.

OUT-MUSCLING DIABETES

Building muscle strength may be one way to lower the risk of type-2 diabetes. An Iowa State University study of more than 4500 adults found a 34% reduction for those with moderate muscle mass. Researchers advocate simple resistance training, such as squats, planks and lunges, or weights to maintain muscle mass.

FUNGI ON THE BRAIN

Eating mushrooms may help keep your brain sharp, say Singaporean researchers. They found that seniors who ate more than 300g of cooked mushrooms – including oyster, shiitake and white button – a week were half as likely as others to have mild cognitive impairment. Scientists believe it is down to a specific compound, ergothioneine.

REWINDING THE EMISSIONS CLOCK

Chemists at RMIT University in Melbourne have found a new way to solidify gaseous carbon dioxide into coal, and potentially rewind the emissions clock. This process converts carbon at room temperature with electricity, using metal catalysts to speed up the solidification process. The solid carbon can then be used for battery electrodes and aircraft wings, for example.

GREEN GRASS OF YOUTH

A new Danish study has found that children who grow up surrounded by green spaces are less likely to develop mental disorders as adults. Data from surveys of more than a million children from 1985 to 2013 showed they are 55% less likely to develop mental disorders later in life when frequently exposed to residential green spaces between birth and the age of 10. Family history, status and urbanisation were all taken into account.

HOW CATS GAIN TRACTION

Why do cats wiggle their behinds before pouncing? The answer hasn’t been scientifically proven, says John Hutchinson of the Royal Veterinary College London, probably because cats are notoriously difficult research subjects. But it is theorised that shimmying the hind limbs creates traction to jump from, and prepares the cat’s peripheral vision if the target is moving.

MIND-BENDING CARB HIT

Why do we reach for the 3pm chocolate bar? The brain accounts for half our daily carbohydrate requirements and, when stressed, uses 12% more energy. If food is not eaten, the body looks for glucose (a form of carbohydrate) elsewhere, in turn creating more stress hormones. So, although you think you need a sugary hit, a healthier snack with naturally occurring carbs will help beat cravings.