The Good Oils

When it comes to healthy eating, we’re told to use plant-based cooking oils rather than butter, lard and animal fats. That’s because most plant-based oils are much lower in the saturated fat that’s bad for our hearts and richer in the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that can actually do our hearts some good.

But with so many different oils on the market, which ones should you go with? Should you only stock your pantry with extra virgin olive oil because it is a rich source of antioxidants thought to help ward off diseases like cancer? Or are the cheaper, refined olive oils good enough? And what about the myriad other oils on the supermarket shelf?

The choice depends in part on how you intend to use them in the kitchen. That’s because different oils are better suited to different culinary uses, and some cooking methods can actually destroy much of the goodness in some oils. So it pays to inform yourself before you buy :: Read the full article »»»»

The Godfather of Italian Auto Design, Sergio Pininfarina, Dies Age 85

The godfather of Italian auto design, Sergio Pininfarina, renowned for his curvaceous Ferrari race cars, as well as revolutionising the common auto, has died in Italy’s motoring capital Turin at the age of 85.

Pininfarina’s design company was behind almost every Ferrari since the 1950s, as well as Maseratis, Alfa Romeos, and Fiats. Born in 1926 near Turin in the industrial north of the country, Pininfarina designed the Ferrari Testarossa, Fiat 124 Spider and Maserati GranTurismo, among others, during his long career.

Sergio Pininfarina joined the family auto design business after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, and quickly became involved in all aspects of the business, from designing the cars to engineering and manufacturing. Determined to change the common perception of cars as merely functional, Sergio Pininfarina rose to stardom with beautifully sculptured, blood red Ferraris, from the 410 SA to the Dino Berlinetta Speciale, Ferrari F40 and Enzo Ferrari :: Read the full article »»»»

Melbourne Researchers Find Botox Eases Multiple Sclerosis Tremors

Researchers have found that Botox can significantly reduce the severity of tremors in patients with the debilitating inflammatory disease, Multiple Sclerosis.

Researchers injected 23 patients with either Botox or a placebo over six months during the trial at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. They then videoed the volunteers to see if the botox made a difference.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), also known as “disseminated sclerosis” or “encephalomyelitis disseminata”, is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms.

Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in women. It has a prevalence that ranges between 2 and 150 per 100,000. MS was first described in 1868 by Jean-Martin Charcot :: Read the full article »»»»

Lotus Track Tests Hybrid Evora 414E

Lotus Cars – that other Brit sports car maker – has announced the commencement of track testing on it’s Evora 414E Range Extended Hybrid Electric Concept. Testing is taking place at the company’s RAF Hethel track in Norfolk.

Lotus says it’s devoloping the 414E Hybrid to showcase the company’s new developments in plug-in, range-extended electric propulsion, new electronic technologies to enhance driver involvement. We reckon just wow would have been a sufficient reason. Anyone who’s driven the Karts that Lotus turns out will recognise the potential for superfast, extra-sporty electric hybrid racing.

From the outside it looks like Lotus has been evolving, lightening and tightening vehicles since the Elise specifically for this latest batch of low to the ground, corner loving karts. In 414E, Lotus Engineering has developed a highly efficient, high performance drivetrain system consisting of twin motors each limited providing 155 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque to each wheel :: Read the full article »»

Undoit Ordered to Undo Diet Pills False Claims

The company behind a diet pill which claims to undo the effects of eating a burger and fries has been ordered to stop advertising its claims.

The company claims its Undoit pills can undo the effects of eating junk food by stopping the fat from food being absorbed. Some of the claims include that “each pill will undo 5 grams of fat and 210 grams of carbs” and a “Big Mac and fries will need 5 pills”.

The Theraputic Goods Administration – TGA – found many of the advertisement’s representations had not been verified, were misleading and were likely to arouse unrealistic expectations.

The advertiser said the pill helps to prevent weight gain. Undoit’s marketing director, Michael Romm, says he is disappointed with the TGA’s ruling.

“It appears to me the review panel didn’t adequately consider the clinical evidence we sent to them,” he said. ”We sent clinical studies which were randomised, placebo-controlled studies, totally 1,678 patients, none of whom gained any weight” :: Read the full article »»»»

God Particle Discovered!?

Scientists have discovered a sub-atomic particle they believe is crucial in the formation of the universe, or at least crucial to the Standard Model in physics and our current understanding of how our universe works.

Scientists in Geneva say the discovery still needs to be verified, but it is the strongest evidence yet that the – Higgs – particle exists.

Scientist have all but said the words “we’ve found it”

Professor Themis Bowcock, head of particle physics at the University of Liverpool said Based on CERN results there appears to be less than one chance in a million that this is a fake,” Professor Bowckock has worked on the Large Hedron Collider and says ” Very few physicists would privately argue that this is not a Higgs Particle”.

The European Organisation for Nuclear Research – CERN – said in a statement that the particle is “consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson“.

Dr Rolf-Dieter Heuer, director General of CERN said in an interview that the discovery was ” a historic milestone.”

Dr. Heuer and others have said that it was too soon to know for sure that the new particle – wieghing in ata na acceptable 125 billion electron volts, and one of the heaviest sub-atomic particle yet discovered – is indeed the elusive Higgs boson :: Read the full article »»»»