Wednesday, September 18, 2024

M i c r o p l a s t i c s h a v e been found in the human brain for the first time. A study has revealed that plastic fibres and particles – which are thought to have originated from clothing, bottles and food packaging – were discovered in the brains of people who had passed away, leading scientists to conclude that the harmful particles are being breathed in. Scientists conducted the study on samples taken from the brains of 15 people from Sao Paulo, Brazil, finding traces of polypropylene in eight of them. The results add to the growing evidence that plastics could play a key role in the development of health conditions such as cancer and dementia. Professor Thais Mauad, lead researcher from the University of Sao Paulo, said: “This Microplastics found in human brains 5 THE STAR NEWS • Wednesday, September 18, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com Are you one of the “Lucky 60”? We are searching for 60 lucky persons to help us! We have 60 NextGenTV Set Top Boxes to test and you could get one as we seek your help at this pilot stage of the Broadcast Services, Digital Switch Over (DSO) roll out. Complete this survey for us and help us select the “Lucky 60.” All collected data will be kept confidential and will not violate any guidelines set forth by the current Data Protection Act. We respectfully request that you respond honestly. Thank You, To access the survey you can either scan the code or access the link https://forms.office.com/r/JHUB2QpDyp NextGenTV Digital Switch Over (DSO) Set Top Box testers T he ‘oldest cat in the world’ has died at the age of 33. Rosie, a fluffy tortoiseshell, passed away in the hallway of her Norwich home earlier this week and has left her owner Lila Brisset bereft. Brisset, who adopted Rosie when she was a kitten, told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I miss her so much. “She wasn’t very well and one day she just walked into the hallway of the house, laid down and passed away. There were lots of good memories though, and I’m happy we had our time together.” Even though she lived the equivalent of 152 human years, Rosie was never officially recognised as the record holder because Brisset didn’t send an application to the Guinness World Records. The title now belongs to 28-year- old Flossie, who lives in Kent, but there is no way of finding out if any other felines around the globe are even older. Flossie’s owner Vicki Green previously told The Guardian newspaper: “There are, of course, challenges to having an ageing cat; not only is she deaf, but she is also partially sighted. Yet she’s been so easy to look after.” ‘World’s oldest cat dies R esearchers have revealed that snacking on grasshoppers has positive effects on libido, sleep, hair quality and general health. A team at the University of Dschang in Cameroon fed 216 rats either fish or Ruspolia nitidula (grasshoppers) over a period of 12 weeks. The results revealed that the rodents that were fed grasshoppers had a higher sex drive and experienced numerous other health boosts, and the scientists are convinced that the trends would be replicated in humans. Dr Ngnaniyyi Abdoul, who led the study, said: “Our findings highlight the significant potential of edible insects like Ruspolia nitidula as alternative protein sources. “The grasshopper meal not only meets nutritional needs but also offers substantial health benefits, including improved libido, better sleep, and enhanced hair quality, with far-reaching implications for both human and animal diets.” Eating grasshoppers can spice up your sex life study finds that the olfactory pathway is a potential major entry route for plastic into the brain, meaning that breathing within indoor environments could be a major source of plastic pollution in the brain. “With much smaller nanoplastics entering the body with greater ease, the total level of plastic particles may be much higher. “What is worrying is the capacity of such particles to be internalised by cells and alter how our bodies function.”