Author: Andrew Rogers

Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming or dancing can serve as a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety, researchers say. A major review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found the strongest benefits in young adults and new mothers, groups at higher risk of mental health problems. Scientists analysed 63 reviews covering nearly 80,000 people. Activities included aerobic workouts, resistance training, yoga and tai chi. Aerobic exercise that raised heart rates produced the greatest improvements in depression, while anxiety also improved, though to a lesser degree. Group and supervised sessions delivered additional gains, suggesting social connection enhances…

Doctors say a return to traditional Nepali food could help tackle the country’s growing type 2 diabetes crisis. In Nepal, where diabetes medication is often unaffordable, one in five people over 40 now lives with the condition. Experts link the surge to western processed foods replacing traditional meals such as lentils and rice. Pilot studies in Kathmandu and surrounding communities suggest the old diet can reverse diabetes in many cases. A small hospital study helped 43% of participants reach remission using a calorie-controlled version of dal bhat. A larger community trial has shown similar results, with about half of participants…

People who drink a couple of teas or coffees a day appear to have a lower risk of dementia and slightly better cognitive performance, scientists say. A US study tracking more than 130,000 people for up to 43 years found that those who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of caffeinated tea daily had a 15–20% lower dementia risk than non-drinkers. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Caffeinated coffee drinkers also showed marginally less cognitive decline and performed better on some brain function tests than those who…

BP faces fresh investor pressure as it prepares to publish full-year results. Analysts expect profits to fall to about $7.5bn after weaker oil prices. Crude dropped below $60 a barrel late last year, hurting fourth-quarter earnings. Incoming chief executive Meg O’Neill must outline a clear strategy after years of uncertainty. Shareholders want clarity following BP’s retreat from renewables back to oil and gas. Activist investors, led by Follow This and the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, demand limits on future fossil fuel spending. BP launched seven new oil and gas projects last year, most ahead of schedule. Critics argue these…

Researchers say a menstrual blood test could offer a simple alternative to cervical cancer screening.A sanitary pad fitted with a sample strip can detect HPV, the virus causing most cervical cancers.Women could use the test at home without a clinician. The study, published in BMJ, analysed data from more than 3,000 women in China.Researchers compared pad-collected menstrual blood with clinician-taken cervical samples. The pad test detected serious cervical abnormalities with 94.7% sensitivity.This matched the accuracy of clinician-collected samples. Researchers say the method could improve screening uptake among women who avoid appointments.Experts welcomed the findings but stressed the test needs larger…

A major review finds that most listed statin side-effects are not caused by the drugs.Researchers published the analysis in The Lancet after reviewing 19 trials involving 124,000 participants.Evidence supports only muscle pain, diabetes risk, and four minor effects, including liver test changes.Researchers found no strong evidence linking statins to memory loss, depression, sleep problems, or nerve damage.Statins significantly reduce heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths, with benefits outweighing risks for most patients.Lead author Christina Reith said the findings should reassure patients and doctors.Experts called for clearer drug labels to reflect the evidence and counter misinformation.

Hidden-market sellers promote unlicensed weight-loss drugs through WhatsApp and Telegram giveaways.They offer injectable medicines such as retatrutide as competition prizes. The Guardian found groups using countdowns and giveaways to drive demand.Experts warn these tactics pose serious health risks. Retatrutide remains unapproved anywhere in the world.Other prizes include Glow pens and melanotan II, which lack UK approval. UK law restricts weight-loss injections to prescription-only supply.Unlicensed drugs cannot be legally sold or advertised. Some sellers disguise drug sales as fitness or coaching programmes.Researchers say this marketing trivialises risks and bypasses safeguards. Telegram and Meta state that their platforms ban illegal drug sales.

Researchers argue ultra-processed foods should be regulated like cigarettes, not everyday food.A study by scientists at Harvard, Michigan, and Duke links UPFs to addiction and major health harms.The authors say manufacturers engineer UPFs to drive overconsumption, similar to tobacco design.They highlight parallels in marketing tactics that downplay risks through misleading health claims.The findings were published in Milbank Quarterly.Experts called for tighter rules, shifting responsibility from consumers to the food industry.

Toto Wolff dismissed rival claims over the legality of Mercedes’ 2026 engine.He insisted the design fully complies with regulations approved by the FIA.Wolff said rival manufacturers missed an opportunity and should focus on their own development.The dispute centres on engine compression ratios and thermal expansion under racing conditions.Mercedes and Red Bull Racing deny exploiting any loopholes.Rivals including Ferrari, Audi and Honda raised concerns before preseason testing.Wolff accepted protests could follow the season opener in Australia but said Mercedes feels confident.

Researchers at the University of Sydney have recreated cosmic dust in a laboratory to study life’s origins.The dust mimics material formed around dying stars and later delivered to Earth by meteorites.It contains organic CHON molecules, key chemical building blocks of life.PhD researcher Linda Losurdo produced the dust using plasma created inside a vacuum chamber.Scientists hope the work explains how meteorites gained organic matter before reaching Earth.Experts say the technique could support future experiments on early life formation.The study appears in the Astrophysical Journal.