Finding eco-friendly alternatives to cotton — in the forest Finnish researchers are now making fabric from trees, cardboard and old newspapers as a possible alternative to cotton.
How necessary is the world’s most common shoulder operation? Patients who received surgical treatment for shoulder impingement fared no better than patients receiving placebo treatment.
Jobs and paid-for schooling can keep Tanzanian girls from early marriages Women living in the poorest parts of any city need policies that create employment opportunities and offer girls an alternative choice to marriage.
Saunas are just as healthy as light workouts Don’t feel like working out in a gym? Finnish researchers have a good suggestion for keeping in shape in the New Year. They assert say a half hour in a sauna is as good for the heart as a workout in a gym.
Northern European peatland birds down more than one third since 1981 But urgent conservation actions could reverse this trend.
Cold region ‘tipping point’ now inevitable in northern Europe Profound changes can be expected in high-latitude environments regardless of climate change mitigation policies.
This is what drinking does to the brain Finnish researchers were surprised to find more changes in men’s brains than in women’s.
How scientists made this 95 million-year-old octopus look good The magnificently preserved fossil was not immediately so distinct. See how a fossil can be prepared for display.
Older men are not just attracted to young women A 50-year-old man might be delighted by the thought of going to bed with a young woman. But a Finnish study shows he tends to be just as interested in women his age.
Licorice can be harmful to the developing foetus A new study raises concerns about the long-term effects of licorice on the development of the foetus.
Religious and superstitious people understand the physical world less than atheists Religious people have a lower understanding and interest in physics and maths than non-religious people, and often ascribe emotions to inanimate objects, shows new research.
Animal teeth record how species live and die New technique uses animals’ teeth to see how their environment changed throughout their lives.
Easier to quit when cigarettes are sold far away A longer trip to your nearest store or kiosk selling smokes raises your chances of successfully quitting.
Do mobile phones give you brain cancer? OPINION: We are unlikely to see an epidemic of brain cancer due to mobile phone use, but we could see a modest increase in cases.
Poor dental health tied to heart disease Untreated root tip infections can raise the risk of coronary disease according to a new study.
You are the most popular at age 25 Our social networks are most extensive when we are in our mid-twenties.
Evolution will make our wisdom teeth disappear A simple mathematical formula explains why our teeth look the way they do and suggest that our wisdom teeth will eventually disappear.
Do you have composer genes? Musical creativity is at least partly inheritable according to a new study.
Watch ESA’s new satellite being launched into space The European Space Agency’s newest satellite soared into orbit with a beautiful backdrop of the northern lights.
Incontinence risks decrease with Caesarean births A new study shows that women who give birth the normal way can run nearly twice the risk of urinary incontinence problems, compared to those who have Caesarean sections.
New evidence that environmental change can outpace genetic adaptation DNA analyses of a now extinct population of butterflies shows they could not adapt fast enough to habitat loss during the 20th century.
Healthy gut microbes could treat malnutrition Gut microbes taken from healthy children reduced the harmful side effects of malnutrition in mice, including stunted growth and development.
Scientists find gene switch for “bad” fat New study shows that targeting a certain gene can lower fat levels in the blood and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.
Bullies and their victims at higher risk of depression Kids who are both bullies and victims of bullying have a doubled risk of developing psychiatric problems later in life, says new research.
Tablets help students write faster – but is that better? If they need to remember what they write, pencils work better. So what is really best?
Climate and intensive farming push European birds into decline Bird populations in Europe both benefit and suffer from warmer temperatures, while many populations are in decline due to threats posed by intensive agriculture.
Scientists rewrite the history of an ancient region Origins of ancient Chinese landscape revealed by new study. Could hold important information on climate change.
Scientists can predict risk of premature death 14 years in advance One blood sample and some hi-tech analyses can reveal your risk of a premature death
There are now 3.04 trillion trees on earth Scientists have calculated the total number of trees of earth: 422 for each person. And we have lost almost the same number since the dawn of human civilisation.
Scientists can now discover global epidemics before they start Scientists studying ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria discover how bacterial epidemics start. The results offer hope for new diagnostic tests to stop future epidemics in their tracks.
Running and soccer are the only sports guaranteed to make you healthier Which sports have actually been proven to benefit our health? The answer is rather disheartening.
Finland’s school reforms won’t scrap subjects altogether OPINION: Despite the reforms, Finnish schools will continue to teach mathematics, history, arts, music and other subjects in the future.
Saunas are good for the heart Submitting your body to a slow cook can be a smart move. Men who take saunas often run a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases. The healthy factor could be linked to the relaxed body and mind a sauna instils on users.
Why Finland and Norway still shun university tuition fees – even for international students OPINION: A high level of education is beneficial for all of society, so individual human beings should not have to pay for it, argues Professor Jussi Välimaa.
Aggressive adolescents consuming more alcohol Adolescents who behave aggressively are likely to drink more alcohol than their peers – while those suffering from depression or anxiety drink less.
Tiny microplastics a marine headache Food packaging. Drink bottles. Electronics. Children’s toys. Plastics make modern life possible, but they have a dark side. Plastics in the ocean break down into microscopic fragments that zooplankton not only eat, but pass up the food chain, a Finnish research team has shown.
Wolves became domesticated dogs much earlier than thought Finnish researchers have discovered that wolves were domesticated by European hunter-gatherers between 19,000 and 32,000 years ago. The analysis cannot, however, be used to determine the origin of the dog, argues Danish DNA scientist.
The warming waters lure perch to extend its range northwards Due to global warming, perch, ruffe, roach and ide are found further north than before.
Finnish school abandons books for tablets Some first-graders in Finland are being educated without printed books.
Old migraine theory crumpling The cause of migraine headaches seems to be in the neural system of the brain, not in dilated blood vessels.
Butterfly hangs on for dear life A century of strong winds on a tiny island in the Baltic Sea has created butterflies that are especially adapted to keep from blowing away.
Big differences in Finnish and Norwegian teacher education Finnish schools are frequently ranked as the best in the world, well ahead of their Nordic neighbors, despite cultural similarities. But Finland's secret and Norway's scourge may lie in each country's educational policy making.
New stem cell discovery has great therapeutic potential The discovery of a new blood-vessel-generating cell offers new treatment opportunities for cardiovascular diseases, cancer and several other diseases.
Alcohol behind Finland's high homicide rate There are twice as many murders in Finland as in Sweden, and most of the Finnish perpetrators were drunk. But there are fewer victims of organised crime in Finland than in Sweden and the Netherlands.
Sailing by solar winds A new type of solar wind sail can take us to the asteroids. Tests in space are scheduled next year when a Finnish satellite is launched.
Antarctic meteorology Just as the world economy, the climate is a system where everything ties in with everything else. Changes happening in the Antarctic can be felt on the other side of the planet, says Finnish scientist.
Cholesterol can be controlled New research promises greater control over fats, or lipids, occurring in the human body.
Mobile phones as a social means of education Mobile phones can be used in education just as computers can. They can for instance serve as social tools that pupils use to develop one another’s projects. Mobile phone games can also enhance learning.
Oxidised LDL is bad news for unfit overweight young men Young men should be alerted to the dangers of excess waist fat and declining physical fitness, which despite their young age increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Fighting hospital bacteria with viruses Bacteria can quickly pass on their antibiotic resistance on to other bacteria and so create super bacteria. But a promising new method may help solve this problem.
Finland, the new lithium powerhouse? Lithium is in high demand all over the world. Now mining for the valuable metal is about to start in Finland.
How music touches the brain New method reveals how different musical features activate emotional, motor and creative areas of the brain.
Nudity sparks the brain The naked truth: our brains process nude pictures more efficiently than pictures of clothed people, new Finnish study reveals.
Bone density project sheds new light on risks Low bone density may significantly increase the risk of fracture in women as young as 50, new research reveals. Previous studies suggested that this only applied to older people.
What’s it like to be a bee? Information obtained from the tiny brain of a fly, cockroach or bee can be applied to studying the far more complex information processing mechanisms found in humans.
Mobile apps could save children’s lives The mobile phone is now being developed into a weapon in the fight against child mortality.
Making plastic out of carbon dioxide Finnish scientists are using carbon dioxide to create plastic coating for food packaging. They claim that foods would have a longer shelf-life with the new material than with traditional packaging film.
Simulation models to determine health of skeletal system Researchers in Finland are using technical simulation models to simulate the functions of the human body. The method could help in the optimisation of exercise equipment for bones in the hip area.
Gigantic multitouch displays become microscopes Finnish researchers have created an entirely new way of performing microscopy: a large-screen multitouch digital microscope that makes today’s tablet computers look like postage stamps.
