Behind the Headlines

Your guide to the science that makes the news

Can a facelift make you more likeable?

Monday Apr 13 2015

Does having a facelift make women more likeable?

"Having plastic surgery can make you more likeable," the Mail Online reports. It says cosmetic facial surgery not only makes you look younger, but could also improve what people think of your character. As the Mail Online reports...

Can plucking hairs stimulate new hair growth?

Friday Apr 10 2015

Can plucking hairs can stimulate new hair growth?

"Plucking hairs 'can make more grow'," BBC News reports, while the Daily Mail went as far as saying scientists have found "a cure for baldness". But before you all reach for your tweezers, this discovery was made in mice, not humans…

Superbug 'could kill 80,000 people' experts warn

Tuesday Apr 7 2015

"Superflu pandemic is biggest danger to UK apart from a terrorist attack – and could kill 80,000 people," is the warning in The Independent. A briefing produced by experts outlines how…

New Down’s syndrome test more accurate than current screening

Thursday Apr 2 2015

"Blood test for Down's syndrome 'gives better results'," BBC News reports. The test, which is based on spotting fragments of "rogue DNA", achieved impressive results in a series of trials…

Blood test could provide an early arthritis warning

Monday Mar 23 2015

Blood test could provide an early warning of arthritis

"Arthritis breakthrough as new test diagnoses condition up to a decade earlier," the Mail Online reports. The test measures proteins linked with arthritis. The study aimed to see whether a blood test could be developed…

Climate change 'might bring rise in UK mosquito-borne diseases'

Monday Mar 23 2015

Climate change 'could see a rise in mosquito-borne disease'

"Mosquitoes heading for warmer UK," Sky News reports. A new review predicts that climate change will make the UK a hospitable environment for disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks, leading to an outbreak of conditions such as dengue fever…

New blood test could help prevent antibiotic misuse

Thursday Mar 19 2015

“A new blood test can help doctors tease out whether an infection is caused by a bacteria or a virus within two hours,” BBC News reports. The test could help to appropriately target the use of both antibiotics and antivirals...

People with gout have lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Thursday Mar 5 2015

"Gout could help prevent Alzheimer's, research shows," The Independent reports. Researchers think that uric acid, which causes gout, may have a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease…

Adults may only get 'real flu' every five years

Wednesday Mar 4 2015

"Average adult catches virus just once every five years," the Daily Mail reports. A study has estimated that influenza infections become less frequent with age and occur every five years from the age of 30…

Many deaths of mentally ill in custody 'avoidable'

Monday Feb 23 2015

Charities have previously called for an end to the use of "face-down restraint"

"Hundreds of deaths in mental health units 'were avoidable'," says a report on the front page of today’s Independent. The Guardian highlights 662 mentally ill detainee deaths from 2010 to 2013...