What do ancient Egyptian mummies smell like?

Scientists have found that ancient Egyptian mummified bodies emit woody, spicy, and sweet aromas, offering fresh insights into the mummification process, practices and materials. David Doyle has more.

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BBC News

an hour ago

• BBC News

NHS plans to DNA test all babies in England to assess disease risk

Every newborn baby in England will have their DNA mapped to assess their risk of hundreds of diseases, under NHS plans for the next 10 scheme, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, is part of a government drive towards predicting and preventing illness, which will also see £650m invested in DNA research for all patients by Secretary Wes Streeting said gene technology would enable the health service to "leapfrog disease, so we're in front of it rather than reacting to it".It comes after a study analysing the genetic code of up to 100,000 babies was announced in October. The government's 10-year plan for the NHS, which is set to be revealed over the next few weeks is aimed at easing pressure on Department for Health and Social Care said that genomics - the study of genes - and AI would be used to "revolutionise prevention" and provide faster diagnoses and an "early warning signal for disease".Screening newborn babies for rare diseases will involve sequencing their complete DNA using blood samples from their umbilical are approximately 7,000 single gene disorders. The NHS study which began in October only looked for gene disorders that develop in early childhood and for which there are effective newborn babies are only given a heelprick blood test that checks for nine serious conditions, including cystic health secretary said in a statement: "With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill-health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives."

The Independent

7 hours ago

• The Independent

Weight loss jab could be used to treat migraines

Weight loss jabs could cut the number of migraines sufferers experience by half, research suggests. The drugs, similar to Ozempic and Wegovy, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion. Researchers have discovered, GLP-1 drug liraglutide, commonly used to treat diabetes, has the potential to significantly reduce migraine frequency. Migraines affect approximately 6 million people in the UK, according to the NHS. Attacks can last for three days causing pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and sensitivity to light, sound and smells. Researchers at the Headache Centre of the University of Naples gave 26 adults with obesity and chronic migraines the drug liraglutide. The study presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025, found those who had the drug reported an average of 11 fewer headache days per month. Participants also experienced meaningful improvements in quality of life, work, study, and social functioning within just two weeks of taking the drug. 'Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported quality of life improved significantly', said lead researcher Dr Simone Braca. 'The benefit lasted for the full three-month observation period, even though weight loss was modest and statistically non-significant.' Growing evidence has linked subtle increases in intracranial pressure to migraine attacks. It's caused by a rise in the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid – which surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This increase in pressure can happen because of a severe head injury, stroke, a brain tumour or high blood pressure. But GLP-1-receptor agonists such as liraglutide reduce cerebrospinal fluid secretion and have already proved effective in treating idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Patients in the study were screened to exclude papilledema (optic disc swelling resulting from increased intracranial pressure) and sixth nerve palsy, ruling out IIH. Dr Braca and colleagues believe GLP-1 drugs may reduce the release of CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), a key molecule behind migraines. 'We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide', Dr Braca said. 'That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.' Given liraglutide's established use in type 2 diabetes and obesity, it may represent a promising case of drug repurposing in neurology, study authors said.

The Sun

9 hours ago

• The Sun

Sex drug Viagra has surprising new health benefit and could help 3 million ageing Brits, say scientists

SEX aid pill Viagra helps stiffen your skeleton, a study suggests. The little blue tablet was found to increase production of vital bone cells — so could one day prevent back pain and fractures in old age. Researchers found sildenafil, which is branded as Viagra, helped human stem cells transform into osteoblasts, the bone-building cells. These are vital as the human skeleton regenerates and is completely replaced roughly once every ten years. As we age, we lose more bone than we build, increasing the risk of breaks or osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle and painful. The Peking University team's follow-up tests on mice also suggested sildenafil would prevent bone loss. Dr Menglong Hu and Dr Likun Wu said: 'Our findings offer new insights into the physiological effects of the medicine. 'Sildenafil enhanced stem cell osteogenic differentiation and inhibited bone loss ­— it may usefully treat osteoporosis.' More than three million Britons suffer osteoporosis. Other treatments exist but the researchers said it would be handy to have more cheap and readily available drugs. They said: 'Any new drug must be evaluated. This is time-consuming, expensive and risky. But sildenafil is approved and safe.' Viagra was invented as a heart drug in the 1980s before it was found to help with erectile dysfunction. Studies have since suggested it might also reduce dementia risk. Why You Should Think Twice Before Popping Viagra Just For Fun (1)