WEIRD STUFF

Babies start learning language in womb

Scientists have discovered that expectant mothers who talk to their unborn babies boost their children's linguistic skills, in the strongest evidence yet that a foetus is capable of listening and learning from within the womb.

Experts from Italy and France discovered that "language exposure before birth may help newborns acquire language with ease" after birth, suggesting that this is particularly helpful for pregnant women to speak to their baby bumps during the final trimester of pregnancy.

The research -- which has been published in the journal Scientific Advances -- concluded: "These results provide the most compelling evidence to date that language experience shapes the functional organisation of the infant brain, even before birth.

"Human babies can pick up language at a remarkable pace, becoming attuned to the sounds of their native language by around a year old. Research has suggested that this ability may begin before birth, as unborn babies can start to hear sounds outside of their mother's body by almost seven months of gestation."

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New dinosaur species found in Brazil

Scientists claim they have have identified a new species of dinosaur in Brazil. The nation's geological service announced last Thursday that they had discovered the speedy dinosaur that lived in the desert through footprints.

The new species, called the Farlowichnus rapidus, was a small carnivorous creature that stood at about two to three feet tall, researchers say.

The experts also revealed that the species existed during the early Cretaceous period -- which stretched from 100 to 145 million years ago.

The geological service declared in a statement: "From the large distance between the footprints found, it is possible to deduce that it was a very fast reptile that ran across the ancient dunes."

The dinosaur "trackways" were first found in Sao Paulo state in the 1980s by the Italian priest and paleontologist Giuseppe Leonardi.

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Exercise boosts sleep-deprived brain

Twenty minutes of exercise can boost a tired brain after a poor night's sleep.

A study asked 24 people to complete maths tests and puzzles both before and after riding a bike while deprived of sleep, and it was found that being active improved performance.

The research showed that a brief burst of moderate activity is able to undo some of the cognitive damage that is caused by sleep deprivation.

Experts conclude that while there is no alternative to good-quality sleep, those running on empty can keep themselves going by getting hot and sweaty.

Dr Joe Costello, the study author from the University of Portsmouth, said: "In the short term, some exercise may help both your psychological and cognitive performance.

"However, it will not replace the sleep debt and a daytime nap may be something to consider if possible."

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Pets Prolong Mental Sharpness

Cats and dogs prevent the brain from ageing. Researchers in the United States have discovered that owning either a pooch or feline slows cognitive decline in later life.

Experts analysed 637 people age between 50 and 100 -- 185 of whom were pet owners -- and found that all participants experienced a mental decline to some extent, but that "deterioration in cognitive function with age was slower for pet owners than non-owners".

It found that the same was true for both dog and cat owners but those who took their canines out for a walk experienced an even slower decline in cognitive function, compared to those who did not.

The team from the University of Maryland said: "We provide important longitudinal evidence that pet ownership and dog walking contribute to maintaining cognitive function with ageing, and the need to support pet ownership and dog walking in (the) design of senior communities and services."