WEIRD STUFF

COVID drains happiness

The COVID-19 virus makes people miserable by shutting down happy hormones.

Experts have discovered that coronavirus infects brain cells responsible for a person's mood, stress and movement, stopping them from functioning correctly.

Lab experiments have shown that COVID-19 damages production of the 'happy hormone' dopamine to the extent that cells are unable to grow or divide.

Dopamine is also responsible for sleep, concentration and memory, explaining why COVID causes symptoms such as brain fog and the blues.

Dr Shuibing Chen, senior author of the study for Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, said: "This project started out to investigate how various types of cells in different organs respond to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We tested lung cells, heart cells, pancreatic beta cells, but the senescence pathway is only activated in dopamine neurons.

"This was a completely unexpected result."

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Expert makes shocking allegations

An investigator has claimed that the US military has been shooting down UFOs and building their own alien craft.

Aviation expert Michael Schratt has proposed the theory that Air Force pilots have been taking out extraterrestrials (ETs) and experimenting with the crashed ships.

Schratt suggests that the mystery objects that have been seen in Earth's skies might not be aliens after all, and claims that US Navy pilots have been alarmed by UFO sightings, as they do not have the security clearance to know about the technology.

He said: "They might be convinced it is ET, but how are they going to know what's going on in the bowels of Air Force plant 42? These people will stop at nothing to make you think that we're dealing with an ET craft."

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Spider venom can treat heart attack

Venom from one of the deadliest spiders on the planet could save the lives of heart attack victims.

A molecule found in the killer toxin of Australian k'gari funnel-web spiders has been found to stop cells in the heart from dying due to a lack of oxygen during blockages.

The potential new drug, known as Hi1a, is also thought to be able to extend the lives of donor hearts that have been used for transplants.

Professor Glenn King of the University of Queensland said: "Hi1a could reduce damage to the heart and brain during heart attacks and strokes by preventing cell deaths caused by a lack of oxygen.

"Our testing and safety studies from independent contract research organisations have provided evidence that Hi1a could be an effective and safe therapeutic.

"The possibility that we can develop the first-ever drug to minimise damage during a heart attack is super exciting."