WEIRD STUFF

Peanuts may slow down ageing

Eating peanuts could keep you younger for longer.

Researchers from the University of Barcelona have found that snacking on a handful of peanuts every day could slow down cellular ageing - the process by which the body's cells grow older, a factor linked to heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

The research, published in the journal Antioxidants, builds on previous evidence that foods rich in antioxidants may help reduce cell ageing.

Antioxidants, found in plant-based foods, protect against harmful molecules called free radicals, which can damage healthy cells.

For the study, 58 healthy young adults were split into two groups, with one group eating 25 grams of peanuts daily for six months, while the other consumed the same amount of peanut butter.

Saliva samples were taken to measure telomere length - protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten as we age.

Results showed the peanut group's telomeres shortened at almost half the rate of those in the peanut butter group.

The report stated: "Telomere shortening has been linked to age-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. But peanut consumption may help to mitigate these risks."

Researchers advise sticking to unsalted peanuts to avoid raising blood pressure.

Britons already consume nearly 180,000 tonnes of peanuts a year, and demand for the healthy snack is growing.

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Man's remains found after 64 years

The remains of a British man who died in a tragic accident in Antarctica in 1959 have been found in a melting glacier.

Dennis 'Tink' Bell was just 25 years old when he fell into a crevasse while working for the organisation that became the British Antarctic Survey.

His bones were discovered in January by a Polish expedition near Ecology Glacier on King George Island, alongside personal items including a wristwatch, radio, and pipe.

His brother David Bell, 86, told BBC News: "I had long given up on finding my brother. It is just remarkable, astonishing. I can't get over it."

Dennis, who was a trained meteorologist and former RAF worker, had been on a two-year assignment in Antarctica.

On 26 July 1959, he was surveying a glacier with colleague Jeff Stokes when he fell into deep snow.

Although initially hauled to the surface, his belt broke during the rescue and he fell again.

Polish scientists carefully retrieved his remains in four trips across the treacherous glacier, marking the site to prevent him being lost again.

David said: "I'm just sad my parents never got to see this day. It's wonderful; I'm going to meet my brother ... He's been found - he's come home now."

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Santa's elves start early in Germany

ST NIKOLAUS, Germany (AP):

Three postal workers set off Saturday on their nearly 3,000-kilometre bicycle journey from St Nikolaus, Germany, to the small town of Rovaniemi, Finland, which is home to Santa Claus Village, according to German news agency dpa.

The cyclists are travelling north to bring letters and Christmas wish lists addressed to Santa Claus from St Nikolaus, in Germany's Saarland state, to the winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

St Nikolaus himself, with his long purple cape and a tall golden staff, was on hand Saturday to hand over the letters to the three elves. The trip will take roughly two weeks as the three cycle through Germany, Denmark and Sweden en route to Finland, dpa reported.

The group is among the Deutsche Post volunteers who answer letters from children worldwide - more than 30,000 annually - that are addressed to the St Nikolaus post office, which has its own postal code.

The tradition dates back to 1967, and each reply features a special stamp.

The town of St Nikolaus is one of seven places in Germany with a Christmas-themed name, all of which receive letters addressed to Santa Claus or Saint Nick.

This year, St Nikolaus handed over his own wish list to the cyclists, dpa reported.

He is hoping for a reply from Santa Claus in Finland.