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A row has broken out between scholars after an expert claimed to have discovered an extra penis on the Bayeux Tapestry. Dr Christopher Monk, a medieval scholar and expert on Anglo- Saxon nudity, believes the genitalia of the figure on the right was restitched with black
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Study: Avoiding ultra-processed foods while dieting can double weight loss
By Consuming a diet low in ultra-processed foods could help supercharge weight loss , promising research suggested today. Additive-laden foods such as crisps and sweets have been vilified for decades over their supposed risks, with dozens of studies linking them to type 2 diabetes , heart disease and cancer . Experts have even called for UPFs—typically anything edible that has more artificial ingredients than natural ones—to be slashed from diets. Now, British scientists who tracked dozens of adults have discovered those who ate a diet rich in minimally processed foods and avoided UPFs, lost twice as much weight as those who often consumed UPFs. Sticking to meals cooked from scratch could also help curb food cravings, they also found. However, diets high in UPFs had little impact on blood pressure, heart rate, liver function and cholesterol. 'But not all ultra-processed foods are inherently unhealthy based on their nutritional profile.' In the study, the researchers tracked 50 people who were already consuming diets packed with UPFs and split them into two groups. Half were given an eight-week diet plan comprising minimally processed foods, such as overnight oats and spaghetti bolognese, while the other half were given foods like breakfast oat bars or lasagne ready meals. After completing one diet, the groups then switched. Researchers matched the two diets nutritionally on levels of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt and fibre using the Eatwell Guide, which outlines recommendations on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet. They found those on the minimally processed diet lost more weight (2.06 per cent) compared to the UPF diet (1.05 per cent loss). The UPF diet also did not result in significant fat loss, the researchers said. Dr Dicken added: 'Though a 2 per cent reduction may not seem very big, that is only over eight weeks and without people trying to actively reduce their intake. 'If we scaled these results up over the course of a year, we'd expect to see a 13 per cent weight reduction in men and a 9 per cent reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4 per cent weight reduction in men and 5 per cent in women after the ultra-processed diet. 'Over time this would start to become a big difference.' Those on the trial were also asked to complete questionnaires on food cravings before and after starting the diets. Those eating minimally processed foods had less cravings and were able to resist them better, the study suggests. However, researchers also measured others markers like blood pressure, heart rate, liver function, glucose levels and cholesterol and found no significant negative impacts of the UPF diet. The Eatwell Guide recommends the average woman should consume around 2,000 calories a day, while an average man should consume 2,500. Both diet groups had a calorie deficit, meaning people were eating fewer calories than what they were burning, which helps with weight loss. However, the deficit was higher from minimally processed foods at around 230 calories a day, compared with 120 calories per day from UPFs. Professor Rachel Batterham, senior author of the study from the UCL centre for obesity research, said: 'Despite being widely promoted, less than 1 per cent of the UK population follows all of the recommendations in the Eatwell Guide, and most people stick to fewer than half. 'The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and prioritizing high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts. Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation, also said: 'The way this study was designed means it is more reflective of real-world conditions than previous research on UPFs. 'The small size of the study is a limitation, and the fact that most participants were women limits how much we can generalize the findings to the general population. 'We also can't be certain how closely the diets were followed, as participants self-reported what they ate during the study. 'Larger, longer-term studies will be needed to see if the greater weight loss on the minimally processed diets seen here translates into bigger improvements in risk factors, including blood pressure and cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and a reduced risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
The foods that could be stopping you from losing weight
A study led by experts at University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) found that avoiding ultra-processed foods (UPFs), like pre-packaged sandwiches and protein bars, can lead to significantly greater weight and fat loss. Participants on a minimally processed diet lost twice as much weight (2.06 per cent) compared to those on a UPF diet (1.05 per cent) over an eight-week period. The research indicated that individuals consuming minimally processed foods spontaneously ate fewer calories and experienced fewer food cravings. Experts noted that UPFs, being hyperpalatable, can lead to increased calorie intake and reduced satiety, affecting eating behaviour. The study advises choosing less processed options and cooking from scratch for improved body weight, composition, and overall health.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hyperrealistic reconstructions reveal the faces of the Stone Age sisters who may have been victims of human sacrifice 6,000 years ago
Scientists have revealed the faces of two Stone Age sisters who may have been the victims of human sacrifice around 6,000 years ago. The sisters' remains were discovered over 15 years ago within the shaft of a prehistoric mine in the Czech Republic's Krumlov Forest. The sisters were buried one on top of the other inside the mine, with the elder 20 feet (six metres) beneath the ground and her younger sister three feet (one metre) below. Now, these 'hyperrealistic' 3D reconstructions show what the women would have looked like at the time of their deaths and what they would have been wearing. Both of the sisters were around 4.8 feet (1.5m) tall and were slender but strong and capable of lifting heavy loads. The eldest sister likely had blue eyes and blonde hair, while her younger sibling had hazel or green eyes with dark hair, according to genetic data. However, despite new evidence, exactly how the sisters died and why they were buried in the mine remains mysterious. Lead author Dr Eva Vaníčková, of the Czech Republic Centre for Cultural Anthropology, told Daily Mail that they 'could have been victims' of human sacrifice. The two sisters are believed to have been workers in a brutal mining community, gathering heavy rocks of flint to make weapons and tools. Previous studies of the remains showed that they belonged to sisters who died between 4050 and 4340 BC. This new study expands on that work with a barrage of analyses, including genetic testing and pathological analysis of the skeletons. This reveals that the women had experienced short, tough lives of hard labour before their deaths. The youngest sister was likely between 30 and 35 based on the state of her teeth, while the older woman was closer to 40. Based on the scraps of fabric found around their bones, the older woman was wearing a simple blouse and wrap woven from plant materials and a hair net. The younger of the sisters wore a blouse of coarse linen canvas and wore the remaining strips of fabric braided into her hair. As children, they were poorly fed and may have been weak and diseased - leading to stunted growth. The sisters were buried one on top of the other inside the mine, with the elder 20 feet (six metres) beneath the ground and her younger sister three feet (one metre) below. Archaeologists say this arrangement might have had a symbolic value However, chemical analysis shows that they were well fed on meat as adults. This might be because they needed to be kept strong for their work in the mine, or because the Krumlov Forest is naturally rich in game animals. Their bones showed signs of heavy strain throughout their lives, including damaged vertebrae and injuries that had only partially healed. The older sister's forearm was fractured, which had not healed at the time of her death, with wear which suggests she was forced to work despite the injury. The researchers suggest that the pair might have been killed and buried in the mine when they were no longer able to work. As to why they were buried in the mine itself, Dr Vaníčková says it was likely 'because they had worked there before'. However, the researchers also suggest that their deaths could have had a symbolic or ritual value. In their paper, Dr Vaníčková and her co-authors write: 'Anything reminiscent of the miners' activities is returned to the earth, sometimes including the miners themselves. And that may be the case with these females.' The pit in which they were buried was left open at the top and could have had a symbolic meaning, indicating a ritual human sacrifice. The burials reveal yet more mysteries that the researchers are still struggling to understand. For example, archaeologists found the remains of a small dog in the grave, which had its body placed with the younger sister and its head with the elder above. Strangest of all are the remains of a newborn baby, whose bones had been laid on the eldest sister's chest. Genetic analysis shows that the baby was not related to either sister, with no evidence to explain where it had come from. However, the researchers say they have yet to find any evidence to prove the theory that the sisters ' deaths were violent or that they had been sacrificed in this way. While it might be surprising to find signs of brutal forced labour during the Stone Age period, the researchers say these women died at a turning point in Neolithic society. They write: 'The hardest labour may no longer have been done by the strongest, but by those who could most easily be forced to do it.' WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE STONE AGE? The Stone Age is a period in human prehistory distinguished by the original development of stone tools that covers more than 95 per cent of human technological prehistory. It begins with the earliest known use of stone tools by hominins, ancient ancestors to humans, during the Old Stone Age - beginning around 3.3million years ago. Between roughly 400,000 and 200,000 years ago, the pace of innovation in stone technology began to accelerate very slightly, a period known as the Middle Stone Age. By the beginning of this time, handaxes were made with exquisite craftsmanship. This eventually gave way to smaller, more diverse toolkits, with an emphasis on flake tools rather than larger core tools. These toolkits were established by at least 285,000 years in some parts of Africa, and by 250,000 to 200,000 years in Europe and parts of western Asia. These toolkits last until at least 50,000 to 28,000 years ago. During the Later Stone Age the pace of innovations rose and the level of craftsmanship increased. Groups of Homo sapiens experimented with diverse raw materials, including bone, ivory, and antler, as well as stone. The period, between 50,000 and 39,000 years ago, is also associated with the advent of modern human behaviour in Africa. Different groups sought their own distinct cultural identity and adopted their own ways of making things.
