Latest news with #UniversityofSurrey
Indian Express
a day ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Humans are just slightly better than a coin toss at spotting AI pics
As AI-generated images continue to improve every year, one of the key questions is how human beings can distinguish between real and generated images. And while many of us may think that it's fairly easy to spot images generated by AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, researchers think otherwise. According to researchers from the Microsoft AI for Good Lab, the chances of being able to identify AI-generated images are ' just slightly better than flipping a coin.' Researchers say they collected data from the online game 'Real or Not Quiz', where participants were asked to distinguish AI-generated images from real ones and identify their authenticity. The study, which involved the analysis of approximately 287,000 images by over 12,500 people from around the world, found that participants had an overall success rate of just 62 per cent, meaning they had a slightly higher chance than a coin flip when it came to detecting these artificially generated photos. For this, researchers say they used some of the best AI image generators available to create the quiz, and that the game was not designed to compare the photorealism of images generated by these models. As it turns out, people who played this online quiz were fairly accurate at differentiating between real and AI-generated human portraits, but struggled when it came to natural and urban landscapes. For those wondering, humans had a success rate of around 65 per cent when it came to identifying people, but could only identify nature photos 59 per cent of the time. Researchers noted that most of the time, people had trouble distinguishing 'images without obvious artifacts or stylistic cues', but when it came to human portraits, the percentage was much higher because of our brain's ability to recognise faces. These findings are in line with a recent study by the University of Surrey, which discussed how our brains are 'drawn to spot faces everywhere.' The study also found that AI detection tools are fairly more reliable than humans at identifying AI-generated images, but they were also prone to mistakes. The team behind the study also emphasised the need for transparency tools like watermarks and robust AI detections to prevent the spread of misinformation and said they were working on a new AI image detection tool, which it claims has a success rate of over 95 per cent when it comes to both real and generated images.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Best jobs to switch to mid-life without taking a pay cut & you won't need a degree – including £64k role
LOOKING for a fresh mid-life career start but don't want to take a pay cut or go back to university? Luckily, there are employers hiring NOW for roles where you can learn on the job and get paid up to £64,000 a year. We also reveal why men are more likely to shake up their careers in their 40s. Job satisfaction hits rock bottom in your 40s, based on a survey of 100,000 workers by the University of Surrey. At this age, workers are more likely to feel frustrated in their role and demotivated about their career path, the study showed. Men are particularly at risk of feeling the job switch itch. One in five men aged 44-59 is actively hunting for a new job, while 38% have thought about their career options, according to research from Standard Life. Mike Ambery from Standard Life said: "Lots of men in their 40s and 50s are taking a long, hard look at their careers, and thinking about making a change. "The idea of having one job for life with a traditional career pathway is fading fast. "These days, more people are favouring 'squiggly careers' – where they move between roles or industries over time. "That flexibility has advantages, especially as most of us will be working longer than previous generations." Ready for a change? Jobs site Adzuna has compiled a list of 15 jobs that are ideal for a mid-life career switch. These careers are best for job hoppers because they are available to a wide range of age groups, AND they offer attractive salaries. Plus, you don't need a degree to switch to these jobs, making them ideal for those who want to skip going back to university. Some require training, although many of the roles listed provide on-the-job training so you can earn as you learn - here's what you need to know. We've researched how much you can earn at the start of these new careers based on average salaries - and you may have to take a pay cut. But you can get the qualifications for some of the jobs through evening courses, so you don't have to sacrifice your existing salary. Highest paying roles hiring NOW The highest paying role that tops the list is a software developer. They create and test computer programmes used by workers. Surprisingly, there's no need to go to college in order to retrain. Instead, you can apply for an apprenticeship and earn on the job. The average software developer salary is £64,530. It's £26,000 for an apprentice. You can also study part-time through evening classes, so you don't have to pack in your day job. Some are free while others can cost over £2,000, with course lengths ranging from around 15 to 26 weeks. Visit the National Careers Service website to find an online or in-class course that works for your schedule. You'll typically be working a 37 to 40-hour week with occasional evening and weekend shifts - so it might not be the right fit if you need more flexible hours. You'll be well-suited to the role if you've got a keen eye for detail, have strong analytical skills and are proficient in coding. Best of all, there are plenty of roles going. There are currently 19,950 vacancies advertised. Next on the list is a project manager. You might think these roles are just in construction, but project managers can work in any industry and oversee projects from start to completion, ensuring targets are hit and budgets met. Salaries for this type of role average out just below £59,681. You'll be well-suited to a role in project management if you've got strong leadership skills, are well-organised and can communicate effectively. There is no need to carry out formal training to land a role, either. There are 39,298 vacancies for project managers available. Third on the list is an automation tester. Don't be put off by the technical-sounding name - this is someone who tests software to identify bugs or issues. Someone looking to get into this profession can do an online course in coding or even teach themselves. But you can also do apprenticeships and earn while you study, with them usually lasting 12 to 24 months. The maximum grant you can get from the government to cover your apprenticeship is £18,000. Individuals who enjoy problem-solving, have a knack for detail, and possess strong analytical skills are well-suited to this role. You might have to fight for a job though - there are just 19 vacancies advertised on jobs sites. Fancy being a sparkie? Electricians earn around £48k a year once fully-qualified. You'll work up to 45 hours a week and may need to respond to customer call-outs across a specific patch. The most popular way of making it into this profession is via a college course, which can cost up to £7,000 or an apprenticeship, where you'll earn around £24k a year at the start. You can also take part in flexible courses that fit around a full-time job - some let you study on weekends and others in the evening. Just expect to pay from around £1,000 to upwards of £6,000, depending on who is running the course. There are around 14,367 roles available for electricians. Next on Adzuna's list is a data analyst. They collect, organise and study data to solve business-related problems like how revenue can be increased. You'll find these types of roles across different sectors, including healthcare, technology and retail. You don't have to go to university to land a role as a data analyst either - you can get there via an apprenticeship route. You'll likely be suited to this role if you've got strong analytical skills and are good at maths. It comes with a steady pay packet too - just over £46,000 a year - and there are currently 12,622 roles being advertised. Apprenticeship salaries range between £18,000 and £25,000. The jobs where you can earn up to £44k Next up are plumbers, who can earn around £44,826. Anyone good with their hands and who hates the idea of being bolted to a desk is well-suited to this role. One of the best routes to being a plumber is via an apprenticeship, where you'll start off on an annual salary of around £24,000. Your daily roles will involve installing and repairing water and heating systems in homes and commercial buildings. You'll typically work up to 45 hours a week. There are 6,490 roles currently available - so apply now. Watched Selling Sunset and think you can do better? Why not try being a real estate agent? The average salary is £43k a year. STEVEN Eden went from working in the army to earning around £43,000 as a lorry driver. The ex-soldier and dad-of-four in his late 40s from Wigan now works for Asda, hauling food to stores, unloading and reloading empty cages, after making the switch in 2021. He used to work in the army, where the average salary is much lower at £30k, according to the jobs site Indeed. He said: "I can have the radio up, I'm my own boss. It's me all over, and it's so rewarding. "I'm doing good for other people, filling people up [with food]. I like the manual bits of taking the frozen food off. 'And I've got a few driver friends – they're all in good spirits.' It took Steven about 12 months to do his training, including getting his HGV licence, but he reckons it can be done in as little as three months. He then had a two-week breathing period before being buddied up with another driver. 'You don't get chucked in the deep end,' Steven added. But within six weeks, he was signed off and ready to go on the road on his own. He said: 'That was a good feeling. It was a big step - I was made up.' To become a lorry driver, you'll usually have to be over 18 and comfortable with working alone on the road. You'll need to have a full car licence and a professional qualification called the driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which means you can be a commercial driver. You will also need to pass your HGV driving test, with the costs of training up to £2,000. However, there are not-for-profit organisations, like Veterans into Logistics, that work with ex-military to cover these costs. The job involves assisting clients in buying and selling their homes, guiding them through the process from start to finish. You might also have to find rental properties for someone to move into, or help a landlord source tenants. One major perk of becoming an estate agent is that you don't need a formal qualification to land a job. You could also be a claims handler, which is someone who assesses and processes insurance claims. They review documents and investigate whether someone is owed a payout, and how much. Expect to earn around £41k in the role once you're qualified, but you'll start on around £17,000 if you're going down the apprenticeship route. There are 16,559 roles, suited to someone with a keen eye for detail, available right now. Next up is an accountant. Most people will be familiar with this job, which comes with an average salary of £46,160. Bag this job and you'll be employed by organisations and private clients to audit financial accounts and provide advice on where money could be better spent. You can learn to become an accountant as an apprentice, earning anywhere from between £17,000 to £26,000. You'll be suitable for the role if you've got strong numerical and analytical skills. There are loads of accountant jobs out there as well - 23,931. Account managers, who build relationships with existing clients and source new ones to drive sales, also feature. Land this job and you could end up earning £45,069 a year, and you won't need any formal training. Someone who is naturally extroverted and competitive will do well in this type of role, of which there are 56,022 roles currently available. A pipe fitter, as the name suggests, installs and repairs industrial pipework, valves and sprinklers in factories, commercial properties, ships and larger buildings like power stations. You can earn £42,308 in this job, which most people get into via the apprenticeship route, which pays around £18,000 at the start. But jobs are few and far between - 2,512 according to the latest data from Adzuna. How to smash an interview LEE Biggins, from CV-Library, gives his top tips for nailing that all-important job interview. "To smash any job interview, start by doing your homework - research the company, prepare solid answers, and think about how your past experience links to the new role. "Whatever your age or background, employers want to see a willingness to learn, passion for the role and industry and an adaptability to thrive. "This matters even more when switching careers. "Show the employer you're eager, driven, and ready to get stuck in. "Make sure your CV is well tailored to the role and highlights your transferrable skills and proves why your experience makes you a great fit. "Remember, you're up against people already in the industry, so come prepared with industry knowledge and a fresh perspective may set you apart." Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers transport goods from one location to another, earning on average £40,981. You become an HGV driver by obtaining a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which costs between £400 and £500. You get one of these by passing five tests and taking 35 hours of Driver CPC training every five years to stay qualified. There are currently 6,842 of these roles available, well-suited to anyone who enjoys routine and has the ability to drive for long stretches of time. Meanwhile, a car salesperson primarily sells cars to customers but may also organise test drives in order to drive business. Someone in this type of role earns on average £40,139, without any formal qualifications needed to get started. A sales advisor focuses on direct customer interaction, often in a retail or sales setting, driving sales to a business. Someone in this role will earn on average £37,684 a year, with 38,798 of these jobs currently available on the market. A recruitment agent is essentially the same as a salesperson, acting as a bridge between job seekers and employers to fill open positions within businesses. There are currently 28,649 of these roles in the market, which pay on average £36,247. You'll do well as either a sales advisor or recruitment agent if you're outgoing, talkative and naturally persuasive. Why switching to one of these jobs could pay So why are these 15 jobs so worth changing to in later life? Sarah Carroll, career expert at Indeed, said a lot of different sorts of skillsets can be applied to these roles, making them easy to switch to. "Employers today increasingly value transferable skills, experience, and resilience - all qualities mid-life professionals can bring in abundance." Some of the roles are across sectors experiencing major growth in the UK, like logistics and construction. Lee Biggins, founder and chief executive officer of CV-Library, said: "With a £500billion investment into UK construction and a surge in logistics and warehousing, there could be endless opportunities to upskill." Lack of time is a major stumbling block for workers looking to shift their careers mid-life too, but of the list above, plenty offer on-the-job training so your budget won't take too big a hit. Lee added: "Plenty of roles offer on-the-go training, apprenticeships or even sponsorships. "Or, you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to provide you with industry-rich knowledge needed to quickly access the industry you're looking to switch to."
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
New Sleep Model Reveals Why Babies Just Won't Nap Some Days
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. If you've ever wondered why your baby naps inconsistently, the answer may lie not in parenting guides or alarm clocks—but in mathematics. A new study by researchers from the University of Surrey, England, has applied mathematical modeling to explain how and why sleep patterns change over a lifetime. The research focused on refining a long-standing concept known as the two-process model ("2PM") of sleep regulation, originally introduced in the 1980s, which considers both biological sleep pressure (how the longer you are awake, the more sleepy you get) and our internal body clocks to understand when and how we sleep. But this latest study takes the model further, incorporating the mathematics of light exposure to show how environmental cues—like indoor lighting or late-night screen time—interact with biology to shape our sleep. The result is an expanded "2PM plus light" model that offers a unified explanation for a host of sleep mysteries—from unpredictable baby naps to the early morning habits of older adults. High angle shot of little Black child dressed in knitted jumpsuit of blue color serenely sleeping in cozy wooden crib with baby mobiles hanging above, while mother checking on daughter in bedroom. High angle shot of little Black child dressed in knitted jumpsuit of blue color serenely sleeping in cozy wooden crib with baby mobiles hanging above, while mother checking on daughter in bedroom. SeventyFour "This model gives us hope that sleep problems can be better understood and tackled," said paper author and mathematician professor Anne Skeldon of the University of Surrey in a statement. "By using math, we can see how small changes in light, routine or biology shift our sleep—and test practical ways to support better sleep for everyone." One of the more curious phenomena explained by the model is why babies nap on some days but not others, even when their schedule seems consistent. Oscillator theorists refer to this behavior as the Devil's staircase—a mathematical term for sudden jumps or skips in patterns. The researchers showed how the interplay between a baby's rising sleep pressure and immature circadian rhythms can create seemingly erratic nap behavior that, in reality, follows a mathematically predictable pattern. The same model explains why teenagers tend to go to bed and wake up later than younger children. The mathematical simulations revealed that adolescents experience a slower buildup of sleep pressure, allowing them to stay awake longer. Combined with bright light exposure in the evening—from devices, indoor lighting or nighttime socializing—this can delay their sleep even further, shifting their rhythms into a cycle that is out of sync with early school start times. With models like 2PM plus light, scientists can simulate the impact of small changes in lighting, bedtime routines or social schedules—potentially leading to personalized interventions for people struggling with sleep in our increasingly 24/7 world. "This work shows how math can bring clarity to something as complex and personal as sleep," said paper co-author and Surrey sleep researcher professor Derk-Jan Dijk. "With the right data and models, we can give more tailored advice and develop novel interventions to improve sleep patterns for those whose rest is affected by modern routines, ageing or health conditions," he concluded. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about sleep? Let us know via health@ Reference Skeldon, A. C., & Dijk, D.-J. (2025). The complexity and commonness of the two-process model of sleep regulation from a mathematical perspective. npj Biological Timing and Sleep, 2(24).
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I have helped more than 300 people reverse their diabetes – here's how
'The traditional view of type 2 diabetes is that it's chronic and progressive,' says registered dietitian Helen Gowers. This will be a recognisable characterisation of the condition for the 4.1 million people in the UK who have it and, upon diagnosis, were swiftly put on to a lifetime course of medication, typically metformin and then insulin, to keep their blood sugar levels at bay. 'However, our approach is to undo insulin resistance by removing the visceral fat that's clogging up key organs – the root cause of type 2 diabetes – so everything starts working normally again,' Gowers says. 'You can't achieve that with medication, it has to be done through weight loss and diet.' Doctors now recognise that reversing type 2 diabetes through diet is a very real possibility for many patients. A study, published in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health in 2023, showed a diet low in carbohydrates (found in bread, potatoes and pasta) helped 51 per cent of the 186 type 2 diabetes patients involved achieve remission within three years – meaning their blood sugar levels were below the type 2 diabetes range and they no longer needed medication. To spread this method to the masses, Gowers joined the charity Public Health Collaboration in 2021, offering an eight-week diet and lifestyle course called The Lifestyle Club (TLC) for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes patients to help them reverse the condition. So far, more than 1,340 people have completed the course, and based on a recent TLC service evaluation in collaboration with the University of Surrey, she estimates 308 of them will have achieved remission or reversed prediabetes. Their study found a 23 per cent remission rate for a TLC cohort in Guildford after six months, which will have reduced their risk of developing diabetes-related complications, such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease. What causes type 2 diabetes and how can it be reversed? Scientists are still trying to unpick the exact mechanism behind type 2 diabetes. However, it is known that a build-up of fat in the liver and pancreas are major contributors. We all have a personal threshold for being able to store body fat, Gowers says. 'Once you've reached that level, the only place you're going to be able to store extra calories is in your abdominal area as visceral fat, which surrounds the liver and pancreas.' Eventually, the liver and pancreas then become clogged up with fat, which contributes to insulin resistance, meaning that the cells stop responding to insulin – a hormone vital for bringing down blood sugar levels. 'The pancreas then churns out more and more insulin as the insulin resistance gets worse to try and overcome it, and it's only when it finally can't produce enough that blood sugar goes up and remains high,' Gowers explains. It is at this point that type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. 'Diabetes is literally just the end of the show.' While needing to pass urine frequently, being very thirsty and feeling very tired are all symptoms, a lot of people experience no symptoms. 'The body's so incredible in the way that it manages all of this quietly,' Gowers says. Is remission possible for everyone? When it comes to putting type 2 diabetes into remission, the goal is to drain the liver and pancreas of fat, so their function can return to normal, reversing insulin resistance – meaning that people can come off their medication. 'For people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the last year, that remission rate shoots up to 77 per cent,' Gowers says. 'For prediabetes, it's 93 per cent. The earlier in the journey that you find people, the better.' However, there are cases of patients who had type 2 diabetes for decades being able to reverse it. Even if you're unable to hit remission, there are still benefits of following a low-carb diet in an attempt to reverse it, she notes. Weight loss is one of them. 'We've had people who have had diabetes for 20, 30 years and they make phenomenal progress,' she says. 'They'll reduce their medication, their blood pressure will come down, they'll lose a bit of weight, they'll feel more energetic. There will always be improvements, even if we don't call it remission, so it's definitely worth a go.' How to reverse type 2 diabetes Reduce your sugar and carb intake Cutting out sugar and dramatically reducing your intake of carbohydrates, both of which cause surges in blood glucose, are the main changes needed to reverse type 2 diabetes, Gowers explains. 'You want to reduce them as low as required to achieve your goals, and this varies from person to person,' she says. The reason is that these foods raise insulin levels, and when these are high, you can't lose body fat, Gowers says. A low-carbohydrate diet means having no more than 130g per day. When you do have carbs, it should be whole-grain varieties, such as brown rice, pasta or bread. In practice, this means cutting out food including white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, crackers and cereal. Patients are advised to cut out added sugar – found in sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and fizzy drinks – and avoid foods that are high in natural sugar, such as honey and certain fruit. While blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are allowed as they are lower in natural sugar, it's recommended not to have some tropical fruit, such as bananas, oranges, grapes, mangoes or pineapple, because their sugar content is very high. It's also key to ditch low-fat foods, which are typically high in sugar. 'Go for full-fat dairy, fish, meat and eggs,' Gowers says. 'The natural fat that comes with those foods is fine. It's turning the current dietary guidelines on their head, really.' Consider options such as coleslaw for a tasty, low-carb side, and cheese, avocado and mayonnaise can also be enjoyed, she notes. Breakfast is a good place to start, when it comes to adopting the low-carb diet. 'People tend to consume a lot of carbs at breakfast, whether it's bread, cereal or pastries,' Gowers says. 'The human body only needs one teaspoon of glucose in the bloodstream at any one time and if you're having toast, cereal and orange juice for breakfast, that's going to break down into about 16 teaspoons of sugar. 'Full-fat yogurt and berries or eggs won't cause spikes in blood glucose and they're really nutrient-dense, meaning they will fill you up for the rest of the morning.' Fasting, which can be done by pushing back your first meal of the day until lunchtime, can also be a helpful tool in sticking to the low-carb diet, Gowers notes. You don't need to be worried about skipping a meal, she says. 'You're not starving – your body is going to be using fat stores, which is great. Think of it in terms of, I can either fuel my body with food or I can use my own fat stores as fuel.' However, she recommends anyone taking medication to seek advice before changing their meal patterns. Rather than a quick fix, the idea is that low-carb and low or no sugar are diet principles that you carry forward for life, she says. 'Some people might go all out for eight weeks to reverse their diabetes and then think, 'There's no way they can be as strict in the long term,' so make concessions to keep their diabetes status within the range they're happy with,' Gowers notes. This may mean that they are able to reduce their medication or put themselves into the prediabetes category, rather than fully reversing it, she says. Base meals on 'real' foods If you begin cutting out carbohydrates and sugar, you may naturally find yourself gravitating towards whole foods, such as protein, vegetables and dairy, Gowers says. 'Make sure you have a good amount of veg to fill you up – it also offers lots of fibre,' she notes. A large portion of broccoli, courgette or green beans can substitute mash, pasta or rice – and they can still be covered with gravy, Bolognese or curry. Thinly sliced cabbage that has been lightly boiled is a great low-carb option instead of tagliatelle, she notes. 'The idea is that the fewer carbs you're eating, your body shifts to burning fat, so you're going to be able to utilise your stored fat to fuel your body, rather than the sugar you were eating before,' she explains. 'The note of caution is that you don't want to add loads of extra fat when you're trying to lose weight – but it will fill you up. It's just eating real food and the fat that comes with that food.' It's also recommended not to eat too much processed meat, which includes ham, bacon and sausages. Snacking is generally not recommended, though some crudités with full-fat hummus, a couple of squares of dark chocolate or a few plain nuts won't spike your blood sugar or leave you feeling hungry, she says. 'But people find that they don't need all of those extra snacks that they were used to having before.' Have enough water and salt In the early stages of following the low-carb diet, it's important to make sure you're drinking plenty of water and having enough salt, Gowers says. 'When you switch over from having a diet that's very high in carbohydrates to low-carb, you may initially become dehydrated and get headaches or constipation,' she says. 'Insulin disrupts the way you process salt so you're releasing a lot of the salt and water that your kidneys were holding on to,' she explains. 'One of the reasons that people lose weight quite quickly is because you're losing all of that water retention.' As a result, you need to make sure you're replacing the lost salt, which you can simply do by adding salt to your meals as you cook them or adding an extra stock cube to your meals, as these are high in salt, she says. 'Having sufficient water and salt means you're not going to be dehydrated and you're less likely to get headaches, cramps and feel a bit lethargic as you transition to using fat as your fuel.' Have a support network When overhauling your diet, it's vital to have a support network around you to help you stay on track, Gowers says. 'Long-term support is what makes the difference,' she notes. It's especially important that it's available when people feel like they've drifted off their diet and are trying to get back on it again. On the eight-week TLC course, there are weekly 90-minute Zoom sessions overseen by a health coach. Once the course is finished, people are invited to monthly catch-up meetings, where there are guest speakers, such as consultants and chefs. There are also Facebook and WhatsApp groups for people to chat to each other or suggest low-carb meal ideas, and some meet for coffee or go for walks together, she says. 'It's keeping the momentum going,' she says. If you don't join the course, you can enlist the help of friends and family to keep you on track. It's initial intensive support, as well as the long-term support after the course, that is vital to ensure patients stick to the healthy changes they've made, Gowers explains. 'People can dip in and dip out; it's not that everybody needs the support all the time but you've got to be there so that when someone needs it, you're there to help and get them back on track.' Prioritise diet over exercise While exercise is excellent for health, diet is the focus when it comes to reversing type 2 diabetes, according to Gowers. 'It's what's going to give you 70 per cent of the benefits,' she says. However, you're much more likely to maintain your dietary changes if you bring in some exercise as well, so it's important to be more active, even if it's not straight away when you first try the diet, she notes. 'Once you've regained some metabolic health, you've lost a bit of weight, you're feeling so much better, you are much more likely to want to do some exercise. 'Don't beat yourself up trying to go to the gym three times a week at the beginning; start with diet and naturally you will feel more like moving about as time goes on.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Metro
20-07-2025
- Health
- Metro
Almost half of people don't wash their hands after using hospital toilets
It's one of the simplest steps in stopping germs from spreading – but nearly half of hospital toilet users are failing to wash their hands, a new study has found. Researchers at the University of Surrey put sensors on toilet and sink pipes to monitor hygiene behaviours at a hospital in Denmark. Over the roughly five-month period, they found that 43.7% of users did not wash their hands after using the loo. The figure, which jumped to 61.8% on some of the weeks, has raised the alarm about hygiene practices that some might have assumed had become commonplace after the pandemic. Dr Pablo Pereira Doel from the University of Surrey said people failing to wash their hands could 'directly affect patient safety' in hospitals. People were especially bad at washing their hands at the start and end of the day, as well as during mealtimes. NHS guidance says hand washing is 'one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and others from illnesses'. The advice hit the headlines at the start of the pandemic when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the nation to 'wash your hands for 20 seconds or more'. Professor Benjamin Gardner, from the University of Surrey, said: 'Strategies that raise awareness at the crucial point in a bathroom visit and easily understood messaging about how to wash effectively – like singing Happy Birthday twice over – can help people form handwashing habits that last.' The study took place at Bispebjerg hospital in Copenhagen, recording 2,636 over the course of 19 weeks. More Trending Professor Carrie Newlands, also of the University of Surrey, added the latest findings are 'not surprising'. 'Even simple behaviours like handwashing can lapse without reinforcement. 'In hospitals, lapses like these can have serious consequences – for patients and for the wider healthcare system. 'It's time we moved beyond posters and hand gel stations to more effective behavioural strategies.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 21 seconds to go: The golden rule for how long it should take you to pee MORE: The reason why this famous TV doctor travelled 360 miles for surgery MORE: I'm a millennial – please stop sending me perimenopause memes
