WEIRD STUFF

Granny beats trillion-to-one odds on golf course

A 74-year-old amateur golfer from Devon has beaten almost unimaginable odds by scoring three holes-in-one in just one month.

Lyn Parry, who only began playing golf at age 58, pulled off the extraordinary hat-trick in October - sinking two aces at her home course, Downes Crediton, and a third at Tiverton Golf Club.

England Golf has called the achievement "astounding", estimating the chances of such a feat at roughly 1.95 trillion to one.

Parry, who now has five career holes-in-one, said the sport has never been about statistics for her, but pure enjoyment.

She said: "The holes-in-one have just come along a bit like buses. You're never too old - the beauty of golf is that it's for all ages. My only regret is that I didn't play when I was younger."

England's golf championships director, James Crampton, added: "The odds are staggering. Some people go their whole lives without getting a single hole-in-one, let alone three in a month."

---------

Scientists turn to camels for Alzheimer's treatment

Tiny proteins found in the blood of llamas and camels could open the door to breakthrough treatments for brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.

These special molecules, called nanobodies, are tiny versions of antibodies that work with the immune system to fight illness. First identified in the 1990s in camelids -- such as camels, llamas and alpacas - they are roughly one-tenth the size of traditional antibodies.

Unlike conventional antibody-based drugs, which often fail to cross the brain's protective barrier, nanobodies are small enough to slip through and directly target brain cells. Researchers say this could allow for more precise treatments with fewer side effects.

Professor Philippe Rondard of France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) said: "Camelid nanobodies open a new era of biologic therapies for brain disorders and revolutionise our thinking about therapeutics. We believe they can form a new class of drugs between conventional antibodies and small molecules."

Experts say the findings could be a significant step toward safer, more effective treatments for neurological diseases.

----------

Coffee may protect the heart

A daily cup of coffee could help protect the heart rather than endanger it, according to a surprising new study.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that people who drank one cup of coffee or espresso each day had a 39 per cent lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation -- a common heart rhythm problem linked to stroke and heart failure.

The results challenge decades of advice urging heart patients to avoid caffeine out of concern that it might trigger palpitations or irregular beats.

The trial monitored 200 coffee drinkers with persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, all preparing for electrical cardioversion - a procedure used to reset the heart's rhythm. Participants were divided into two groups: one avoided caffeine for six months, and the other continued drinking coffee daily.

Christopher Wong, the study's lead author, said: "The results were astounding. Doctors have always recommended that patients with atrial fibrillation minimise coffee intake, but this trial suggests that coffee is not only safe but likely to be protective."

Experts say the study could reshape medical guidance, indicating that moderate caffeine intake may actually support heart health.