WEIRD STUFF

Study says teenage drinkers make more money

Teenagers who binge drink with friends may end up earning more money later in life.

Researchers at the University of Oslo tracked more than 3,000 Norwegians, age 13 to 31, for more than 18 years and found that those who drank regularly in their late teens and 20s went on to have higher levels of education and income than those who rarely drank or abstained altogether.

Lead expert Professor Willy Pedersen told The Times newspaper: "The statistical findings are quite strong, so clearly significant.

"The most likely explanation is that all alcohol is a kind of marker of sociality and that habit comes with some types of benefits."

The boffin also argues that booze can help individuals build both connections and confidence.

He wrote in the Afterposten newspaper: "Alcohol intoxication can make us lower our guard, and that can be useful in many areas of life."

While the study highlights possible social benefits of moderate drinking, researchers emphasised it should not be seen as encouragement for teens to drink -- noting that alcohol remains a major public health concern worldwide.

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Music helps prevent dementia -- Study

Tuning in to your favourite songs could help protect against dementia.

Scientists at Monash University in Australia tracked more than 10,800 adults age over 70 and found that those who regularly listened to music had a 39 per cent lower risk of developing the condition, compared with those who rarely did.

Playing a musical instrument also reduced the risk by 35 per cent, while combining both habits lowered dementia risk by a third.

The study revealed that frequent music listeners not only had fewer cases of dementia, but also performed better on tests of memory and overall cognition.

The research's senior author Professor Joanne Ryan said: "Evidence suggests that brain ageing is not just based on age and genetics, but can be influenced by one's own environmental and lifestyle choices. Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and/or playing music, can promote cognitive health."

With no cure for dementia, researchers say such accessible lifestyle changes could play a vital role in delaying or even preventing the onset of the disease.

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Doctors perform surgery from thousands of miles away

Doctors from Scotland and the US have successfully carried out what's believed to be the world's first remote stroke surgery using a robot -- a breakthrough that could revolutionise emergency care.

Professor Iris Grunwald, from the University of Dundee, performed a robotic thrombectomy -- the removal of blood clots after a stroke -- on a human cadaver located in another facility.

Hours later, Dr Ricardo Hanel, a neurosurgeon in Florida, carried out the same procedure remotely from more than 4,000 miles away, in what's being hailed as the first transatlantic robotic operation of its kind.

The feat marks a major step towards using robotic technology to treat stroke patients in remote areas where specialist surgeons are unavailable.

Professor Grunwald said: "It felt as if we were witnessing the first glimpse of the future.

"Where previously this was thought to be science fiction, we demonstrated that every step of the procedure can already be done."

Researchers at Dundee's World Federation for Interventional Stroke Treatment training centre said the innovation could one day save thousands of lives by drastically cutting treatment delays after stroke.