Scientists develop brightest ever x-ray source

Washington: The x-ray has just got 100 million times brighter, thanks to next-generation light sources like free electron laser oscillator - or the X-FELO.   X-FELO will open up breakthrough scientific opportunities in various research fields. Its characteristics are ideally suited for bulk-sensitive, hard x-ray photo-emission spectroscopy.   Existing technology uses undulators to create bright x-ray beams of spontaneous emission at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne.   Much of the research for x-ray free electron lasers has been concentrated on self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), which would amplify them by a factor of a million or more in a single pass.   A user of SASE will see x-ray brightness that is about 10,000 times brighter than what the APS is delivering, Argonne's Kwang-Je Kim said.   X-FELO, devised by US Department of Energy scientists, the electron pulse enters an undulator and generates an x-ray that is reflected back into the undulator entrance by crystals and connects with the next electron bunch and again travels back along the undulator. This pattern is repeated indefinitely with the x-ray intensity growing each time until equilibrium is reached.   An X-FELO will enhance the flux by six to eight orders of magnitude, shortening the data collection times by the same factor.   The intensity of individual x-ray pulse from an X-FELO is lower by about three orders of magnitude. However the X-FELO pulse has extremely narrow bandwidth, three to four orders of magnitude narrower than the SASE.   Accordingly an X-FELO user will see a brightness which is about six to eight orders of magnitude brighter than any previously created and three to four orders of magnitude brighter than proposed SASE technology.

Move over '.com' and get ready for '.sex'

London: Come 2009, and almost any word will be able to replace ".com" in a Web page address – thanks to a decision made by the organisation that manages the technical underpinnings of the Web, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, (ICANN). ICANN unanimously approved the new guidelines as weeklong meetings in Paris concluded. Top-level domain names, or TLDs, refer to Internet name suffixes, such as the ubiquitous .com, .net and .org, among others. Currently, there are more than 200 TLDs, which also include the two-character country codes used by websites, such as Britain's .uk. Under the new plans, a domain name, the suffix at the end of a website address, can now be based on any string of letters. This will allow individuals to register a domain based on their own name, for example, as long as they can show a "business plan and technical capacity". The result could be the creation of thousands or even millions of new addresses. ICANN also voted collectively to open public comment on a separate proposal to permit addresses entirely in non-English languages for the first time. "We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated," BBC quoted Roberto Gaetano, a member of ICANN, as saying. Dr Paul Twomey, chief executive of ICANN, described passing the resolution as a "historic moment". ICANN officials said some technical issues for the new system must still be worked out, but it could be reviewing the first applications for new TLDs as early as 2009.

If That Is Your Real Name...

Madonna If That Is Your Real Name... by Mike Krumboltz Those born with a thirst for fame as well as an unfortunate (or boring) moniker face a tougher road to the A-list. So it's no wonder that many celebs choose to drop their given name for something a bit more... catchy. Of course, the gawking public isn't dumb. They know the odds are slim that Sting was born with such an evocative handle. Each week we see an avalanche of searches for celebrity "real names." Folks look up the obvious stage names (Larry the Cable Guy) as well as some that are a tad more subtle (John Wayne). Some of the lookups are met with disappointment. Madonna's real name is, in fact, Madonna. Same deal with Prince. Below we list the 20 top "real name" searches from the past week. Madonna and Tiger top the list, but you'll find all sorts of actors, athletes, and musicians in the mix. Most people stick with the name they're given. Celebrities are not "most people." 1. Tiger Woods Real Name (Eldrick Woods) 11. Bow Wow Real Name (Shad Gregory Moss) 2. Madonna Real Name (Madonna Ciccone) 12. Soulja Boy Real Name (DeAndre Ramone Way) 3. Lil' Wayne Real Name (Dwayne Carter Jr.) 13. Triple H Real Name (Paul Michael Levesque) 4. Miley Cyrus Real Name (Destiny Hope Cyrus) 14. Bono Real Name (Paul Hewson) 5. Coco Crisp Real Name (Covelli Crisp) 15. Sting's Real Name (Gordon Sumner) 6. Hilary Banks Real Name (played by Karyn Parsons) 16. Jay-Z's Real Name (Shawn Carter) 7. Gene Simmons Real Name (Chaim Witz) 17. Tila Tequila Real Name (Tila Nguyen) 8. Hulk Hogan Real Name (Terry Bollea) 18. Marilyn Manson Real Name (Brian Warner) 9. Larry the Cable Guy (Daniel Lawrence Whitney) 19. John Wayne Real Name (Marion Morrison) 10. Ray Stevens Real Name (Harold Ray Ragsdale) 20. Prince's Real Name (Prince Rogers Nelson)

1983 World Cup stars re-unite

It was an old boy`s reunion party on the New Delhi golf course where camaraderie was in full bloom and anecdotes flowed like old wine from the bunch of 1983 World Cup winning cricketers. Twelve members including team manager Man Singh signed a cricket bat adorned with 25 carat diamonds. The bat will be auctioned in London on Wednesday, during the silver jubilee celebrations of the 1983 World Cup win and the proceeds will be presented to the team members. Delhi. They shared the fond memories of the historic triumph after 25 years, on a golf course with their bats replacing golf clubs at the Jaypee Greens Golf Course in Greater Noida Sunday. Some of the dressing-room talk was revealed for the first time despite captain Kapil Dev`s best efforts to keep them private. Stories like Yashpal Sharma forcing Krishnamachari Srikkanth to watch Bollywood blockbuster `Kranti` several times to improve the latter`s Hindi made the handful of spectators burst into laughter. The players, who have since become legends, were also given a red carpet welcome by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As World-Cup winning captain Kapil Dev introduced his so-called `Devils` one by one on the dais, he was overcome with emotion. `It is very difficult to talk at this moment. We will never know how it happened. In life many such things happen. Later in your life you come to know how beautiful those moments were,` said Kapil. He paid rich tributes to the fans. `Twenty-five years back the love and affection that we got from the people was unparalleled. It can never match any amount of money.` Kapil also thanked the selectors and then board president NKP Salve for extending all support to them. `Salve`s leadership skills were par excellence,` he said. Former captains Chandu Borde and Bishan Singh Bedi, who were in the selection committee then, were present at the occasion. Board president Sharad Pawar said the historic victory accelerated the popularity of the game in the country and put Indian cricket on an upward path. Also present on the occasion were Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Mohammed Azharuddin and former board presidents Salve and Ranbir Singh Mahendra. `The win gave us a strong position that we enjoy in world cricket right now,` Pawar said. Each of the team members was presented with a cheque of Rs 25 lakhs and were felicitated by Pawar and Sports Minister MS Gill.

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Now, an 'orgasm jab' that hits women G-spots spot on!

London: Want to heat up your bedroom life? Get the 'G-shot', a treatment that enhances a woman's sexual experience by boosting the G-spot- the ultra-sensitive area of tissue that can hold the key to happy lovemaking.. Also known as the 'orgasm jab', the non-surgical treatment comes at a price of £800. Rather like lip-plumping jabs, the treatment involves injecting collagen straight into the G-spot, reports the Daily Mail. This not only enhances its sensitivity, but increases the width of the area to the size of a 10 pence piece. It also raises the G-spot a quarter of an inch in height, making it much easier to find. And, as Caroline can testify, the results are tremendous. The treatment is sure going to make women's sex life reach new levels as with the evolutionary treatment they can achieve multiple orgasms every time they have sex.

The secret to seducing a woman

The secret to seducing a woman –a touch on the arm London: Forget those cheesy pick-up lines and expensive colognes to impress a woman. The winning formula to land a hot date requires nothing but a straight look into her eyes accompanied by a light touch on her arm, according to a new study. The study, by scientists at Aberdeen University, has found that two-thirds of women gave a nod to dance with a man who requested for a dance by resting his hand on her arm for a second or two. And those who did not comply with the trick and kept their hands by their side while asking the same question had a success rate of only 50 per cent. In fact, women also preferred to give their phone-number to a man who touched their arm as he approached them in the street. Published in Focus Magazine, the study said that touching makes a man appear dominant, and henceforth more attractive to the opposite sex. In fact, researcher Dr Ben Jones said that making eye contact also indicates interest in a woman, but only if it is genuine. "Smiling can make you more attractive but it is worth bearing in mind that faking a smile is quite tricky," the Telegraph quoted Jones, as saying. And those men, who find it hard to fake a smile, are advised by Jones to take extra care of their skin, or stay amidst other women to appear more appealing.

Formula proves 'JUNE 20' the happiest day of the year!

Dump all your sorrows and spread smiles everywhere, for June 20 has been declared the Happiest Day of the year by a leading researcher at the University of Cardiff's Centre for Lifelong Learning, London. Cliff Arnell has taken the credit for discovering today's hyper-happy potential after working out maths formula – O + (N xS) + Cpm/T + He. He devised an elaborate scientific equation based on physical, emotional and stress factors that pointed to today as the optimum time for cheer and joy. Among the factors: It's the first day of summer - which means happy memories, more time to enjoy nature and the anticipation of holidays and vacations, reports the Telegraph. O stands for being outdoors and outdoor activity, N is connection with nature, which is in full bloom now, S is socialisation with neighbours and friends, Cpm stands for childhood positive memories, T is the mean temperature which is now usually warm, and He is holiday expected. Arnall, a psychologist and former tutor at Cardiff University, said that the main aim is to 'get people talking about what makes them happy'. Arnall, who was commissioned by Walls Ice Cream to carry out the study, also calculates the most depressing day of the year which is normally around the end of January which is based on the weather, debt after Christmas, time since Christmas and motivational levels and days to pay day.

Bra fitting guide

Studies have shown that nine out of ten women do not wear the correct bra size. In one study it was found that 100% of women were wearing the wrong size bra. Some 22% have never been measured. An ill fitting bra can cause problems such as wires digging in, chafing, pain in the neck and shoulders and discomfort in the breast. These problems can also lead the wearer to believe that they may need a breast reduction operation. So it is very important to make sure that your bra is really fit for its purpose. You should make sure that your breasts do not overhang over the cups creating 2 extra bosoms. Your breast should sit comfortably in the cups, without the wire cutting in. You may need a bigger cup size and a smaller back size for a perfect fit. Straps should not dig into the shoulders. The majority of women wear bras that are the wrong size. As you age, your body shape changes. So you will need to make sure that your bra size and fit changes with your body shape. But even if you think you know your correct size each manufacturer will have a different interpretation of fit and cut. The best way to get a bra that fits is to have a fitting with a bra fitting expert in a store. But you must find yourself a really experienced fitter as even they too could get your sizing incorrect. It is not an exact science. But the chart below can give you a good guide for fitting yourself. Measure yourself wearing what you feel is a good supportive non-padded bra. To find your Back Size, measure underneath your bust around your torso. Once you have your under bust measurement, round it up to the nearest inch. For example: Your underbust measurement is 33.3 inches. Rounded to the nearest inch gives 33 inches. If the measurement is an odd number - add 5 inches. If the measurement is an even number - add 4 inches. This is an odd number, so add 5 inches. This gives you a back size of 38. To find your Cup Size. Measure around the fullest section of your bust. Then work out the difference between your bust measurement and your under bust measurement, rounded to the nearest inch. Difference: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Cup Size: A B C D DD E F FF G GG H HH J For example: Your bust measurement is 43.7 inches. Rounded to the nearest inch gives 44 inches. Your back size was 38, so the difference is 6. From the table this gives an F cup. Your complete bra size is 38F. Measurements in Centimetres Back Size. Once you have your underbust measurement, rounded to the nearest centimetre, compare it to the table below to get your back size. Underbust: 63 to 67 68 to 72 73 to 77 78 to 82 83 to 87 88 to 92 93 to 97 98 to 102 103 to 107 108 to 112 113 to 117 118 to 122 123 to 127 128 to 132 Metric: 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 French: 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 For example: Your underbust measurement is 79.4cm. Rounded to the nearest cm gives 79cm. From the table, this is between 78 to 82 giving a Metric back size of 80 and a French back size of 95. Cup Size. Cup size is found by taking the difference between your bust measurement, rounded to the nearest cm, and your Metric back size. Use the table below to find your cup size. Difference: 9 to 11 12 to 13 14 to 16 17 to 18 19 to 21 22 to 23 24 to 26 27 to 28 29 to 31 32 to 33 34 to 36 37 to 38 39 to 41 Cup Size: A B C D DD E F FF G GG H HH J For example: Your bust measurement is 105.8cm. Rounded to the nearest cm gives 106. Your Metric back size was 80, so the difference is 26. From the table this gives an F cup. Your complete bra size is: Metric - 80F and French - 95F. If the size you found using this system is different from the size you wear now, try some different brands in this new sizing and see if you feel more comfortable both with the fit and appearance.

Bikini effect really does make men lose their heads!

Washington: If you want to make your man spend a little more money, all you need to do is strut about in a bikini or other sexy stimuli, as such things make men extremely impulsive when it comes to taking decisions either related to money or diet.
Lead researcher Bram Van Den Bergh of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium found that the desire for immediate rewards increased in men who touched bras, looked at pictures of beautiful women, or watched video clips of young women in bikinis running through a park.

It wasn't that the men were simply distracted by their sexual arousal, which caused them to choose more impulsively.

On the other hand, they showed improved cognition and creativity after exposure to sexy stimuli.

From the study findings, researchers concluded that there is one common appetite system in the brain monitoring our desire for a host of pleasures from sweets to pretty faces, alcohol to lotto winnings.

When it is stimulated by a sexy picture or the smell of baked goods, we experience a general craving for anything pleasant.

"Basically, you just want to be rewarded," Live Science quoted Barbara Briers, a researcher at HEC Paris School of Management, as saying.
Van Den Bergh and colleagues rendered the bikini-effect powerless by satiating the stirred appetite with a different type of reward - financial security.
A sense of personal wealth depends largely on what we perceive to be the society standard.
The researchers manipulated this perception to make male subjects feel relatively rich or relatively poor.

When a questionnaire suggested the average income in society was very small, smaller than most of the subjects' incomes, the men felt rich in comparison.
On the other hand, when the average income was implied to be very large, dwarfing that of the male subjects, most of the men began looking at their own earnings as piddling.
When the men felt well-off, the bikinis lost their influence.

However, if they considered themselves among the have-nots, they were likely to seek immediate gratification after seeing women running in bikinis. Evolution at work
Briers hypothesised, evolutionarily speaking, unfulfilled sexual arousal could trigger a subconscious belief that one's reproductive status is at stake.

Rendered fearful, men reach out for other resources, a quick payoff, fast food, to better their chances for survival.

Van Den Bergh said that the bikini effect does vary in strength from person to person.
While most men are vulnerable to subtle types of stimuli, like sexy ads and touching lingerie, others may need to see a woman nude before feeling impulsive.
No matter, Van Den Bergh warned, 'being exposed to a sexy girl may influence what stock you invest in or what candy bar you buy.'
The study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Obama seeks Hanuman's blessing!

Tuesday, 10 June , 2008

New York: It's unusual. But, it's a fact. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic party's presidential nominee, is seeking the blessings of Hindu god Hanuman in his battle for the White House.

The 46-year-old senator from Illinois, who defeated his rival Hillary Clinton in an epic 17-month long electoral battle for Democratic party nomination, carries a "tiny monkey god" apparently representing "Hanuman" with him for good luck.

A recent photo posted on Time's White House Photo of the Day collection shows the first ever Black-American nominee of a major US party for the Presidential elections carries with him a bracelet belonging to an American soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler's lucky chit, a tiny monkey god and tiny Madonna and child.

That "tiny monkey god," of course, appears to be a statue of the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman, says the posting but editors and the photographer has not identified it as such.

Obama, whose father was a Kenyan and mother a white woman from Kansas, spent initial days of his life in Indonesia where Hinduism is a popular religion.

In addition to a lucky penny, Republican candidate John McCain carries a lucky nickel, and a lucky rubber band, which he wears around his wrist. He also has a lucky sweater and a lucky hotel room in New Hampshire, says the caption on his photo.

"People give Clinton lucky items all the time on the campaign trail," said a Clinton spokesman.
"Recently, for example, she's received a lucky coin, a lucky handkerchief that a woman in Texas gave to her that she sometimes keeps in her pocket, and a lucky bracelet that a woman in Ohio gave her that she wears every day. She keeps all of them."

Human egg formation captured in camera

Friday, 13 June , 2008,

London: A researcher associated with the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) in Brussels has accidentally captured the images showing the production of an egg inside a woman's body, something known as 'ovulation' in medical terminology.

Jacques Donnez has revealed that he captured the event while preparing to carry out a partial hysterectomy on a 45-year-old woman.

Observing ovulation in humans is extremely rare, and previous images have been fuzzy.
"The release of the oocyte from the ovary is a crucial event in human reproduction. These pictures are clearly important to better understand the mechanism," New Scientist magazine quoted Donnez as saying.

Most scientists believe that the release of an egg occurs as a sudden, explosive event.
However, Donnez's pictures show it taking place over a period of at least 15 minutes.
The researcher says that shortly before the egg is released, enzymes break down the tissue in the mature follicle, a fluid-filled sac on the surface of the ovary that contains the egg.
He says that this prompts the formation of a reddish protrusion, and after a while a hole appears, from which the egg emerges, surrounded by support cells.

Donnez says that it then enters a Fallopian tube, which carries it to the uterus.
He admits that there are no immediate medical implications from the pictures.
However, Australian researcher Darryl Russell, who researches reproductive health at the University of Adelaide, calls the images remarkable.

"In animals, even when we control hormone levels - allowing us to predict the time at which ovulation will occur - it is very rare to see it in progress," Russell says.
The images captured by Donnez will be published in Fertility and Sterility.

The 8 signs that your lover is addicted to porn

Does your partner spend excessive amount of time on the Internet? Has he or she become less social as compared to before? Well, then you may have to stay a bit alert for these are some of the signs indicating your partner has slipped into the porn trap. What constitutes a porn addiction or compulsion is a hotly contested issue, and therefore knowing the symptoms is extremely important, reports Fox News. 1. Your partner is not as social as he used to be He has little interest in socialising with you or making time for others, including his family. He is excusing himself from activities, has unexplained absences, and is not able to account for his time. 2. Your partner lacks interest in sex or is sexually unresponsive A decrease in physical affection and non-sexual touch is among the signs.. If you have sex, it's because you are the one initiating it. Your partner is having trouble becoming sexually aroused. 3. Your partner is being uncharacteristically demanding or rough during sex. You're pressurised to engage in sexual activities that are either physically or emotionally uncomfortable. Your partner is using atypical sexual language, seems to be objectifying you and he has no qualms about it. 4. Your partner does not seem 'present.' Your lover has become emotionally distant during sex. You're starting to feel sexually rejected or neglected. In or out of the bedroom, you and your partner can no longer describe yourselves as emotionally intimate.. 5. Your partner has started to nit-pick your appearance. Your partner seems more and more concerned about your appearance, and if you're sexually attractive 'enough.' He might make cutting remarks about your weight or shape. He's also making insensitive sexual comments, which make you feel like a sex object. 6. You feel like you're no longer getting straight answers from your lover. You suspect that much of what is being said these days are white lies. He's defensive when asked about porn use, yet you are finding evidence of hiding, lying, and secretive behaviour, including porn materials you didn't know about. 7. Your partner is practically wed to the Internet. He spends more and more time on the computer, often demanding privacy and/or changing his bedtime ritual. 8. You've noticed a change in your partner's demeanour. Your partner just doesn't seem like himself. He has trouble calming down and sleeping. His moods and interests are different.

Women think of shopping as frequently as men think about sex!

London: Whether it is that new pair of Manolo Blahnik heels or that must-have H&M skirt, thoughts of indulging in 'retail therapy' dominate young women's waking hours as much as thoughts of sex dominate young men's minds. The findings is quite evident from the study, which has shown that 75 per cent of young women think about shopping almost as often as young men think about sex. Thoughts of buying that new dress or a much sought-after pair of shoes pop into their heads every 60 seconds, while men are believed to think of sex every 52 seconds, according to a survey by fashion website cosmopolitan.co.uk. Most worryingly for some of those sex-obsessed men, 50 per cent of the women surveyed said they preferred shopping to spending time with their partner. Assuming eight hours of sleep a night means shopping trips consume womens' thoughts an astonishing 960 times a day and 6,720 times a week. The survey interviewed 778 women between 19 and 45, and 74 per cent admitted to thinking about shopping every minute. Almost 50 per cent respondents said that they did not wear everything in their wardrobe and 40 per cent described themselves as bag or shoe 'addicts'. Even the threat of a credit crunch will not stand in the way of a shopping spree, with 62 per cent saying they will put the damage on their credit card. Nearly a quarter said they would think nothing of spending 200 pounds or more on an item they particularly wanted. "So many women displaying this level of preoccupation would indicate widespread addictive behaviour," the Telegraph quoted psychologist Dr Jane Prince, of the University of Glamorgan, as saying.

Oral sex causing small-scale throat cancer epidemic

Melbourne: Growing prevalence of oral sex may be leading to an increased incidence of throat cancer, according to a new study. In the study, a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), contracted through oral sex, was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use. With 6,000 cases per year and an annual increase of up to 10 per cent in men younger than 60, some researchers believe that the HPV-linked throat cancers could overtake cervical cancer in the next decade. "It's almost a new disease, in a sense. It's now becoming a dominant sub-type of the disease that we see in our clinic," The Age.com.au quoted Dr Ezra Cohen, an oncologist at the University of Chicago Medical Centre, as saying. The HPV infections likely took root decades ago as the Baby Boomers were reaching adulthood, and only now are spurring a rise in throat cancer cases, mostly among men and women in their 50s. Experts suspect that the reason behind the increase is the changes in sexual practices that emerged in the 1960s and '70s. Dr Maura Gillison, a professor of oncology and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Centre, said: "Those people were in their teens during the sexual revolution, so they may be leading the wave." Just a decade ago, doctors believed nearly all such cancers were linked with smoking or extremely heavy drinking. However, last year, Gillison's team published a major study that found stark differences between the risky behaviours of throat cancer patients with HPV and those without. The HPV-positive cancer patients tended to have had higher numbers of sex partners than the others and were far more likely to have had multiple oral-sex partners. For the study, Gillison's group tested hundreds of head and neck tumours that doctors began saving in the early 1970s, long before anyone knew such cancers might be linked to HPV. The work showed that the number of HPV-positive tumours increased by about 1 per cent a year on average, though the trend has quickened in the last decade, especially in men younger than 60. Scientists aren't even sure yet whether the virus might be spread by kissing, though data suggest oral sex is a major route of transmission.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
By LAURA BLUE
Sleep is one of the richest topics in science today: why we need it, why it can be hard to get, and how that affects everything from our athletic performance to our income. Daniel Kripke, co-director of research at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in La Jolla, Calif., has looked at the most important question of all. In 2002, he compared death rates among more than 1 million American adults who, as part of a study on cancer prevention, reported their average nightly amount of sleep. To many his results were surprising, but they've since been corroborated by similar studies in Europe and East Asia. Kripke explains.
Q: How much sleep is ideal?
A: Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hours or more, or less than 6.5 hours, they don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hours. Sleeping 8.5 hours might really be a little worse than sleeping five.
Morbidity, [or sickness,] is also "U-shaped," in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses - with depression, with obesity, and therefore with heart disease and so forth. But the [ideal amount of sleep] for different health measures isn't all in the same place. Most of the "low points" are at seven or eight hours, but there are some at six and some even at nine. I think diabetes is lowest in seven-hour sleepers, [for example]. But these measures aren't as clear as the mortality data.
I think we can speculate [about why people who sleep 6.5 to 7.5 hours live longer], but we have to admit that we don't really understand the reasons. We don't really know yet what is cause and what is effect. So we don't know if a short sleeper can live longer by extending their sleep, and we don't know if a long sleeper can live longer by setting the alarm clock a bit earlier. We're hoping to organize tests of those questions.
One of the reasons I like to publicize these facts is that I think we can prevent a lot of insomnia and distress just by telling people that short sleep is OK. We've all been told you ought to sleep eight hours, but there was never any evidence. A very common problem we see at sleep clinics is people who spend too long in bed. They think they should sleep eight hours or nine hours, so they spend eight or nine hours in bed, with the result that they have trouble falling asleep and they wake up a lot during the night. Oddly enough, a lot of the problem [of insomnia] is lying in bed awake worrying about it. There have been many controlled studies in the United States, Great Britain and other parts of Europe that show that an insomnia treatment that involves getting out of bed when you're not sleepy, and restricting your time in bed, actually helps people to sleep more. They get over their fear of the bed. They get over the worry, and they become confident that when they go to bed they will sleep. So spending less time in bed actually makes sleep better.. It is in fact a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills. View this article on Time.com

Also read
How to sleep better ?

Tips for good sleep

Tips for good sleep

• Tips
• Don't nap for more than 15-20 minutes per day. It can throw off your sleep cycle and make it harder for you to get good sleep at night.
• Try removing your socks for an hour before you go to bed and putting them on right before you go to sleep—the shock of warmth and comfort may help you get to sleep.
• Wear appropriate clothing that reflects the weather. Don't forget your feet—cold feet can keep you awake! Keep a sweatshirt or an extra blanket right next to the bed, just in case you get too cold at night.
• Avoid leaving your TV or music on overnight. If you need it to fall asleep, use the timer feature to make sure that it turns off by the time you fall asleep.
• Keep your eyes closed! It may sound intuitive, but it is hard to fall asleep when you are staring at the ceiling.
• If you can't fall asleep within the first 40 minutes of going to bed, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy. Lying in bed awake for long periods of time will cause you to associate your bed with not sleeping.
• You may try using a particular ritual before you go to bed that will make you sleepy. For example, you might try taking a warm bath, reading a book, or drinking a glass of warm milk.
• Try using lavender. The scent may help you to calm yourself down and may make you feel a little sleepy. If you have lavender scented body splash or perfume, you can try scenting your pillow with it.
• Feeling too hot? Learn how to sleep comfortably on a hot night. Feeling too cold? Learn how to sleep when it's cold.
• Try taking a cool shower before going to bed. You'll wash off a good deal of what might make you itchy, especially if you've been outdoors and have a bug bite or two.
• Keep bedroom clutter to a minimum so the last thing you see at night is your bed, rather than all the little things that need to be taken care of.
• Here is how you can find the optimal thickness for a pillow: Stand comfortably with your back against a wall. The distance between the wall and your head is the ideal compressed pillow thickness.
• Try to keep your bedroom quiet. Having distracting noises that startle you can keep you awake.
• Try sleeping with an open window. Fresh air on a cool night can help you to relax.
• If you are struggling to sleep due to changes in your sleep cycle, try taking melatonin before you go to sleep. Continue this routine for a few days, or as instructed on the back of the medicine bottle.

Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy

Single-horned 'Unicorn' deer found in Italy This updated photo provided by the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, Italy, Wednesday, June 11, 2008, shows a deer with a single horn in the center of its head. The one-year-old Roe Deer - nicknamed 'Unicorn'' - was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences, said. He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.(AP Photo/Center of Natural Sciences, ho) By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 11, 3:06 PM ET ROME - A deer with a single horn in the center of its head — much like the fabled, mythical unicorn — has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday. "This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, told The Associated Press. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal." The 1-year-old Roe Deer — nicknamed "Unicorn" — was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said. He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns. Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn. The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter. "This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly," he said by telephone. "It's not like they dreamed it up." Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of — but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said. "Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case," said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal's life. Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.

How to sleep better ?

If you've already figured out how to fall asleep, but you're having trouble getting good sleep through the night (i.e. tossing, turning, waking up more than once), this article will tell you what you can do to ensure a peaceful night's slumber. Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely disrupt your sleep quality by "advancing the sleep phase". For example, let's say you normally wake up at 7 a.m.. on weekdays to get to work, so you get to bed around 11 p.m. because that's when you start to feel sleepy (and it's also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep). If, on the weekend, you sleep in until 9 a.m., you probably won't be able to fall asleep that night until 1 a.m. Then, you probably won't want to wake up the next morning until 10 a.m., in which case it will start getting very difficult to fall asleep at 11 p.m. again. In other words, your body thrives on running on a routine; erratic sleeping sessions will interfere with your internal "biological clock." Be mindful of what you have eaten or drunk before bed. Your stomach should not be too full, but not too empty. Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep. Digestion doesn't work well while asleep, and a full stomach may interrupt sleep. Do not eat heavy foods for the few hours prior to sleep. Similarly, you should avoid going to bed on an empty stomach, as a completely empty stomach may equally interfere with your sleeping patterns.[1] Switch to decaf coffee and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks. Caffeine can keep you awake even if you drank it earlier in the day, as the effects of caffeine last for about 8 hours. Avoid tobacco products in the evenings as well. Try to avoid drinking water or other fluids one hour before you go to sleep, but make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water during the day. A well hydrated body will not wake you up thirsty in the middle of the night. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it will reduce sleep quality. If you find that your stomach is grumbling for food and is keeping you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime. Stick to foods that contain high levels of tryptophan, such as milk, turkey, yogurt, ice cream, soy beans, tuna, and peanuts. Tryptophan helps the body produce serotonin in order to relax.[2] Keep the room dark. Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body's internal cycles. This has been documented in studies surrounding circadian rhythms.[3] Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light. Pull curtains across, blinds down or shut the shutters, to prevent outdoor lights from shining on you. If you wake up and see any kind of bright light, you'll have a much harder time falling back asleep. Try to eliminate all sources of light, including from windows, LED clocks and cable boxes, by covering them with heavy paper or cloth covers, or blue tack. Change your sleeping position. You may think that it's impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren't fully aware of what you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual: Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don't use a flat pillow that causes your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don't stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle. Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable—plus, it feels good! Place a pillow under your legs, if you sleep on your back, to take stress off your lower back. Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the mid-line position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you must, bend one arm upwards and place it under your pillow. This will help alleviate stress on your back and neck by slightly propping up your body on one side. Maintain your mattress. Turn the mattress over every few months. Replace it after 5-7 years of regular use. If you feel springs or ridges beneath the surface when you're lying on the bed, or you and your partner roll to the middle of the bed unintentionally, it's time to go mattress shopping. You may also find that the mattress is to blame if you find yourself sleeping better in another bed. Exercise. If you have a sedentary job, a lack of physical exertion may be reducing the quality of your sleep. The human body uses sleep to repair and recover. If there isn't much from which to recover, your body's sleep cycle could be disrupted. A day of physical exertion (such as taking a run or a swim) or, better yet, regular exercise can make for deeper and more restful sleep. Don't exercise right before bed to help you get to sleep; it tires out your muscles and makes you even wider awake. Make note of unusual circumstances. Many outside factors can contribute to overall sleeplessness, including stress, certain illnesses, or short-term post-traumatic stress. Have there been any recent events or changes that have been troubling or otherwise preoccupying you? This issue may be following you subconsciously and interfering with your sleep. If the issue itself cannot be addressed or resolved directly, consider employing relaxation techniques such as meditation. Visit your doctor. If you are concerned that you may have a sleep disorder, tell your doctor. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy, parasomnias, and heartburn (acid reflux). If you are indeed suffering from and are diagnosed with any of these conditions, your doctor will recommend treatment accordingly. Don't sleep on a couch or a sofa. Even resting on a couch or sofa can reduce your energy levels later on. Make sure that when sleeping or even taking an afternoon nap you lie on a comfortable bed with your limbs outstretched as this improves the effectiveness of your rest and better prepares you for the evening or the next day.