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It’s safe to say summer has officially started. Temperatures are now firmly above 25C across much of the UK, the sunshine is hotter, noses are stuffy and the air is muggy, sometimes making it difficult to sleep. Keeping cool in a heatwave is a priority – but it also gives rise to various theories and myths on how to achieve this… Sleeping naked cools you down Sleeping naked seems like the easiest and quickest way to cool your body temperature down after being out all day. But this isn’t necessarily the case, according to Abbas Kanani, a superintendent pharmacist at Chemist Click Online Pharmacy. “Sweat collects on the body and remains there when we have no clothes on,” Kanani explained. “Although having less layers on the body can help you to feel more comfortable in the heat, wearing lightweight nightwear made from breathable fabrics helps draw sweat away from your body and makes you feel a lot cooler and more comfortable.” So what should you wear at night to keep cool? “Clothing made from natural fabrics like cotton or linen are breathable and absorbent,” Kanani recommended. “They will soak the sweat up off your skin and they let air through, which cools you down.” People don’t die from heat in this country The UK sun can feel different compared to when you are sunbathing and drinking cocktails on a beach in Barcelona – but that can catch people out. “The biggest myth is that the weather in the UK isn’t hot enough to be dangerous,” said Dr Adam Staten, a clinical director at One Day Tests and NHS GP. “Whilst we don’t have that many really hot days, when it is hot, it can be fatal. For example, during the heatwave last summer, hundreds more people died than normal for that time in the year.” Staten suggests we overcomplicate things when trying to keep cool. “Most measures are really simple and include common sense measures like keeping curtains drawn, keeping windows open or taking cool showers or baths.” Sticking to hot drinks will keep you cool Who else thinks drinking tea or coffee in hot weather will cool you down? For Staten, “One myth that seems to come up a lot is that hot drinks are better for cooling you down than cold drinks. I think the evidence actually shows that it doesn’t really matter – as long as you are keeping hydrated, your drinks can be hot or cold.” Pharmacist Kanani agrees with that final point. “Hydration is vital for keeping cool in hot temperatures. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to stay hydrated. Avoid excessive consumption of caffeinated or alcoholic beverages as they can contribute to dehydration.” You only need to wear sunscreen when the sun’s out Another common misconception is thinking that you can’t get sunburnt when it is cloudy outside. “This isn’t true,” Kanani said. “Although it’s less likely than when you’re out in full sunshine, clouds don’t block all of the sun’s UV rays.” It’s also why people either only apply sunscreen in the morning or none at all. “Many people think that when sunscreen is waterproof, it means they do not need to reapply it after swimming or sweating. It should be reapplied straight after you have been in water, towel drying, sweating or when it may have rubbed off.” Sunburn is something to be careful of. Staten said: “It’s really common and can actually be very severe both in the short term and for the longer term risk of skin cancer.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 7 hay fever hacks to ease your symptoms this summer The pests you really don’t want invading your garden and how to deter them How to take care of your mental health at festivals

Artificial intelligence has been used to generate images showing some of the most controversial world leaders as babies and the results are strangely sweet. In recent years, AI has come to the fore as one of the most powerful and perhaps terrifying new types of technology we have ever seen. It has the ability to learn via data and produce results based on the information it is fed. One person has now used the technology to produce images of different world leaders as babies. On Instagram, a user named Planet AI explained they asked “AI to Draw World Leaders as Babies” and the results were pretty surprising. Included in the images were Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the UK’s former PM Boris Johnson and the former US president Donald Trump. Remarkably, the AI-generated image managed to make the war-mongering Russian leader Vladimir Putin appear relatively sweet and innocent. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In the comments, people certainly had some thoughts about the images AI had come up with. Someone commented: “Kim Jong Un did not change.” Another said: “I'm finding it really funny that Pope Francis is still in his pope clothes. Makes me think of a baby running the Catholic church.” “Putin is so sweet and Obama also,” another argued. On Twitter, another person wrote: “Joe Biden looks so old that even his baby version looks about 60 years old!” While AI technology can be used for relatively harmless entertainment purposes, one woman discovered how powerful it can be after claiming she “lost her job to AI” and had to apply for the job to train it. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A white dwarf star is undergoing the process of turning into a “cosmic diamond” as it begins to crystalise. The lullaby “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” talks about stars in the sky looking like diamonds, but for one specific type of star, that observation is truer than for others. Astronomers have observed that when a specific type of dead star starts to cool, it begins to crystalise and harden. An international team of astronomers, led by Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, have explained in a new paper Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society how a white dwarf star around 104 light-years away is doing just that. They noticed that the star, composed primarily of carbon and metallic oxygen, has a temperature-mass profile that suggests its centre is hardening into a dense “cosmic diamond” made of crystallised carbon and oxygen. The study explained: "In this work we present the discovery of a new Sirius-like quadruple system at 32 parsecs distance, composed of a crystallizing white dwarf companion to the previously known triple HD 190412.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It continued: “By virtue of its association with these main sequence companions, this is the first crystallizing white dwarf whose total age can be externally constrained, a fact that we make use of by attempting to empirically measure a cooling delay caused by core crystallization in the white dwarf.” All stars eventually die out when they run out of energy. Of those that have a mass of less than around eight times that of the Sun, the vast majority will form a white dwarf star. The matter of a white dwarf star is highly compressed and as they gradually cool, they evolve into a black dwarf star when they lose heat and crystalise. Scientists’ calculations estimate the process takes around a quadrillion years (one million billion years) to complete, though the signs that the process is occurring can be identified by experts. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

After 11 weeks of ups and downs, we are halfway through the season. Here's where every team stands in our NWSL power rankings.We are officially halfway through the NWSL season, and with no games in hand all the standings are true. In terms of points, the San Diego Wave sit top of the table ...

According to health officials, people sought advice for hay fever symptoms once every three seconds on Sunday. And today, the Met Office predicted the pollen count would be “very high” in most of England and Wales.Hay fever is usually at its worst between March and September – and right now, thousands of people affected are desperate for a solution to their pollen-induced runny noses, itchy eyes and tickly coughs, and other irritating symptoms. The hay fever pages on the NHS.uk website reportedly received 122,650 visits last week alone. So, what can you do to help with hay fever symptoms? 1. Don’t rub your eyes “Red, itchy, swollen eyes are often a real problem for hay fever sufferers,” explained pharmacist Sid Dajani, from Golden Eye Eye Care. “As tempting as it is, don’t rub your eyes. Clean them free of pollen frequently, with cotton lint and cold water, and treat the symptoms immediately with eye drops or eye ointment containing propamidine isetionate.”2. Don sunnies and keep your clothes cleanReducing your exposure to pollen, however possible, can really help. Dajani added: “Wear wrap-around sunglasses to protect your eyes when outside, and have a shower when you get in from work and put your clothes straight in the wash to help remove all pollen. It’s also best to avoid drying clothes outside.”3. Think about your diet What you eat may have an impact too. GP Dr Nisa Aslam suggested: “Stick to an anti-inflammatory diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, grains and oily fish, whilst limiting processed food high in fat, sugar and salt. Look for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant herbs, like chamomile, ginger, nettle and turmeric. These can be consumed in the form of supplements or beverages.”4. Protect your nostrilsDr Adam Fox, allergist and advisor to Clarityn, said: “Pollen balms such as petroleum jelly rubbed around the rim of the nostrils can help trap pollen before it enters the nose, and salt water nasal sprays help rinse pollen particles out of the nose, preventing them from sitting in there and causing more symptoms.”5. Keep the windows shut As tempting as it may be to fling windows open at this time of year, Dijani said: “Keep windows, including car windows, and doors shut. Venture out as little as possible. Towns and cities are no more friendly to hay fever sufferers than the countryside, due in part to more extensive ‘greening’ of urban areas.” 6. Prepare for the pollen count Checking to see when the pollen is particularly high can help you prepare. “If you know you have symptoms every year, then it makes sense to be prepared in advance,” said Fox. “If you require a nasal spray, then starting to use it before the season starts will make it much more effective. For adults, these can be brought over the counter, whilst children will need a prescription.” 7. Stay in when the count is really high And if symptoms are still really getting to you? “Avoid going outside when the pollen count is at its highest – in the middle of the morning or the early evening,” said Dajani.

BBQs are just as much about the side dishes as they are the burgers and various grilled meats, but that doesn’t mean you’re limited to serving soggy lettuce. These Maldon Salt salad recipes deliver on everything from a fresh and vibrant orange and carrot salad with halloumi, to a light but flavour-packed pasta salad. Or get your greens in with a steak salad with broccoli, parmesan, and a chilli and herb dressing. Orange and carrot salad with grilled halloumi This orange and carrot salad, paired with barbecue grilled halloumi creates the perfect salad for any summer dinner party. Ingredients: 2 Navel oranges 2 blood oranges 2 carrots 200g halloumi cheese 2 tbsp black olives 2 sprigs of fresh mint 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Maldon Salt 1 pinch of cumin Freshly ground black pepper Method: 1. Wash, dry and de-leaf the fresh mint. Set aside a few whole leaves and chop up the rest finely. Juice ½ a blood orange, filter out the excess bits/pips with a sieve, then season the juice with Maldon Salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, cumin and chopped mint and mix together well. Put this salad dressing in the fridge for later. 2. Cut the peel and pith away from the rest of the oranges with a very sharp knife until the pulp is completely clean. Cut each orange into segments and toss into a salad bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, finely shred the peeled carrots into the bowl, and add the olives and salad dressing together. 3. Chop the halloumi into thin slices, lightly brush with olive oil and then grill on the barbecue until golden on both sides. Serve together with the salad. Add a pinch of Maldon Salt for seasoning. Pasta salad The simple yet delicious pasta salad is easy to make, perfect for the hot summer months when craving for something light but packed full of flavour. Ingredients: 350g short pasta 150g cherry tomatoes 1 bag of mini mozzarella balls 16 black olives 8 anchovy fillets in oil 2 tbsp chopped toasted pistachios or pine nuts 16 capers ¼ medium red onion 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 sprigs of fresh basil with small leaves Maldon Salt Black pepper Method: 1. Wash, dry and chop the tomatoes into eighths, place them in a salad bowl and season with Maldon Salt and pepper. 2. Add the drained mozzarella balls, olives, capers and chopped onion and drizzle with olive oil. Drain the anchovies and add to the mix. Wash and dry the basil and then remove the leaves from the stem. 3. Cook the pasta al dente in plenty of salted water, according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and cool under cold running water. Once fully drained, mix the pasta in with the rest of the ingredients in the salad bowl. 4. To plate up, place the anchovies on top, sprinkle on the pistachios and basil leaves and serve at room temperature. Steak salad with purple broccoli, parmesan, and chilli and herb dressing A beautiful seared steak salad recipe paired with the best in season purple sprouting broccoli and broad beans. Ingredients: 400g sirloin steak 100ml plive oil, plus extra for frying A handful of chopped parsley A handful of chopped coriander 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 200g purple sprouting broccoli 150g broad beans, blanched 50g wild rocket 25g aged parmesan 20g toasted pine nuts A pinch of Maldon Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 2. Begin by cooking the steak. Make sure your meat is out of the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it, so it has time to come up to room temperature. Get a frying pan or griddle pan on the heat get it to a nice high heat. Drizzle some olive oil onto your steak and season generously with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Once the pan is nice a hot, place the meat in and allow it to sear and sizzle on one side first. Depending on the size of your steak this can take a good 5 minutes on each side. You want good, deep caramelization on all sides of the meat. 3. While the meat is cooking place the purple sprouting broccoli onto a baking tray and drizzle over some oil and a pinch of Maldon salt. Place the tray into the oven and roast the broccoli for 10-12 minutes until tender and starting to char slightly. 4. Once the steak is cooked to your liking – we’ve served it medium rare here – remove from the pan and leave it to rest on a chopping board. The resting time is key! It helps keep all the cooking juices to stay absorbed inside before slicing. 5. While your meat rests, prepare the rest of the salad. Place the olive oil in a small bowl and mix with the chopped parsley and coriander, the diced red chilli and some Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Set this dressing aside. 6. On a large platter scatter over the wild rocket. Next top this with the roasted broccoli and the blanched broad beans. 7. The meat will be rested now, so carefully slice at a diagonal into thin slices. Place this over the salad. Any meat juices that are left on the board can be carefully poured into the bowl with the dressing ingredients. 8. Drizzle over the dressing, shave some parmesan across the top and sprinkle over toasted pine nuts. Give the whole salad a final pinch of Maldon salt and some cracked black pepper and then serve. Recipes from Maldon Salt. Find more at maldonsalt.com/recipes-tips-blog

He is expected to deny dozens of charges relating to the handling of US government secrets.

BUCHARESTRomanian prosecutors said on Tuesday that social media influencer Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan and two other suspects

Andy Muschietti got a "confidence boost" after his superhero movie 'The Flash' was praised by both Tom Cruise and Stephen King.

A whistleblower who claims that the US government has been operating UFO retrieval research in secret has reportedly said that UFOs have been responsible for the deaths of humans. David Grusch worked for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and was involved with the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. He claimed that some of the “non-human intelligences” discovered have malevolent intentions and have killed people. Speaking to NewsNation [via the Daily Mail], he also reportedly claimed that the US is in a race with Russia and China to study extraterrestrial life. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “I think the logical fallacy there is because they’re advanced, they’re kind. We’ll never really understand their full intent and that’s because we’re not them. But I think what appears to be malevolent activity has happened.” He added: “That’s based on nuclear site probing activities and witness testimony. Grusch was then asked if UFOs had ever killed humans and he replied: “While I can’t get into the specifics because that would reveal certain US classified operations, I was briefed by a few individuals on the program that there were malevolent events like that.” The 36-year-old also suggested that the US government would go to extreme lengths to keep secrets covered up, saying: “At the very least, I saw substantive evidence that white-collar crime was committed… unfortunately. “I’ve heard some really un-American things I don’t want to repeat right now.” Grusch previously claimed that the US government has a "non-human origin" in-tact craft that they're keeping from the public. Speaking to NewsNation, Grusch said: "These are retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it a spacecraft if you will, non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Happiness is one of life’s most elusive gifts – it is an emotion that can’t be pinned down. And yet, an animation showing a protein molecule “walking along”, carrying a large sphere, is widely credited with being a visual representation of joy itself. The gif has trended online for almost a decade but continues to breed delight in those who see it. Many people believe that it is – to use the technical terms – a myosin transporting endorphins in the brain. In other words, it is a scientific portrayal of the actual processes that give us that warm and fuzzy feeling. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter However, though we’d hate to dampen the mood, this isn’t quite accurate. In fact, the real brain behind the original clip, medical artist John Liebler, set out the truth back in 2014. @mommyca713 AMAZING! #cells #innerlife #happiness #lookslike #facts #fact #fyi #fyp #brain #research #facts #animation #myosin #interesting #education #viral #fypシ #humanbrain #mentalhealth #science #stem He explained that he, his team at medical technology company XVIVO, and two Harvard University researchers created the 3D computer animation in 2006 for a biology classroom video called ‘The Inner Life of the Cell’, as Science Alert reports. The educational clip wasn't intended to depict a brain process at all but to take the viewer "on a journey through the microscopic world of a cell, illustrating mechanisms that allow a white blood cell to sense its surroundings and respond to an external stimulus,” according to Liebler himself. So this is all about a protein in a white blood cell, not a protein in a neuron. The Inner Life of the Cell Animation youtu.be At any rate, happiness doesn’t just come about through a single process. So even if the clip did show endorphins being delivered to our brains, this wouldn’t offer a full picture. Dopamine, other neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), biological health and genetics all play a part in cementing our feelings of contentment. We don’t just rely on jolly little myosin proteins lugging around bundles of cheer. Still, the internet is now awash with jovial variations on the clip and it can’t be denied that the scene-stealing strutting protein is pretty damn cute. So if that’s enough to bring a smile to your face, maybe it is a representation of happiness after all. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Eclampsia is a rare complication of pre-eclampsia and can cause fits, seizures and strokes. The condition eclampsia describes the type of convulsion or fit – an involuntary contraction of the muscles – pregnant women can experience from week 20 of the pregnancy or immediately after the birth. What are the symptoms/ warning signs? Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually during the second half of the pregnancy (from 20 weeks) or soon after the baby is delivered. Early signs of pre-eclampsia include having high blood pressure (hypertension) and protein in your urine, according to the NHS. It’s difficult to notice the signs, but they can be picked up during routine antenatal appointments. Further symptoms of pre-eclampsia include a severe headache, vision problems, such as blurring or flashing, pain below the ribs, vomiting and sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet. How common are pre-eclampsia and eclampsia? Most cases of pre-eclampsia do not lead to serious problems or complications, but there is a risk that the mother will develop fits and seizures, called eclampsia, which can be life-threatening for the mother and baby. However, this is rare. According to the NHS, the earlier pre-eclampsia is diagnosed and monitored, the better the outlook for the mother and baby. Most women make a full recovery after having a fit, but they can put the mother and baby’s health at risk. According to the pregnancy charity Tommy’s. eclampsia is quite rare in the UK, with an estimated one case for every 4,000 pregnancies. What are the causes of pre-eclampsia? Though the exact cause of pre-eclampsia is not known, its thought to occur when there is a problem with the placenta – the organ that links the baby and mother’s blood supply. Who is affected by pre-eclampsia? A number of health conditions can increase your chances of developing pre-eclampsia, including having diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease before pregnancy. Having an autoimmune condition, such as lupus or antiphospholipid syndrome, or having high blood pressure or BMI, can also increase your chances of pre-eclampsia. A family history of the condition, being older than 40, or having more than 10 years since your last pregnancy can also increase your chances of pre-eclampsia. Expecting multiple babies, like twins or triplets, may also put a patient at risk. What are the treatments for pre-eclampsia? After being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a patient will be monitored closely by a specialist to see how severe the condition is. According to NHS guidance, the only way to cure pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby, hence why monitoring the mother and baby is crucial until the child is delivered. Patients are often offered medicine to lower their blood pressure until the baby is born. Read More Tori Bowie: Pregnant US Olympic sprinter’s cause of death revealed Vegan family writes letter to neighbours requesting they close their windows when cooking meat Kelis addresses Bill Murray dating rumours for the first time How to take care of your mental health at festivals How to stop hay fever fast? Only one thing worked for me Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’