HERO...
NO ONE wants to admit that a stuffed doll has a greater impact on the world than they do, but science teachers are having to concede that sometimes puppets do it better. Jasmin and Benny, two large hand-held puppets, are the new stars of primary teaching, according to research by the Nuffield Foundation, because pupils spend almost three times as long working on scientific reasoning when puppets are used. The Times Educational Supplement (Sept 8) also reports that the puppets are good at getting quiet pupils to speak in class and that they are helpful for children with learning difficulties.
...AND VILLAIN
BAD news for sausage and salami-eaters. Bangers, bacon and other cured meats contain nitrates that can alter the structure of the lung, causing damage that is similar to the effects of emphysema, according to GP (Sept 8). Researchers in America found that those who scoffed a sausage every other day were 71 per cent more likely to show signs of lung disease than those who never consumed cured meats. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is usually associated with smoking, but the study could explain why 10 per cent of people who die from COPD are non-smokers. They were killed by cured meat.