A glance at the week that was
High fliers
They say it gives you wings, and authorities in Germany have found a possible reason: cocaine, of which trace amounts have been found in the popular energy drink Red Bull. Six German states have reacted to the news that a sample test found 0.4 micrograms of cocaine in the drink by banning retailers from selling it. Although Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has said the level of cocaine detected was too low to pose a health risk, the authorities in the six states concerned are worried about possible violoations of narcotics law, and have demanded it be removed.
Bad habits
Another group brought crashing to earth this week was a British stag party in Greece. They fell foul of local authorities, who did not find their saucy nun outfits amusing. The 17 revellers were arrested, hauled before court in their habits and hairy legs, and charged with exposing themselves in public – they were accused of revealing the thongs and suspenders that lay beneath their habits to passers-by – and offending religious symbols. They were subsequently freed after prosecutors failed to produce witnesses that would testify to having found their attire offensive.
We now know
Listening to sport while driving can be dangerous, according to a study at the University of Leicester, which found goals, penalties and red cards had a negative effect on drivers’ concentration.
Transgenic marmoset monkeys (right), created by Japanese scientists, make a glowing protein that could lead to treatment for a range of diseases.
New research at Oxford University claims people can “hear” shapes and sizes and even “taste” sounds.
The numbers
6,584
The number of deaths in Ireland caused by alcohol between 2000 and 2004, according to research
€750m
The amount saved in Ireland in 2007 after improvements in energy efficiency
€248,640
The average price of a house in Ireland last month, down almost €13,000 from the end of last year