The health benefits of chocolate remain very much questionable, and it looks as though they haven’t been thoroughly studied yet. Full story

A group of researchers from the University of North Carolina developed a special test which can determine the rate of biochemical aging of the body, as they discovered a special protein p16INK4a. The protein helps determine the actual degree of age-related changes in the organism. Full story

Researchers at Draper Laboratory are developing “tattoo sensor” that could monitor blood composition. “Tattoo” is designed to report the results right through the skin. Heather Clark and her colleagues are creating a special ink consisting of polymer beads coated with biocompatible material. Full story

Researchers at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center have compared the way artificial sweeteners (saccharin) and sugar effect health. Sugar substitutes are much sweeter than natural table sugar, but have practically no calories compared to 15 calories/teaspoon contained in the latter. Nonetheless, experimental mice, who ate yoghurt sweetened with zero-calorie saccharin, consumed later more calories and, as a result, gained more weight and fat than those mice, who ate yoghurt with glucose (simple sugar). Full story