Wipe Away That Frown: Botox Makes You Happier

Botox may not only provide a nonsurgical face-lift — it may also lift your spirits, new research suggests. By paralyzing the facial muscles used for frowning, Botulinum Toxin A — or Botox — prevents people from physically displaying expressions of negative emotion. Building on previous research that suggests facial expressions not only reflect but influence mood levels, the new study hypothesizes that Botox may lighten people’s moods by literally wiping the frowns off their faces

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Crunch-hit tycoon loses bid to cut divorce payout

A British court Wednesday told a business financier he would still have to pay a $13.6 million divorce settlement despite losing a fortune in the credit crunch. It’s April Fools’ Day — when media outlets around the world take a break from the serious business of delivering news and play fast and furious with the facts

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Is Twitter’s breakneck growth causing a backlash?

David Bill isn’t annoyed when Twitter gets so bogged down with traffic that he can’t post a message. That’s because in the moment when frustration would hit, he’s greeted on the popular Web site by a cartoonish image he loves: a giant whale being lifted out of an ocean by a small flock of tweeting birds. The icon — which Twitter users call it the “fail whale” because the creature appears only when the site has failed to load — has gained a cult following as the social media site grows at breakneck pace.

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Flatulent cows could be curtailed by fish oils

The benefits to humans of omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils are well documented, but a new study has found that fish oils can have a wider benefit to the environment — by reducing the amount of methane produced by cows. The report produced by University College Dublin found that by including two percent fish oil in the diet of cattle they achieved a reduction in the amount of methane released by the animals. Lowering methane emissions is important for the environment, as the gas given off by farm animals is a major contributor to greenhouse gas levels

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China dismisses cyber-espionage claims

Analysts in China are dismissing claims that nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked, and have become part of a cyber-espionage network apparently based in China. “This is purely another political issue that the West is trying to exaggerate,” Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based strategy and military analyst, told the state-run news agency, Xinhua.

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Reports: Cyberspy network targets governments

Nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked and have become part of an computer espionage network apparently based in China, security experts alleged in two reports Sunday. Computers — including machines at NATO, governments and embassies — are infected with software that lets attackers gain complete control of them, according to the reports

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Red River levels dropping barely; Residents remain on alert

While the Red River level appeared to be dropping early Sunday, Fargo, North Dakota, officials said they were still holding their collective breath. “In past flooding, you have to understand, we’ve had times in which people thought it crested and then it came back and went up,” Fargo Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney said. “And our temperature is changing, so we will be reluctant to announce a crest until we truly feel there’s been a crest.” City Manager Pat Sawyerville added, “We cannot think that we’ve passed some milestone here.” Above-freezing temperatures, followed by heavy rains this week, caused the Red River and its tributaries to swell, sending Fargo into emergency preparation mode

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Crabs ‘feel and remember pain’ suggests new study

New research suggests that crabs not only suffer pain but that they retain a memory of it. The study, which was carried out by Professor Bob Elwood and Mirjam Appel from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University, Belfast, looked at the reactions of hermit crabs to small electric shocks

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