Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here?

A giant finback whale skeleton has been put back together by Cambridge’s Zoology department 150 years after washing up dead on a Sussex beach. The skeleton had been in storage for three years after the Museum of Zoology was closed for a £4m makeover. The finback is the second-biggest whale species and this specimen was thought to weigh over 80 tonnes when it was alive. Putting it back together took “a lot of patience, a lot of effort and a lot of labour”, collections manager Matt Lowe said. “It’s really iconic, it’s 150 years old – exactly the same age as the museum itself,” he added. Whale-watchers will be able to enjoy the exhibition when the Museum opens again next summer.

Mediterranean diet the key to a longer life

Cambridge researchers have shown that if everybody ate a Mediterranean diet – rich in olive oil, fruits, and vegetables – then thousands of deaths from heart disease and strokes could be prevented. The study is the first to look at the effects of diet in the UK and gathered data about eating habits from nearly 24,000 people in Norfolk. 

Dr Nita Forouhi, lead author from the University’s Medical Research Council epidemiology unit, said: “We estimate that 3.9 per cent of all new cardiovascular disease cases or 12.5 per cent of cardiovascular deaths in our UK-based study population could potentially be avoided if this population increased their adherence to the Mediterranean diet.”

Anti-immigrant stickers found in Romsey park

Racist stickers have appeared around Romsey recreational park telling immigrants to “bring your families home”. Others said that refugees were “not welcome”, an apparent play on the popular “refugees are welcome here”. A 71-year-old man who lives next to the park said: “Everyone has got a right to an opinion. A lot of people feel threatened and they are expressing it this way, although it’s not the way I would do it.” But George Williams, 29, just visiting the park, said: “I believe we should help refugees as much as possible but I also think there does need to be the support in places when they do come here”. 

Cambridge is UK’s most sleep-deprived city

Cambridge is the most sleep-deprived city in the UK, it has been revealed by interiors company Curtains.com. Analysing data from the number of queries on search engine Google for terms related to sleep deprivation, they found that Brighton and Manchester also struggled to get to sleep. The company said of the research: “A good night’s sleep is a modern day luxury, stressful daily routines, lack of ‘me’ time, and social pressures have a significant impact on our ability to rest.” 

While it may be surprising that bustling London did not make the top 10, very few Cambridge students will doubt the results.