Mathematical formula can prevent child tantrums in cars

And other stories from the stranger side of life

A toddler crying in her car seat
A toddler crying in her car seat
(Image credit: Alex Segre/Alamy Stock Photo)

Academics at Nottingham Trent University have devised a formula to predict a tantrum from children during car journeys: T = 70 + 0.5E + 15F – 10S. Dr James Hind, a senior lecturer at the university, said the time (T) it took a child to become angry on a long journey was usually 70 minutes, and parents could delay the back seat breakdown by introducing entertainment (E) and food (F). For instance, food allowed parents to delay a tantrum by 15 minutes. The report comes as families prepare for bank holiday car journeys, The Times said.

Pasta joke named funniest at Fringe

‘Poo transplants’ could help IBS sufferers

A Norwegian study has found that 75% of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients who received a transplant from the stools of a healthy donor reported fewer symptoms after three years, and a greater quality of life. The Telegraph said the “squirm-inducing” and “radical new science” of “poo transplants” sees medics replace defective gut bacteria with healthy ones of a donor by transplanting them to the colon, where they will begin fighting off bugs causing distress or infection.

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