World's first 'poop-powered' motorbike

A famous lavatory maker in Japan unveiled a motorcycle on Wednesday that can travel as far as 180 miles on a tank filled with animal waste.

Touted as the world's first waste-powered vehicle, the three-wheeler has a lavatory in place of a regular seat and huge paper roll at the back.

"The biogas it uses as fuel is not made from human waste. It's made from livestock waste and sewage," the Telegraph quoted Kenji Fujita, TOTO's spokesman, as telling reporters in a Tokyo suburb.

"We hope to raise awareness among customers about our green campaign through development of environmentally-friendly products such as water-saving showerheads and water-saving toilets," Fujita added.

The company, however, has no plans to commercialise the motorcycle.

Flying cars are set to hit the market

An American aeronautical company has developed a flying car that can actually fly and is available for buying.

Funded by the US Department of Defense, the Transition is a four-wheel vehicle, licensed for the road, which transforms into a plane in about 20 seconds and can then fly up to 500 miles.

However, the Terrafugia Transition doesn’t come cheap.

"People tend to smirk when you say you're trying to make a flying car," the Age quoted Carl Dietrich, the Transition's inventor, as saying.

"But we're very serious about producing a flying car and selling it," he said.

Dietrich began developing Transition in 2006 at his company headquarters in Terrafugia, near Woburn, Massachusetts.

The first test flights took place in New York State in 2009 and Dietrich expects to deliver a finished product to his first 10 customers by next year, with production "ramping up" in 2014.

The starting price of Transition is 279,000 dollars (pounds 177,000), which is slightly less than the cheapest conventional two-seater aircraft and about the same as a supercar such as a Ferrari.

Enjoy 3D movies without glasses

You can now enjoy 3D movies on TV without those vexing 3D glasses, thanks to a new technology being developed in Germany.

The 3D movies currently available on Blu-ray are based on two different perspectives: two images, one for each eye.

However, autostereoscopic displays need five to 10 views of the same scene (depending on the type). In the future, the number will probably be even more.

This is because these displays have to present a 3D image in such a manner that it can be seen from different angles -- indeed, there is more than one place to sit on a sofa, and you should be able to get the same three dimensional impressions from any position.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications at Heinrich-Hertz Institute (HHI) in Berlin have developed a technology that converts a Blu-ray's existing 3D content in a manner that enables them to be shown on autostereoscopic displays.

"We take the existing two images and generate a depth map... a map that assigns a specific distance from the camera to each object," says Christian Riechert, research fellow at HHI.

Previous systems were only capable of generating such depth maps at a dramatically slower pace; sometimes they even required manual adaptation.

Real-time conversion, by contrast, is like simultaneous interpretation: The viewer inserts a 3D Blu-ray disc, gets comfortable in front of the TV screen and enjoys the movie - without the glasses.

Researchers have already finished the software that converts these data. In the next step, the scientists, working in collaboration with industry partners, intend to port it onto a hardware product so that it can be integrated into TV.

Nevertheless, it will still take at least another calendar year before the technology hits store shelves.

Researchers will unveil this technology in Berlin at this year's IFA trade show from Aug 31 to Sep 5.

Limbless Frenchman swims between US, Russian islands

LITTLE DIOMEDE ISLAND: Quadruple amputee Philippe Croizon swam between islands in the icy Bering Strait Friday to cross from America to Asia in the final part of a quest to link all continents.

The Frenchman braved strong currents and near-freezing temperatures in a roughly four kilometre (2.5 mile) swim between the US island of Little Diomede and Big Diomede in Russia that he said took about one hour and 20 minutes.

"This was the hardest swim of my life, with a water temperature of four degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) and strong currents," the deeply moved Croizon told AFP after reaching the Russian island. "We made it," said the 44-year-old, who was accompanied by long-distance swimmer Arnaud Chassery, 35. Since May the pair swum across three other straits separating the continents and Friday's was the last.

They plunged through the ocean up to the limit of the territorial waters separating Russia and the United States, and then continued a few hundred metres (yards) into Russian waters to enter Asia.

The men arrived on Alaska's Little Diomede island in a fishing boat last Sunday but their swim was held up for four days because of a powerful storm with winds of up to 140 kilometres (87 miles) an hour.

Over the past three months, they have swum from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia, crossing from Oceania to Asia; across the Red Sea from Egypt to Jordan between Africa and Asia; and from Spain to Morocco, between Europe to Africa.

Croizon had all four limbs amputated in 1994 after being struck by an electric shock of more than 20,000 volts as he tried to remove a TV antenna from a roof. He uses flippers attached to prosthetic limbs to swim.

He said his accomplishment was a message of encouragement to other disabled people. "I tell them: 'Everything is possible, everything can be done when you have the will to go beyond yourself'. We're all equal, disabled and non-disabled people on all continents," he said. (AFP)

New spider family found in US caves

WASHINGTON: A team of amateur cave explorers and arachnologists has found a new family of spiders in caves and old-growth redwood forests in Oregon and California, US researchers said Friday.

Entomologists at the California Academy of Sciences said the spider, named Trogloaptor -- or "cave robber" -- for its lethal front claws, had such unique evolutionary features that it represented not just a new genus or species, but also a new family of spiders.

The study, published in the journal ZooKeys, noted that finding a new, previously unknown family was rare, even for species-rich insects and arachnids.

Trogloraptor hangs beneath rudimentary webs spun below cave ceilings. It measures about 1.6 inches (four centimeters) wide when its legs are extended.

The spider's impressive claws "suggest that they are fierce, specialized predators," though scientists have not yet determined what they eat and how they attack and kill their prey, according to the study.

It pointed to strong evidence suggesting Trogloraptor was a close relative of goblin spiders.

Citizen scientists from the Western Cave Conservancy and arachnologists from the California Academy of Sciences found the spiders living in caves in southwestern Oregon. Scientists from San Diego State University found more of the creatures in old-growth redwood forests in far northwestern California.

The California specimen has dusky markings that differ from the cave species, leading scientists to believe that there may be at least one more Trogloraptor species.

Research on the spiders at the California Academy of Sciences was paid in part by the National Science Foundation, along with a private fund.

The forests in the coastal regions from California to the Canadian province of British Columbia are known for hosting unique and ancient flora and fauna, including tailed frogs, mountain beavers and coast redwoods.

"If such a large and bizarre spider could have gone undetected for so long, who knows what else may lurk undiscovered in this remarkable part of the world," the study said. (AFP)

Pakistani student proves research, wins $250k scholarship in US

KHAIRPUR: Shadab Rasool Abro, a student of matriculation and a resident of Khairpur, was given an award as well as a scholarship worth 250,000 dollars by the US State University of New York for presenting his research in the field of Bio Chemical.

The student of Pak-Turk School, talking to Geo New said he had conducted a modern research in the field of Bio Chemical and also worked on a project with an amazing result. Through this project the industrial world can be made virus-free and the industrial effluent recycled, he explained.

On an invitation from the US State University of News York, Shadab Rasool Abro visited the varsity and performed a successful experiment on the basis of his research. This won him an award and a scholarship worth 250,000 dollars in the US. Source:http://www.geo.tv

106 year old Japanese man travels around the world on public transport

TOKYO: A 106-year-old Japanese man has become the oldest person to have travelled around the world using public transport, a report said Friday.

Saburo Shochi has been recognised by Guinness World Records for his feat, which saw him travel through North America, Europe and Africa, the Mainichi daily said.

With dozens of his supporters hailing his return at Fukuoka airport in southwest Japan, the centenarian said with a big smile: "I will live more."

Shochi, a professor emeritus at Fukuoka University of Education, started travelling frequently at the age of 99, giving lectures on child education and health in foreign countries, the Mainichi said.

Shochi, who celebrated his 106th birthday on Thursday, said: "In my whole life, I have never said 'I'm tired'. (AFP)

Acrobatic dolphins set to make a splash in the city

KARACHI/Pakistan: The upcoming dolphin show project, apart from other things, will provide a lively and educative entertainment to the citizens of Karachi, especially the children, and will also dispel many misgivings about Karachi and erase many misconceptions about the law and order situation.

It will also assure the Pakistanis and the world that Karachi has a very wholesome and people-oriented side to it to it and all is not just crime and insecurity.

This was stated by Sheikh Afzal, provincial minister for environment, while speaking as chief guest at the commencement of work on the dolpin project at the Maritime Museum of Pakistan, PNS Karsaz.

The provincial department of environment, he said, would lend all possible support and cooperation to the project.

He talked about the affinity dolphins had with humans and pointed out that there were around 1,000 blind dolphins in the Indus in the vicinity of Guddu barrage within an area of around 108 miles.

The Director-General, Karachi Maritime Museum, Commodore Muhammad Aslam, said that the fact that the Pakistan Navy’s maritime Museum had been chosen as the site for such an auspicious project was a source of real pride for the Pakistan Navy.

He congratulated Mustafa Kamal of Talent Brokers International, the force behind the project.

Replying, Mustafa Kamal thanked the Pakistan Navy and Commodore Mehboob Elahi Malik for their hearty cooperation in the project.

Elaborating on certain features of the project, he said that it was the first-ever dolphin show not only in Pakistan but the whole Saarc region. The show ill start on October 1, 2012, and continue up until November 30. Depending on the response, it could be extended by another two months, he said. The show, he said, would move to Lahore in February 2013.

He said that there would be free shows for special children and inmates of orphanages.

Earlier, the media folk were conducted to the construction site where a pool for the dolphins, 15 feet deep, 100 feet long, and 50 feet wide was being constructed. It will house two Sea Lions and four dolphins. The arena around the pool will have a seating capacity of 4,000. The dolphins are being sent for from Russia and the trainers will be Russians too.

The programme is being managed with the cooperation of the Russia-based Dolphin International. Entry fee for children has been fixed at Rs250 while for adults, it will be Rs450. Each show ill be of a duration of 60 minutes.

During the Iftar-Dinner, there was a power point presentation of dolphins performing tricks and acrobatics.

Mustafa Kamal was reticent when asked about the estimated cost of the project, for, as he put it, “obvious reasons”.  Source:http://www.geo.tv

Black bear steals sweets from chocolate shop

DENVER: A bear in a candy store is nothing like a bull in a china shop. At least not this one.

A black bear went in and out of a Colorado candy store multiple times early one July morning, but he used the front door and didn't break a thing.

The bear did, however, steal some treats from the Estes Park store, including English toffee and some chocolate-chip cookies dipped in caramel and milk chocolate called "cookie bears."

Surveillance video at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory showed the bear prying open the door and grabbing some candy near the registers. He took the treats outside and ate them, then returned for more.

The bear made seven trips in about 15 minutes, finally leaving after a passing car apparently scared him away.

Store owner Jo Adams said Wednesday the bear managed to pop open the door because the deadbolt wasn't completely secured.

She said the only evidence her mindful visitor left behind was some dirt on a counter and some paper on the ground. There weren't even any wrappers, so she assumes he ate those too.

"He was very clean and very careful. He ate a lot of candy," said Adams of the bear break-in, first reported by the Estes Park News.

Tandoor boy tops in graduation exam

LAHORE/Pakistan: Muhammad Mohsin, son of a labourer of Hafizabad, has topped the list by obtaining 688 numbers in Punjab University (PU) graduation (B.A/B.Sc) exam.

Talking to 'Geo News', Muhammad Mohsin said he is son of a labourer and works at Tandoor to help his father. 'I could not afford college fees due to this I appeared in private exams', he said and added 'I want to get masters (M.Sc) but cannot pay the fee'

He requested Punjab the Punjab government to provide give him scholarship so that he could continue his education.

Parents of Muhammad Mohsin are very happy on this great achievement of their son. Source:http://www.geo.tv

Pakistan becomes largest exporter of young doctors to UK

LONDON: Pakistan has become the largest exporter of young doctors to Britain's state funded National Health Service (NHS) after clearing Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, the main route by which international medical graduates demonstrate that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to practice medicine in the UK.

More than at any point in time in the past, there is a huge surge in the number of Pakistani medical graduates coming and settling in the UK where they are getting good jobs as Pakistani doctors enjoy good reputation and its easy for newcomers to settle easily due to good community connections. The number of doctors taking a flight to the UK is set to go up further as their dissatisfaction within Pakistan grows, as demonstrated recently by the nationwide strikes of young doctors, especially in Punjab.

According to General Medical Council (GMC), over 600 Pakistani medical graduates have taken the PLAB test this year alone. Training opportunities in Pakistan for young doctors are limited. The situation is not helped by the killing and kidnapping of doctors of various sects which has created a surge of fear in the medical profession. The kidnapping of the chief psychiatrist in Baluchistan has upset all doctors in Pakistan.

According to GMC, the number of Pakistani doctors who sat PLAB1 and PLAB2 since 2007-first half of 2012 stands at 6826. For two years from 2007 to 2009, 1786 medical graduates from Pakistan took part in PLAB1 examinations and for the same period 899 doctors took PLAB2 test. But the number went up unprecedentedly for the following years. In 2010 and 2011, 2490 doctors sat PLAB1 Test and 1011 took PLAB2 Test for the same period. The number of Pakistan registered on the GMC data stood at 8,552 on 7th of August, 2012.

Until 2006, around 70 per cent of the so-called "international medical graduates “ came from the Indian subcontinent, considered till then a traditional recruiting ground for NHS recruitment but the Labour government brought in new and stricter immigration rules to benefit doctors from the European Union (EU) countries. Till that time the greatest export of doctors was from India while Pakistan stood at around number 5.

Large scale protests were held by the 25,000-strong British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) against the new government regulations which were brought in without any consultation and warning. However, the government was not budging. Eventually BAPIO challenged the government in the court of law. The case went up to the House of Lords where BAPIO had a victory for those who were already in the training posts, thus saving jobs of about 15,000 doctors. However there were about 10,000 doctors who were not in the job and had to return to their countries mostly to India and Pakistan.

This episode created really bad vibes in India and since then Indian doctors are hesitant to come to UK. India is number 5 on the list now, from number one, according to GMC figures. There are two more reasons why Indian doctors are not keen on coming to the UK anymore. Indian doctors are enjoying benefits of the economic boom in India, private hospital conglomerates are expanding and public and private sectors are investing in the health sector while this is not the case in Pakistan.

There are many Pakistani doctors’ organisations active in the UK especially the alumni associations of medical colleges and there are three large collective associations, British Pakistani Doctors Forum, All Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons UK and Pakistan Medical Association UK; these have about 8000 doctors as members amongst them. Hundreds of doctors are not part of these organisations. These organisations provide active support to the new doctors in terms of helping them find new jobs and settling in.

Dr Akmal Makhdum, chairman of the British Pakistani Doctors Forum (BPDF) commented on the trend of more Pakistani doctors coming to the UK. “This is a happy augury for us in the UK and yet has a sad tinge to it that Pakistan is not offering opportunities for so many young, qualified people. BPDF members are working on some initiatives to develop training in Pakistan and some have succeeded in doing just that. We are here to advise and support our young doctors, to flourish in their careers and support them if the find any obstacles.”

Dr Abdul Hafeez of APPS told The News: “According to new visa arrangements under Tier 5 doctors can come to the UK for a fixed term 2 years contract and at the end of this time they have to leave the UK as their visa will not be extendable. This new arrangement will benefit both the UK and Pakistan n terms of covering the shortage in the system and training opportunities respectively. We feel that any job available in the NHS that will go to an overseas doctor should be filled by a Pakistani doctor.”

Dr Ramesh Mehta, the President of BAPIO commented: “Between the British Department of Health and the Home office, they have never managed to get their approach to the International Medical Graduates (IMGs) right. They have always had situation when there were either too many or too few IMGs. Now there is already shortage of doctors in many specialties and we have been asked to help. The IMGs should be treated equal to British graduates and offered appropriate training. UK medical training is one of the best in the world and Pakistani doctors should take the opportunity.” Source:http://www.geo.tv

Iran Space Agency to launch a monkey into space

TEHRAN: Iran isn't a country with a high profile in space tourism – but that could soon change. On Wednesday, the Iran Space Agency (ISA) announced its intention to launch a live Rhesus monkey into space. But can it bring the animal back?

A previous attempt to launch a craft carrying a monkey failed last October, stalling Iran's space ambitions. Now the mission is back on track, with a launch planned for mid-August, after the Islamic month of Ramadan ends.

It is not the first time Iran has shown interest in launching animals into orbit. In 2010, the ISA's Kavoshgar-3 rocket carried worms, a mouse and two turtles as passengers. More significantly, the animals were reportedly safely returned to Earth.

It would be a major advance in Iran's space programme if the country is able to successfully return a monkey to Earth. "This would show its capability to return scientific payloads from orbit," says Bhupendra Jasani of King's College London, who studies the military use of space. "However, to launch a human may take some time."

Iranian forays into space exploration have surprised international onlookers due to their speed and secrecy. Iran has launched three domestically made satellites in as many years, and a fourth is to be launched in the next few months. Iran is the ninth country to put domestically built satellites into orbit, and the sixth to send animals into space.

Man rides rickshaw from China to London Olympics

LONDON: It's a tale of Olympian proportions: A man, a rickshaw, and a slow journey from a Chinese village to London through 16 countries. Chinese farmer Chen Guanming claimed on Thursday that his two-year odyssey to the London games took him from Thailand's floods to Tibet to snowed-in Turkey to Britain since he started in 2010.

The 57-year-old, who said he had never travelled outside China before this trip, said he wanted to support the athletes and "spread the Olympic spirit". He's also seeking a last-minute ticket to attend Friday's opening ceremony.

"I came to support and cheer all the people from all over the world who are participating in the sports," said Chen, who sports a silvery white beard and a small ponytail. "I'm volunteering, I'm not looking for a reward."

His three-wheeled rickshaw, loaded with his possessions, is plastered with pictures of him posing in front of international landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chen said he became inspired to come to London at the end of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when British media invited him to the next games. He didn't have a ticket, but he promised them he would get there.

According to Chen, his journey began in April 2010 in his village in eastern China's Jiangsu province, where he farms rice and other crops. Over the next two years, he said he covered 16 countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Turkey and Italy.

His worst experiences, he said, were travelling during Thailand's floods and being trapped in freezing temperatures in the snow in Turkey. He arrived in Britain by ferry from France on July 6, he said.

Chen said he started arranging his visas beginning in 2009 and was helped financially by friends and kind people - especially Chinese communities - wherever he went. His account cannot be independently verified and it is not clear how he managed to traverse so many countries' borders. A BBC interview with him, however, showed tourist visa stamps in his passport from countries including Pakistan, Thailand and Iran. A YouTube video posted in May shows him in Rome, surrounded by curious passersby.

John Beeston, a British insurance broker who spoke some Mandarin, said he found Chen looking lost on London's bustling streets on July 9. "We are trying desperately to get him into the opening ceremony because his story has to go around the world," he said. But Chen is proud of his epic journey even if he does not get into Olympic Stadium. ‘I came. I did it. I'm very happy to have come to beautiful London," he said.

His journey doesn't end with the British capital. In a month or two, he said he plans to take a ship to the US and Canada, and he also wants to go to Brazil. "I want to go to the Rio Games too," he said.

Man jumps off moving plane in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: A man jumped out of a moving aircraft while it was about to take off from an airport in Malaysia, causing delay in the flight operations.

Air Asia flight AK 5187 from Miri in Malaysia's northern Sarawak state to Kuala Lumpur was scheduled to take off at 7:40 pm on Friday. However, it was delayed for over an hour as a result of the runway drama. A witness said that as the plane was about to take off, the man suddenly opened the emergency doors and jumped out. The raft automatically opened. Other passengers started screaming. The plane was brought to a halt," a passenger Siva Nathiran was quoted as saying.

AirAsia's regional head of flight operations Captain Fareh Ishraf Mazputra said the aircraft had just started taxiing when a passenger ran and opened the door. "There were no injuries and the passenger was arrested," he said. The man was then taken to Miri hospital.

Sources said the man, believed to be aged 24, did not suffer any injuries as a result of the fall.

Dancing robots competition held in China

BEIJING: A robot dancing competition took place in northeast China, attracting 29 teams from China, Russia, Mexico and South Korea.

A pair of giant panda-shaped robots drew attention as they had to move over 20 joints in costumes when they were dancing.

"We worked very hard on these giant panda robots. It took a lot of work to ensure even easy moves. For example, we spent three days to complete the giant panda costumes," said He Rong, student of Xihua University.

A robot that could write calligraphy stood out at the competition as well. The robot wrote "Welcome to Fujin" and won applause from competitors and judges.

A team from a Mexican University won the first prize for the solo dance category after a day-long competition.

New York City penthouse lists for $100 million

NEW YORK: An 8,000-square-foot penthouse in midtown Manhattan is on sale for $100 million, the most expensive apartment currently on the market in New York and a price that would set a record for the city.

"If someone paid $100 million for this apartment it would be record-breaking, said Ashley Murphy, director of public relations at Prudential Douglas Elliman, which listed the apartment on Friday.

Raphael De Niro, the son of actor Robert De Niro, is one of the agents selling the six-bedroom, nine-bathroom home that sits atop the CitySpire skyscraper near Central Park, Carnegie Hall and Fifth Avenue.

The current record sale price for a Manhattan apartment is about $90 million, paid by an unidentified buyer in May for a penthouse apartment in a luxury residential building just south of Central Park.

That topped a record set in February when it was revealed that family of Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev bought a Central Park West penthouse for $88 million. The CitySpire penthouse is a sign of the upward tick in prices of luxury, or "trophy apartments," in New York, which are often snatched up by foreign buyers. "The higher end seems to be getting higher," Murphy said.

The owner of the CitySpire penthouse, New York real estate developer Steven Klar, originally bought the apartment in 1993 for about $4.5 million and spent almost the same amount renovating the space, he told The New York Times. De Niro and Klar were not immediately available for comment.

The apartment, outfitted by interior designer Juan Pablo Molyneaux boasts wrap-around terraces for 360-degree views of the city, a formal gallery, a conference room, a separate guest or staff apartment, and a private elevator for its three floors, according to the listing description. (AFP)

London Olympics medals worth just 3 pounds!

London Olympic medals are the largest ever in both size and weight, but are actually worth less than three pounds.

According to The Daily Mail, the bronze medals are made up of 97 percent copper, 2.5 percent zinc and 0.5 percent tin, and is therefore only worth about three pounds.

The gold medal consists of just over one percent real gold, the rest is made up of 92.5 percent silver and 6.16 percent copper.

For a silver medal the gold is replaced with more copper, meaning the final product is worth around 210 pounds.

Rules laid down by the International Olympics Committe specify that the medals must contain 550 grams of high-quality silver and six grams of gold.

The 2012 gold medallion is therefore only worth about 410 pounds as raw metal, although the real value would, of course, be much higher if the medals were ever sold. The medals will be awarded in 805 victory ceremonies over the next two weeks.The medals weigh 375-400g and are 85mm across and 7mm thick. Even though Olympic gold medals are not made of 100 percent gold, a medal can still fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds at auction.

Now, perfume that can help you lose weight!

The latest slimming aid comes in the form of a perfume bottle, and it already has a waiting list of 6000 people.

Prends-moi is the world’s first slimming fragrance from Velds that has been developed at the French perfume house Robertet, the Daily Mail reported.

Makers have claimed that the fragrance is designed to "slim with pleasure" and is based on "aromatherapeutic" and "neurocosmetic" research.

The perfume contained ingredients that release B-endorphins that are present in the skin and a "pleasure message" is transmitted through the brain triggering a sensation of well being and an increase in contentment reducing the need to overeat.

A "Slimming Complex" that has been formulated with caffeine, carnitine and spirulina extract activated the two key enzymes directly involved in lipolysis (fat degradation).

A trial study by BIO-EC of women aged form 18 to 70 years of age, who were not on a diet, found that 75 percent felt that the perfume limited the need to snack and 73 percent felt a feeling of pleasure.

People can generously spritz in the morning, as they would do with any perfume, and throughout the day whenever the need for snacking arises.

Further results can be achieved by very lightly massaging the perfume into targeted areas, morning and night to help sculpt and slim the contours of the body.

As for the smell of the perfume, there are top notes, with lively accents of bergamot, mandarin and grapefruit.

With a low alcohol content, the perfume is perfect for those who love summer all year long. Credit:santabanta.com

How to eat whatever you want and still stay slim

Wouldn't it be nice if we could eat all of the sugar and fat that we want without gaining a pound.

It may be possible and its not far from reality as researchers from the United States and Europe have found that blocking one of three opioid receptors in your body could turn your penchant for sweets and fried treats into a weight loss strategy that actually works.

By blocking the delta opioid receptor, or DOR, mice reduced their body weight despite being fed a diet high in fat and sugar.

The scientists believe that the deletion of the DOR gene in mice stimulated the expression of other genes in brown adipose tissue that promoted thermogenesis.

"Our study provided further evidence that opioid receptors can control the metabolic response to diets high in fat and sugar, and raise the possibility that these gene products (or their respective pathways) can be targeted specifically to treat excess weight and obesity," said Traci A. Czyzyk, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Physiology at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Scientists studied mice lacking the delta opioid receptor (DOR KO) and wild type (WT) control mice who were fed an energy dense diet (HED), high in fat and sugar, for three months.

They found that DOR KO mice had a lean phenotype specifically when they were fed the HED. While WT mice gained significant weight and fat mass on this diet, DOR KO mice remained lean even though they consumed more food.

Researchers then sought to determine how DOR might regulate energy balance and found that DOR KO mice were able to maintain their energy expenditure levels, in part, due to an increase in non-shivering thermogenesis.

This was evidenced by an increase in thermogenesis-promoting genes in brown adipose tissue, an increase in body surface temperature near major brown adipose tissue depots, and the ability of DOR KO mice to maintain higher core body temperatures in response to being in a cold environment.

The research appeared in the FASEB Journals.