DISCOVERIES

Whether it’s unexpected discoveries or answers to questions we didn’t know were being asked, science news is always breaking. Here’s a selection of some our favourite stories from the fields of health, space, medicine and technology that made headlines over the last 12 months

HEALTH IN 2023

How to have an optimal day, according to research published in 2023

SET YOUR BEDROOM TEMPERATURE RIGHT

The importance of sleep was made clear by a number of studies this year. Getting a good amount of deep sleep is crucial to almost every aspect of our lives, so how can we get more of it? In August, a study by scientists at Harvard Medical School, in the US, found that sleep is most efficient and restful for older adults at temperatures between 15–25°C (60–77°F).

ENJOY A SNOOZE TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN

If you’re enjoying a deep sleep when your alarm rings, there’s no need to stop, according to a study published in October by researchers in Sweden. They found that people who hit the snooze button and had an extra 30 minutes in the land of nod were more likely to perform better in cognitive tests immediately after waking, than those who got up straight away. Turns out if you snooze, you don’t lose.

FORGET 10,000 STEPS… WALKING JUST 4,000 A DAY IS ENOUGH

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If you fall short of your daily walking targets, cardiology research published in August might put a spring in your step. The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, revealed that health benefits start when you take as few as 3,867 daily steps – including reducing your risk of death from a range of causes.