Researchers say they have worked out a mathematical formula to find the perfect human voice.

The study, commissioned by Post Office Telecoms, asked people to rate 50 voices then analysed the results.

It found the best female voice to be a mixture of Mariella Frostrup, Dame Judi Dench and Honor Blackman. Alan Rickman and Jeremy Irons did best for the men.

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Tap water treated with chlorine can double the risk of serious heart and brain abnormalities in unborn babies, say scientists.

Researchers who studied almost 400,000 infants born in Taiwan found that high levels of chlorine by-products in tap water could affect the development of babies in the womb.

A significant impact was seen on the likelihood of babies being born with three common but serious types of abnormality.

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Scientists may be one step closer to producing a specific targeted vaccine for killing cancer cells.

UK researchers have pinpointed a protein on immune cells which they hope will help them harness the body’s defences to attack a tumour.

A vaccine designed to “home in” on the protein would deliver a message to the immune system to attack the invading cancer, they said.

The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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The makers of probiotic drinks believe the drinks may help lift the symptoms of hay fever.

A new study believes the drinks can change the way the immune system responds to pollen.

Hay fever is thought to occur when the immune system responds to pollen by producing excessive amounts of an antibody known as IgE, which in turn releases histamine to flush out the spores.

This irritates the airways, making them swell and producing the symptoms of hay fever.

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A court in Malawi has given final approval for pop star Madonna to adopt a young boy from the country.

The ruling comes 18 months after she began adoption proceedings for David Banda, who is now two.

Justice Andrew Nyirenda said he was satisfied Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie were “perfect parents”.

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Best-selling author Terry Pratchett has described how writing books is becoming increasingly difficult following his Alzeimer’s diagnosis.
The Discworld author said his typing was no longer as fast and his spelling had become erratic.

Pratchett, 60, was diagnosed with a rare form of the disease called posterior cortical atrophy, which refers to shrinkage of the back of the brain.

People suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s can experience memory lapses and have difficulty finding the right words.
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A former homeless man who now works as a chef at the hostel that took him in has won £2.6m on the lottery.

Herbert Plant, 49, from Blackpole, Worcester, said he would spend the cash from Saturday’s draw buying a car and paying off his son’s mortgage.

But he said he wanted to continue working at the city’s St Paul’s Hospice, which took him in after he lost his home and job.

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A Mediterranean-style diet may be the answer in protecting against diabetes, even for those who are in the higher-risk category.

The diet – rich in olive oil, fruit, vegetables and fish and low in meat and dairy products – provides “substantial protection” against the illness, a study has revealed.

Eating such meals helps keep people healthy and wards off type 2 diabetes, which is linked to lifestyle factors like diet and obesity.
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Astronauts on the International Space Station are hoping an urgent delivery from Earth will solve a delicate problem – their only toilet is broken.

The team has been been putting up with a space jam for about a week since the lav started playing up.

A Nasa employee is rushing from Russia to Florida with a new pump, which will be taken to the station on the shuttle Discovery on Saturday.
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