Laughter originated four million years ago (Go To Top)

     London: Sunil Pal may have recently become 'The Great Indian Laughter Champion' in Star One's stand-up comedian's show, but our ancestors mastered the art more than four million years ago. Scientists from Binghamton University, New York, have revealed that cavemen invented slapstick humour two million years ago, with their funniest visual gag being something like 'tripping over a rock'. Nearly four million years ago they turned to humour to relieve stress from all that hunting and gathering - and were grunt-like 'play panting'. It took another two million years before their face muscles developed enough for laughter. They perfected slapstick to communicate feelings before proper language evolved. "Laughter was used for a number of things, including conveying embarrassment," the Sun quoted Professor David Sloan Wilson as saying. Nov 25, 2005

Banderas' 'Zorro' bedroom games (Go To Top)

     Washington: Actor Antonio Banderas' latino looks and sexy accent are enough to make any woman's heart beat faster. But, put him in the 'Zorro' costume and that's when you really see women swoon. And, apparently wife Melanie Griffith agrees wholeheartedly for she sometimes has her hubby dress up as his on-screen persona to add a litte spice in the bedroom. Banderas revealed that he had kept the mask after the filming of the movie was over, and that he sometimes wore it during intimate times with his wife. The actor joked that Melanie seemed to love the Spanish hero as much as the real man. "I kept the mask after filming and I do wear it sometimes when we are together. Melanie loves it. You can work out the rest - but I think she loves Zorro almost as much as me," Contactmusic quoted him, as saying.

'Pirates of the Caribbean' taste their own medicine (Go To Top)

     Washington: Production on the two back-to-back sequels of 'Pirates of the Caribbean', starring Keira Knightley, has been halted because of raids by real-life brigands. Disney producers have reportedly revealed that two cast members were forced to flee for their lives after a series of robberies happened at the Grand Bahama island location. "We've had a slew of robberies on the actors who are working for Pirates of the Caribbean over at the Port Lucaya resort," Contactmusic quoted Jason Kakebeen, head of location production, as saying. "They (the robbers) were able to get into the room with a key and stole everything from laptops, passports, cheques, and other equipment. The money they stole was actually the actors' pay cheques," he added. The last incident happened on 11 Nov 05, and it is claimed that 20,000 dollars in cash and equipment was taken. Kakebeen has admitted that filming has come to a standstill while the crimes are investigated, but has refused to reveal the identity of the stars targetted, who have since left the shoot.

Restore your health through contact with nature (Go To Top)

     London: Nothing is more fascinating than nature, nothing is more precious than nature, and nothing is better for your health than nature, for a new study published in the British Medical Journal has found that contact with nature can improve an individual's health and well-being. According to researchers, use of wildlife in some therapies is reported to improve quality of life, and smaller animals, like squirrels, owls, and raccoons, have been used successfully in therapies for children with emotional and behavioural problems. People who take part in conservation projects report subjective health benefits, ascribed to being outdoors and to feeling part of a greater system connecting beyond the individual. Such projects can help overcome social isolation, develop skills, and improve employment prospects, as well as provide the known benefits associated with exercise. Researchers said although initial research has been promising, the UK needs robust health impact assessments of wildlife projects to determine their objective therapeutic value. Partnerships between healthcare providers and nature organisations to share and exchange expertise could create new policies that recognise the interdependence between healthy people and healthy ecosystems, said researchers.

Kidman and Crowe to star in Aussie epic (Go To Top)

     Sydney: After 'Eucalyptus', the filming for which was postponed indefinitely days before shooting was to begin in February this year, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe have teamed up again for a new Australian movie, to be directed by Baz Luhrmann and financed by Fox. According to News.com, the film is rumoured to be a 'Gone With The Wind' style epic, and Luhrmann is believed to have already scouted locations, including a cattle station south of Darwin and properties near the town of Cootamundra, in central NSW. Crowe refused to say much about the film, except that it was "magnificent" and that he and Kidman could be seen romantically involved in it. Kidman is currently in the US filming the horror movie 'The Visiting', while Crowe has returned from filming Ridley Scott's 'A Good Year in Europe' for his first gig as host of an awards ceremony.

Woody Allen says he is not nuts (Go To Top)

    New York: Veteran Hollywood actor Woody Allen has insisted that he is perfectly normal and is not neurotic, as believed by many. "Contrary to popular belief, I am not neurotic," the New York Daily News quoted Allen as saying at a screening of his new movie 'Match Point'. The star, who turns 70 on December 1, also said, "I had a very good childhood, and even now I'm middle class and simple. I like to be home early to have dinner with my family every night." In 'Hollywood Ending', Allen played a neurotic American film director whose movie has been panned in his homeland, but hailed as a masterpiece by the French.

Harry Potter casts his spell in space (Go To Top)

     London: Harry Potter hasn't just cast a spell on fans on earth, but he has travelled 220 miles above the blue- planet, to cheer up NASA astronaut Commander William McArthur Jr, as well. Mission Control in Houston screened the movie, "Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire", to the two-man crew of the International Space Station (ISS), on the request of the station's commander, who got a very special viewing of the film along with a Russian cosmonaut. "ISS crew members have busy work schedules but they also have a little scheduled downtime," BBC quoted a Nasa spokesperson, as saying. "Over the years the station has compiled a DVD movie library, along with books, magazines, CDs and other materials to help the astronauts relax." The two astronauts are 55 days into their six- month mission, the spokesperson added. McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev, the 12th crew of the ISS, are 55 days into their six-month mission.