Dr Jepson said examination of stranded sea mammals in Britain showed that they can experience the effects of decompression sickness, challenging the notion that cetaceans (whales and dolphins) cannot suffer from the bends.In some beached sea mammals, gas cavities had formed to such an extent in their livers that the texture of the dissected organs looked like aerated chocolate, Dr Jepson added. “A small number of stranded animals had gas bubbles and associated tissue injuries.”Although decompression sickness was previously unheard of in marine mammals, we concluded that a form of marine mammal decompression sickness was the most likely cause.”The scientists have ruled out bacterial infections or other post-mortem changes to the corpses as the possible causes of the tissue bubbles. The dissolved gases, mostly nitrogen, form bubbles which can press against nerves and joints to cause severe pain and tissue damage. Our study suggests a potential mechanism.”Decompression sickness happens when dissolved gases in the tissues of a diving mammal come out of solution because the animal rises to the surface too quickly. “More research is needed to confirm this mechanism and to determine what level of sound can induce this process in exposed whales and dolphins.”The study, in the journal Nature, also involved government-funded British scientists who have performed more than 2,500 post-mortem examinations on sea mammals stranded off Britain over the past decade.Paul Jepson, of the Institute of Zoology in London and a member of the Anglo-Spanish team, said: “The link between military sonar and stranded sea mammals has been established. Military exercises involving blasts of underwater sound could be the reason why whales and dolphins become stranded on beaches, a study has found. Most remarkable was the loss of learning the students experienced during the day and then recovered..

Sleep also appears to ‘recover’ or restore memories.”Their study involved testing students who were asked to recognise the words spoken by a voice synthesiser which involved learning and remembering unusual speech patterns. In the journal Nature, the scientists, Kimberly Fenn, Howard Nusbaum and Daniel Margoliash, say: “Sleep consolidates memories, protecting them against subsequent interference or decay. A memory lost during the day can be recovered after a few hours sleep, say scientists.
Researchers at the University of Chicago say sleeping enables the brain to recover lost memories and appears to be essential for remembering names, telephone numbers and where you put the keys.They found that people improved at memory experiments after a good night’s sleep. ‘What’s It All About?’ is published by Ebury Press, priced £17.99. It would be nice if they played the original version, but there’s so much great young talent out there If you’re going to do a remake, everything’s got to be new.

It would be a bit like getting Michael Caine back to play the main part. I know Michael would agree with me that it would be a little bit ridiculous.What is your take on approaching old age?Gareth Waight, LeedsWhat is old age? Joan Collins is absolutely right – it’s nothing but a number.Cilla Black’s new album, ‘Beginnings…’, is released by EMI. Alfie is quite a cool name now, but in the 1960s, you called only your dog or your budgie Alfie I don’t think I should re-record it for the new film. Why was that? And could you be persuaded to re-record it for the forthcoming film version of Alfie, starring Jude Law?Monica King, LewesWell, I didn’t want to do the song, that’s fair to say.