In a fascinating breakthrough, scientists have found that children of older fathers actually live longer. They have been found to have longer telomeres which are small caps on the ends of chromosomes that can protect against the process of aging.

The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at the telomere length of DNA in the blood of 1779 young Filipino adults and then looked at the ages of their fathers and grandfathers.

They found two fascinating items. First, they discovered that a person’s telomeres was longer based on the father’s age. They also found that it was longer for people whose grandfathers were older at the time of their father’s birth. The basic formula they found was that the telomeres increased an equal amount for each year that the father delayed having a child.

Longer telomeres have been found to be a signal to biological health and longevity – and this might promote longer life.

A different study that looked at telomeres lengths found that people who had shorter ones were three times more likely to die from heart disease. As Professor Kuwaza, an anthropologist at Northwestern University said: ‘The effect of the age of paternal ancestors on telomere length could allow increases in life expectancy under demographic conditions of low mortality and delayed reproduction.”

Summer is basically here, and there is one major topic on everyone’s mind: travel. Though the economic situation has yet to improve, and luxurious getaways are far from realistic, the thought of vacation is too tempting for most to overlook.

Seth Miller, an IT consultant and blogger, has taken it upon himself to discover and share the best ways to beat the system and plan an affordable trip.

“Airfares are high but there are pockets of cheap out there,” he said. He added that the most important factor in the process is spontaneity.

Airlines care first about filling their planes, and if they can’t, they lower their prices, he explained. Signing up for email updates is a great way to stay on top of last-minute weekend offers. These flights usually leave late Friday night or sometime on Saturday, returning on Monday or Tuesday. Not only do they save cash, they also save vacation days!

John DiScala, another online writer, adds that airlines have taken to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook for sale experiments. The deals they offer are usually very last minute, and incredibly limited.

“If you find something, jump on it,” DiScala said.

Lastly, be flexible. If you have a desired destination, keep your schedule open for a few months. Using software like ITA’s airfare search will allow you to compare prices and provide you with a calendar of the cheapest travel fares.

You can also take the opposite approach. Kayak’s ‘Explore’ tool allows travelers to find the cheapest destinations during their preferred vacation time. The search can be narrowed by budget, activity, continent and so much more.

It should come as no surprise that today’s social networking sites have been the kiss of death for snail mail. And this includes postcards. While people the world over used to send postcards to loved ones while they were vacationing in exotic locations – today they can simply instant message or post pictures on Facebook and other sites.

Researchers with Mintel looking at the issue in the UK found that, while about 33% of travelers used to send postcards from a vacation spot, today only 3% do so.  As Analyst Alexandra Richmond said,

“Younger Britons may never have experienced the joy of receiving a postcard in the age of social media and many others may have forgotten the sensory experience a writing set gives the sender. We’re traveling more and we’re also more connected than ever before.”

The postcard began in 1840 with a hand-painted design that was posted in London to writer Theodore Hook. The first postcard in the United States was postmarked in December of 1848 and it included a printed advertisement on it.  Certainly, the lengthy history of the postcard and its vast popularity can be well documented and cherished – but it’s definitely a thing of the past at this point, relegated to memory books with stamps, stationery and the written letter.

Everyone knows that honey is a healthy ingredient to add to your tea or salad…. What most people don’t understand is just how beneficial the substance really is.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, honey is very good for the skin. It also retains moisture thanks to its humectant properties, while remaining completely oil-free.

Interestingly, honey is also a highly effective acne fighter. When mixed with water, its components break down and react to form hydrogen peroxide, a natural antiseptic that increases the skin’s immunity and fights acne-causing bacteria. In addition, the substance contains strong anti-inflammatories, which can reduce the appearance of blemishes as they heal, and even minimize scars.

Honey can also be used to prevent skin issues, not only to treat them. Probiotics, the healthy bacteria found both in the body and outside it in foods like yogurt and miso, provide stiff competition for harmful bacteria. Honey contains prebiotics, complex carbohydrates that boost probiotic growth in the digestive system when eaten, and on the skin when applied directly. The skin’s probiotics are under constant stress from varying temperatures, moisture, invading bacteria, dirt and clogged pores. The prebiotic complex found in honey nurtures their growth and maintains a healthy balance of bacteria in the skin.

Lastly, honey, like green tea and argan oil, contains potent antioxidants such as caffeic acid and catechins. These help protect the body’s cells, boost healing and rejuvenation, and significantly slow down the aging process.

According to the movie The Social Network, Mark Zuckerberg briefly dabbled in the idea of creating a site where people could rate girls. While the site only lasted a day or two, it inspired him to continue thinking about the medium.

So, too, apparently, is another internet sensation using the same formula.  A new site, Hotstagram, is actually crashing under the weight of its interest. Piggy-backing on the idea of the “Hot or Not” internet site, this site uses Instagram photos and puts two photos of women or men back to back for voting.

The creator is choosing to remain anonymous at the moment, but is a 27 year old with the code name Captain Kirk.

The site makers encourage women and men to be part of the game by adding the hashtab #hotstagram to their photos. Trying to avoid legal issues, Captain Kirk has made it known that anyone who wants his or her picture removed can do so with the Hotstagram site

Facebook, which now owns Instagram, has not issued an official response about the site.