Hello Beacon readers, today's newsletter takes us to the gateway to the Mediterranean.
On the Rock of Gibraltar, a popular tourist destination, macaque monkeys live in close contact with tourists and their discarded food. Seeing the monkeys begging is a common sight.
Scientists, who tracked around 230 Barbary macaques across eight groups have found the macaques may have developed an unusual way to cope with the consequences of their human food diet.
Researchers observed them eating soil more frequently, particularly the macaque groups that ate more tourist food items high in sugar, fat and dairy, and low in fiber. They believe the likely acts similarly to antacids in humans.
Lead researcher Sylvain Lemoine said more research is needed to understand the effects on gut bacteria.
Lemoine was careful to note that soil doesn't help digest junk food as such, but "likely helps them feel better during a rough digestion."
One group with no access to human food showed no soil-eating at all.
This story reminded me of the study last year which found wild chimpanzees eating fermenting fruit were ingesting the equivalent of two cocktails a day.
Have you seen or read about any good news that you would like to share? Email me at beacon@thomsonreuters.com and I might feature it in a future edition.
