Discovered: A tasty, pork based nose-bleed remedy, stem cells work, magnetic soap, cancer doesn't stop smokers, and the very real benefits of monogamy.

• Bacon cures nose bleeds? The bacon craze had already gone too far, but this latest finding suggests it will continue down that path of lunacy. A new study, printed in a real medical journal (Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology), found that using strips of cured bacon helped those afflicted with chronic nose-bleeds. "Cured salted pork crafted as a nasal tampon and packed within the nasal vaults successfully stopped nasal hemorrhage promptly, effectively, and without sequelae" (or aftereffect of the condition), explains the study. Apparently they used to do these sorts of the things back in the day, but bacteria caused all sorts of infection, so doctors stopped. Now that bacon's back in, there seems no better place to stick those delicious smelling sticks of fat. [The Guardian]
• Some success with stem cells and blindness. Sorry anti-stem cell folks, stem-cells work. Patients who received stem cell treatments for a progressive form of blindness have reported better eye-sight, indicated research published in medical journal Lancet. Sounds incredible to us, but the researcher touted the results hesitantly. "The improvement in vision is a tiny biological signal. It could be disproven, or it could be the beginning of something fantastic," said Dr. Steven Schwartz. "The important thing here is that at four months, we saw the cells transplanted successfully into the subretinal space, they engrafted, and there was no immune rejection and not tumors, so it appeared safe." Safety first! [io9]
• Soap that turns into magnets when it dissolves. Beyond some fun bathtub tricks, this dark soapy goo could be useful in cleaning up oil spills. Instead of dispersing through the water and interrupting animal-life, the magnetic properties could allow cleaner-uppers to gather the soapy remains after a clean-up. "The ability to remove the surfactant after it has been added widens the potential applications to environmentally sensitive areas like oil spill clean ups where in the past concerns have been raised," explained industrial chemist Peter Dowding. [AlphaGalileo]
• Smoking induced cancer doesn't stop smokers from smoking. Maybe it's fatalism, addiction, or just plain vanity, but even when afflicted with a life threatening illness, a significant proportion of cancer patients continue smoking. When looking at 5,338 lung and colorectal cancer patients, 14 percent of lung cancer patients and 9 percent of colorectal cancer patients were still smoking 14 months after diagnoses. We hear smoking has other health benefits, though, so maybe this isn't thoroughly counter-productive? [Cancer]
• Monogamy has overall good societal benefits. Tell this to your gender-studies professor: humans are (generally) monogamous because it makes for a safer, less violent, rich and gender-equal society. Cultures that permit polygamy creates intra-sexual competition that is all around bad for life, found researchers at the University of British Columbia. "The scarcity of marriageable women in polygamous cultures increases competition among men for the remaining unmarried women," explained professor Joseph Henrich. And when men don't have women they turn evil, committing crimes and such. It's a big mess. [University of British Columbia]

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