Sometimes, scientific research can seem detached from the reality of ordinary people’s lives.
And sometimes it can speak to us in a way we’ve never been spoken to before.
Case in point: the scientists who are working to create hangover-free alcohol.
These glorious men and women are slaving away at their noble mission so we can have a rowdy night out and still make it to brunch in one piece the next day.
Alcarelle, the synthetic alcohol, has been in the pipeline for a number of years and is now in its final stages of development.
Its makers say it is non-toxic to the liver and that it will produce the desired effects of alcohol (“sociability, relaxation, fun”) without the harmful side effects “that cause so much damage to our health”.
Drinkers, they say, will avoid headaches as well as the feeling of being out of control and the aggression that alcohol can cause.
It’s the brainchild of Professor David Nutt, who wanted to create a safe alternative after a long career of treating patients with alcoholism in his job as a psychiatrist.
He believes that alcohol won’t exist in its current form by 2050 as it’s so dangerous and expects that his product will be on the market within five years.
“We know where in the brain alcohol has its “good” effects and “bad” effects, and what particular receptors mediate that – Gaba, glutamate and other ones, such as serotonin and dopamine,’ he told the Guardian.
“The effects of alcohol are complicated but … you can target the parts of the brain you want to target.”
God speed, Dr Nutt.
