Did You Know?

Why Is A Square Boxing Area Called A Ring?

The answer is that ‘ring’ was first applied not to the boxing area but to the spectators who formed a ring around the combatants, according to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Although hand-to-hand combat was probably invented by the first two-year old boy to discover he had a younger sibling, the first public boxing matches took place in early 18th century England. These were bare-knuckled affairs with no time limits, no ropes and no referees. The winner was the last man standing0

The ring of bloodthirsty fans formed an enclosure for the pugilists.

Eventually, as boxers started to make more money for their efforts, small arenas were built that featured rings demarcated by wooden barriers or heavy ropes. The current ring, with four (or occasionally three) ropes tied to turnbuckles on the corner posts, is the descendant.

Although sanctioning bodies mandate the size of boxing rings, professional wrestling has no such requirement. In many venues, the same rings are used for boxing and wrestling. Amateur wrestling is done on mats laid across a floor. Ironically, the action in amateur wrestling is demarcated by a circle, yet it isn’t called a ring. None of this makes sense without the historial perspective. That’s probably why the most common slang term for the ring in professional wrestling is ‘the squared circle’.

Do you Doodle?

Good News! Doodlers: the next time you are caught scribbling away in a meeting or lecture, explain that you are improving your concentration. A study by a UK psychology professor has shown that people who doodle have better recall. Professor Jackie Andrade asked 40 people to listen to a very dull message and write down names of people mentioned. Half were told to doodle naturally while others simply sat and listened.

Lo and behold, the doodlers were better at concentrating and recalled more information. The reason, she says, is because doodling stops daydreaming and helps people pay attention. “We know that daydreaming takes a lot of mental energy,” she says. “The best thing is to concentrate on a single task, but otherwise try doodling to stop your mind wandering.”

Spotlight On A Hidden Cancer Risk

Night falls, so you flick your lights. But a theory has been gaining support in the past few years that artificial light at night may contribute to cancer, perhaps because it slows production of the hormone melatonin. Now two studies add weight to the idea.

One from Israel’s University of Haifa, analysed satellite measurements of night-time light and cancer rates in 164 countries. The most brightly lit had the highest rates of prostrate cancer, more than double those in the dimmest nations. Meanwhile, Harvard researchers who tracked more than 18,000 postmenopausal women reported that those with the lowest night-time levels of melatonin were about 60 percent more likely to develop berast cancer.

So how can you minimize the possible risk posed by modern lighting? Sleep in as dark a room as possible. Use blind or shades if you live on a bright street. Keep a night light in the bathroom for midnight visits instead of turning on the overhead. Even brief exposure to light can suppress melatonin. A red bulb is best: red wavelengths cause a less precipitous drop of the hormone.