The Local

A nativity scene made of white beans, co keels and fruit peels has got Italians going nuts for it. Nativity scenes come in all shapes and sizes. The Catalans place a small man taking a poo on theirs. The defecating farmer figurine is known as 'El Caganer' – the crapper. Now an Italian artist is being hailed for his nativity scene made entirely out of nuts, vegetable waste and fruit peels. The nativity scene, which depicts the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Christian tradition, is on public display in the church in the village of Luzzogno, in the northe Italian region of Piedmont. "With the white beans I assembled the flocks of...

How much coffee you drink could come down to your genetic make-up. Photo: McPig/FlickrA groundbreaking study carried out in coffee-mad Italy has helped identify a gene scientists say could regulate our appetite for espressos and cappuccinos. The research, published in the joual,Scientific Reports, this month, helps explain why some people manage to get enough pep from a single cup of Joe each moing, while others need to knock back several shots of espresso before they feel full of beans. For the study, scientists took DNA samples from over 1,100 Italian volunteers who were then asked to complete detailed questioaires about their daily coffee habits. When the data were analyzed, scientists id...