Watermelon rinds could be the new natural aphrodisiac, new research has shown. Researchers from Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center say the fruit's rind can have a Viagra-like effect. The flesh and rind of watermelons contain citrulline, which reacts with the body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities. The compound is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems. Just like the popular Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), it also helps relax and dilate blood vessels.

In an attempt to help overweight officers get back in shape, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has hired a full-time diet coach to chalk out special diet plans for them. Rana Parker, who joined the force in July, was working as a diet coach at Head Start, the federal aid program for children. Now she will target recruits and help instill in them good eating habits and finding time for balanced meals.

A study conducted by the Rotterdam police revealed that hardened criminals are pacified upon exposure to the scent of oranges. An experiment, conducted for four weeks, revealed that felons became less aggressive, and more obedient when the scent of the citrus fruit was pumped into their prison cells.

The remains of a giant rat, estimated to weigh about a ton, was discovered in Uruguay proving that mammoth rodent once roamed the face of the earth some four million years ago. Archaeologists said they have unearthed the half-meter long skull of the giant prehistoric rat, which by any standard, is bigger than a bull, in a chunk of rock in Rio de La Plata on the coast of Uruguay.

The Berlin Zoo celebrated the first birthday of its famous polar bear Knut, who was born and then rejected by its mother. Since infancy, the polar bear has caught the attention and the endearment of people the world over. The birthday celebration, which was held Wednesday, involved more than 2,000 attendees by noon, and was highlighted by a giant birthday cake made from 300 eggs and 22 pounds of marzipan.