Many evolutionary biologists believe that a diet rich in red meat eaten by our ancestors was responsible for the dramatic increase in the size of our brains compared to other plant-eating primates. Gorillas, which have a plant-based diet for example, may grow to sizes three times bigger than us, but their brains are far smaller […]
Travelling on the London Underground, or another city subway service, is seldom a pleasant experience – but if you suffer claustrophobia or anxiety, it can be terrifying. There is the fear of being underground, of being trapped between stations, of crowds or being crushed, and of course the fear of terrorism. When someone has a […]
With the constant threat of terrorism, people may feel fearful about death when going about their business. Sudden death of a loved one is the worst sort of trauma for survivors to manage, and is the most common reason why people seek psychotherapy. So how can we deal with our current fears of terrorism and […]
This weekend, July 22—24th, Whitstable celebrates its famous oysters with the Whitstable Oyster Festival, this year held on Tankerton Slopes. The town’s famous oyster beds inspired local writers, from Charles Dickens, to Somerset Maugham. These bivalves are then carried along by a procession and serenaded with music. This ancient ceremony takes place when native oysters […]
Electricity and our brightly lit modern world is not to blame for the rising tide of sleep deprivation, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Researchers from the University of Surrey, in collaboration with groups in South Africa, Brazil, Colombia and the USA, examined the sleeping patterns of people from two […]
Read More… from Electric age not to blame for sleep deprivation
The dangers of airborne aluminium exposure may yet be felt by the Grenfell survivors and nearby residents of Grenfell Tower. To see why, we need to look back to a recent disastrous case of mass aluminium poisoning. In 1988 twenty tonnes of aluminium sulphate were inadvertently added to the potable water supply serving Camelford in […]
Surgeons often operate in the dark. They have a limited view of the surface of the organ, and can typically not see what lies hidden inside. Quality images can routinely be taken prior to the surgery, but as soon as the operation begins, the position of the surgeon’s target and risky areas he must avoid, […]
The Emperor is Naked: No aluminium, no Alzheimer’s disease. This is the, perhaps unexpected, conclusion of a new open access paper published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports. Putting the headline in context what is actually being suggested is that brain content of aluminium is a catalyst for Alzheimer’s disease. In the absence of pathologically significant […]
GoPro cameras fitted on firefighters’ helmets have helped improve commanders’ decisions during emergencies. Fire officers were fitted with the cameras during virtual reality simulations, giving Cardiff University researchers a unique perspective on how judgements were made in emergencies. The study showed decision-making was often intuitive and reflexive, with officers affected by past experiences of similar […]
Read More… from GoPro cameras improve firefighting decisions
Altering your meal times could be the key to minimising disruption to the body clock caused by shift work or jet lag, according to new research published in the journal, Current Biology. In the first human study of its kind, researchers from the University of Surrey discovered that delaying meal times delays the circadian rhythm […]