Articles
Trust, truth, and representation. The New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is one of the oldest scientific organizations in the United States and has been a place to exchange ideas since 1817. In the 21st century, the science may have changed, but its mission remains: to drive innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. In this interview with CEO and […]
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Developing our nature: When and how human aggression and other psychological traits evolved
Dr James Walter, Emeritus Adjunctive Professor at Loyola University Chicago, USA, and PhD student Aasma Khan summarise research conducted by Professor Richard Wrangham and peers on the evolution of human aggression and other psychological traits. Two approaches are used: comparing aggression in different species, and investigating hunter-gatherer cultures. Walter and Khan outline the relationship between aggression and language evolution and […]
The cataract epidemic
Cataracts are caused by lifetime exposure to solar radiation affecting the eye lens and compromising visual ability and everyday activities. It can be treated with surgery; however, due to the increasing number of cataract cases, it is becoming a serious burden in healthcare systems worldwide. Dr Konstantin Galichanin at Uppsala University, Sweden has been studying how ultraviolet radiation leads to […]
Who will care for the mental healthcare professionals? A wake-up call from the Netherlands
The COVID-19 pandemic taught us many lessons; one is that mental healthcare workers are not immune to the ravages of mental health problems. The pandemic put them under considerable stress in ways unimaginable before; many are still feeling it. Dr Anneloes van den Broek and Dr Lars de Vroege, senior researchers and clinical psychologists in mental healthcare in the Netherlands, […]
Exploring the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes within poultry litter
Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human and animal health. Bacteria containing antibiotic resistance genes are found in poultry litter, usually from commercial chicken production. Since poultry litter is often used as a soil fertiliser, there is a risk that this antibiotic resistance could be transferred into the soil. Professor John Maurer at Virginia Tech University, USA, has shown […]
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Pollen: Surviving the hay fever season
The temperature is rising, the ice cream van is playing a merry tune, children are playing in the garden, and a warm summer breeze floats in through the window bearing – for some – a payload of pollen that will set off a chain reaction that leads to hay fever – runny noses, itchy eyes, and bouts of sneezing. Hayfever […]
The vampire squid – a deep-sea monster or a misunderstood mollusc?
Neither squid nor vampire, Vampyroteuthis infernalis is a mysterious deep-sea member of the Cephalopod class of molluscs. The last of its kind, the vampire squid is the only living member of the order Vampyromorphida. Because of its curious name (which literally means ‘vampire squid from hell’ in Latin) and intimidating appearance, the vampire squid has captured the minds of people […]
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Biomimicry: The imitation game
Evolution has the advantage of millions of years of trial and error to refine nature’s designs; biomimetics uses nature as the source of inspiration for innovative design solutions to complex problems. The scope of opportunity offered by biomimicry is breathtaking – and the results are often beautiful. Here, we take a closer look at brilliant examples of biomimicry and the […]
Creating a unified theory for the fundamental physical interactions
The search for a theory which unifies the Universe’s four known fundamental forces has now endured for over a century. Recently, Dr Joachim Herrmann at the Max-Born Institute, Germany, revisited the geometrisation programme of unified field theory from the 20th century, in combination with the modern theory of elementary particles. He has shown that a possible solution may be found […]
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The Church and Academia model: A powerhouse for harnessing pain-related prayer research
There are limited alternatives to standard prescription therapy for those suffering from chronic pain. While the biopsychosocial model of pain is well established, it often neglects the influence of religious and spiritual factors on pain. Dr Marta Illueca, a leader in the Episcopal Church in Delaware, has collaborated with Dr Samantha Meints at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in […]