Let’s open our minds and mouths to GM foodGenetic modification is still highly controversial despite extensive research having failed to produce evidence of harmThu Oct 17 2013 - 01:00
Theories on monogamy tend to be promiscuousTwo research groups area at loggerheads over the implications of their studies for human evolutionThu Oct 3 2013 - 10:16
Tackling Obesity with Processed FoodIt’s time to re-think the advice given to those struggling with obesity about what food is goodThu Sep 19 2013 - 01:00
A little light at the end of the global-warming tunnelThe potential of a new technology to slow down global warming does not excuse continuing paralysisThu Sep 5 2013 - 01:00
An imperfect scienceScience is the best tool available to allow us to pursue objective truths, but scientists are human like the rest of usThu Aug 15 2013 - 01:00
An essential step in growing human liversScientists have shown ‘proof of concept’ that a working human liver can be built in the lab from stem cellsThu Aug 1 2013 - 01:00
Incidence of monkeypox and cowpox on the riseA side effect of smallpox eradication is a lack of immunity to other strains that can be just as lethalThu Jul 18 2013 - 01:00
Blood-brain barrier vital to regulation of systemLearning how to open and close this intriguing gateway could lead to cures for many perplexing diseasesThu Jul 11 2013 - 00:00
When too much empathy is dangerousWhen empathy causes us to ignore logic or science, its consequences can be harmful to allThu Jun 27 2013 - 01:00
Is Europe on the verge of demographic collapse?Birth rates need to be 2.1 to ensure the species does not peter out. But modern life poses a threat to posterityThu Jun 6 2013 - 01:00
Amino acids and the beginning of lifeAmino acids have been detected in space and in meteorites that landed on EarthThu May 16 2013 - 02:00
A functional and essential debateIdentifying where personhood begins is vitalto the ethical debateThu May 2 2013 - 07:00
The biology behind your social attitudesBiology doesn’t just affect you physically; it can shape your ideas and politicsThu Apr 18 2013 - 07:00
Gender is not a social constructThere is a strong biological basis to gender and it cannot be healthy to frustrate such tendenciesThu Apr 4 2013 - 06:00
The emergence of deadly drug-resistant tuberculosisCatastrophic global outbreak of TB fearedThu Mar 21 2013 - 06:00
The truth about antioxidantsOPINION: I’ve taught many students that one of the most dangerous things they do is breatheThu Feb 21 2013 - 00:00
Resurrecting mammoth evolutionary dead endsOpinion: The film Jurassic Park featured dinosaurs cloned from DNA recovered from insects preserved in prehistoric amberThu Jan 3 2013 - 00:00
Why there's a little of the psychopath in us allConsider how you would act in the following situations.Thu Dec 20 2012 - 00:00
Time to tackle the fat and refuse to be passiveOpinion: Ireland is suffering from an epidemic of obesityThu Dec 6 2012 - 00:00
Engineers, scientists may carry autism geneOPINION: Question: “How would you recognise an extrovert mathematician?” Answer: “He’s the mathematician who looks at your shoes…Thu Nov 15 2012 - 00:00
How did we all get to be so clever?Thanks to our improved ability in abstract reasoning, we are all getting better at IQ testsThu Nov 1 2012 - 00:00
Quality not quantity to tackle fraudThe pressure to secure grants can force scientists to publish work that offers little value – and can lead to misconductThu Oct 18 2012 - 01:00
In through the tap, out through the plugholeMAINSTREAM SCIENCE has shown that the world is warming, almost certainly because of human-induced emissions of warming gases …Thu Sep 20 2012 - 01:00
Forget free will and exercise free won'tMany scientists believe free will is an illusion. If so, do we have no control over our actions?Thu Sep 6 2012 - 01:00
Why does the return journey feel quicker?Researchers have come up with convincing models for how time is measured by memoryThu Aug 16 2012 - 01:00
Why poor will pay for fatter worldTHE RAPID expandsion of the world’s population raises the problem of how to feed all of these extra mouthsThu Jul 5 2012 - 01:00
The best advice is to follow your gut instinctThe bacteria in your digestive system is so vital to health and well-being that it is sometimes called the ‘forgotten organ…Thu Jun 21 2012 - 01:00
Fusion energy still a pipe dreamNUCLEAR FUSION is the holy grail of power generation, promising the safe, clean generation of boundless energy from essentially…Thu Jun 7 2012 - 01:00
The simple secret to a healthy lifeWE ARE constantly bombarded with advice on a healthy lifestyleThu May 31 2012 - 01:00
New study shows gene link to IQTHE RELATIVE extent to which human intelligence is determined by our genes and by our environment is an old debate – the “nature…Thu May 3 2012 - 01:00
Strategies for dealing with deathDEATH IS ONE of the few things we can be sure of. In the bad-news stakes, death must be the leading contender for top spot.Thu Apr 19 2012 - 01:00
Overweight? Reduce risks by staying fitWE ARE BOMBARDED nowadays with warnings about the dangers to our health of growing fat but, despite these warnings, obesity statistics…Thu Apr 5 2012 - 01:00
Much ado about nothingTODAY I will bounce off perhaps the most fundamental question ever asked, “Why is there something rather than nothing?”, which…Thu Mar 15 2012 - 00:00
Philosophers divide on moral groundWE PICTURE philosophers as people who read and think deeply about the nature of things and publish a distillation of these thoughts…Thu Mar 1 2012 - 00:00
The pros and cons of fracking for natural gasTHE RECENT combination of hydraulic fracturing (commonly called “fracking”) with horizontal drilling has transformed previously…Thu Feb 16 2012 - 00:00
A healthier life? Your prayers are answeredDevoutly religious people tend to live healthier lives, but even non-believers can benefit from emulating the religious lifestyle…Thu Jan 5 2012 - 00:00
Overcoming stem cell research difficultiesPROPONENTS OF human embryonic stem cell research (HESCR) pitched their case for support on the basis that it would lead to cures…Thu Dec 15 2011 - 00:00
Flight of the bumble bee generating a lot of buzzI WAS recently listening to The Flight of the Bumble Bee , composed by Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov, which reminded me of the oft-…Thu Dec 1 2011 - 00:00
Scientists need to take the climate gloves offTHE BRITISH Nobel Laureate physiologist Sir Peter Medawar (1915-1987), justifiably described science as “incomparably the most…Thu Nov 17 2011 - 00:00
The great mysteries of life are biochemicalSOME OF THE greatest mysteries in science are chemical mysteriesThu Nov 3 2011 - 00:00
Explanation overdue for combustion of humansHow can a person burst into flames and burn almost completely while leaving the surroundings largely unscathed?Thu Oct 20 2011 - 01:00
Parents avoid child vaccines at their perilMANY PARENTS worry about the safety of the standard childhood vaccinations recommended by the health servicesThu Oct 6 2011 - 01:00
So why the mixed messages on salt?Despite the received wisdom, recent studies seem to say that reducing salt offers no benefitsThu Sep 1 2011 - 01:00
Sunspots indicate colder wintersBut will cold conditions in Europe have any impact on the problem of global warming?Thu Aug 4 2011 - 01:00
Beware of amateur scientistsBy all means listen, but paying undue attention to amateur opinion hinders progressThu Jul 7 2011 - 01:00
Gender can't be freely chosenTHE RECENT decision by Canadian couple Kathy Witterick and David Stocker to withhold knowledge of the sex of their third child…Thu Jun 16 2011 - 01:00
Bias clue in explaining false beliefIT IS COMMON for people to pay attention to evidence that supports what they want to believe and to ignore evidence to the contrary…Thu Jun 2 2011 - 01:00
Danger of creating weeds we can't controlASKED TO name a chemical pesticide, I’m sure most readers would cite RoundupThu May 19 2011 - 01:00
Stem-cell research gets new horizonStem cell therapy involves inducing stem cells to turn into healthy new tissue to replace failing tissueThu May 5 2011 - 01:00
Despite the high-profile accidents, we need nuclear energyThe general safety record of nuclear power is excellent when compared to other ways of producing powerThu Apr 21 2011 - 01:00