A fire in the sky: our planet’s relationship with the sun
In its absence, life on earth would be impossible, but the effects of the sun are not entirely benign
Sucking carbon dioxide from the air just one way we can control global warming
Human ingenuity is providing ways to get us past this pressing problem – which we caused in the first place
The clever enigmatic octopus and what we know about the species so far
Given the animal’s capacity to learn about the world, their short life span is a mystery
The sophisticated life of plants deserves far greater attention
Lessons from their world may help human species increase its chance of long-term survival
How the sea otter stays warm: a mystery that was recently solved
Unlike larger marine animals, species has no fatty blubber to rely on to retain body heat
Ideas in philosophy on human extinction are toxic seeds that must be dealt with
Suffering is an unavoidable part of the human condition but can serve useful purposes
Our meritocratic educational system serves us well
Meritocracy has flaws but critics have yet to come up with a superior system
‘Following the science’ is not enough in a pandemic
Making policy is the task of Government, not to shelter behind ‘objective science’
Tackling our high anxiety over climate change
Further global warming will cause more trouble, but there is much we can still do
There is an unequal human sex ratio of males to females at birth
All countries with strongly skewed sex ratios at birth in favour of males have cultures that display a preference for sons
Collateral damage from the Covid-19 pandemic
Damage to mental health and economy may rival damage caused by virus itself
Conspiracy theories stubbornly impervious to scientific method
It would be unwise to ignore or patronise the phenomenon
There is no need for vaccine hesitancy among the young
Let us count our blessing vaccines against so many diseases are available
Nuclear waste is not the hellish material of popular imagination
Studies have shown it can be stored safely for millennia in geological repositories
You’re only as old as you feel – research says so
German study finds feeling younger protects middle-aged against damaging stress
A pandemic problem: Too much cleaning is bad for your health
Sterilising surfaces will have damaged microbiome biodiversity, essential for health
Aggressive de-growth needed to avoid climate nightmare
This would require prioritising generosity and sustainable living, and measuring success in terms of contentment not GDP
Doctors weigh in on importance of BMI in health outcomes
Some are moving from ‘weight-centric’ model to prescribing healthier behaviour
GDP measures economic activity but misses the point
Reliance on GDP as a measure of wellbeing has worsened people’s health and happiness
Vaccinations: Jewel in the crown of modern medical science
Humanity was vulnerable to a plethora of deadly diseases before jabs arrived
Irish Times science columnist Prof William Reville gets prestigious award
IUSA recognises academic’s work on research, understanding and Irish-US relations
Constant bad news about Covid is enough to make you sick
Much research demonstrates that consuming too much bad news takes a toll on health
What’s the story behind the mystery of Easter Island? It’s not set in stone
Deforestation, slavery and rats were all factors in the Pacific island’s population decline
Responding to disaster: Are we getting too soft?
The Covid-19 pandemic is undoubtedly serious, but it should not debilitate our resilience
Can breathing pure oxygen under pressure reverse ageing?
Objective is to fill blood with enough oxygen to repair tissue corroded by advancing years
Science must not marginalise the humanities
Science is acutely aware of its limits but scientism is dogmatic
Is it acceptable to use data from Nazi medical experiments?
Unethical Nazi experiments yielded scientifically valid results in some cases
Was the aid worse than the tsunami?
Many Nicobarese regret leaving their homes following the 2004 disaster and now suffer from depression and alcoholism
The farmer and the hunter-gatherer should be friends
One of the two groups were treated as inferiors when they blended to form a society about 9,000 years ago, evidence shows
Near death experience: The phenomenon of the mind ‘leaving’ the body
Does it show the existence of life after death or can science explain it?
How cooler heads could have avoided the ‘Galileo affair’
Conventional account ignores gaps in scientist’s evidence to Catholic Church inquisition
Great human advances were made throughout the ‘Dark Ages’
The major discoveries of the Scientific Revolution were made in universities strongly supported by the church
How Pavlov’s doggedness led to a breakthrough in psychology
Discovery of conditioned reflex played large role in development of behaviourism
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