Science & Health

The future role of human judgement

There is an old Chinese curse, “May you live in an interesting age.” It continues: “They are times of danger ...
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Why I wrote a book on circumcision

I’ve spent the last 10 years researching and writing a book on circumcision. The first question most people ask me ...
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The gaping problem at the heart of scientific research

Researchers can’t progress their work without access to very expensive scientific journals. The rebellion against the publishers and their fees ...
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Success without substance

New Zealander Nigel Richards has won the French Scrabble championship twice. What’s more remarkable than double wins is that Nigel doesn’t ...
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In defence of nudging

Nudging – the idea that simple changes to how a choice is presented can lead people to make better decisions ...
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Behavioural science and its complications

Nudge theory offered a wonderful alternative future in which governments could nudge people to do the right thing and thereby ...
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Science experiments at school can be fun, inspiring and safe

To a young mind, science can be magical. Perhaps you remember a visually striking or seemingly inexplicable scientific demonstration from ...
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From ‘Blind Watchmaker’ to seeing watchmakers

For most of the first 15 years of the 21st century, there was a fierce debate between rationalist supporters of ...
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How the world’s fossil fuel addiction compromises our health

Climate change threatens to undermine the health of people around the world, with more intense and frequent extreme weather events, ...
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New ‘ethics guidance’ puts science publishing under the microscope

The British journal Nature was founded in 1869 and is one of the world’s most influential and prestigious outlets for ...
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Misinformation: The common thread between pandemics

Since health officials confirmed the first COVID-19 cases, misinformation has spread just as quickly as the virus. Social media may ...
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Authentic mindfulness in the era of ‘wellness’

Meditation and mindfulness practices in Western nations are booming. One report estimates that 55 million Americans engaged in meditation in ...
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