Honeybee life spans half as long as 50 years ago
As if bees aren’t in enough trouble, a new paper shows how the lifespan of the adult honeybee appears to have shrunk by nearly half in the past 50 years.
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Linking Data Today for a Better Tomorrow
The Population Health Research Network answers really important questions about our health and wellbeing and I was privileged to work on their Investment Plan 2023-2028, which is now available.
Are we doing sleep wrong?
Sleep is really important for staying healthy – but is there a correct sleeping position? And what does exercise have to do with it?
Do bumble bees play?
It seems playtime isn’t just for children and animals. Lab-kept bumble bees apparently roll small wooden balls around for no purpose other than fun,
The Black Death is still affecting our immune systems
The Black Plague ripped through Europe, Africa and Asia 700 years ago and killed around 200 million people. Genes that were associated with a survival advantage are still present in us today – but appear to make us more susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
Inspired by an apprentice
Sometimes your best work comes from unexpected encounters. Mine happened at my hairdresser.
Ancient artists were probably children
Analysis of 20,000 year-old hand stencils in Spanish caves have found they were likely to be made by 3–10 year-olds.
Dogs can smell when you’re stressed
Dogs love to sniff and smell their environment and that includes us humans. To them, we smell different when we are stressed.
How time in nature fixes your brain and mood
Ever wondered how spending time in nature makes you feel better? It’s all in your amygdala.
Some crops grow better in the city
Some crops are better suited, and produce greater yields, when grown in the city.
Evidence of amputation from 31,000 years ago
When I think of amputation before modern medicine, I tend to think of brutal anaesthetic-free operations from the 1700s. But a skeleton from Borneo with an amputated left lower leg dates back to 31,000 years ago – the oldest ever recorded.
Drought is revealing hidden gems
Much of the northern hemisphere is in drought, which is damaging farm economies, forcing water restrictions and causing massive fires. Millions of people, animals and fish are suffering. However, dry rivers are revealing much from the past.
Verbal insults are like a slap in the face
The things people say to us can have lasting impacts, and recent research has found that even under unnatural conditions, a verbal insult is perceived in the same way as a slap in the face.
Mosquitoes have more than one way to smell humans
Female mosquitoes ‘smell’ humans’ cocktail of scents to detect the blood they need to nourish their eggs. But they have more than one way to achieve this.
Why thinking too hard is exhausting
Have you ever been exhausted after thinking too much? It’s likely the build-up of glutamate is poisoning your neurons.