It would appear that games like Tetris may help in the treatment of PTSD – there’s apparently a six-hour period in which traumatic memories become consolidated, so something like Tetris, in effect, allows the brain to be distracted for a time, thus reducing the consolidation. Hence [p]laying “Tetris” after viewing traumatic material reduces unwanted, involuntary […]
Latest articles
Naked Scientists Performing Autopsies!
The headline get your attention? There’s recently been an appeal put out that more people should donate their organs – brains in particular – to science. In a similar sort of vein, it’s apparently National Pathology Week (I’ve booked my autopsy for Thursday morning: it’ll be ACE!), and there’s a series of podcasts to go with it. […]
A Bad Day to Detox… and a Diversion to Mill
Sense about Science are truly wonderful people, but, I fear, are engaged in a somewhat futile attempt to rid the world of gobbledygook. Nevertheless, with Stakhanovite determination, they’re putting the boot into the detox industry. Again. On a similar theme, Ben Goldacre showed his mettle on Today and elsewhere. I wish them luck, but I […]
Virgin Schadenfreude
By David Hunter I don’t usually get to post these sorts of stories, usually Iain spots the salacious ones a mile off before I do… It turns out according to the BMJ that a US study has shown that abstinence pledges are ineffective at preventing sex among teenagers, those who vow not to end up […]
Gordon Brown opposes something that noone wants anyway…
Gordon Brown was interviewed on the radio this morning by Cormack Murphy O’Connor, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. A titanic clash of intellects it was not. Apparently Super Gord is against reforming the laws on assisted suicide: In a interview with Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, a guest editor on Today, Mr Brown was asked about calls […]
A Little Bit of Smut at Christmas
Not speaking German – we Brits don’t really believe in learning other languages when speaking English LOUDLY AND SLOWLY to non-limeys is clearly enough – I can’t be sure what this is about. But it would appear that someone has invented a spray-on condom. Or maybe it’s some process whereby you can shape your own. Or […]
How should we regulate research?
By David Hunter The BMJ is having it’s once yearly wrangle about the regulation of research in the UK: It’s time to change how Europe regulates research Many of the suggestions made and complaints are to some degree valid, the present system is cumbersome (though I think moving in the right direction in many ways […]
Ethics Publishing Ethics
I’ve been thinking recently about what’s going on when one’s engaged in a piece of ethical writing, and what counts as a proper parameter for it. Particularly, I’ve been wondering whether there’s any obligation to be consistent between papers – is there any need for the papers that one publishes to be compatible at all? […]
I was going to write something sensible here…
… but, while waiting for the announcement of the Manchester Congestion Charge vote, I happened across this story. It made me wince. Of course, penis-crush injuries from falling toilet seats are no laughing matter. No, no, no. Nor will I laugh at the suggestion – apparently made in earnest – that certain toilet seats should […]
Health care as a testing ground for theories of distributive justice
By David Hunter Political philosophy has historically been a surprisingly unreal subject and distributive justice as a sub-field has fared no better, indeed some of the primary discussions have focused on the distribution of plover eggs and claret and taken place on desert islands. There is some sense to this, abstracting away from society and […]