Guest Author • Apr 24, 2018 •
Kristen Knutson, Northwestern University and Malcolm von Schantz, University of Surrey This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Do you wake up bright eyed and bushy-tailed, greeting the sunrise with cheer and vigor? Or are you up late into the night and dread the sound of your alarm clock? … Read More
Guest Author • Mar 15, 2018 •
by Jean Balchin Yesterday I was incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of world-renowned cosmologist and pioneer in theoretical physics, Stephen Hawking. Here are a collection of tributes to the great man. Professor David Wiltshire, Theoretical Physicist, University of Canterbury, comments: Stephen Hawking. Wikimedia Commons. “Stephen was the most courageous person I have known. He had … Read More
Jean Balchin • Feb 28, 2018 •
A recent Newshub Reid Research poll has revealed that the vast majority of New Zealanders support euthanasia. Written by Act New Zealand MP David Seymour, the End of Life Choices Bill has 71% of the country’s support, with 19.5% against it and 9.5% unsure. Under said Bill, a person wishing to end their own life must meet all … Read More
Jean Balchin • Feb 21, 2018 •
A recent study has revealed that even short bursts of exercise, including those of light intensity, is linked to a lower risk of death in older men. Published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that providing the recommended 150 minute weekly tally of moderate to physical activity is reached, total volume, rather than activity in 10 … Read More
Jean Balchin • Jan 17, 2018 •
I first realised my brother was missing when I logged into Facebook one evening to see his bashful face grinning at me from a ‘MISSING’ notice. Rather absurdly, I wondered why they hadn’t picked a better photo of John instead of this blurry, orange-toned selfie. I continued scrolling through Facebook while frantically calling my family. Funny, innocuous videos of … Read More
Alison Campbell • Oct 03, 2017 •
Today I was on leave and, the weather being bad, thought I’d do a bit of catching up on the news. And so it was that I found, on the Stuff FB page, an item about the (lack of) funding for cutting-edge cancer drugs. So far, so innocuous (although also somewhat sad) – until I read the comments. For there, I … Read More
Guest Author • Aug 07, 2017 •
By Jon Cornwall, Victoria University of Wellington Death is inevitable. The creation of healthcare records about every complaint and ailment we seek treatment for is also a near-certainty. Data about patients is a vital cog in the provision of efficient health services. Our study explores what happens to those healthcare records after you die. We focus on … Read More
Guest Author • Jul 05, 2017 •
Lauren Monds, Research Fellow in Addiction Medicine, Research Officer in Forensic Psychology, University of Sydney and Celine van Golde, Associate Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, University of Sydney Bob has arrived at the emergency department at 10am on a Tuesday after breaking several fingers slamming his hand in a car door. Bob is quite anxious; he … Read More
Robert Hickson • Apr 17, 2017 •
The oldest person in the world has died, aged 117. Life expectancy in Italy in 1899 when she was born was 44 years. She wasn’t the oldest; the current record is 122. NZ’s oldest living person is 109, although the oldest so far reached 113 years. Life expectancy in New Zealand has, as elsewhere, risen … Read More
Ken Perrott • Apr 16, 2017 •
We are all going to die but fluoridation isn’t killing us. Oh, dear – the local anti-fluoridation people are at it again. More cases of fiddling statistics – and yet again the guilty party is the US anti-fluoridation activist Karen Favazza Spencer. She should really take some advice about statistics. Although I suspect she doesn’t care – she is just … Read More