Ken Perrott • May 09, 2018 •
A new high-quality study of the effect of fluoride on the memory and learning behaviour of rats has produced definitive results. Anti-fluoride campaigners had great hopes this study would bring an end to community water fluoridation (CWF) – but their hopes have been dashed. The study showed no effect of fluoride on the memory, learning and motor skills of rats thus reinforcing the consensus … Read More
Guest Author • Apr 09, 2018 •
New app iWitnessed will allow eye witnesses and victims to record details of their testimony to help with police investigations. The app guides users through a list of key interview questions allowing specifics to be captured as quickly as possible after a crime. Developed by experts in forensic psychology at the University of Sydney and … 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
Guest Author • Mar 13, 2018 •
Kieron Rooney, University of Sydney This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The World Health Organisation recommends limiting “free sugars” to less than 10% of our total energy intake. This equates to around 12 teaspoons a day for an average adult. But more than half of Australian adults exceed … Read More
Jean Balchin • Mar 08, 2018 •
When I was a child, I vividly remember a very funny episode with my Grandpa. He couldn’t find his glasses – yet there they were, perched on the top of his head. I thought he was just playing along, but I gradually realised that he was being serious. It still makes me chuckle to this day, although memory loss isn’t … Read More
Jean Balchin • Feb 13, 2018 •
A recent study conducted by the University of Exeter and the University of Western Australia has found that wild magpies living in larger groups are more intelligent than magpies living in smaller groups. The study also found smarter female magpies had greater reproductive success. The research suggests that the demands of living in complex social groups may play a role in … Read More
Guest Author • Nov 28, 2017 •
Guest post by Louise Stevenson, Linguistics, History and Chinese language student at the University of Waikato Those who study Mandarin Chinese are familiar with the question, “But isn’t that one of the hardest languages to learn?” Usually, I like to challenge this question by pointing out how wonderfully straightforward the grammar is – no case-marking, no articles, and no inflection … Read More
Guest Author • Oct 20, 2017 •
Leonie Kirszenblat, The University of Queensland Many of us have experienced the effects of sleep deprivation: feeling tired and cranky, or finding it hard to concentrate. Sleep is more important for our brains than you may realise. Although it may appear you’re “switching off” when you fall asleep, the brain is far from inactive. What we know from … Read More
Michael Corballis • Mar 14, 2017 •
I recently read a letter from a 92-year-old American who was surprised to discover he knew 203 pop songs in detail, and partially knew another 58. He said he had a poor academic record and in other respects his memory was not exceptional. He was not a singer, but had done some acting. He had also published a book of … Read More
Julie Iles • Aug 19, 2016 •
On every smartphone, there is probably a collection of quickly typed reminders, thoughts, grocery lists, and titbits of information we thought we might forget. Out-sourcing our thoughts and memories like this is called ‘cognitive offloading’. The term involves everyday activities we may take for granted. From using a calculator to check finances to depending on Google Maps to get around, cognitive offloading is what we … Read More