Get out of my ear, damn worm
When I was sixteen, I spent a year living and going to school in Germany. Among other things, I fell for the German language. One of my all-time favourite German words is <em>Ohrwurm</em>; translation: earworm!
Author: Jen Martin
Chocoholics rejoice! It’s (mostly) good news
We’ve all heard claims chocolate is healthy. But if you’re anything like me, you’ve wondered if that’s a vicious rumour started by a chocolate multinational. I’m delighted to tell you in fact scientists have found plenty of evidence for the health benefits of chocolate eaten in moderation. But there are a few things you need to know. A long but not so sweet history The Latin name for cocoa, Theobroma, means “food of the gods”. […]
Animals have talent
Chimpanzees use blades of grass to ‘fish’ for termites, and capuchin monkeys use a hammer and anvil to crack open nuts. A mandrill has even been seen using a stick to get dirt out from under his toenails. We’ve known for a long time that other primates use tools but how about animals that aren’t our close relatives?
Get lost! Are men really better navigators?
As a woman, it pains me to admins this: there’s good evidence that, in tests of spatial awareness, men typically outperform women. Yes, men really do tend be better navigators. But why?
Jet lagged? There’s an app for that
You’ve just flown halfway across the globe and the clock tells you it’s morning but your body tells you it’s bedtime. You’re tired and dazed. You can’t think straight and it take days to start feeling normal again. Jet lag. Is it just an annoyance, or something more serious? And among the many touted remedies, could a new smartphone app be the answer?
The rainbow deception
Will wearing red help you pick up? Do sports team dressed in black play more aggressively? Are good guys in movies often dressed in white? We all have instinctive responses to colours and in the case of food packaging, marketers are very keen to exploit them.
One-way ticket to the red planet
2024: the first human crew of four will set out on their 7-month one-way trip to Mars. They will establish a human outpost on this inhospitable planet and be joined by four new people every two years. This is the mission of Mars One. But are we really sure Earth-based technology can keep them alive?
Groove is in the hive
Bees have long been famous for their “waggle dance”, a series of moves telling other bees where good food can be found. But do you know just how intricate this dance is? It turns out bees have a complex language and we know how to eavesdrop onto their conversations.
Need more sleep, or just a placebo?
It’s late. Really late. And you need to be up early. You’re tossing and turning. The later is gets the more stressed you feel. How are you going to get through the next day so sleep deprived? What if I told you all you need is to <em>believe</em> you got enough sleep?
Drinking water: can there be too much of a good thing?
Water: it covers 97% of the planet, makes up almost two-thirds of each of us, and is a requirement for life as we know it. But did you know too much of it can kill you?
Dr Jen Martin 