Category: Science

Save the Planet by… Becoming a Vegan! Do I really have to?

Veganism – it’s just something for middle-class ‘hippies’ right? Vegans are those tree-hugging, hemp-wearing festival-goers who say ‘man’ far too much. Well perhaps it’s time for a rethink on that stereotype. At least if you care about environment, that is.

Kale Sandwich (Gone Raw)
Could you fight Climate Change with a Kale Sandwich? It's very tasty (apparently) (Image: GoneRaw.com)
If you had thought you could do your bit to fight global warming by getting an eco-friendly Hybrid car – forget it. You’ll reduce your ‘carbon footprint’ more just by changing what you eat.

A new documentary called ‘PlanEAT‘ sets out to show the effects our dietary choices have on our health and the environment. Citing a selection of research, the film’s single purpose is encourage us to eat a more ‘plant-based’ diet (that’s the trendy new name for veganism). You could call it the ‘Super Size Me‘ for the animal-loving eco-warrior.

If this film has the impact it hopes to achieve, the future could be one that sees us ditching our hamburger and milkshake for Kale Sandwiches and Lime Mousse (made from Tofu, no less).

Hmm, I think some of us are going to need some very serious persuasion… Read more

Calling all science writers and bloggers… Is anyone listening?

Scientists: Are we producing too many?
Science: Dull, boring and irrelevant?
I considered giving a health warning with this post. Today, I abandon my usual calm demeanour and embark upon a part-rant, part impassioned call to action. As I climb onto my soapbox, be advised, things might get ugly (well, relatively – I am British after all).

Over the past 20 or so years, millions of dollars (pounds, Yen and Euros) have been invested by governments, charities and professional bodies in an attempt to break down misunderstandings about science within the wider public. Much of it has been done in vain and the successes have been small. When you look at actual data, it makes for some quite shocking reading; the general ‘educated’ public remain frighteningly misinformed about the fundamentals of science…

So is anyone to blame and what the Higgs can we do about it? Read more

The Olympics is Coming to London: So Why Won’t Brits be any Happier?

This post was chosen as an Editor's Selection for ResearchBlogging.orgIt was a shock announcement. Back in 2005, everyone thought Paris had the winning bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Unlike the UK’s hastily put together pitch, the French had spent 20 years fine-tuning theirs. When the IOC president declared that the Olympics were coming to London, scenes of jubilant crowds filled the screens of UK TVs. Celebrities, politicians and even the Queen were tripping over each other to enthuse about this ‘great victory’ for Britain. Were they right?

Now in the midst of economic turmoil, UK politicians still desperately cling to the hope that the Olympic Games represents, as if it were a flaming torch to light the way ahead. They continue to boast that it will boost the economy and importantly, the nation’s happiness. If they had they done their homework, they might have been better informed: Research now shows that all this rhetoric is almost certainly very wrong… Read more

Blue Lights Shown to Give a Brain Boost! But is a Better than Coffee?

This post was chosen as an Editor's Selection for ResearchBlogging.org

Can anything possibly beat the first coffee of the day?

It’s 6 am and the alarm sounds. Mornings aren’t a friendly place until you’ve had a coffee.

Loathed by some but loved by many more, caffienated drinks are the world’s most popular drug. Effective as a stimulant, a mood-booster and an learning-enhancer, caffeine is an indispensable part of modern-day living for 90% of Westerners. Coffee consumption has a variety of health benefits but is not without its problems; including addiction, withdrawal symptoms and adverse effects in children.

Now it seems, there could be a new kid on the block that threatens to topple the office coffee machine. It’s safe, legal and cheaper than a Starbuck’s. Move over Mr Drinks Dispenser and make way for invigorating power of the Blue Light Bulb! Read more

Are Wind Turbines Ugly? New Research Gives Answers…

Wind turbines are the icon for the Green Energy Movement, but are they nothing more than an eyesore?
Wind Turbines have come to symbolise hope. The image of a slowly rotating wind turbine on a blue sky represents a rose-tinted future where energy is abundant and free; global warming has been conquered (and bunnies leap gaily around fields).

But who would really want to live near a wind farm? We long for a future without rising sea levels and greenhouse gases, but opponents to wind power say this is not the solution. The most hotly debated wind power issue is ‘Why are they so ugly?” No-one, it seems, would be happy having huge grey windmills spoiling their landscape.

What is the truth? Are wind turbines really that much of an eyesore? Recently published research gives us some clues and reveals that many of our concerns may be unfounded… Read more

Getting Fit for the Summer? 3 Top Fitness Myths Revealed!

[Life's a beach]Exercise – you either love it or hate it. We’d all like to be strong, fit and athletic, but let’s face it – most of us aren’t. If you suffer with exercise-guilt, then fret not because you certainly aren’t the only one: Nine out ten of us stop going to the gym within 3 months of joining!

With only 40% of us managing to do the recommended amount of exercise, so be sure to check out these commonly-held exercise myths before you start to dust off your old trainers… Read more

What the Higgs is going on? The idiot’s ludicrously simple guide to what the ‘God Particle’ is… (and in under 4 minutes)

1/365 [dazed & confused]
Science Confusing?
Does science make you queasy? Thinking about physics tends to make me feel rather seasick. If you’ve ever tried to imagine how big infinity is then you’ll probably know what I mean.

News agencies have been buzzing with reports that the discovery of the fabled ‘God particle’ is close at hand. But who really knows what this enigmatic thing actually is? What difference is it really going to have to Joe-public? Research shows that despite the lab-coat wearer’s best efforts most people just don’t ‘get’ science.

So here is an attempt to redress the balance (albeit in a tiny way). This is a delightfully simple 4 minute guide to everything you need to know about the Large Hadron Collider, the Higgs boson, the ‘God particle’ and particle physics. I’m no particle physicist, so hopefully it will be easy to understand – and shouldn’t get you feeling too nauseous… Read more

`The Shady Truth About Sunglasses: How Safe Are Your Eyes?

This post was chosen as an Editor's Selection for ResearchBlogging.org

Sunglasses
Are your sunglasses ruining your eyes?
Companies are great at selling us things that we don’t really need; but when you’re out shopping for sunglasses then picking the right ones is crucial. Do you skimp and go for cheap ones?

Picking shades with proper UV protection is an absolute must. Wearing poor quality sunglasses could be doing you much more harm than good. But if you thought that splashing out on expensive sunglasses would save your vision, then you’d be wrong. Today’s blog shines some light on the darker side of being out in the sun (with some images that aren’t for the faint-hearted)… Read more

That’s How Big? Dr Stu Rediscovers the Classic Film: ‘Powers of Ten’

Oh no, not another boring science video! That was my first thought when, at 12 years of age, the science teacher wheeled out the TV trolley. Videos seemed such a cheap excuse for teaching…

What is Our Place in The Universe?
But by the time the ten minute short ‘Powers of Ten‘ had finished, there was an unusual calm in the classroom. Some might have been in awe of the ground-breaking Star-Wars style special effects. For me, those few minutes had opened my eyes to the awesomeness of the Universe in a way no arm-waving teacher could.

The premise is magnificently simple and beautifully put together. From a starting point at a picnic in a Chicago park the camera slowly starts to zoom out. Every ten seconds the view becomes ten times further away, until the earth, and then finally our galaxy becomes a tiny speck in the distance. The film then reverses – and after returning to the picnic scene, starts to zoom in closer and closer…

I was delighted to rediscover this video on Youtube – and I hope you enjoy it too. Even though it was made in 1968, it has aged better than a single malt. A modern remake narrated by Morgan Freeman was put together in 1996.

Which is better? You decide – just kick back and enjoy: Read more

Are Robots watching You? Experts Give an Urgent Warning about Spy Robots!

Tomy Omnibot-2000
Robots are often pretty embarrassing. Expect this to change, and soon.
I can imagine what you’re thinking: In a fight between humans and robots, we would win hands-down – we can just pull their plug out!

But robots have come a long way in recent years. Bill Gates recently said that we are standing at the dawn of a new era in robotics, likening this present age in robotic technology to where the computer industry was about 30 years ago. In the coming years, he says, we should expect robots to be a part of our daily lives. And we’re not talking about dumb vacuum cleaners or drinks dispensers here, but flying, walking, crawling, intelligent and autonomous artificial helpers.

Does this all sound far-fetched? Well don’t be too sure because experts in artificial intelligence have just published a stark warning that we must start to tackle some tricky ethical and legal issues now.

Welcome to the fascinating, bizarre and slightly frightening world of of robotics… Read more