Summary: There are numerous speech stratagems which can be used to influence opinions and manipulate the message. Euphemisms are substitutes for potentially offensive or upsetting language. Weasel words are terms whose goal is to be ambiguous and avoid true meaning. Both euphemisms and weasel words are used to obscure reality but the speakers’ intentions are different. This series of articles […]
Summary: Ginger is the root of a plant called Zingiber officinale. It was widely used in folk medicine in Asia, India, Europe and the Middle East. Ginger has some potential health benefits, which are so far only evident in in vitro and animal studies. It is October and flu season is already upon us. Every year, around this time media […]
Summary: This series of articles aims to introduce female scientists whose work was pivotal in the history of science. Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 for her theory of radioactivity and in Chemistry in 1911 for the discovery of radium. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics and in Chemistry, and […]
Summary: Probiotics are consumable living microorganisms and are often offered as a treatment for gastrointestinal syndromes. The use of probiotics has been proven to be beneficial in a selective number of cases but does require a fully individualised treatment. Long-term studies on the effects of probiotics are limited, and more research is needed to determine their overall efficacy and safety […]
Summary: Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammatory disease affecting one in ten menstruating women. Symptoms include painful menstruation, fatigue and infertility, which impacts day-to-day life, personal relationships and work productivity. Diagnosis can be a long and tricky process, but improvements made in imaging technology could reduce invasive diagnostic procedures. Treatment options include hormonal birth control as medication, other hormone treatment […]
Summary: There is no strong evidence supporting the efficacy of many over-the-counter cough medications. Research suggests that honey may be beneficial and can be tried as a home remedy to relieve acute cough in children, however, the studies have limitations. Honey might help by soothing throat irritation and inflammation. Children younger than one-year-old should not be served honey due to […]
Summary: The immune system is capable of destroying cancer cells but sometimes this response is inefficient and the cancer is able to evade immune detection. Cancer vaccines are designed to help the immune system recognise and clear cancer cells. mRNA-based cancer vaccines are currently in clinical trials and some have already shown successful outcomes. Every individual cancer is unique, and […]
Summary: There are numerous logical and rhetorical fallacies which can influence public debates or private opinions. Logical fallacies are mistakes in reasoning which make arguments and opinions false. Both correlation and causation are used in research to describe the relationship between variables but can be mistaken for one another. Correlation is a connection between two things while causation is a […]
Summary: Substances that act to enhance cognitive activity fall under the term “nootropics” and comprise a wide array of compounds with diverse effects on the brain. Global increase in cognitive pharmaceutical doping among students poses a health concern. Nootropics might affect cognitive function directly (tweaking chemical messengers or neurons in the brain) or indirectly (via the blood circulatory system or […]
Summary: Social media have become an integral part of our lives. Researchers have recently become concerned with the potential negative impact of social media on mental health. Scientific studies have demonstrated the negative effects that social media can have on attention span, cognitive processes and sleep patterns. Mitigation strategies such as limits on screen time and digital detoxes can help […]