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Ben Alderson-Day

I am an Associate Professor and member of the Developmental Science research group at Durham. I'm also a fellow of the Institute for Medical Humanities and the Wolfson Institute for Health and Wellbeing.

From 2012 to 2022 I was a member of Hearing the Voice, an interdisciplinary project that explored the topic of voice-hearing (or auditory verbal hallucinations). Joining originally as a postdoctoral researcher, I was one of six co-applicants for Hearing the Voice's second Wellcome award in 2015, and in 2020 I became Associate Director of the project (working alongside PI Charles Fernyhough and Co-Director Angela Woods). The project is internationally recognised for its interdisciplinary approach and contribution to psychosis research, which produced over 200 outputs. In 2019 we launched Understanding Voices, the world's largest web resource for supporting people with distressing voices.

I am the co-founder and co-chair of the Early Career Hallucinations Research (ECHR) group, a network of over 250 ECRs in 24 countries conducting research on hallucinations and related topics.

Prior to working at Durham I completed my PhD in Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, and worked as a Research Co-ordinator for Lime Trees Child & Adolescent Mental Health team in the NHS in York.

My research is broadly focused on mental health and neurodiversity. This includes work on psychosis and autism primarily, but has also involved research on inner speech, mental imagery, executive functioning, categorisation, and perception. My most recent research has concerned "felt presence": the sensation that someone is present without any sensory cues. Such experiences occur in psychosis, Parkinson's, epilepy, bereavement, survival situations, and around the boundaries of sleep.

What science can tell us about the experience of unexplainable presence

Apr 10, 2023 16:17 pm UTC| Science

If youve ever had the eerie sensation theres a presence in the room when you were sure you were alone, you may be reluctant to admit it. Perhaps it was a profound experience that you are happy to share with others. Or ...

Economy

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

Why Germany ditched nuclear before coal – and why it won’t go back

One year ago, Germany took its last three nuclear power stations offline. When it comes to energy, few events have baffled outsiders more. In the face of climate change, calls to expedite the transition away from fossil...

Politics

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies

President Joe Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax to an unprecedented 44.6% in a bold fiscal move, targeting the wealthiest Americans. This hike is part of his 2025 budget proposal to reduce income...

Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdish political movement continues to fuel a deadly armed conflict

The world has 91 democracies and 88 autocracies. Yet 71% of the worlds population (some 5.7 billion people) are living under autocratic rule, a big jump from 48% ten years ago. This trend towards authoritarianism can...

Science

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

Technology

Tesla Clears Regulatory Hurdles for FSD Launch in China with Baidu's Help

Tesla and Baidu have joined forces to tackle Chinas rigorous FSD regulations, ensuring all Tesla operational data is stored in Shanghai, thereby adhering to strict data compliance measures. According to Reuters, a...

Samsung Teams With eSports Icon 'Faker' to Boost Odyssey Sales in China

Samsung Electronics has intensified its efforts in China by aligning with Lee Faker Sang-hyeok and the powerhouse T1 eSports team to promote their Odyssey gaming monitors. The collaboration was highlighted during an...

Ethereum Whales Sell Off 56K Coins, Fueling Fears of Further Price Drops

Whales have shaken the Ethereum market by dumping 56,000 coins, leading to widespread speculation about further price corrections amid the crypto markets broader instability. Impact of Whale Transactions on...

Shiba Inu Faces New Correction, Dips Below Key Support Levels

Shiba Inu (SHIB), the popular meme cryptocurrency, has initiated another correction phase. It dropped below the crucial 26-day EMA and edged towards significant support levels. This downturn reflects a broader hesitance in...

MetaComp and Harvest Global Launch Innovative Bitcoin Spot ETFs in Singapore

In a significant move to expand global investment options, Singapore-based fintech MetaComp has teamed up with Harvest Global Investments to launch innovative bitcoin spot ETFs. This collaboration integrates advanced...