'Seeing' music or 'tasting' numbers? Here's what we can learn from people with synaesthesia

Feb 01, 2017 13:33 pm UTC| Health

Imagine what the world would be like if numbers had specific spatial locations, music had shapes, or colours made sounds. Perhaps youd experience the bass in the Jamie xx track Gosh as cuboid, metallic and heavy, with...

Could a contraceptive app be as good as the pill?

Jan 30, 2017 16:41 pm UTC| Technology Health

Theres a company that claims its smartphone fertility-tracking app is as good as the pill at preventing pregnancy. Women have long monitored their menstrual cycles as a method of contraception but this has often been seen...

Why advances in treating those with brain injuries require advances in respecting their rights

Jan 28, 2017 07:29 am UTC| Research & Analysis Health

Several years ago a father approached me, concerned about the care his son was receiving. The son had been in a car accident that left him with severe brain injury. He was placed in a nursing home, and his dad stopped by...

Can machines really tell us if we're sick?

Jan 28, 2017 07:14 am UTC| Technology Health

This week US scientists announced they have developed an algorithm, or a computerised tool, to identify skin cancers through analysis of photographs. Rather than relying on human eyes, the new method scans a photo of a...

Are you getting enough vitamin B1 to help fend off Alzheimer's?

Jan 27, 2017 11:23 am UTC| Health

A feeling of apathy or being a little forgetful from time to time is nothing unusual. But for some, this could be an early sign of not getting enough thiamine (also known as vitamin B1). Long term, this can have serious...

Do you need to worry if your baby has a flat head?

Jan 26, 2017 15:25 pm UTC| Health

Flat head syndrome, also called positional plagiocephaly, develops in babies because of external pressures on the soft, malleable baby skull. It is more common now that babies sleep on their backs, as recommended by SIDS...

Is a vegetarian diet really more environmentally friendly that eating meat?

Jan 26, 2017 14:38 pm UTC| Health

Beef from Brazil, avocados from Mexico, lamb from New Zealand, wines from South Africa and green beans from Kenya food shopping lists have a distinctly international flavour. And with many questioning the sustainability...