Without the ability to feel pain, life is more dangerous. To avoid injury, pain tells us to use a hammer more gently, wait for the soup to cool or put on gloves in a snowball fight. Those with rare inherited disorders that leave them without the ability to feel pain are unable to protect themselves from environmental […]
The big idea Using a brain implant that can record neural signals over many months, my research team and I have discovered objective biomarkers of chronic pain severity in four patients with chronic pain as they went about their daily lives. Pain is one of the most important and basic subjective experiences a person can have. While there is plenty of evidence that perception
Chronic pain can be objectively measured using brain signals – new research Read More »
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterised by muscle pain throughout the body, fatigue, sleep problems and cognitive difficulties. The condition predominantly affects women, but men can also suffer from it. However, they often do so in silence, as they face cultural, medical and psychological barriers to being taken seriously and receiving treatment. While the disorder
Fibromyalgia: Why is this common, debilitating condition being ignored in male patients? Read More »
Electric vehicles (EVs) bring not just environmental promise, but also raise critical safety questions – chief among them, the fire risks posed by their lithium-ion batteries. While indispensable for powering EVs, these batteries present unique challenges, especially in confined spaces like parking garages, where the potential for fires carries significant consequences. At the core of this risk
Electric vehicle fires: How worried should we really be? Read More »
Garfield, star of the eponymous comic strip created by Jim Davis in 1978, is, like many of the cats that roam our homes, orange. He is orange in the same way that some people are redheaded, some horses are brown, or some dogs are Irish setters, but there is one important difference. For all other
Geneticists have finally solved the mystery of Garfield’s orange coat Read More »
The friendship between Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Elon Musk is the talk of Italy, and increasingly so since the latter secured a key role in the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump. The two first expressed their mutual admiration in an official picture during Musk’s visit to the Italian prime minister’s official
Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni: a burgeoning friendship the world should keep an eye on Read More »
From the Czech Republic to Spain, Europe has been plagued by devastating floods in late 2024. Climate scientists agree that severe flooding was probably driven by climate change resulting in record-breaking rainfall. Warmer temperatures increase the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, especially over warmer oceans, which increases the amount of rainfall. Europe is projected to experience a greater
Three ways to reduce Europe’s flood risk Read More »
For decades, we have known that the way you walk, in particular your walking speed, is tied to your health. One study has even proposed that it be considered a vital sign, much like heart rate and blood pressure. Various studies have found a link between low walking speed in adults over 65 and a greater risk
There’s a link between walking speed and ageing well. Here’s how you can improve it Read More »
A literary subgenre that emerged in the 2010s and gained widespread popularity in the 2020s, dark romance falls under the umbrella of unhealthy love stories. These novels often depict relationships that challenge moral and legal boundaries, raising questions about their growing appeal. What does the success of these provocative stories, frequently marked by violence and
Reading dark romance: The ambiguities of a fascinating genre Read More »
When you buy a bottle of Coca-Cola or a Snickers bar, the price probably doesn’t break the bank. But what if the true cost of the plastic packaging is taken into account at the supermarket checkout? Say, for example, the cost to clean up the pollution from making that plastic, or the cost to manage
Plastic pollution: Why doing nothing will cost us far more than taking action Read More »