Archives

How your body clock affects your mental health and ways to keep it in sync

Our internal body clock helps regulate sleep, alertness and mood, following a roughly 24-hour cycle influenced by light and darkness. vetre/Shutterstock Ever wondered why a bad night’s sleep can leave you irritable, anxious or sad? Poor sleep affects our emotions, but its timing also plays a role. Our circadian rhythms are nearly 24-hour cycles that […]

Sagarika Sundaram: Reservoir turns felt into architecture, sculpture and living history

Long before looms were invented to weave wool, nomadic herders were turning raw sheep’s fleece into warm, weather-proof shelters using one of humanity’s earliest craft techniques: felting. Felting is a process of matting and fusing animal fibres together with moisture, heat and friction into a dense, non-woven fabric. In her new exhibition, Reservoir, textile artist […]

Microbes at the end of the earth: Antarctica’s hidden biodiversity

valianstroitin/Shutterstock When we think about Antarctica, many people imagine penguins, seals and whales. However, the majority of Antarctica’s scientific wonders cannot be seen without a microscope. These microbial communities form the foundation of Antarctic ecosystems yet remain largely invisible to most visitors. Recent research published in PNAS showed that some microbes living in Antarctic soils […]

Fossilised pollen reveals how forests can protect Lough Neagh and other waterways

Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland has been a dumping ground for soil, fertiliser and wastewater for centuries. It is the largest body of freshwater in the British Isles and was once surrounded by extensive Atlantic woodlands – woodlands that covered almost all of Ireland between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. In recent research I carried […]

The surprising science of what pain is and why it hurts

Pain can make a possible threat to the body feel urgent, prompting us to take protective action. Michaelvbg/Shutterstock When you step into an ice-cold lake, it would be nice if your body warned you about possible harm with a polite message: “Your feet may be at risk. Would you kindly consider stepping out?” Instead, your […]