Are You Wasting Time Finding Happiness?
Happiness, for me, is having a close-knit, loving family – in another city. I love my family but they sometimes drive me crazy. So here I am, in the big city, doing what I love the most in my career. I also have to deal with the usual struggles of living alone. Still, I would […]
What Those Expiry Dates Really Mean (And Why They Are Killing Your Budget)
Everything you buy has one. Meat, fish, olives, bread, milk, ketchup and even vitamin supplements. Expiry and ‘best before’ dates are ubiquitous but exactly what do they mean and why are they costing us a fortune? Admit it… you check the ‘best before‘ or expiry date on all your prepackaged foods and then try to select the […]
The Unhappiness Epidemic: Fun vs Contentment
Most people will tell you that the world is an unhappy place… a place of sadness, dissatisfaction and even, misery. And certainly, if we consider events in Syria, Nigeria and so many other troubled areas, maybe it is. We’ve written about the Happiness Index previously. Not surprisingly, peaceful countries rank highly while war torn nations sink to […]
10 Reasons for Eating More Honey!
Honey is probably the original sweetener. We know that it has been valued throughout recorded history. The ancient Egyptians venerated it as did the Greeks. And since primates will happily put up with a few stings to enjoy a treat of honey, it’s probable that early man did too! But is there more to honey […]
Can Tourism Save These Five Animals From Extinction?
Earth’s history is broken into geologic epochs. These are time periods defined by distinct changes in rock strata. As you can see from the following infographic, some epochs have lasted hundreds of millions of years, others for mere tens of millions. But it seems that as the earth ages, the timescale is shortening… down to […]
What Happens in the Brain When You No Longer Need the Information You’ve Learnt?
Amy Reichelt, UNSW Throughout our lives we have multitudes of experiences that shape how we then behave in the world. Some of these lessons are learnt rapidly, such as why we shouldn’t put our hand on a hot pan on the stove. Other, more autobiographical experiences can be stored and recalled explicitly as our […]
Comic Explainer: How Memory Works
Jee Hyun Kim, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health We recall thousands of events and procedures every day, but what is memory? In this comic explainer, The Florey Institute’s Dr Jee Hyun Kim explains how memory works, why we recall some things more easily than others and what we can do to improve our […]
Why Losing a Dog Can Be Harder Than Losing a Relative or Friend
Frank T. McAndrew, Knox College Recently, my wife and I went through one of the more excruciating experiences of our lives – the euthanasia of our beloved dog, Murphy. I remember making eye contact with Murphy moments before she took her last breath – she flashed me a look that was an endearing blend of […]
So Your Kids Want a Treehouse?
What child doesn’t want a treehouse? Treehouses have been part of many childhoods; where dreams and wishes are created, frustrations and anxieties are eased, and the soothing feeling of being hidden amongst lush foliage high above the ground is one of the best feelings a child can have. Why, even adults want treehouses these days. […]
Death by Overcooking – Of Vegetables and Vitamin C
There’s a resurgence of scurvy cases in Sydney. You read it right, and yes, the year is 2016. In this day and age, one wonders how anyone could get a historical disease like scurvy, let alone several cases of it – in Australia! Well, it’s true, and unlike at the time of its discovery 300 years […]