Post Archive by Year

Here’s a difficult one. If you’re a surgeon who’s called upon to perform surgery on a penis, where and on whom do you get your training? The answer is you don’t. The ­somewhat unpleasant truth is you practise on cadavers. … Read More

When it comes to detecting small, early breast cancers, mammography is good – but could it be better? Would AI help? Could it detect ­tumours that might have been missed using current screening methods? Turns out it could. We know … Read More

Naps can do us the world of good, and give us the second wind we need. But daytime napping could also come with an added bonus: preserving brain health by slowing the rate at which brains shrink as we age. … Read More

Would you be surprised to know the British are among the most trusting people of 24 nationalities? We trust people from different ­countries, people we meet for the first time, and people we know personally, according to a new study … Read More

Should we expect aftershocks with Covid? Some important research has found that once a flu pandemic is over, many ­nasty outbreaks follow for around 20 years, leading to even more deaths. Like earthquake aftershocks. The study, led by researchers at … Read More

Some of the mechanisms that trigger type 2 diabetes remain a mystery despite the major strides scientists have made with the disease in recent years. But an international DNA study involving Cambridge University may now pave the way for further … Read More

A few years back I received a letter from my GP stating some recent blood tests showed I had chronic kidney disease (CKD). It really shook me up because I know CKD shortens life. When I calmed down I asked … Read More

The scourge of antibacterial ­resistance continues to threaten us, and it’s getting worse. A solution will only come from brilliant research. Two thriving areas of study, ­bacterial resistance and gene editing, come together successfully in an Exeter University project using … Read More

When I smoked 40 years ago, I thought I was calming myself down and ­alleviating anxiety. How wrong I was. There’s compelling evidence from Oxford University that shows quitting smoking actually improves mental health among people both with and without mental health disorders. The findings … Read More

Did you know that heavy ­drinkers could be putting themselves at risk of muscle loss and frailty in later life? A significant study from the University of East Anglia shows, with statistical modelling, that people with the lowest amount of … Read More