insert_link Lifestyle Read, sing, dance and funny faces: expert tips on how you can help your baby’s development through play By Alessandra Prioreschi, University of the Witwatersrand Play is how children learn about the world, explore their environments, and engage in physical activity. It’s also essential in nurturing children’s social, emotional and cognitive capabilities and is an important component of bonding with caregivers. Playtime for children is as important for their development as exercise is for adult health. Guidelines have been developed in South Africa, which closely […] todayApril 16, 2024 23
insert_link Lifestyle ‘A blind and deaf mind’: what it’s like to have no visual imagination or inner voice Max4e Photo/Shutterstock By Derek Arnold, The University of Queensland and Loren N. Bouyer, The University of Queensland Look at these pictures. Can you see a cube on the left and a face on the right? What do you see? Derek Arnold / Adobe Stock Can you imagine seeing things in your mind? Can you hear an inner voice when you think or read? One of the authors, […] todayApril 15, 2024 21
insert_link Lifestyle In a future with more ‘mind reading,’ thanks to neurotech, we may need to rethink freedom of thought Our minds are buffeted by all kinds of influences, though some seem more menacing than others. wenjin chen/DigitalVision Vectoria via Getty Images Parker Crutchfield, Western Michigan University Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, never wrote things down. He warned that writing undermines memory – that it is nothing but a reminder of some previous thought. Compared to people who discuss and debate, readers “will be hearers of many things and will […] todayApril 10, 2024 15
insert_link Lifestyle Nine out of 10 kids are not developmentally on track in literacy and numeracy – study of 8 African countries Play and storytelling are a crucial part of children’s cognitive development. PixelCatchers Pearl S. Kyei, University of Ghana Children develop an enormous amount during their early years – socially, physically, emotionally and cognitively. What happens between the ages of 0 and 8 years can predict important long-term outcomes: for example, how a child will fare at school; what their health will be like and their future earning potential. Children in […] todayApril 10, 2024 21
insert_link Africa Diet and nutrition: how well Tanzanians eat depends largely on where they live By Hannah Ameye, University of Bonn Cities are growing faster in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere, with an annual urban population growth rate of around 4% compared to the world average of 1.5%. Across the continent the urban share of the total population is projected to increase to 50% by 2030 and 60% by 2050. Urbanisation is associated with lifestyle changes such as less physical activity and less […] todayApril 9, 2024 25
insert_link Lifestyle Loneliness can kill, and new research shows middle-aged Americans are particularly vulnerable The desire to belong is a fundamental human need. Oliver Rossi/Stone via Getty Images By Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European counterparts. That’s the key finding of my team’s recent study, published in American Psychologist. Our study identified a trend that has been evolving for multiple generations, and affects both baby boomers and Gen Xers. Middle-aged adults in England and Mediterranean Europe […] todayApril 8, 2024 13
insert_link Lifestyle Holi: what the clouds of colour in the Hindu festival mean Dibakar Roy|Unsplash Rina Arya, University of Hull Holi is one of the most vibrant and fun festivals in the Hindu calendar. It’s practised across India (though mainly in the north), Nepal and throughout south Asian diasporic communities. The date of Holi varies in accordance with the lunar calendar but the festival often takes place in February or March. In 2024, it’s celebrated on March 25. People gather together to throw […] todayApril 2, 2024 17
insert_link Africa Africa’s PhDs: study shows how to develop strong graduates who want to make a difference By Sharon Fonn, University of the Witwatersrand and Marta Vicente-Crespo The challenge for universities is to produce graduates who can work with others to produce knowledge and research that can change institutions and societies for the better. That is the basis on which the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (Carta) began developing an approach to teaching PhDs 12 years ago. The consortium supports faculty members […] todayApril 2, 2024 13
insert_link Lifestyle Helping children eat healthier foods may begin with getting parents to do the same, research suggests Everyone agrees kids should eat healthy foods. But parents are often left out of that message. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images By Kelley Gullo Wight, Indiana University and Peggy Liu, University of Pittsburgh Most parents, educators and policymakers agree that children should eat healthy foods. However, our peer-reviewed paper suggests the strategy adults often use to achieve that can sometimes backfire. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix. We, along with […] todayMarch 27, 2024 10
