insert_link Opinion Pieces Irish referendum: how the Catholic church shaped Ireland’s constitution to define the status of women By Caitriona Beaumont, London South Bank University It has been 87 years since feminist and activist Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington declared that the new 1937 Irish constitution was based on a “fascist model, in which women would be relegated to permanent inferiority”. Several clauses were labelled “sinister and retrogressive” by women’s groups who feared gender bias embedded within the constitution would restrict Irish women to their domestic roles as wives […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 15
insert_link Health / Medical Screen time can seriously harm your eyes: here’s how to avoid it Ground Picture/Shutterstock Jacobo García Queiruga, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and Belen Sabucedo Villamarín, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela Every day, more and more patients are seeking medical attention after spending long days in front of computer screens. The most common symptoms include irritated or itchy eyes, and a sensation of dryness or sand on the surface of the eye. These are the tell tale signs of dry eye disease, […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 14
insert_link Lifestyle The vital role of talent development and management By Stephanus Vries, Old Mutual Namibia Human Capital Manager, Old Mutual Namibia In the ever-evolving landscape of business, where competition is fierce and innovation is the key to success, the importance of talent development and management cannot be overstated. It's actually the key that makes successful organisations stand out from the others. Talent development is about developing potential and promoting progress, not merely about filling jobs. Leaders […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 8
insert_link Lifestyle Money and ageing: South African study shows cash grants help people live longer and have better memory function By Molly Rosenberg, Indiana University; Chodziwadziwa Whiteson Kabudula, University of the Witwatersrand; Kathleen Kahn, University of the Witwatersrand, and Lindsay Kobayashi, University of Michigan Nearly half of South Africa’s 60 million people receive social grants, ranging from child support to pensions. The grants are designed to provide financial assistance to people living in poverty. The largest components of the South African social grant system were introduced, or expanded […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 8
insert_link Environment Microplastics found in Nile River’s tilapia fish: new study A fisherman on the River Nile. Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images Dalia Saad, University of the Witwatersrand The Nile is one of the world’s most famous rivers. It’s also Africa’s most important freshwater system. About 300 million people live in the 11 countries it flows through. Many rely on its waters for agriculture and fishing to make a living. The Nile’s two main tributaries, the Blue Nile and the White […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 15
insert_link Lifestyle Is your pet exposed to secondhand smoke? Here are the (serious) health risks Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images Jacqueline Boyd, Nottingham Trent University Our pets share our homes, lifestyles, and sometimes even our food and beds. For many pets, this close contact with humans can include exposure to secondhand smoke from cigarettes and other air pollutants. This may have serious health consequences for our animal companions. So, how significant a risk is passive smoking for our pets and should we be concerned? Smoking […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 24
insert_link Lifestyle How AI could change our relationship with religion Metamorworks / Shutterstock Sreevas Sahasranamam, University of Glasgow Science and faith are often kept in two distinct boxes that hardly ever intersect. However, I believe that as AI becomes more mainstream, it will fundamentally alter our engagement with faith and spirituality. Let’s start by looking at what is already happening. Most ancient faith-related texts were documented in papyrus and palm leaves, many of which are difficult to access in the […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 36
insert_link Health / Medical Stigma kills people with alcohol addiction sirtravelalot/Shutterstock Ashwin Dhanda, University of Plymouth One of my patients, Emma (not her real name), recently told me that she didn’t seek help for her alcohol problem because she was ashamed. She said that she didn’t want to waste anyone’s time on a self-inflicted problem. She lived with it for years, hiding bottles of alcohol so her partner wouldn’t find out. Only when she turned yellow and vomited blood did […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 13
insert_link Health / Medical Thirty years of rural health research: South Africa’s Agincourt studies offer unique insights By Stephen Tollman, University of the Witwatersrand and Kathleen Kahn, University of the Witwatersrand In 1992 a group of academics from the University of the Witwatersrand introduced a health and socio-demographic surveillance system in remote, rural South Africa to track and understand health and wellbeing in these environments. This initiative built on pioneering work by a Wits team to establish a health systems development unit in a […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 28