A dose of belief

Article Abstract:

Research has provided clear proof that people do respond to placebo treatments. A placebo can make people feel better because they feel that their symptoms are being taken seriously, and has been shown to actually have a physical impact. This indicates that people have a considerable capacity to modulate body symptoms and suffering in ways which cannot merely be dismissed as psychological. When using a placebo, doctors are able to harness the patient's belief system, making it into an effective tool for fighting disease.

Psychological aspects, Placebos

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Darwin updated

Article Abstract:

New species can occurr suddenly, with novel organs and lifestyles arising extremely quickly, according to evolutionary biologist Jeffrey Schwartz. He does not believe that new species originate through the slow accumulation of very small mutations. He argues that the main difference between organisms lies in changes in development that are created by differences in the timing of the activity of homeobox genes, which affect key decisions during the development of embryos.

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences, Science & research, Biology, Research, Beliefs, opinions and attitudes, Evolution (Biology), Evolution, Schwartz, Jeffrey

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Wake up and smell the flowers

Article Abstract:

Everybody can benefit from observing nature in the way the Victorians did, according to field botanist, conservationist and author Peter Marren. He believes that an interest in nature makes people less self-centred. He expresses a fear that modern society has lost some of the sense of wonder at nature displayed by Victorian naturalists, and feels that ignorance is a much greater threat to the UK's flora than damage caused by picking flowers.

Interview, Natural history, Botanists, Marren, Peter

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