[Note: Some years back I served a year as president of the Psychological Society of Ireland. As well as presiding over psychologists, I had the task of producing a monthly column for the Irish Psychologist, the Society’s house journal. The following is my column from the December issue, my first […]
Education
Are Cambridge University Press now promoting Scientology?
Have a look at the screenshot of this South Korean website and tell me which British book publisher whose overseas operation you think it represents: Let me give you a hint. It’s not Oxford University Press. Confused? Well, let’s park that for now. Next, have a look at this website and […]
The Science of Misunderstanding
Just over a week ago, I gave a public lecture for Cork Skeptics at the magnificent Blackrock Castle Observatory. Subject to technological issues (i.e., assuming it worked), a video of the talk will be available online soon. In the meantime you can view the full slideshow above. The evening was very […]
Kindle bargain: Whopping discount on science publishing sensation!
The world of book publishing is a notoriously fraught business, with science and academic books suffering particularly badly in today’s marketplace. Where once books were sold primarily in specialist stores operated by sole traders, the emergence of the major book chains (whose retail philosophies emphasize bulk wholesale procurement) and the […]
Why is this paper still cited?
What’s the most cited academic paper on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? Is it an evidence-based trial demonstrating the efficacy of a particular therapy? Is it a systematic review of a collection of efficacy literature? Is it a paper that explains a single major CAM modality, such as acupuncture or […]
It’s true, college is a rat race
Earlier this week, a new paper by neuroscientists at Bristol University was covered across several media outlets. Very quickly, a common thread began to emerge through the headlines: “Stress can help when studying for exams” reported the Daily Telegraph; “Last-minute exam stress can actually help students to form stronger memories” […]
Recent Posts
That BMJ review of Long Covid therapies does not show what it says it does
My submission on the new Canadian draft recommendations for Long Covid
The cries for help are getting louder. And that’s a good sign
“A science that does not allow opposing opinions abolishes knowledge.” Er, kind of
Getting it Right: Addressing Myths about the 2021 NICE Guideline for ME/CFS
