Category Archives: Medicine

“Cracking Cancer” on CBC’s The Nature of Things tonight

Posted on 23 February 2017 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Tonight’s episode of CBC documentary series The Nature of Things with David Suzuki features an in-depth look at the BC Cancer Agency’s Personalized Onco-Genomics (POG) project, which is exploring the feasibility of sequencing DNA and RNA from cancer cells to … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, cancer research, genomics, Medicine, science, television, video | Comments Off on “Cracking Cancer” on CBC’s The Nature of Things tonight

Conspiracy deathmatch

Posted on 19 January 2015 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I realized recently that, in the best tradition of fighting fire with fire, it’s possible to counter some conspiracy theories by invoking other conspiracy theories. The best two examples I’ve come up with so far are as follows: The anti-vaccination … Continue reading →

Posted in Medicine, Pseudoscience, quacks, science, Silliness, technology | Comments Off on Conspiracy deathmatch

On moving on from The Lancet’s egregious error

Posted on 14 December 2014 by Steve Caplan

In the midst of the terrible summer war between the Hamas movement in Gaza and Israel, The Lancet published a rabidly anti-Israel letter entitled “An Open Letter for the People of Gaza” that accused Israel of intentional genocide and Israeli … Continue reading →

Posted in "open letter to the people of Gaza, academic boycott, anti-semitism, Dr. Horton, genocide, Israel, Israelis, Manduca, Medicine, Palestinians, Research, rockets, science, terror, The Lancet, war | Comments Off on On moving on from The Lancet’s egregious error

Medicine and Maths

Posted on 16 March 2014 by Henry Gee

As you both know, Crox Minor wants to become a surgeon, and some time ago she announced that what she most wanted to do to celebrate her 16th birthday was to go to London and visit the Hunterian Museum at … Continue reading →

Posted in brian clegg, Domesticrox, hunterian museum, infinity, john hunter, Maths, Medicine, Science Museum, steven strogatz, wendy moore, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Medicine and Maths

Excellent juxtapositions make me feel good

Posted on 18 February 2014 by Cath@VWXYNot?

The placebo effect is truly fascinating – the top article of this pair describes how it can trigger the release of dopamine in people with Parkinson’s, or opioids in people expecting a painkiller. I hope we can find a way … Continue reading →

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Bodies

Posted on 2 September 2013 by Henry Gee

Crox Minor (15), who has just gotten three GCSE examinations out of the way (all with A*s, I might add), and is embarking on a lot more this year, wants to be a surgeon. She has her heart set on … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge, creationism, crox minor, discoidal, dissection, entrenching tool, evolution, hamadryad, intelligent design, kleptocracy, Medicine, Science Is Vital, spoonfed, typology, yellowhammer | Comments Off on Bodies

IUPS Part 1

Posted on 23 July 2013 by Austin

A dispatch from the IUPS conference in Birmingham. I have to admit to some trepidation when it comes to big international mega-conferences like the IUPS (International Union of Physiological Sciences). They have never entirely agreed with me. The first conference … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, Grumbling, Medicine, Physiology, Universities | Comments Off on IUPS Part 1

Early detection is key

Posted on 23 April 2013 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I know size isn’t everything, but this is still very clever (pencil for scale) Bravo, Canadian Cancer Society!

Posted in cancer research, communication, Medicine, photos | Comments Off on Early detection is key

Facebook rant about Facebook cancer hoax

Posted on 26 February 2013 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I just posted the following on Facebook, and thought I’d share it here, too – the wider the news that this is a hoax is disseminated, the better for everyone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I’ve seen a Facebook post about cancer circulating among … Continue reading →

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Temporospatial trends in germophobia

Posted on 18 December 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

One of the cultural differences I noticed soon after I moved from Britain to Canada is how people treat you if you say you have a cold or other minor ailment. In the UK, my experience is that friends, family, … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Medicine, personal, UK, virology | Comments Off on Temporospatial trends in germophobia