Check out my second blog for a quick primer on video game addiction: what is it and is it real? Spoiler alert: yes, it is real and is now referred to as “gaming disorder”. Gaming Disorder: What do we know so far? Given that gaming disorder remains a relatively new disorder, researchers across the globe […]
“One of the central tasks for people interested in care is to change the overall public value associated with care. When our public values and priorities reflect the role that care actually plays in our lives, our world will be organized quite differently” – Joan Tronto. A few years ago, I was lucky to attend […]
Over the past several months the notion of “failed states” has gained renewed currency. Scenes of an unruly mob breaking its way into the US Capitol buildings on January 6 led to semi-hysterical comment about “the death of US democracy.” A February 1 military coup in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, ended what was hoped […]
With over a year of lockdown under our proverbial “belt”, many of us are finding it difficult to squeeze into our actual belt. As life slowly returns to “normal” and fitness centers begin to re-open, diet culture remains as strong as ever. By now you’ve likely heard about the (in)famous ketogenic (“keto”) diet and the […]
This article was originally published in The Conversation. While vaccines have brought the end of the COVID-19 pandemic into view, most of Canada is still battling a brutal third wave of infections and deaths. Meanwhile, Atlantic Canada’s COVID-19 response has been a world-famous success story, often attributed to its coastal geography and relatively low population […]
Taking a serious look at our actions and acknowledging our flaws is challenging for most people. This is especially difficult regarding alcohol use where one drinker’s opinions of their own use can be entirely different from what their loved ones think. Here in Canada, we have a very open approach to alcohol…. Are you happy […]
Just like results of a DNA test could disrupt a person’s understanding of their family tree, an apple can also be subject to surprising revelations about its ancestry. This was the case for one of the most commercially successful apples on the market today, the Honeycrisp. In 2005, it was discovered that Honeycrisp’s parents were […]
Many of us may be familiar with the game “Fortnite”, as pictured above. Do you recall the viral Fortnite dances that kids, adolescents, and adults partook in? Perhaps “flossing” or the “floss dance” might jog your memory? Video games can be a fun, accessible hobby for many. This is evidenced by the sensation of Fortnite […]
Brains abhor expending resources to maintain anything they find isn’t ‘needed’ anymore. The components of neurons (the main signalling cells in the brain) don’t last forever and require regular upkeep. Keeping every part of these cells in shape takes a lot of energy, biological materials, and space. All of this places limits on how many […]
When you think of a farm, what do you picture? Wheat fields? A dairy farm? Chicken barns? What about a fish farm? We’re eating more seafood than ever before, and it’s not just because there are more of us on the planet. Since the mid-twentieth century, seafood consumption has grown at twice the rate of population […]