Life
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‘Crippling periods are not normal’
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. It is being marked in Malta today. Few people have heard of the disease, even though an estimated 176 million women worldwide – one in 10 – suffer from endometriosis. Jennifer Grech finds out more. Scars,...
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Big gods came after the rise of civilisations - not before
When you think of religion, you probably think of a god who rewards the good and punishes the wicked. But the idea of morally-concerned gods is by no means universal. Social scientists have long known that small-scale traditional societies – the...
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Six simple ways to fill your wardrobe with sustainable clothing
The environmental impact of fashion waste is overwhelming. Every year the UK alone sends 350,000 tones of clothing to landfill. And as the majority of garments are made from oil-based materials like polyester – 22.67 tonnes of polyester clothing...
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Creating a wedding registry with more alternatives
Creating a wedding registry is a fun wedding activity to check off the wedding planning list. Yet the idea of a wedding registry does not appeal to everyone. While planning a wedding most couples are busy coping with their hectic everyday routine...
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New technique may overcome infertility in childhood cancer survivors
Men diagnosed with cancer have the option of freezing their sperm ahead of chemotherapy, which can render them infertile. But sperm freezing is not an option for prepubescent boys, some 30% of whom will become sterile as a result of toxic cancer...
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‘We take water for granted’
Water is very scarce in Malta. We rank among the top five countries having the least amount of renewable water per capita, ahead even of desert countries like Libya. This is attributed to three factors: a small catchment area (the country’s...
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Study sheds light on one of physics' biggest mysteries
Why do we exist? This is arguably the most profound question there is and one that may seem completely outside the scope of particle physics. But our new experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider has taken us a step closer to figuring it out. To...
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Back to the future: cassettes launch comeback tour
The humble cassette - that tiny little plastic rectangle containing the homemade mixtapes of yesteryear - is back, joining vinyl as a darling of audiophiles who miss side A and side B. But as top musicians including Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber...
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How the tail of the human sperm could change IVF
Every time a man ejaculates about 55 million sperm are released. This is equivalent to more than six times the entire population of London or New York, and more than twice the population of Shanghai city. But of course, not all of these sperm will...
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One million expected at blockbuster Paris Tutankhamun show
At least one million people are expected to flock to a "once in a generation" exhibition about the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun which opens in Paris this weekend. More than 150 treasures from the boy king's tomb - including 60 which have never...
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Plastic, not so fantastic
There are second-long decisions that every person makes in the course of a single day. You rush to the office – late again – and stop for a takeaway espresso. For lunch, you eat a quick salad from a disposable container. On your way home, you stop...
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A tale of two Delhis: Deadly air exposes rich poor divide
Walls draped in lush vertical gardens and air filtered through purifiers insulate diners at a swanky New Delhi food court from the choking haze outside in one of the most polluted places on earth. But these eco-eateries, offering cleaner air as...
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World’s largest radio telescope moves from concept to reality
The world’s largest radio telescope hit a milestone this month as 15 countries, including Malta, met in Rome to set up a global intergovernmental body that will oversee and operate the gigantic Square Kilometre Array. Spanning three continents,...
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Short walk once-a-week can lower risk of death
A brisk stroll once or twice a week is enough to reduce the risk of dying from heart attack, stroke or cancer, according to a statistical study of nearly 90,000 people released Tuesday. People who walked or gardened 10 minutes to an hour each week...
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All aboard Italy's 'Trans-Siberian' railway
Destroyed first by the Nazis and then by government cuts, Italy's very own "Trans-Siberian" railway has reopened thanks to the work of hobbyists, taking travellers back in time through the snowy Abruzzo mountains. Today, lovingly restored, almost...
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High potency pot 'strongly linked' to psychosis
High potency cannabis, especially when used daily, is "strongly linked" to the risk of developing psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and paranoia, scientists said Wednesday. In Amsterdam and London - where high-THC marijuana has long been...
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How to stand out from the crowd in a very competitive job market
The employment market is saturated with graduates who have good degrees and the right qualifications. So the question on many recruiters’ minds is: what else can this candidate offer? Employers have been reporting a “skills gap” in graduates for a...
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Eggs and health: unscrambling the message
It’s hard to keep up with the message on eggs. Are they good for you or not? In the 1960s, people were told: “Go to work on an egg”. But in the 1970s the public was advised to avoid eggs because they were linked to high blood cholesterol. The...
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Drought wipes a lake in Chile off the map
The cows and horses would have come for the last blades of grass. Now their bones are scattered on the cracked earth, victims of drought that wiped Santiago's weekend playground Lake Aculeo from the map. Lake Aculeo's demise is so sudden and...
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Cancer deaths falling for half decade in EU
The death rate from cancer has been falling for half a decade in the EU, researchers said Tuesday, although the overall number is expected to rise to 1.4 million this year due to an expanding population. The chances of dying from cancer for men...
Popular Stories
One million expected at blockbuster Paris Tutankhamun show
World’s largest radio telescope moves from concept to reality
How the tail of the human sperm could change IVF
Back to the future: cassettes launch comeback tour
A tale of two Delhis: Deadly air exposes rich poor divide
Study sheds light on one of physics' biggest mysteries
‘We take water for granted’
Six simple ways to fill your wardrobe with sustainable clothing
New technique may overcome infertility in childhood cancer...
