2022 · 24. February 2022

Can you think yourself young? That was the title of a recent Guardian article exploring research into positive attitudes to ageing. A positive attitude, the author suggested, can lead to a longer and healthier life, while negative beliefs can be very detrimental indeed. Is there hard evidence for such a claim, or is this happy-clappy nonsense? My latest column examines the research and talks about the importance of maintaining a sense of purpose and confidence as you get older.

2020 · 09. July 2020

Since the global coronavirus outbreak, the sight of medical experts like Dr Tony Holohan and Dr Anthony Fauci on our TV screens has become a familiar one. Both men appear serious and concerned but calm; informed, but quick to emphasise what they don't know (unlike, for instance, Donald Trump). My latest Southern Star column argues we can all benefit by developing these thinking habits – essentially, learning to think like a scientist.