Professor Matt Fox discusses the positive impact of internet use on life satisfaction and purpose, alongside Dr. Edgard Camarós' research on ancient Egyptian cancer surgeries. The podcast also covers the development of a combined flu and COVID vaccine, a dance program to prevent falls in older individuals, and a 'bug bounty' program for scientific papers.
Accessing the internet can improve life satisfaction and purpose.
Combined flu and COVID vaccine increases convenience and vaccination rates.
Deep dives
Ancient Egyptian Oncological Surgery
Ancient Egyptian skulls containing evidence of cancer treatment reveal a remarkable aspect of ancient medical practices. Through examining skulls with signs of cancer, researchers discovered cut marks, indicating oncological surgery performed over 4,000 years ago. One skull belonged to a woman who survived a fatal injury through treatment but later succumbed to bone cancer. Another skull showed evidence of a male with metastatic cancer, showcasing early attempts at surgical intervention.
Combined Flu and COVID Vaccine
A combined vaccine for flu and COVID, undergoing advanced trials, aims to provide protection against both diseases with a single injection. The vaccine, tested on 8,000 volunteers, produced effective antibody responses for both conditions. Combining these vaccines into one shot not only enhances convenience but also increases the likelihood of higher vaccination rates.
Dance to Health Falls Prevention Program
The 'Dance to Health' program, aimed at preventing falls in older adults, incorporates dance classes to improve balance, strength, and mobility. This initiative has been shown to reduce falls by 58% among participants and enhance mental well-being. By focusing on preventing falls, the program contributes to significant cost savings in healthcare and positively impacts the overall well-being of older individuals.
Many of the discussions around how we use the internet focus on its potentially negative impact on our wellbeing, but is that actually the case? A new study of more than 2 million people says being online may actually improve things such as our life satisfaction and sense of purpose.
Claudia Hammond is joined by Professor Matt Fox from the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University to look at what this might tell us about the effects of being able to access the internet.
We also speak to Dr Edgard Camarós from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, to hear about his study looking at ancient Egyptian skulls that’s found signs doctors at the time may have performed cancer surgery.
Claudia and Matt also discuss the latest on a combined vaccine for flu and Covid, as a single shot jab passes an important part of final-stage scientific checks.
And we hear about the ‘bug bounty’ programme paying researchers to find errors in published scientific papers.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Dan Welsh
Editor: Holly Squire
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