logo
Bus seat theories

Bus seat theories

Irish Times15-06-2025
Bus seat theories
Sir, – I took a bus recently and noticed that all the double seats upstairs were occupied by a single passenger, each existing happily in their own little orbitals.
It brought me right back to Leaving Cert Chemistry, 1974: Hund's Rule of Maximum Multiplicity, the Bus Seat Rule.
I had never seen it in practice before but knew that information would come in handy some day. With the Leaving Certificate chemistry examination tomorrow, maybe it's a sign. – Yours, etc,
READ MORE
MICHAEL KEEGAN,
Co Dublin.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How many steps a day do you really need for improve your health? It's not 10,000
How many steps a day do you really need for improve your health? It's not 10,000

Irish Times

timea day ago

  • Irish Times

How many steps a day do you really need for improve your health? It's not 10,000

Walking more could reduce your risk of dementia , depression and dying from cancer , as well as being good for your heart , according to research. And you may not need to walk as far as previously thought to reap those benefits. The UK's NHS recommends a brisk 10-minute walk every day. Many people aim to walk 10,000 steps, but struggle to achieve it. Now researchers have calculated that even 7,000 steps could be enough to protect health. Scientists examined data from more than 160,000 adults and found that walking 7,000 steps a day was associated with a reduced risk of a number of serious health conditions and death. Whereas previous studies have mainly examined the links between step count and heart health or overall death rates, this systematic review and meta analysis, published in the Lancet Public Health, sought to comprehensively examine how taking more steps per day could reduce the risk of a range of other health conditions as well. READ MORE Compared with those who walked 2,000 steps a day, the researchers found that achieving the 7,000 daily step target was linked to a 37 per cent reduction in risk of dying from cancer, while the risk was 14 per cent lower for type 2 diabetes, 38 per cent for dementia, 22 per cent depression and 28 per cent for falls respectively. It was also associated with a 25 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 47 per cent reduction in overall risk of dying. Although step count does not measure the quality or intensity of exercise, the findings underscore the importance of being active. There is a 'return on investment' with every additional 1,000 steps taken and even 4,000 steps per day reduced the risk of disease, compared with very low activity levels, the researchers observed. Although the risk continues to decrease above 7,000 steps, the rate at which it reduces that risk starts to slow. Melody Ding, professor of public health at the University of Sydney and lead author of the research, said that those who already walked 10,000 steps should not go back to 7,000, but that 7,000 was a more practical target for those who were currently inactive. 'Those who are currently active and achieving the 10,000 steps a day, keep up the good work – there is no need to modify your step counts. However, for those of us who are far from achieving the 10,000 targets, getting to 7,000 steps/day offers almost comparable health benefits for the outcomes we examined,' Prof Ding said. [ I walk to work in Dublin every day... daydreaming can't be done on a bus Opens in new window ] Responding to the findings, Dr Daniel Bailey, reader in sedentary behaviour and health at Brunel University of London, said the research helped debunk the myth that 10,000 steps per day should be the target for optimal health. 'The real-world implications are that people can get health benefits just from small increases in physical activity, such as doing an extra 1,000 steps per day,' Dr Bailey said 'To achieve the best reductions in risk, aiming for 5,000-7,000 per day can be recommended, which will be more achievable for many people than the unofficial target of 10,000 steps that has been around for many years.' Dr Andrew Scott, senior lecturer in clinical exercise physiology at the University of Portsmouth, pointed out that not all activity was captured by step counts. 'The steps per day is useful when people's exercise is weight-bearing, however cycling, swimming and rowing are not well-represented by the steps-per-day model.' June Davison, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'We know that regular walking is one of the easiest ways to help maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce your risk of heart disease. 'Adults should aim to build up to a total of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week, but getting active isn't always easy. Incorporating activity snacks, such as walking while taking phone calls, or taking a brisk 10-minute walk during your lunch break, can all count to reduce your chances of developing heart disease.' – Guardian

‘Deep and rich' story of medieval high rulers and nobles determined by archaeologists in Galway
‘Deep and rich' story of medieval high rulers and nobles determined by archaeologists in Galway

Irish Times

time6 days ago

  • Irish Times

‘Deep and rich' story of medieval high rulers and nobles determined by archaeologists in Galway

A ringfort overlooking Galway bay was a settlement for high-status rulers and nobles in Ireland's early medieval period, archaeologists have determined. Rathgurreen Ringfort, in the Maree area of Co Galway, has been described as an impressive, 'high-status' settlement that could date anywhere from the 5th to 12th century AD, with evidence of contact with Rome, Scotland, France and Scandinavia, possibly including the trade of valuable purple dye. An eight-week archaeological excavation, directed by Dr Michelle Comber and Dr Noel McCarthy of the discipline of archaeology at University of Galway , determined the ringfort was the settlement of a king or a lord. Glass and amber beads; an Iron Age knife; ancient axe heads and stone tools; French pottery found at Rathgurreen Ringfort. Photograph: Aengus McMahon The ringfort, on a panoramic site with views south to the Burren, west to the Atlantic and north across Galway was first investigated and proposed as a high-status settlement by professor Michael Duignan, then chair of archaeology at the university, in the late 1940s. Excavations now suggest that parts of the site are potentially 1,000 years older than previously thought. A team of professionals, students and volunteers took part in the archaeological dig this summer on a section of the 100m diameter ringfort. Dr Comber, lecturer in archaeology at University of Galway, said it could be asserted with some certainty that Maree is an ancient territory. There are up to 40 ringforts in the area, most of which are only a third the size of Rathgurreen, as well as a number of earlier prehistoric sites. The name Mearaí (Maree) appears in several early legends, often associated with warriors or other figures bearing that name. Dr Comber said the team's research confirms that Rathgurreen was the home of a noble family – 'hence the description as high-status.' 'But the story is much deeper and richer. We have evidence of continuity and change at this site – a settlement that possibly dates back to the iron age, that was later developed into a very fine ringfort. A new home with links to ancestors would certainly have been very attractive to early medieval nobility.' Dr Michelle Comber holding a turquoise and red glass bead found at the Rathgurreen Ringfort and believed to date from Early Medieval Ireland. Credit: Aengus McMahon The archaeology team found a number of glass beads, some coloured blue and another turquoise and red. These have parallels in other parts of Ireland and Scotland in the Iron Age – the era that immediately precedes the early medieval period. The dig has also confirmed the presence of early medieval pottery from northern France and amber beads likely connected with Scandinavian trade routes used by the Vikings. Evidence of the manufacture of purple dye at Rathgurreen comprises the remnants of dog-whelk shellfish that were processed at the settlement to produce the rare, and therefore, valuable colouring. Dr Comber said: 'We are working in an ancient high-status settlement located roughly midway along the Atlantic seaboard. In no sense, though, would it have been viewed as 'wild' or isolated – on the contrary it was part of a wider community and had links with other parts of Ireland, Scotland and mainland Europe. The adjacent coast provided relatively easy access to the outside world – seaways were the motorways of their day. 'The big takeaway from this site is that a place like Galway had a wider significance in the past, and that significance translates into the present. This one site has many tales to tell and roles to play. People come to the west of Ireland and they think it's isolated and remote, but Maree's ancient remains tell us that western Ireland was not cut off from the wider world, geographically or culturally.' The modern excavations began with geophysical surveys that provided hints of what might be present beneath the grass. In conjunction with the results from the 1940s, these helped guide the work this summer. The excavation marks the launch of a new research project exploring land use through time on the Maree peninsula in Galway with the university team hoping to continue digs at the site in 2026 and to pursue other locations in the area in future years. The larger project is supported by the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland. It also involves local, national and international communities – developing a conservation management plan for Rathgurreen, in conjunction with landowners, ecological and archaeological experts and funded by the National Monuments Service Community Monuments Fund via Galway County Council.

Ireland far behind other countries for IVF genetic testing, doctors and advocates say
Ireland far behind other countries for IVF genetic testing, doctors and advocates say

Irish Times

time6 days ago

  • Irish Times

Ireland far behind other countries for IVF genetic testing, doctors and advocates say

Eight healthy babies were recently conceived via in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in the UK using DNA from three people to avoid inheriting serious genetic mutations, but it could be many years before these procedures are permitted under law in Ireland. The remarkable scientific development was years in the making. The procedure is carried out in cases where the mother is known to have a genetic mutation in her mitochondrial DNA – the power house of the cell that makes up human tissue. The mother's egg is artificially fertilised by the father's sperm, and the genetic material from this embryo is extracted and transferred to a donor's egg, one which doesn't have mitochondrial mutation. The vast majority of the DNA is that of the mother and father, with the donor only providing less than a tenth of a per cent to the embryo's genetic code. It nonetheless has the potential to provide hope for families around the world. Graphic: Newcastle University/Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/PA Wire Dr Jane Farrar, from Trinity College 's genetics department, explains that mutations in the mitochondria are rare, yet manifest themselves in serious health issues from birth. Babies born with these mutations often suffer brain, heart and muscle failure from a young age as well as developmental delays. Dr Farrar says there is a range of mitochondrial disease with a spectrum of symptoms, all of which are severe. Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) can lead to quite sudden, sometimes total loss of vision in both eyes. Dr Farrar says this is an onset disease and often takes place in young adulthood. On the other hand, Leigh Syndrome is a disorder characterised by progressive and gradual loss of muscle use and brain function. This is evident from infancy and early childhood, she says. The eight healthy babies in the UK were born after about 20 years of genetic and medical research, and in 2015 a change in law allowed for this procedure to be carried out. In spite of the Church of England and other religious leaders questioning its ethics, the UK parliament passed it by a two-thirds majority. IVF clinics in Ireland are not permitted under law to carry out this procedure. The Department of Health calls it 'a relatively new and highly complex form of assisted human reproduction technology'. A department spokesperson said the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 'establishes a regulatory framework for fertility clinics and assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments, aiming to ensure consistency, oversight and ethical standards in practice and research'. The National Infertility Support and Information Group (NISIG) said 'while work is under way to establish a regulatory authority for Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) treatment in Ireland as part of this legislation, research like this in the UK highlights just how far behind Ireland still is in comparison to other countries'. They said it is imperative the government's regulatory framework includes an authority that 'enables the use of pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) of embryos; posthumous assisted human reproduction; and embryo and stem cell research'. Dr John Waterstone, a graduate of Trinity College's genetics department as well as its medical school, is the founder and director of Waterstone Clinic, one of Ireland's largest IVF providers. While he acknowledges the 'very experimental' nature of the procedure, he says 'it is pretty remarkable that they've managed to do it. It's an incredible achievement for them'. He says that for some 'it's ethically questionable' to facilitate genetic modification of embryos but adds that this is for 'couples who have found themselves in tragic situations. Really traumatic, horrendous experiences of parents' children dying in infancy after being born with rare genetic mutations'. Waterstone Clinic does provide pre-implantation genetic testing on embryos to discover if parents are unknowingly passing down genetic mutations that could cause serious health conditions in their children. However, Dr Waterstone says that the kind of procedure that took place in the UK is unlikely to come to Ireland anytime soon. 'I don't really think in the foreseeable future that anyone in Ireland who's diagnosed with mitochondrial disease will receive that treatment here. It's more viable to go to the UK,' he says. Given the rarity of these mutations, 'one in 5,000 individuals might have mitochondrial diseases', he says and the necessity for this treatment is not widespread.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store