LIA TechX – the future is bright – with or without the tube! Reflecting on the LIA last week with notes from the Controls stage, where I spent most of the day – acutely aware of missing lots of other great content and sad to miss Ricky Nutall’s presentation – thanks to, ironically, failed lights at […]
upsides and downsides of controls – and Napoleon’s legacy Read More »
This week’s newsletter looks at altruism and paleolithic animation, plus a bit of brain gym on the weighty debate of whether light has mass or not. Eyes on altruism It’s World Humanitarian Day, established in 2008 to commemorate bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in 2003, where 22 humanitarian workers lost their lives. Many
Eyes on altruism, paleolithic animation – and does light have mass? Read More »
Drifting Anyone who has spent any time with a teen (or is young enough to remember being one themselves!) knows they struggle to get to bed- making them even harder to rouse in the morning. Their body clocks are running up to two hours later than ours, and other hormone changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
Off-colour immune response – and sleeping with Wanda Read More »
Biophilia in the brain? There’s broad consensus evidence that ‘biophilic’ design (evoking natural environments) helps us to heal – Biophilic Design and Its Effectiveness in Creating Emotional Well-Being, Green Satisfaction, and Workplace Attachment Among Healthcare Professionals: The Hospice Context. We may even be willing to pay more for spaces with plants and green walls – The Restorative
Biophilia and blood flow – and red light for sore knees Read More »
False Economies Circadian lighting is much too expensive for a hospital – the NHS has zero cash for extras. Of course, it depends on what you mean by circadian lighting. My definition is simple – daylight boosted by artificial sources that deliver enough brightness during the day to set the body clock, dim enough in
False economies – and gambling on blue light Read More »
Celebrating Good Care Month According to the King’s Fund, 1.59 million people work in the social care sector in the UK – that’s around the same number as work for the NHS – How many people work in social care in England? That’s dwarfed by the 5.8 million unpaid carers who clock up the equivalent of an
Sleeping on the job at last – and how bees know which flower to kiss Read More »
Celebrating Red, White and Blue The French Tricolour is one of 29 flags worldwide that use the classic red, white and blue – Countries With Red, White And Blue Flags. The semiotics of colour, or the way that colours convey meaning in culture, is a fascinating field. Red in national symbols has been traditionally associated with
Red, white and blue – and everything in between – plus spectator power Read More »
World Nature Conservation Day – light and health – the perfect storm (or the perfect match?) Healthcare accounts for over 4% of global net C02 emissions – bigger than aviation or shipping in the top OECD countries – Healthcare in world’s largest economies ‘accounts for 4%’ of global emissions. The lighting industry has an even bigger
Green lights – and unique yellow Read More »
National Spoil Your Dog Day Although a pet is not a panacea, there is evidence that dog ownership can help to keep your brain on its toes – Pet ownership is associated with greater cognitive and brain health in a cross-sectional sample across the adult lifespan, and help you get a bit more exercise too with an
Scratch and sniff – and natural navigation Read More »
Hope you’ve been soaking up some Vitamin D-boosting daylight (in the shade if you can) – we’ve just passed the longest day of the year, so I’m making sure my batteries are full. This week I’m celebrating Glad to Care week The Care Workers Charity. This week-long celebration puts the spotlight on the millions of
Caring for carers, a smile in the mind – and an invitation Read More »