Ruairi J Mackenzie
Senior Science Writer
As senior science writer, Ruairi pens and edits scientific news, articles and features, with a focus on the complexities and curiosities of the brain and emerging informatics technologies. Ruairi also drives Technology Networks' search engine optimization (SEO) and editorial AI strategy and created the site’s podcast, Opinionated Science, in 2020. Ruairi has a Master’s degree in Clinical Neurosciences from the University of Cambridge.
Latest Content
News
Diabetes Can Age the Eye by 30 Years, Finds Protein Study
A team of scientists at Stanford University has taken a look inside the human eye with a new level of detail by using cutting-edge molecular analysis.
News
"Missing Law of Nature" Proposes How Stars and Minerals “Evolve” Over Time
An interdisciplinary study, drawing on expertise from fields including philosophy of science, astrobiology, data science, mineralogy and theoretical physics, has identified a previously overlooked aspect of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
News
Exercise Benefits Mental Health Like Antidepressants – But Can Participants Keep It Up?
A study conducted at Vrije University, Amsterdam, has compared the effects of antidepressants and running on individuals experiencing anxiety and depression.
News
World-First Human Brain Atlas Reveals New Cell Types
A research consortium has published a flurry of papers detailing a “major step forward” in our knowledge of the human brain. The project includes a draft genomic atlas of the brain that authors say could boost neuroscience much as the human genome project advanced genomics.
News
More Nighttime Light Linked to Depression and Anxiety
Increased nighttime light exposure is linked to poor mental health outcomes, while increased daytime light has the opposite effect, finds a new study.
News
Organism Found in University Pond Rewrites the Rules of DNA
Scientists at the Earlham Institute and the University of Oxford have stumbled upon a discovery that alters our understanding of genetic coding. The finding emerged during tests of a novel method of single-cell DNA sequencing.
Article
The Power of Placebo in Psychedelic Trials
Ketamine is increasingly used as an antidepressant. A new clinical trial suggests the drug's effects may be may be placebo-based. In this article, we explore what that means for the drug's rollout for ketamine and psychedelic research.
News
Hygiene Hypothesis Study Suggests More Microbes Might Not Be the Answer to Allergies
A new study has raised a “warning” that the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests exposure to a diversity of microbes in early life can protect against allergies by strengthening the immune system, might not capture the whole picture of why these inappropriate immune responses are on the rise.
News
Scientists Show Off Drug Delivery System Inspired by Octopus Suckers
A new drug delivery system based on the suckers lining octopuses’ tentacles has been shown off in a new study.
Infographic
Milestones in Spatial Transcriptomics
In this infographic, we explore the milestones that led to the spatial transcriptomics techniques of today, beginning decades before the genomic revolution.
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