Enda O'Connell 2016 Research Article

Myths Busted – Can you really die from a broken heart?

In the latest of our Research Videos for 2016, Prof. Brian Hughes investigates whether the belief that feelings of misery and loneliness can cause someone to die of a broken heart, is in fact true.

Brian’s work in the NUI Galway School of Psychology explores the link between emotional stress, the functioning of our hearts, and our risk of developing various heart diseases. Over the past decade, his group has tested the cardiovascular response of thousands of people subjected to various laboratory-controlled stresses.

Video by Claire Riordan, Scientific Engagement Associate at CÚRAM . With thanks to Dr Sinéad Conneely, Lecturer, School of Psychology and Dr Wei Lü, Visiting Lecturer from Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China.

Enda O'Connell 2015 Competition

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Meets Cmdr. Chris Hadfield!

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‘You Are Here – Around the World in 92 Minutes’ by Chris Hadfield (Pan Macmillan)

On Saturday November 15th, Cmdr. Chris Hadfield visited Eason in Galway to sign copies of his latest book ‘You Are Here – Around the World in 92 Minutes’. As this video posted by The Connacht Tribune shows, it was an extremely popular event, with hundreds of people braving the elements to meet Ireland’s favourite astronaut.

The ReelLIFE SCIENCE team were lucky enough to meet Cmdr. Hadfield beforehand, where he presented students from the winning primary school, Scoil Aonghusa Senior, with their €1000 prize. As one of our Special Guest Judges for 2015, he had been very impressed with the videos submitted by Irish primary and secondary students for the competition, saying “Discovery and creativity, turned loose by imagination. A great project that I am proud to be a part of.”

Continue reading “ReelLIFE SCIENCE Meets Cmdr. Chris Hadfield!” →

Enda O'Connell 2014 Research Article

Exploring the Cell, by Dr. Danielle Hamilton

Next in our weekly series of articles, Dr. Danielle Hamilton, a Research Scientist with the Centre for Chromosome Biology, writes about her work “Exploring the Cell” and how understanding how a cell repairs damage to its DNA may lead to the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Diagram of the internal structures of the cell. (Image credit: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/science-behind/genetics-overview/)
Diagram of the internal structures of the cell. (Image credit: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/science-behind/genetics-overview/)

Every living creature is made up of one or more cells, and humans are no exception. These microscopic structures are the building blocks of our bodies and each is programmed to perform a specific function. Cells of the same type are often found clustered together and communicate with each other to form the tissues and organs that make up a functioning organism. Continue reading “Exploring the Cell, by Dr. Danielle Hamilton” →