How a Victorian trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage
H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.
Dec. 18, 2023 • ~7 min
How a colonial trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage
H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.
Dec. 18, 2023 • ~7 min
Modern medicine has its scientific roots in the Middle Ages − how the logic of vulture brain remedies and bloodletting lives on today
Your doctor’s MD emerged from the Dark Ages, where practicing rational “human medicine” was seen as an expression of faith and maintaining one’s health a religious duty.
Nov. 2, 2023 • ~10 min
For some people, religious leaders might be most effective at communicating the importance of COVID-19 vaccination
Two political scientists in their study in South Dakota found people trusted medical professionals the least when it came to public health messages.
May 12, 2022 • ~6 min
Can churches be protectors of public health?
Responses to COVID-19 health guidelines have been polarized, including in churches. But religious communities have a long history of involvement in public health.
Feb. 25, 2022 • ~9 min
Frankincense and myrrh have been revered since ancient times – but now they're under threat
Trees that produce resin for frankincense and myrrh – used for thousands of years in healthcare, worship and trade – are facing collapsing populations.
Dec. 20, 2021 • ~7 min
In times of stress, turning to contemplation can be helpful – here's why religions emphasize rest
Most religions have periods of rest incorporated into their practice. Medical science has affirmed that short periods of contemplation can have benefits for one's physical and mental health.
July 23, 2021 • ~7 min
'Sex addiction' isn't a justification for killing, or really an addiction – it reflects a person's own moral misgivings about sex
'Sex addiction' isn't a diagnosable disorder, but the turmoil religious men feel over the disconnect between their sexual values and behavior can lead to real psychological distress.
March 20, 2021 • ~7 min
Why creationism bears all the hallmarks of a conspiracy theory
An inevitable part of the internet age, some conspiracy theories appear and then fade, but in the US particularly, creationism seems firmly embedded in religion, education and pseudoscience.
Feb. 4, 2021 • ~8 min
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