Photo Credit: Cork City Council 
UNCORKING SCIENCE
Christianity has always been a strong proponent of merging faith with science so that we can learn more about ourselves, the world around us, and our origins. Promoting the importance of empirical inquiry this month is the Cork Carnival of Science at Fitzgerald Park, which features non-stop, family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, street cuisine and a packed line-up of live entertainment.
Participants include shows by London Science Museum and W5 Science and Discovery Centre (Belfast), workshops by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Imaginosity and Bubbly Maths, mobile classrooms from the Road Safety Authority and Bord Iascaigh Mara and many more. Activities will include making slime, meeting live zoo animals, checking out the inner workings of robots and extracting DNA.
It runs from June 22-23 and sets about creating and delivering an event that encourages families to interact with science in new and engaging ways.
FAST FOOD FATALITIES
Most of us have a penchant for unhealthy foods like take-aways or sweets, but unfortunately these are usually ultra-processed items. While they are delicious and satisfy our cravings, it turns out they’re causing significant harm to our health.
A new study led by Anaïs Rico-Campà, from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, has revealed that mortality rate increases depending on the amount of ultra-processed food people consume.
As part of the study, the 19,899 participants completed a food questionnaire of 136 items and the scientists followed them up for 10 years and grouped the foods they ate according to how processed they were. The study found that people who consumed more than four servings of ultra-processed food each day were 62% more likely to die from any cause compared with those who consumed two servings or fewer.
BUYING A BAMBOO BRUSH
In the last few years, the world has become more aware of the climate crisis facing all of us, and the need to be more active in preventing looming disaster. This isn’t just the responsibility of large corporations or businesses who are the key culprits, but also ourselves. Small environmental acts every day can make and big difference in the grand scheme of things, so recycling, avoiding using plastic and making green purchases all help in making the world a better and more habitable place. One small change that can be made in your life is swapping out your plastic toothbrush for an eco-friendly bamboo one. Not only are they cheap, but the soft bristles are great for your oral health as they don’t upset or irritate your gums. The next time your toothbrush needs replacing, consider purchasing a bamboo one – it’ll make all the difference!
