Hydrocephalus is a disease that can cause people to have an abnormal brain structure where large parts of their brain tissue are replaced with a fluid that causes their heads to swell. Remarkably, some of these patients act no differently from healthy people despite brain scans showing almost no white matter, or nerves that connect different parts of the brain, except an intact cerebral cortex. This raises the question of how much of the brain — specifically, white matter — is necessary for life. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
