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While Christmas was celebrated far and wide by Christians of medieval Europe, Vikings celebrated a winter holiday of their own. Yule or Jól (in Old Norse), was a pagan ceremony held for three nights, beginning at winter solstice, in mid- to late December during the time of year when days are long and winter is at its peak. · The word “yule” pre-dates the Christianization of Scandinavia around the year 1000 and refers to a midwinter festival…

It seems like classic Christmas carols are everywhere during the Christmas season – on the radio, in concerts and worship services, and in the background while you’re shopping in stores. What is it about these beloved Christmas songs that give them such enduring power? Maybe it has to do with how their lyrics inspire us to remember the first Christmas, or how their music moves us emotionally. Classic Christmas hymns have a timeless appeal, so…

Christmas Chocolate Covered Strawberries are so fun for the holiday season! Have fun decorating strawberries for Christmas with sprinkles and candy melts. · Ingredients · - fresh strawberries stems attached - 250grams semi-sweet chocolate chips - 250grams white chocolate chips - 2 tsp vegetable oil or shortening divided - 2 tbsp holiday sprinkles - 120grams green candy melts or green frosting - 120grams candy melts or red frosting ·…

An innovative fertility technology using stem cells to help an embryo mature outside the body has resulted in the world’s first live human birth. Gameto, the company that developed the approach, says it’s faster, safer and more accessible than conventional IVF. · Since the birth of the world’s first ‘test tube baby’ in 1978, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has helped millions of people worldwide overcome fertility issues and become parents. But…

On December 20, 1832, Church Missionary Society (CMS) leader Henry Williams gave the male pupils (Māori and Pākehā) of his mission school at Paihia in the Bay of Islands a rare day off. · They had sat exams the previous day. Their reward was an opportunity to play cricket on the foreshore at Horotutu. They must have already had some practice, as Williams wrote in his journal that they were ‘very expert, good bowlers’. Williams, who had imported…

We all like to think of ourselves as quick-witted, but a new study from Caltech calculates that our brains process information at the extremely slow speed of around 10 bits per second. This leisurely pace may have long evolutionary roots, despite our sensory systems gathering data about 100 million times faster. · The human brain is often said to be the most powerful computer in the world, and its efficiency is undisputed. But how fast does it…

In September 2024, Moderna announced that the clinical trial of its mRNA vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children aged 5–24 months was abruptly halted. · The clinical trial, conducted in the UK and other countries, ended after alarming data suggested that the vaccine might not just fail to prevent severe RSV disease, but could potentially worsen it. · Until now, the data were kept secret. · This week, the Food and Drug…

Ingredients · - 20 medium-large strawberries, hulled for a flat base - 100g cream cheese - 4–6 teaspoons icing sugar, to taste. (you can leave it out if you prefer) - 40 mini dark-choc bits or chocolate chips · Instructions · 1. Cut the top third off each berry and reserve. Stand berry bases on a serving platter. 2. Mix cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. (Just beat the cream cheese if you don’t want it to be sweet) 3.…

Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat malaria and was tested as a treatment for COVID-19.Credit: George A study that stoked enthusiasm for the now-disproven idea that a cheap malaria drug can treat COVID-19 has been retracted — more than four-and-a-half years after it was published1. · Researchers had critiqued the controversial paper many times, raising concerns about its data quality and an unclear ethics-approval process. Its eventual…

New Zealand’s Health Minister Dr Shayne Reti has reservations about the Nursing Council’s updated competency standards, set to take effect in January 2025. · These standards place Māori culture and partisan views of the Treaty of Waitangi over all others. They require nurses, for instance, to address the “impact of colonisation” on health and advocate for perspectives, but critics argue that these changes prioritise ideology over practical…