Weve heard of the Anthropocene: how human activity has altered the planet. But the Great Acceleration? Its that period from 1950 onwards, when the same human activities revved up even more, and are still accelerating. IDEAS contributor David Kattenburg examines the crucial, and sometimes contested, meanings of this age of Great Acceleration.

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, a bestselling book claims. Science does confirm, though, that male and female brains are wired differently but what that means is the focus of a great deal of research.

Exactly what triggers dystonia an involuntary muscle contraction of the hand, fingers, neck or mouth, which is sometimes very painful is unclear. But some researchers think the underlying problem that causes it may also be the key to treating it, and other brain-linked disorders like Parkinson's.