What came first: the chicken or the egg? What is dark matter? How does science back up the theories of emotion? Our curated list of scientific debates to develop critical thinking skills and understand some of the most controversial issues in the discipline.
It turns out that dark matter makes up 27% of the universe. Everything on earth only adds up to less than 5% of the universe. Dark matter has been mysterious for a long time and continues to be in so many aspects. So what is dark matter and what do we know about it?
Palm-readings, tarot cards, and crystal balls - these are all things associated with those known as psychics. Every year, thousands of people go to psychics for guidance, for advice, and for the ability to communicate with deceased relatives and friends. Many who go seem to believe in it wholeheartedly, but the question remains: Are psychics real, or is it all just a big ruse?
What are the theories of emotion?
Emotions are a central part of the experience of being human. People’s feelings and moods affect their behavior, choices, and perspectives in myriad ways. The physical and psychological mechanisms behind emotions are correspondingly complex, and many different theories of emotion have been proposed to explain them. What are these theories, and are they supported by biology, psychology, physiology, or even common sense?
It is the topic of our times, with changing weather around the world. Is the climate actually changing or are these global warming signals misunderstood and misattributed to natural cycles. Can we know if climate change real? Or is climate change a conspiracy of the left?
Are we products of nature or nurture?
There is a longstanding debate about what factors contribute to forming each human being’s identity. Some argue that genes singlehandedly determine our identity, while others claim that our environment does so. Although psychologists regard some combination of these two factors (i.e. nature and nurture) as what shapes us, there is little consensus on the issue.
Should genetically modifying babies be legal?
The term “genetic modification” most commonly refers to a technique known as mitochondrial replacement therapy. The treatment involves constructing an embryo from the DNA of three people, using one party’s mitochondrial DNA in place of another, which is at risk for passing on a mitochondrial illness. In recent years, the genetic modification of babies has become a widely debated issue. The first genetically altered babies were born in 2018, prompting the scientific community to debate the ethics of the project. Is this procedure the scientific community’s latest achievement, or a step too far?
How do drugs affect the brain?
A psychoactive drug is a chemical substance which, when consumed, can affect the brain and nervous system, resulting in an altered mental state. The potent effects of psychoactive drugs have led some to be used as prescription medicines, while others have become some of the most widely prohibited illicit substances in the world. So what are the effects of drugs on the brain? What are the different types of psychoactive drug, and how do these various chemicals affect behaviour, consciousness, mood, perception, and the functioning of the brain?
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
This age-old question was first asked by Aristotle back in the 4th century BCE. Since then, the question has been seen throughout society and has become one of today’s most iconic paradoxes. So which one actually came first?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified the radiofrequency fields generated by cell phones as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” With billions of people around the world using cell phones on a regular basis, any link between cell phones and cancer would represent a major public health risk. What does the science say? Has enough research been done? And can existing studies be trusted?
For much of time people have questioned the existence of God. This question understands God as ‘Supreme Being and Creator of the Universe’, not a specific God (Christian, Islamic, Jewish, or other), and explores the various positions and arguments for and against the existence.