Letters archive

I read with interest your story about the digital recreation of Henry Molaison's brain for further research after his death. He underwent surgery for epilepsy, which involved removing some parts of his brain, and the problems that resulted were much studied during his life (1 February, p 14). Those of us lucky enough to have …

Elizabeth Pollitzer comments on the under-representation of women in preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies (8 February, p 30). Although it is true that women are under-represented, such research has some practical constraints. Clearly, epidemiological studies have to make do with the composition of the population of interest, while a clinical trial could recruit the sexes …

Matthew Stevens, a "non-religionist", adds to the now trendy practice of bashing atheist Richard Dawkins by saying that religion, "has evolved by natural selection because of the benefits it confers on its practitioners" (8 February, p 31). In Dawkins's defence, I'd say that to many of us he is a breath of fresh air, in …

Those researching ecstatic epileptic seizures described in your article (25 January, p 44) might be interested to learn of a study from the early 1960s. For a seminar presentation in 1975, Donald Hebb, one of the founders of modern neuroscience, assigned me Ecstasy: A study of some secular and religious experiences by Marghanita Laski ( …

You reported on plans to dispose of dredge spoil in Great Barrier Reef waters (8 February, p 7). The dredging is being done to enlarge the Abbot Point port in Queensland. I would like to add a few thoughts. Obviously, securing removed sediment behind sea walls will not avoid dredging, it just avoids the dumping …

Clare Wilson's article on drug use and schizophrenia (8 February, p 32) examines the benefits of talking therapy over medication. I have schizophrenia and learned this first hand. I was put in a specialist unit where I saw a clinical psychologist who taught me how to use talking therapy. It has helped change all aspects …

It is important to distinguish between the different antipsychotics available for schizophrenia. For example, for some – including myself – risperidone can result in a complete loss of interest in everything, and a sense of all-pervasive loss and panic, whereas Seroquel (quetiapine) can rebalance systems of self-soothing and quiet the voices, leading to the first …

Your discussion about the discovery of Eurasian genes in southern African tribes focused on the Khoisan tribes (8 February, p 10). It is also worth mentioning the Lemba people of South Africa and Zimbabwe. Many of their religious practices are similar to those of Judaism, and the Lemba say they have been passed down orally …

Your story about the diversity of species on organic and non-organic farms mentioned the long history of intensive farming in Europe and stated that tropical wildlife lacks this history with intensive farming (8 February, p 6) . However, this is disputable. Agriculture has been invented independently several times and some farming traditions are at least …

Your mention of West Germany using power company records in 1972 to track the Baader-Meinhof gang (25 January, p 5) reminds me of a hazard once faced by US orchid growers. Growers like me, who live in chilly parts of the country and lack greenhouses, often resort to over-wintering plants indoors under artificial lights. This …

I read Roger Kistruck's letter in response to New Scientist 's "dry January" experiment lamenting a lack of palatable non-sugary drinks, and the response that there is a need for grown up versions of these that can be savoured (1 February, p 32) . At the time, I had a pot of oriental spiced black …

You asked for palatable non-alcoholic drinks. In Australia we have a company which makes a range of "brewed" soft drinks. The brewing gives a slightly sour taste. We also have Feb-fast, dry July and Oc-sober, when you give up alcohol (or some other pernicious habit). Blackburn North, Victoria, Australia

Thomas Suddendorf's book The Gap , reviewed by Anil Ananthaswamy (25 January, p 48) , seems to deal only with traits that apparently make us superior to animals. If looked at from a different angle – by six-legged biologists from Alpha Centauri, say – might not more attention have been paid to the cost of …

You reported how Yong-Lae Park at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania made a robotic device with artificial muscles that could help people with cerebral palsy strengthen their foot and ankle muscles (25 January, p 21) . There may be another use: helping ordinary people develop a muscular body without having to pump iron. In the …

There's another way to look at the subject of internet service providers charging companies more to supply their content at higher speeds (1 February, p 24) , which has been described as an end to the principle of "net neutrality". Instead of seeing it as a case of big business gaining ever more control, we …

If birdsong led to the development of human language (8 February, p 36) then could it be that the first human communication was actually a tweet? Wellington, Shropshire, UK

• We've been too negative. The decline in herb-like plants hastened the decline in the woolly mammoth population, leading to a cycle that decreased the plant diversity further (8 February, p 12). This is, of course, a good example of a positive feedback.