For the last seven years the New York Times Magazine has been publishing a list of the notable “ideas” at the end of each year. This year’s list includes 70 of them, but who has the time to read through all of them? (You know, aside from us). So here are the ideas that might be of most interest here at the blog-dot:
Alzheimer’s Telephone Screening
A 50 question phone survey that would measure “cognitive vital signs” to help identify Alzheimer’s patients before the typical symptoms present themselves.
The God Effect
University of British Columbia psychologist Ara Norenzayan has found that priming people with thoughts of God or civic duty can induce them to act more altruistically.
Neurorealism
Eric Racine’s word to describe the credulousness induced by showing people images of brain scans along with explanations for some kind of behavior or outcome. (Check out the 2005 paper “fMRI in the public eye” Racine authored with Judy Illes and Ofek Bar-Ilan for Nature Reviews Neuroscience.)
The Right to Medical Self-Defense
Eugene Volokh’s argument that a terminally ill patient should have the right to buy any treatment that has passed Phase 1 FDA testing. Volokh’s position grew out of the Abigail Alliance case.
Zygotic Social Networking
Two companies have started social networking sites based on genetic testing. Users can find distant relatives, upload baby pictures and compare family trees.
Community Urinalysis
Oregon State environmental chemist Jennifer Field has been testing sewage water for traces of drugs. “Its the closest to the urinal you can get without violating privacy,” she said.