Aoife Ryan-Christensen

Brainstorm

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Aoife Ryan-Christensen is assistant editor of RTÉ Brainstorm

The start of the new year can lead people to become reflective and connect with what may or may not be serving or working for them in their life Photo: Getty Images

Blue Monday: no, today isn't the most depressing day of the year

Some people find January hard but Blue Monday is an unhelpful piece of pseudoscientific nonsense

Brainstorm • 20 Jan

"The particular type of nostalgia around Christmas films is often about holding on to those positive memories from the past and then passing them on to our children" Photo: File

Why do we love Christmas films so much?

Love them, hate them (or love to hate them), there are many reasons why we seek out formulaic and cheesy Christmas films

Christmas • 04 Dec 24

We've collected over 237 million bottles and cans through the Deposit Return Scheme in Ireland so far. Photo: RTÉ Brainstorm

5 things our Deposit Return Scheme can learn from other countries

From holders on bins to donating your deposit, there are plenty of small ways for us to collect even more bottles and cans

Deposit Return Scheme • 22 Nov 24

"In the medium term, expanding postal voting would be the more sensible approach".

Should Ireland introduce early and postal voting?

If you can't be at your polling station on November 29th to vote, you're out of luck as things stands so should alternatives be considered?

General Election 2024 • 21 Nov 24

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday have historically been the most frequent general election polling days. Photo: Getty Images

November, February, June: is there an ideal time for an election?

This is only the third time in the history of the State that a general election has been held in November. Will the day, weather, or time of year affect turnout?

General Election 2024 • 19 Nov 24

"Even 6-year-olds would understand the meaning of sharing a secret"

Why do we find it so hard to make friends as we get older?

Humans have a fundamental need to connect with other people, but how we make friends changes across our lifetime

Friendship • 07 Nov 24

A funnel cloud over Longford in 2014 Pic: Louise Duggan via RTÉ Images of the Day

Tornadoes in Ireland? Yes, we get them and here's how many

We don't yet fully understood the science of tornadoes, but we get a surprising number of them in Ireland every year

Weather • 05 Nov 24

'It is factually the case that our house price volatility is large internationally'. Photo: Getty Images

Why we need a new bidding process for buying homes in Ireland

Reforming the bidding process could potentially achieve some much needed stability for prospective home owners

Housing • 01 Oct 24

Eric McCormack as Will Truman, Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland in NBC TV show Will & Grace Photo: Getty Images

Huh? Why we're all watching TV with subtitles on

No, it's not just you: TV and film dialogue are now harder to hear and the use of subtitles has gone through the roof

Culture • 13 Sep 24

Father and son JJ and Jeremiah Delaney taking part in the Under 40 Horse Ploughing Competition, at the 2022 National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A short history of the Ploughing

It began with a good natured disagreement between two farmers and is now one of the biggest events of the year

Farming • 16 Sep 24