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These local council results suggest Tory decimation at the general election ahead

The local elections which took place on May 2 have provided an unusually rich set of results to pore over. Around 2,600 seats were up for election...

yesterday 20

The Conversation

Paul Whiteley

Boris Johnson: if even the prime minister who introduced voter ID can forget his, do we need a rethink?

Former prime minister Boris Johnson was reportedly turned away on election day after arriving at his polling station to vote with only “an...

yesterday 20

The Conversation

Toby James

Four major threats to press freedom in the UK

Just five years ago, the UK took the bold step of setting up a Media Freedom Coalition of 50 countries committed to protecting press freedom...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

William Horsley

How one 18th-century sermon triggered England’s first celebrity crush – with merchandise

Three hundred years ago, on June 5 1724, an Anglican clergyman by the name of Henry Sacheverell died in Highgate, north London. He was 50 years...

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Hannah Yip

Gut microbiome: meet E coli – the infamous bacteria with an unfair reputation

Escherichia coli (which most of us know better as E coli) has a bit of a bad reputation. Many know it as the harmful bug that can cause a stomach...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Mel Lacey

Can an organ transplant really change someone’s personality?

Changes in personality following a heart transplant have been noted pretty much ever since transplants began. In one case, a person who hated...

yesterday 5

The Conversation

Adam Taylor

Plastic is climate change in a bottle – so let’s put a cap on it

Plastic pollution and climate change have common culprits – and similar solutions. The penultimate round of negotiations for a global pact on...

yesterday 7

The Conversation

Jack Marley

Starliner: Boeing prepares to launch its first crewed spacecraft as it chases after SpaceX

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to make its first flight into space with astronauts on May 6, 2024. This flight and a few others will...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Gareth Dorrian

‘Jeremy Hunt is probably right to oppose the finance watchdog’s plans to name and shame firms under investigation’ – expert Q&A

The UK banking regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), finds itself in a public row with the government and many City grandees over its...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Alper Kara

Blackpool South byelection: the size of the swing to Labour made this such an unpleasant night for Rishi Sunak

The last time Labour won Blackpool South, the party won 270 other constituencies. It was 1997 and Labour took 179 more than all other parties...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Martin Farr

Five tales of violent, ambitious, brilliant women – what you should watch and read this week

This article was first published in our email newsletter Something Good, which brings you a summary every fortnight of the best things to watch,...

yesterday 9

The Conversation

Naomi Joseph

The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky and how I used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way

What did our ancestors think when they looked up at the night sky? All cultures ascribed special meaning to the Sun and the Moon, but what about...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Or Graur

Swapping payments for vouchers won’t fix disability benefits – here’s what’s needed instead

The UK government is proposing major changes to the benefits system, in response to the increase in people claiming benefits for disability and ill...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Richard Machin

What a second Trump presidency might mean for the rest of the world

Just over six months ahead of the US election, the world is starting to consider what a return to a Trump presidency might mean. While Americans...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Christopher Featherstone

Supermarket Iceland is producing a manifesto on behalf of customers – but should retailers meddle in politics?

The food retailer Iceland has pledged it will give its customers a voice during the UK’s upcoming election. If that sounds like a good idea, then...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Andrew Crane

Decision to stick with single-word Ofsted judgments is all about control, not what is best for schools – former inspector

In April 2024 the Department for Education announced that there were “no plans” to change single-word Ofsted judgments. These give schools...

yesterday 9

The Conversation

Colin Diamond

A global plastic treaty will only work if it caps production, modelling shows

An international agreement to end plastic pollution is due to be sealed this year in Busan, South Korea. At the penultimate round of negotiations,...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Costas Velis

The EU’s new ecocide law may still let environmental criminals get away with it

The EU recently passed a law that criminalises actions “comparable to ecocide”. It’s a revolutionary legal development – the first law of its...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Filippos Proedrou

‘Everywhere we looked we found evidence’: the godfather of microplastics on 20 years of pollution research and the fight for global action

Thirty years ago, while counting barnacles, limpets and seaweeds along rocky shores, I started noticing a daily tide of litter, mostly plastic. As...

yesterday 5

The Conversation

Richard Thompson

Ancient scroll reveals new story of Plato’s death – here’s why you should be suspicious of it

Plato of Athens (429-347BC) may be one of the most famous philosophers of all times. He was the thinker who came up with the “theory of forms”...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Bert Van Den Berg

Some experts say the US economy is on the up, but here’s why voters don’t think so

Many Americans are gloomy about the economy, despite some data saying it is improving. The Economist even took this discussion to TikTok. When its...

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Jessica Eastland-Underwood

Why women would prefer to be alone in the woods with a bear than a man

Would you rather find yourself alone in the woods with a bear or a man? This is the question currently dividing social media. Based on the...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Lisa Sugiura

US student Gaza protests: five things that have been missed

Coverage of the recent student encampments at more than 50 universities across the United States has focused on confrontations between opposing...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Robert P. Jackson

Personalised mRNA vaccines: a revolutionary new approach in melanoma treatment

A personalised mRNA vaccine to treat melanoma has now reached late-stage trials in the UK. This is just the latest step in improving the cure rate...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Justin Stebbing

Public backs move to green home heating but more government support is needed, research shows

The UK faces a significant shift in how homes are heated. To meet climate change goals, new gas boiler installations must be phased out by 2050....

previous day 10

The Conversation

Gareth Thomas

Holding a placard outside court isn’t illegal, judge rules – is that the best British democracy has to offer?

The UK High Court recently dismissed the case against environmental activist Trudi Warner, who was referred for contempt of court in March 2023....

previous day 10

The Conversation

Steven Cammiss

Maths degrees are becoming less accessible – and this is a problem for business, government and innovation

There’s a strange trend in mathematics education in England. Maths is the most popular subject at A-level since overtaking English in 2014. It’s...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Neil Saunders

Gaza update: US students protest while leaders talk and Palestinians continue to die

Over the past few days we seem to have been hearing more about the protests roiling the campuses of some of the most prestigious universities in...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Jonathan Este

Computer science culture often means anybody’s data is fair game to feed the AI algorithm – but artists are fighting back

Content created with the help of generative AI is popping up everywhere, and it’s worrying some artists and content creators. They’re concerned...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Gemma Ware

Can this thumb test tell if you are at increased risk of a hidden aortic aneurysm?

All the parts of our bodies share an inherent connectivity. This goes much further than “the foot bone’s connected to the … leg bone”. For...

previous day 9

The Conversation

Dan Baumgardt

If Rishi Sunak is ousted, should Tory MPs or members pick his replacement? The answer isn’t that simple

Speculation continues over Rishi Sunak’s position as prime minister and Tory leader. The Conservatives’ leadership rules stipulate that Sunak...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Tom Quinn

Gaza war: success of Egypt’s peace deal would set blueprint for future of Middle East – expert Q&A

In the diplomatic manoeuvrings surrounding the conflict in Gaza, things are beginning to gather pace. Israel’s western allies are pressing the...

previous day 1

The Conversation

John Strawson

Russia: arrest of deputy defence minister on corruption charges reveals bitter factional infighting among the elite

The recent arrest of Timur Ivanov, Russia’s deputy defence minister and close ally of defence minister Sergei Shoigu, has rocked the country’s...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Stephen Hall

Where is the legal line between celebrity worship and stalking?

Falling under the spell of a celebrity crush is a common part of adolescence. But in the age of social media and unprecedented access to our idols,...

previous day 1

The Conversation

Alexandros Antoniou

How to spot fake online reviews (with a little help from AI)

Before you buy something, or visit a new restaurant, or see a new film, you may be tempted to check out the online reviews. Researching what...

previous day 7

The Conversation

Nick Hajli

A Spy Like Me: Kim Sherwood’s evocative and thrilling addition to the James Bond canon

This article contains spoilers for The Double O trilogy of James Bond books by Kim Sherwood In the first book of Kim Sherwood’s Double O trilogy,...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Monica Germanà

Unravelling life’s origin: five key breakthroughs from the past five years

There is still so much we don’t understand about the origin of life on Earth. The definition of life itself is a source of debate among...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Sean Jordan

Radical Optimism is Dua Lipa’s philosophy for dealing with life’s chaos – but radical openness is a better approach

In a teaser video for her third album, Radical Optimism, Dua Lipa explained that every track has that...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Joshua Forstenzer

The UK has become the world’s fourth largest exporter, but can it maintain this momentum?

UK business is beaming with pride with the recent news of the country’s emergence as the fourth largest exporter in the world based on the United...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Ibiyemi Omeihe

What to expect from the next generation of chatbots: OpenAI’s GPT-5 and Meta’s Llama-3

Recently, there has been a flurry of publicity about the planned upgrades to OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI-powered chatbot and Meta’s Llama system, which...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Abdul Sadka

Beautifully crafted Roman dodecahedron discovered in Lincoln – but what were they for?

Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First...

previous day 8

The Conversation

Samantha Tipper

How extreme dieting can affect bone health

In a recent Instagram post, the actor Jameela Jamil revealed she has poor bone density, despite only being in her 30s. Jamil blamed this finding on...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Adam Taylor

Four ways to cultivate a unique taste in music in the age of streaming algorithms

One of the positive things about modern media is that artists can now get their music into the world without having to first impress industry...

wednesday 1

The Conversation

Glenn Fosbraey

Why demonising people as ‘workless’ won’t solve rising economic inactivity

As the gloves come off for election year, Britain’s would-be leaders are circling a new political punch-bag: people who are “economically...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

James Morrison

China set to blast off to the far side of the Moon – here’s what it could discover

China is attempting to recover the first ever soil and rock samples from the lunar far side. The surface mission, Chang’e 6, named after the...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Ben Rider-Stokes

Love Lies Bleeding: this vengeful queer romance is a visceral cinematic experience

Warning: this article contains minor spoilers for Love Lies Bleeding. The filmmakers behind Love Lies Bleeding (director Rose Glass and her...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Kate Mcnicholas Smith

London’s runaway horses remind us that animals are workers too

The extraordinary sight of five horses galloping through London, sweating and covered in blood, caused the hashtag #Apocalypse to trend briefly on...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Helen Wadham

More price rises and empty shelves on the cards as UK brings in Brexit border checks

New import checks on foods arriving from the EU could affect supplies at Britain’s local delis, high-street greengrocers or independent cafes....

wednesday 3

The Conversation

Kamran Mahroof

After struggling with its past, is the Labour party looking to the future?

Tony Blair left Downing Street nearly 17 years ago, but in terms of his impact on the Labour party, it’s almost like he never left. After Gordon...

wednesday 1

The Conversation

Karl Pike

James by Percival Everett: an enthralling reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of an escaped slave

James, the new novel by Percival Everett, is a stunning book which I relished long after finishing. It is the sort of book you need to tell all...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Emily Zobel Marshall

Hemp is more sustainable than timber – here’s how it could transform low-carbon construction

Hemp could become a key tool in the fight against climate change. Like timber, hemp is a biogenic material – it’s produced by growing plants....

wednesday 2

The Conversation

Bernardino D&39Amico

US election: why it’s not the protesters votes that the Democrats should worry about

As hundreds of New York police officers in riot gear were called in to clear away a student protest at Columbia University on Tuesday night, the...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Thomas Gift

Trump-proofing Nato: why Europe’s current nuclear deterrents may not be enough to face biggest threats since WWII

Though a second Trump presidency is not a foregone conclusion, Nato members are gearing up to Trump-proof the organisation and reviewing their...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Natasha Lindstaedt

James by Percival Everett: an enthralling reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of formerly enslaved Jim

James, the new novel by Percival Everett, is a stunning book which I relished long after finishing. It is the sort of book you need to tell all...

wednesday 3

The Conversation

Emily Zobel Marshall

Alarming decline in children’s health and wellbeing predated pandemic, research reveals

The COVID pandemic affected several aspects of children’s health and wellbeing. The number of children referred to specialist mental health teams...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Michaela James

Millions of young people will head to the polls over the next year – but many are disillusioned about mainstream politics

A record number of people will go to polls in 2024 to vote in national elections around the world. People who came of age during the last electoral...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

James Sloam

Are young people smarter than older adults? My research shows cognitive differences between generations are diminishing

We often assume young people are smarter, or at least quicker, than older people. For example, we’ve all heard that scientists, and even more so...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Stephen Badham

What being a teenage girl in 1960s Britain was really like

Dressed in a mini skirt and passionate about boys, music, dance and fashion, the 1960s teenage girl is a pop culture icon, the seeming beneficiary...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Penny Tinkler

Cyberflashing is now a criminal offence – but the normalisation of this behaviour among young people needs to change

In March 2024, a 39-year-old man became the first person in England and Wales to be convicted of the new offence of cyberflashing, part of the...

wednesday 2

The Conversation

Jessica Ringrose

Why it takes so long to simulate the climate in a supercomputer

Climate models are some of the most complex pieces of software ever written, able to simulate a vast number of different parts of the overall...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Samar Khatiwala

Climate models can run for months on supercomputers – but my new algorithm can make them ten times faster

Climate models are some of the most complex pieces of software ever written, able to simulate a vast number of different parts of the overall...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Samar Khatiwala

For Europe to emulate Silicon Valley’s tech success, it should change its startup funding model

Tech startups will be enthused by the news that Silicon Valley venture capital (VC) veteran General Catalyst is on the verge of raising US$6...

30.04.2024 30

The Conversation

Michaela Hruskova

Does obesity really increase your risk of dementia?

Many dementia charities advise people to maintain a healthy weight to reduce their risk of dementia. But some studies have suggested that obesity...

30.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Scott Chiesa

Measuring your food waste for six weeks can change your habits – new study

You’ve had a long day and you’re tired. Faced with making dinner, you look in the fridge and decide to cook something that requires little...

30.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Cathrine Jansson-Boyd

Scotland’s ‘not proven’ verdict does affect jurors decisions – but removing it may not improve rape conviction rates

Anyone who has served on a jury or watched a courtroom drama knows that most trials end with a verdict: guilty or not guilty. But in Scotland,...

30.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Elaine Jackson

Nasa’s planned mission to retrieve rocks from Mars is in trouble – but it’s a vital step to sending humans to the red planet

Nasa recently asked the scientific community to help come up with innovative ideas for ways to carry out its Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. This...

30.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Yang Gao

Reality TV in the UK is almost dead – why The Traitors offers a last glimmer of hope

The explosion of reality TV onto our television screens at the end of the last millennium is one of the major global phenomena in recent media...

30.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Jamie Medhurst

Scotland’s government fell apart in a week – here’s what happened

Contrary to popular belief, coalition governments are generally stable and usually last their full term. What has unfolded in Scotland therefore...

30.04.2024 3

The Conversation

Jonathan Parker

US sanctions on Iranian hackers highlight growing concern about the Islamic Republic’s cyberwarriors

A feature of the simmering tensions between the US, Israel and Iran has been not just the tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes and assassinations,...

30.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Vasileios Karagiannopoulos

Too many journalists and aid workers are being killed in Gaza despite rules that should keep them safe

“Deconfliction” is a term familiar to anyone involved in wars around the world. It’s an arrangement by which non-combatants, including aid...

30.04.2024 30

The Conversation

Chris Paterson

Time for Scotland to follow the rest of the UK and punish violent partners who cause pregnancy loss

On May 2, the Scottish Parliament will debate whether it should be a crime in Scotland to cause the loss of a partner’s or former partner’s...

30.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Mary Neal

Why diversity in nature could be the key to mental wellbeing

By the time you have finished reading this article, at least one species on our planet will be lost forever. Humans rely on a wide range of...

30.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Andrea Mechelli

South West Bank: Venice Biennale exhibition explores how Palestinians have become ‘foreigners everywhere’

Culturally speaking I’m a Christian, so I feel I’ve always known about Bethlehem. As a teenager, I travelled around the Holy Land mesmerised by...

30.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Clare Carolin

The genius of Cowboy Carter is Beyoncé’s accent – a musicologist explains

Cowboy Carter, the latest album from Beyoncé, has sparked widespread debate about the genre of “country music”. As a musicologist, I am...

30.04.2024 5

The Conversation

Conor Caldwell

‘Britain could soon lose control of its defence industry’ – expert Q&A

Miltary spending is surging in the face of heightened geopolitical tensions. The UK plans to hike its defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030,...

30.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Keith Hartley

Council carnage, a potential Tory leadership challenge and a summer election? Seven things to look out for this week in UK politics

The May local elections are shaping up to be the last major test of public opinion before the much-awaited general election on the horizon at an...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Ben Williams

Russia has tightened its hold over the Sahel region – and now it’s looking to Africa’s west coast

Armed troops in Niger overthrew the government in July 2023, seizing power for themselves. The following months were rife with speculation that the...

29.04.2024 30

The Conversation

Olumba E. Ezenwa

Many old books contain toxic chemicals – here’s how to spot them

In our modern society, we rarely consider books to be dangerous items. However, certain books contain elements so hazardous that they require...

29.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Mark Lorch

Britain and France are forging a new alliance over backing for Ukraine – and aim to bring Nato partners with them

One hundred and twenty years after the Entente Cordiale, Britain and France are forging a new alliance. The original 1904 agreement paved the way...

29.04.2024 4

The Conversation

Amelia Hadfield

Mpox: why the virus’s continued, rapid mutation since the 2022 global outbreak remains a concern

In 2022, as the world was slowly beginning to recover from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of mpox – then still called monkeypox...

29.04.2024 6

The Conversation

Cheryl Walter

Netzah Yehuda: the ‘violent and aggressive’ IDF unit the US is thinking of sanctioning

The US and Israel have been involved in intense discussions recently about whether Washington will sanction a unit of the Israel Defense Forces...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Carlo Aldrovandi

Dan Poulter defects from Tories to Labour: inside the art of switching teams

When Conservative MP and former minister Dan Poulter announced his defection to the Labour party it came as somewhat of a surprise. It was only the...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Paula Keaveney

Andy and the Odd Socks: how a rock concert for kids sends a powerful message about social identity

Like many parents, the music I find myself listening to has drastically changed since having children. My young children are fans of Andy and the...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Nicola Power

Burnout hits people with creative jobs too – here’s how to avoid it

Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion, usually related to your work situation. Paradoxically, the more passionate and responsible...

29.04.2024 4

The Conversation

Agata Lulkowska

Mangroves: we used freely-available satellite images to track climate-resilient forests

Mangroves are one of most important ecosystems on the world’s coasts. They absorb the impact of storms, prevent erosion, provide food and safety...

29.04.2024 3

The Conversation

Reshma Sunkur

What your feet can tell you about your health

From skin to hair, scabs and even tears, the external appearance of the body can offer clues about the state of your health. But there’s another...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Dan Baumgardt

Electric cars pile up at European ports as Chinese firms struggle to find buyers

China’s automotive industry has revolutionised over the past decade, from producing basic western clones to making cars that equal the world’s...

29.04.2024 30

The Conversation

Tom Stacey

Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s departing first minister, and the art of the resignation speech

Humza Yousaf’s resignation as first minister of Scotland was, in the end, expected, after a chain of events made his position untenable. It was...

29.04.2024 10

The Conversation

Colin Alexander

Four myths about vertical farming debunked by an expert

Vertical farms look hi-tech and sophisticated, but the premise is simple – plants are grown without soil, with their roots in a solution...

29.04.2024 4

The Conversation

Zoe Harris

Is the Rwanda plan acting as a deterrent? Here’s what the evidence says about this approach

Tensions are rising between the UK and Ireland, as asylum seekers cross into Ireland from Northern Ireland, reportedly fearing that if they remain...

29.04.2024 7

The Conversation

Matilde Rosina

Is the London mayoral race tightening? New poll shows Sadiq Khan leads Susan Hall by 13 points

With just days to go until local election day on May 2 2024, it appears that the London mayoral race may be narrowing. Our new poll suggests that...

29.04.2024 7

The Conversation

Elizabeth Simon

LVMH succession planning: keeping it in the family when you’re the world’s richest man

In the high end world of luxury and heritage, many brands are still owned and managed by the original founding family. The issue of succession...

29.04.2024 20

The Conversation

Qing Wang

Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid: an invigorating romp that cleaves to the real history of Macbeth’s wife

“Out, damned spot,” Lady Macbeth famously says as she wrings her hands, attempting to remove a bloodstain her guilt-ridden mind has conjured....

29.04.2024 8

The Conversation

Marion Gibson

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