Five mass extinctions – and what we can learn from them about the planet today
Are we in the middle of a mass extinction caused by Homo sapiens? Past events can help us to understand the current crisis.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Science + Technology
Analysis and Comment
Let’s face it, Jon Snow’s views are no great secret
Is impartiality a red herring in the age of blogs and social media?
How conspiracy theories feed political fragmentation
They're not just about aliens and moon landings.
Understanding disturbed sleep could help prevent suicides
A new study sheds light on the link between poor sleep and thoughts about suicide.
There needs to be more than just community spirit in times of crisis
Despite the surge of community support after the Grenfell Tower fire, the failure of the local council and the government to respond appropriately has caused anger, offence and further suffering.
The winners and losers of Antarctica’s great thaw
Climate change is set to expand Antarctica's ice-free area, potentially helping native species to flourish but also paving the way for invasive species to gain a foothold.
German plans to send migrant children to reception centres in Morocco ignore lessons from history
Germany's plan to build reception centres in Morocco to repatriate unaccompanied minors is similar to a controversial Spanish plan from the mid 2000s.
UK policy turns people with learning disabilities into commodities, study reveals
Private companies are building new inpatient units – the state has been trying to reduce them for the last five years.
In a victory against spin, ministers lose pre-release access to statistics
No democratic government should be able to manipulate the public by getting a sneak peek at the data.
How supermarket surge pricing will work to keep shoppers sweet
Watch out for surging burger prices in barbecue season.
‘NotPetya’ ransomware attack shows corporate social responsibility should include cybersecurity
When companies neglect cybersecurity, customers – and society as a whole – suffer. It’s time customers demanded better of corporations.
The iPhone at ten: mobile devices have opened a new era of tech storytelling
We don’t just hold our phones, we cradle them – and make films like this one with them.
Happy 10th birthday iPhone, the nearest thing to a secure pocket computer
Apple's design decisions don't please everyone, but in the iPhone the company created something truly revolutionary that has lasted.
Turkey bans teaching of evolution – but science is more than a belief system
Outlawing evolution in schools is based on creationist misconceptions – here's how to counter them
Okja: a film that provides food for thought on ‘sustainable’ meat production
Netflix's new film is a timely intervention into discussions on whether it can ever be ethically sound to eat meat.
Lessons from Lakanal House were not heeded – then Grenfell happened
A former BBC special correspondent looks at why fundamental lessons weren't learnt after the deadly Lakanal Fire that he investigated in 2009.
The real reasons why British workers won’t pick fruit
It's about housing, transport, benefits, pay, and the culture of work.
After Brexit, should the UK just join the EEA?
To some it seems like the most sensible option, but it would antagonise the hard Brexiteers.
It’s nonsense to say fracking can be made safe, whatever guidelines we come up with
From crossing a road to fracking for oil, everything has inherent risks. At best, we can only aim to agree that, on balance, they are contained and justified.
M&S delivers – but is it too late?
What the lessons of failed high street brands mean as M&S finally makes a big move.
We change our voice when we talk to high-status people, shows new study
Our voices also affect how people perceive our own social status.
Trump’s loyalty fixation recalls one of the US’s most disastrous presidencies
Andrew Johnson's plan to win the loyalty of former Confederate leaders doomed his presidency to historical ignominy.
How mindfulness can help the shift towards a more sustainable society
Research shows this psychological technique can help people become more aware and support global change.
EU citizens proposal: a lawyer examines the detail
The government is offering 'settled status' to address Brexit fears. But is it enough?
Cancer survivors’ fears about relapse are serious risk to their health – new findings
A twinge can be all it takes to convince patients they have a new tumour
After Grenfell, regulation must not be a dirty word
Perhaps there might at least now be a pause on further deregulation when it comes to buildings in the UK
Churchill: Downton does D-Day
The latest film about Britain's revered war leader struggles to capture the man – or give his wife the credit she deserves.
How fitness trackers help motivate us to keep in shape
Qatar: Saudi Arabia is taking a chance – and Iran could be the ultimate winner
Fact Check: is it bad for your health to eat food fried in olive oil?
Eight things that have changed since the smoking ban ten years ago
‘Mental health first aid training’ in schools is a sticking-plaster solution
Podcasts
Election Weekly
Political analysis by academic experts ahead of the UK election on June 8.
Listen to the podcast
The Anthill
We unearth some of the best and brightest research from the world of academia.
Listen to the podcast
UK election
Corbyn’s Brexit strategy may have paid off after all in 2017 election
Jeremy Corbyn was criticised for his unclear position on Brexit, but it may actually have been the smarter move.
Young voters are pulling their weight – politicians can no longer ignore them
Before the 2017 election, young voters were dismissed as lazy; now they've started voting in numbers, they're being stereotyped as naive.
Why the hung parliament spells economic turbulence for the UK economy
Markets hate uncertainty and the economic data reflects the turbulent nature of British politics.
How Corbyn cut through: exclusive interview with a senior Labour strategist
Steve Howell believes that broadcasting regulations to ensure balance and a mastery of social media allowed people to see the Labour leader as he really is.
Brexit
How European academics are feeling about life in Britain a year after Brexit vote
When the political becomes personal.
Six graphs showing the state of the UK economy a year after Brexit referendum
It was going pretty well until 2017 began.
How to protect 4.5m people from becoming Brexit bargaining chips
A treaty on citizens' rights in a moral obligation and legally possible too.
Britain’s Brexit options – a refresh
With the UK government in disarray, the type of Brexit that Britain faces is again open to question. Here’s a recap on the various routes from our academic experts.
Donald Trump
Trump’s inappropriate anger has become essential to his political success
Angry outbursts may have derailed any other politician – but not Trump.
What James Comey’s gripping Senate hearing told us about Donald Trump
Russia is dangerous, the president lied, and now it's up to the special counsel.
Trump’s decision to quit the Paris Agreement may be his worst business ‘deal’ yet
However, the global climate regime should survive without the United States.
Podcast
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
Is it OK to run in heat of 30℃ or more?
Yes, as long as you take the right precautions.
From India with love — how yoga got its stretch back
From the shores of India to a gym on the high-street — the evolution of modern yoga.
How to stop city breaks killing our cities
Barcelona is under huge strain from tourism growth, but at least it is trying to do something about it. You could help as well...
Language alters our experience of time
Learning languages rewires the brain and changes how we perceive time.
Grime launches a revolution in youth politics
Who are the 'macho boasting idiots' now?
Five UK coastal wonders to see before they go the way of Malta’s Azure Window
In the wake of the collapse of Malta's spectacular arch, which UK coastal features are under threat from the unrelenting forces of wind and water?
Time travel: a conversation between a scientist and a literature professor
Simon John James and Richard Bower chat about differing conceptions of what it is to travel through time.
Aliens, very strange universes and Brexit – Martin Rees Q&A
The Astronomer Royal answers some of the world's – and the universe's – biggest questions.
Events
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What Do We Need to Create a Good Society? – The Webb Memorial Trust — Edge Hill University
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Working while ill: causes, consequences and possible solutions — University of East Anglia
How we are different
10 reasons
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- Are left-handed people more gifted than others? Our study suggests it may hold true for maths
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