Guilt: when it is useful – and what to do if it takes over your life: Guilt can wreck out life. Shutterstock Many people feel guilty when watching horrific things happen to others on the news. It can also hit when we think about a time we broke someone’s heart, snapped at a child or deeply …
James Bond: the spy who loved Europe – and inspired scores of copycat European movies in return: shutterstock Last year’s James Bond blockbuster, No Time to Die, is permeated by a sense of closure. For one thing, the ironically titled movie brings closure to Daniel Craig’s portrayal of the famous fictional spy. By having Bond finally …
The chemistry of Christmas baubles – and the great scientist who made them possible: Apirak Wongpunsing Were it not for Baron Justus von Liebig, Christmas might look and taste quite different. Yet despite his contribution to everything from the stock cubes used in your gravy to the mirrors in your home, it is unlikely you have …
We’ve proved that wild primates suffer from tooth decay – and chimps are among the worst: Atiger/shutterstock Nearly everyone at some point in their lives is affected by tooth decay. Indeed, half of you reading this article are likely to currently have it. It’s common knowledge that a sugary diet can cause cavities, but specific bacteria …
Are you binge-watching too much? How to know if your TV habits are a problem – and what to do about it: SeventyFour/Shutterstock The term “binge-watch” was a contender for the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year. Although it didn’t win (“selfie” ultimately took the crown), this pointed to the rise of what was …
Vaccine passports: Scotland’s new rules are toughest yet in UK – and could hurt events industry: Nightclubs in Scotland will require vaccine certification for entry soon. Piotr Piatrouski/Shutterstock The benefits of a certification scheme, in terms of a public health intervention, in terms of incentivising vaccination, those benefits outweigh the concerns that still remain. Humza Yousaf …
How COVID has affected UK businesses – and what happens after July 19: Airports are still a long way short of business as usual. Timon Studler/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Britain will be finally free of most of the restrictions placed on it during the pandemic from July 19 (and Northern Ireland from July 26). Armed with the …
How lockdown has affected children’s speech – and what parents can do to help: Learning to speak does not happen in a vaccum. Interaction with peers and the wider world is crucial charlein gracia | unsplash, FAL The pandemic means many children will have spent the best part of a year interacting much less than normal …
We now treat half the world’s wastewater – and we can make inroads into the other half: DedMityay / shutterstock Humans flush away vast amounts of water every day. When managed correctly, this wastewater is collected and undergoes treatment to remove pollutants that can otherwise threaten human and environmental health. In my latest research I estimated …
Vegan ‘dairy’ products face EU ban from using milk cartons and yoghurt pots – and UK could be next: The days of this look could be numbered. Tada Images Leading oat milk brand Oatly and the owner of Flora margarine are spearheading a campaign to overturn new proposed EU rules that could have dire consequences for …
UK citizens get less legal protection for COVID jabs than other vaccines – and that could undermine confidence: Of all the concerns the public has about vaccine safety, there is one that has us stumped for a straightforward answer: “If the vaccines are safe, why is the government protecting itself, health professionals and companies from vaccine …
South Africa in the news: The fading spirit of Jairos Jiri …and the daughter he never met: Pamela Jiri never met her father. He died on 12 November 1982, just eight days after she was born. The death of a parent is always a hammer blow but as an infant, Pamela never felt the pain …
South Africa in the news: The fading spirit of Jairos Jiri …and the daughter he never met: Pamela Jiri never met her father. He died on 12 November 1982, just eight days after she was born. The death of a parent is always a hammer blow but as an infant, Pamela never felt the pain …
Why we should leave old oil rigs in the sea – and why we don’t: Dabarti CGI/Shutterstock Decommissioning the UK’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure will cost the taxpayer £24 billion, according to estimates from HMRC. So why can’t we leave man-made structures in the sea and thereby save the cost of removal and recycling? That …
To combat conspiracy theories teach critical thinking – and community values: People are drawn to conspiracy theory communities when times are uncertain. M.Moira / Shutterstock.com In the era of social media, conspiracy theories feel more prominent and prevalent than ever before. Most recently, the high level of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with people’s desire …
Move over testosterone, another hormone is also vital for making boys – and it doesn’t come from the testes: Little boy blue. noBorders – Brayden Howie Often the first question parents are asked after the birth of their child is “congratulations, girl or boy?”. For parents of one in 2,000 to 4,000 births, however, there is …
We just 3D-printed a microphone in the lab – and the things coming next are pure science fiction: The littlest robo. OlVic The idea of creating a physical object from a digital file is fascinating. It conjures memories of the replicators in Star Trek that can create everything from clothes to starship components to different foods. …
What is really eating Apple – and why Steve Jobs would not be doing a lot better: Jobs worth? franz12 Apple has started the new year by disappointing investors with its first profit warning in 17 years. The company said that poor sales of its latest range of iPhones has helped to weaken its first financial …