Clownfish shrink during marine heatwaves – new study: Clownfish that shrank during heatwaves were more likely to survive them. Morgan Bennett-Smith As the world contemplates dealing with more extreme temperatures, one coral reef fish has found a novel way to beat the heat: shrinking. Wanting to know how clownfish cope with changes to their environment, …
South African companies aren’t innovating enough: why support during tough economic times matters: South Africa’s innovation fund, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2025 state of the nation address, was a response to the country’s urgent need for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Evidence from South Africa shows that public financial support for innovation …
Four struggles men face during the transition to fatherhood: Becoming a parent can be a daunting life transition for new fathers. PCH.Vector/ Shutterstock Becoming a father can be a daunting life transition which, for many men, can be a stressful and isolating experience. Yet, fathers often lack access to support and information to help them …
Burnout and bias can lead to poor care during childbirth – we created a project in Kenya that helps health workers: An estimated 800 women die every day across the world as a result of pregnancy-related complications. Most deaths (95%) occur in low- and middle-income countries. Two-thirds are in sub-Saharan Africa. For every woman who …
Princess of Wales and King Charles: one in two people develop cancer during their lives – the diseases and treatments explained: B. Lenoir/Shutterstock The Princess of Wales released a moving video message on March 22 to address speculation about her health. In it, the future queen disclosed that she’d been diagnosed with cancer following tests …
“That’s a good girl”: how women are infantilised during obstetric care and labour: GOLFX/Shutterstock As Kate, a participant in our research on birth experiences, struggled with the pain she was experiencing during labour, the midwife was stern. She referred to Kate as a “silly girl” and told her she needed to calm down. Finally, the …
Young people took up smoking during the pandemic – how tobacco has been used for stress relief for more than a century: Lomb/Shutterstock In the UK and much of the west, smoking rates have consistently declined since the turn of the millennium. But during some of the most anxiety-ridden months of the COVID pandemic in …
300,000 Tanzanians were killed by Germany during the Maji-Maji uprising – it was genocide and should be called that: Political actors in Tanzania have in recent years demanded compensation from Germany for colonial atrocities committed in the early 20th century. In early 2017, the National Assembly of Tanzania stopped short of putting the label of …
How HS2 caused the UK to lose focus on ‘levelling up’ during years of high-speed rail delays: Pressure on the UK government to confirm its plans for the controversial HS2 high-speed rail project is growing as the Conservative party prepares for its annual conference. Much of the country is keen to hear about the fate …
How stereotyping increases during economic crises: It’s been almost exactly 15 years since Lehmann Brothers declared bankruptcy, marking the height of the financial crisis. Since then, we’ve entered the era of the “polycrisis” – where several catastrophic events are happening at once. We’re dealing with the aftermath of a pandemic, a war in Ukraine, extreme …
Violence against workers increased during the pandemic – our research shows how it affected them: pixfly/Shutterstock For weeks of lockdown in the UK and beyond, people took part in nightly applause for healthcare staff and carers. Many expressed gratitude for other frontline workers: waste management workers, bus drivers, retail employees and others performing services that …
Breastfeeding increased during the pandemic but what does that tell us about how to improve rates?: SeventyFour/Shutterstock During the pandemic, there had been concerns from healthcare professionals that the restrictions placed on daily life would lead to a disruption in breastfeeding. But our new research shows that the number of women who continued to exclusively …
Accra’s most vulnerable residents were failed during COVID – the government didn’t understand their realities: Residents of Accra were given financial aid during the pandemic Wikimedia Commons/Flickr Containment measures, such as the lockdowns introduced to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, had devastating consequences for vulnerable urban populations globally. In response, public, private, and …
Exercising during a hospital stay linked with faster recovery – new research: As little as 25 minutes of walking a day had benefits. Photo_imagery/ Shutterstock When a person is admitted to hospital for any reason – whether due to illness or to undergo surgery – it’s expected they will spend the duration of their stay …
A pneumonia-causing bug disappeared during the pandemic – but a surge may come this winter: M pneumoniae can cause flu-like symptoms. Chanintorn.v/ Shutterstock After pandemic restrictions eased, cases of respiratory infections surged worldwide. There were record numbers of people infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and even strep A. Yet one bacterium also known …
Berlin airlift and Ukraine war: the importance of symbols during conflicts: Every military conflict contains situations that eventually become its defining symbols. The second world war, for example, could be summed up in the following seven symbols: the Munich agreement (appeasement), Battle of Britain (resistance), attack on Pearl Harbor (US entry), Auschwitz concentration camp (inhumanity), …
Eating disorders and self-harm rose among teenage girls during the pandemic – new UK study: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock Evidence tells us the COVID pandemic and measures put in place to contain the virus negatively affected the mental health of adolescents and young people in the UK and elsewhere. One review study published in August 2021 estimated that …
Weighted vests: should you use them during exercise?: Weighted vests help boost the intensity of the exercise you're doing. Yanosh Nemesh/ Shutterstock Weighted vests have long been popular with athletes and celebrities such as David Beckham and former Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson. But interest in their use may have been piqued recently after Facebook founder …