Nigerians having babies abroad: women explain their reasons: Nigerian women make up a significant proportion of foreign women giving birth in several countries. A study done in Calgary in Canada found 24.5% of foreign women identified as having travelled abroad to give birth were from Nigeria. Research in Chicago in the US found the majority …
Coughing won’t save you if you’re having a heart attack, despite what people claim on social media: P.Kasipat/Shutterstock A recent trend on social media has revived a curious technique from the late 1970s called cough CPR. A post claims that this method can help people, if they are alone, to survive a heart attack by …
Protesting farmers are having to fight off the radical right, conspiracy theorists and climate sceptics: Thousands of farmers travelled to London on November 19 to protest the new government’s first budget and its imposition of new inheritance tax rules. Nearly a month later, on December 12, there was another protest, this time with more tractors, …
Misinformation: how fact-checking journalism is evolving – and having a real impact on the world: “Fake news” loves a crisis. It’s clear now that false information has played a role in recent events around the world from divisive elections to the COVID pandemic to the conflict roiling Israel and Gaza. It is important to counter false …
Israel-Gaza war is having a chilling effect on academic freedom – podcast: Across parts of academia, concerns are mounting that the Israel-Gaza war is having a chilling effect on academic freedom. In the second of two episodes of The Conversation Weekly exploring how the war is affecting life at universities, we speak to an Israeli …
Does having children make you happier? Here’s what the research suggests: The happiness and fulfilment you feel with the decision will depend on many different factors. CeltStudio/ Shutterstock The prevailing belief in many parts of the world is that having children is key to happiness – and that people who don’t have children are unfulfilled …
Having a single parent doesn’t determine your life chances – the data shows poverty is far more important: Valery Zotev/Shutterstock Numerous research studies have suggested that children from a single-parent family are worse off than those who have two parents at home. These findings chime with decades of stigma that have painted coming from a …
Women still face unfair pressure about having children — here’s what to expect if you don’t have kids when you’re young: If you’re a woman in your 20s or 30s, particularly if you’re in a long-term relationship, you’ve probably been asked when you’re going to have children. In the UK and many other countries, there …
Self-control isn’t always a good thing – having too much can be bad for your mental health: Characteristics of 'overcontrolled' personalities may make a person more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness. silverkblackstock/ Shutterstock Having high self-control is often seen as a good thing. It’s believed to be key to success in many aspects …
Sex Education: a sex therapist’s advice on having a successful long-distance relationship: In the new season of Sex Education, Otis and Maeve, our favourite “will-they-won’t-they” couple (let’s be honest, Ross and Rachel aren’t quite as fun), are taking a chance on love again. However, as ever, things aren’t so easy. This time they have to …
The evolutionary reasons humans love pets – and nine benefits of having one: Evgeniy Goncharov photo/Shutterstock We’ve all read stories about owners’ love for their pets, but you might be taken aback to hear how some people are willing to spend thousands of pounds on vet care for small animals like guinea-pigs and hamsters. A …
How having five friends boosts the adolescent brain – and educational performance: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock As most parents of teenagers are acutely aware, there comes a time when children start prioritising their friends over their parents. While young children rely on their parents for social interactions and influences, there’s a notable switch during adolescence, where …
Four things you need to know about having a caesarean section: It's worth speaking to your doctor early in your pregnancy if you think a caesarean is right for you. Prostock-studio/ Shutterstock If you’re pregnant or planning to have a baby soon, you’ve probably been given lots of advice and information about what you might …
Having low expectations probably won’t make us happier – here’s what psychology research says: mavo/Shutterstock Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year running. A range of theories have been put forward to explain why the Nordic nation continues to rank at the top of the table for happiness, …
New wrist-worn device can quickly tell if you’re having a heart attack – it could save many lives: pixelheadphoto digitalskillet/Shutterstock Scientists have developed a wrist-worn device that could revolutionise treating heart attacks by speeding up diagnosis – without the need to draw blood (the current method). Over 700,000 people visit A&E in England and Wales …
Five things research can teach us about having better sex, according to a sex therapist: AimPix/Shutterstock Sex can be wonderful, but it can also be tricky. Science may be the furthest thing from your mind when you’re getting intimate with someone. But actually, there’s a lot we can learn from science when it comes to …
Want to avoid heated arguments? Try this technique before having a difficult conversation: Conflict is unavoidable but we don't have to argue Master1305/Shutterstock Listening to people talk about views that clash with your own can be galling. Families all over the world avoid controversial topics. In the UK, for example, mention Brexit and watch everyone …
Liz Truss resigns: so why isn’t the UK having an election?: Liz Truss resigned as the Conservative party leader just 45 days after being elected to that position. She was forced out by her backbenchers because of a disastrously misjudged mini-budget, concerns about her competency and a catastrophic collapse in the Conservatives’ poll ratings. She …