Nitrous oxide: why the environment isn’t amused about laughing gas: Lenscap Photography/Shutterstock A young man breathes deeply from a gas-filled bag. He begins to feel a pleasurable sensation “particularly in the chest and extremities” before dancing around and then collapsing in a heap. A few minutes later he comes to and is consumed by a …
Predicting epidemics isn’t easy. We’ve created a global dataset to help: Countries around the world were not prepared to respond to COVID-19. Andrew Wasike Shimanyula/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The world has recently seen a number of high-profile cross-border disease outbreaks and pandemics. The COVID pandemic and multi-country Mpox (monkeypox) outbreaks are just two examples. …
Debt dangers in Africa: how defaults hurt people, and why forgiveness isn’t the answer: Shutterstock Public debt repayments in some African countries are at their highest levels since 1998. The Conversation Africa’s founding editor Caroline Southey talks to dean and economics professor Philippe Burger about the danger of debt problems some African countries face. What’s …
Junior doctors: why pay isn’t the only reason thousands are striking: More than 36,000 junior doctors across England, Scotland and Wales are on strike from April 11-15. This is the second junior doctor strike this year. The key reason for these strikes is pay, with calls to increase junior doctor salaries by 35%. But this …
‘Drinking isn’t an option, it’s more of a requirement’: the reasons for high alcohol consumption among some student athletes: AstroStar/Shutterstock Binge drinking is commonplace in university sport. Students who play sport drink more heavily and frequently than other students. Research that surveyed students in England found that 62% of student sportspeople reported drinking at least …
TB in children isn’t being controlled – it’s key to fighting the disease for everyone else: In many developing countries TB vaccination for children after birth is mandatory. Paul Kane/Getty Images World TB Day on March 24th will commemorate the day in 1882 when Professor Robert Koch announced in Berlin that he had discovered the …
The camera never lies? Our research found CCTV isn’t always dependable when it comes to murder investigations: "The camera never lies," goes the old adage. But how true is that? Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock As a victim or suspect of a crime, or witness to an offence, you may find your actions, behaviour and character scrutinised by the …
Pregnancy nose isn’t the only weird change your body may go through when you’re expecting: Nosebleeds and a runny or stuffy nose are also common during pregnancy. Krakenimages.com/ Shutterstock There are certain changes people expect to experience when they get pregnant. Whether that’s unconventional food cravings, a “glowing” complexion or morning sickness. But some of …
Deciding what to wear to work isn’t getting any easier for women, even as business dress codes relax: Dressing for success? Everett Collection/Shutterstock HSBC has recently introduced what it calls a “more casual” uniform for its branch staff, including jumpsuits and jeans, “menopause-friendly” clothing, as well as “ethnic wear”. The uniforms aim to make staff …
UK shoppers are choosing bricks over clicks right now, but here’s why it isn’t the end for online retail: Shoppers have been returning to physical stores in recent months. SergeBertasiusPhotography/Shutterstock British retail sales figures showed an unexpected bump in activity over the Christmas shopping period that exceeded expectations – particularly given the current UK cost …
GP numbers continue to fall but the UK isn’t unique in losing family doctors: The 2019 Conservative manifesto promised to increase the UK’s GP numbers by 6,000 by 2024. That target will clearly not be met. In fact, the proportion of GPs working full time in England has fallen compared with last year, according to …
Building more inclusive pregnancy services for trans and non-binary people isn’t about a culture war: Many midwives want to be prepared in how to care for all patients. Lookslikephoto.com/Shutterstock It’s been reported that NHS England has paused plans to deliver a training programme to improve inclusion of gender diversity in pregnancy services. This is following …
My child isn’t happy with their final exam results. How can I support them?: Teens look to their parents for love and support in hard times. Shutterstock Every January, the day arrives that South Africans know can decide their fates: the “matric” exam results are announced. In 2022, 753,964 full-time and 167,915 part-time candidates registered …
Kenya’s school reform is entering a new phase in 2023 — but the country isn’t ready: Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images The start of the 2023 school year in Kenya marks an important occasion: the first cohort of pupils to adopt a new curriculum in 2017 are entering junior secondary school. The competence-based curriculum, as …
New year resolutions: why your brain isn’t wired to stick to them – and what to do instead: You still going? New Africa/Shutterstock New year, new resolutions. It is that time once again. A recent survey shows that almost 58% of the UK population intended to make a new year’s resolution in 2023, which is …
Borrowing money isn’t always a bad thing – debt can be a sensible way to build wealth: Shutterstock Debt, in some form or another, is part of our financial profiles whether we like it or not. And it can be a useful way to build wealth if it is managed carefully and wisely. For example, …
A dangerous pesticide isn’t being monitored in key bird of prey populations – we’re shedding light on that gap: GettyImages It was once regarded as a miracle chemical to protect against disease and improve global food production. The man who discovered its properties even won a Nobel Prize for medicine. But today, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is …
Community wildlife conservation isn’t always a win-win solution: the case of Kenya’s Samburu: A herder grazes cattle alongside wildlife in Samburu, Kenya. Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images Community-based wildlife conservation is often promoted as a win-win solution. The idea behind this approach is that the people who live close to wildlife can be involved in …