Local elections: what would a good night look like for Nigel Farage’s Reform?: English local elections on May 1 mark the first time widespread voting has happened in the UK since last year’s general election. They are therefore the first big test for the Labour government – but also for Reform’s Nigel Farage. Farage has …
Killers with severe mental health issues are perceived as monsters – a terrible failure of academics like me: According to an investigation by Hundred Families, a charity that supports and advocates for families affected by mental health homicides, each year an average of 65 mentally ill people carry out killings. Between 2018-2023, 390 mental health …
Let juries judge disruptive protesters like Just Stop Oil on their integrity – expert view: The UK Court of Appeal recently ruled on an appeal brought by 16 environmental activists serving prison sentences for planning or participating in a series of disruptive non-violent protests. The cases include the five-year term being served by Roger Hallam, co-founder …
Apple Cider Vinegar: how social media gave rise to fraudulent wellness influencers like Belle Gibson: This article contains spoilers for Apple Cider Vinegar. The new Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar tells the story of wellness influencer Belle Gibson, who built a loyal following on social media by documenting her cancer journey online. But in 2015, …
Decentralised social media offers an alternative to big tech platforms like X and Meta. How does it work? Podcast: Koshiro K/Shutterstock When Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, many users looked for alternatives, fuelling a wave of online migration from the social media platform. Musk says he’s using Twitter, now named X, to champion free …
Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them: Mongta Studio/Shutterstock Financial literacy is vital for individuals and households. Simply put, it’s the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills: budgeting, managing debt, making sound investments, and understanding financial statements. These skills are crucial for businesses, …
Our 24-hour climate comic explores what a sustainable future could look like: Daniel Locke It’s hard to imagine what a sustainable future might really look like. In early June, during one of the wettest starts to a summer any of us can remember, we created a climate comic over a 24-hour period to experiment with …
Plankton mark seasons in the sea, just like leaves and flowers on land: Marine phytoplankton, magnified 400 times. Ekky Ilham/Shutterstock Britain’s seas are rich in wildlife, but many of its species can only be seen with a microscope. These are the plankton – tiny plants and animals found throughout the ocean that are the foundation …
What a ‘right to disconnect’ from work could look like in the UK: With tech and flexible-working, the boundaries between work and home have become blurred. bbernard/Shutterstock The UK’s new government has promised to take action to “promote a positive work-life balance for all workers”, and to prevent homes “turning into 24/7 offices”. The risk …
The world is rushing to Africa to mine critical minerals like lithium – how the continent should deal with the demand: Global demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, is growing rapidly to meet clean energy and de-carbonisation objectives. Africa hosts substantial resources of critical minerals. As a result, foreign mining companies are rushing to invest …
Eye infections might seem like a minor complaint – but in some cases they can cause blindness and even death: New Africa/Shutterstock When you think of eye infections, what comes to mind? Puffy, swollen bruised feeling eyelids that get glued together with gunk overnight? That feeling of having grit in your eye that can’t be …
Big companies, like Nestlé, are funding health research in South Africa – why this is wrong: In 2021, the director of the African Research University Alliance Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of Pretoria was appointed to the board of the transnational food corporation Nestlé. At the time a group of more …
How living like a hunter-gatherer could improve your health: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock Many of us want to live long, happy and healthy lives. Yet it’s often confusing to know the best way to achieve this, and many aspects of modern, westernised living conspire to keep us from achieving this goal. The solution may be to step back …
Cats like to play fetch, as long as it’s on their terms – new research: Surprised that cats like to play fetch too? Tzido Sun/Shuttestock Cats have a reputation for being aloof (some may even say lazy) – but our new research has found they interact with their owners in surprising ways. What we discovered …
Digital platforms like TikTok could help China extend its censorship regime across borders: Primakov / Shutterstock China’s drive to expand its influence through soft power mechanisms like censorship is coming into sharper focus, especially under Xi Jinping’s leadership. Recently, the social media app TikTok has become a prominent symbol of this global strategy. The platform …
Rats are more human than you think – and they certainly like being around us: Gallinago_media/Shutterstock Rats have a somewhat unfortunate tendency to enjoy living where people live. That’s how a biologist tried to explain people’s hatred for the rodents in a television news feature about rats gnawing electrical cables in parked cars in the …
Stones inside fish ears mark time like tree rings – and now they’re helping us learn about climate change: Dolores M. Harvey/Shutterstock As a marine biologist, I’ve always found it fascinating to learn about how animals adapt to their habitat. But climate change has made it more important than ever – wild animals’ futures may …
Price inflation is slowing, but here’s why it still feels like we’re in a cost of living crisis: Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock The latest UK consumer price index (CPI) data has been hailed as a win for prime minister Rishi Sunak’s aim to half inflation, announced earlier this year. Prices rose by 4.6% in October 2023, bringing …