Which zoo animals are most active in winter and what times are best to see them?: Amur tigers are evolved for winter weather Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock The temperature has dropped, the nights have drawn in. The winter holidays have started, families are gathered – so where can you go to fuel the imagination and get some …
Fascia: the most neglected part of our body is finally starting to receive attention: Photo Inspiration/Shutterstock We are constantly reminded about how exercise benefits our bone and muscle health or reduces fat. However, there is also a growing interest in one element of our anatomy that is often overlooked: our fascia. Fascia is a thin …
Most expectant mothers miss out on vitamins important for their health and their baby’s, study finds: Certain micronutrients are important for the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy. Dragana Gordic/ Shutterstock Our bodies require many important vitamins and minerals in order to function well. B vitamins, for example, are particularly important for many …
Grenfell should have been a wake-up call – but the UK still doesn’t take fire safety seriously because of who is most at risk: In March 2023, a fire in Tower Hamlets, east London, claimed the life of Mizanur Rahman, a 41-year-old father-of-two from Bangladesh. Five fire engines and 35 firefighters attended the call to …
Most investors aren’t paying attention to climate risks – the financial system needs to change: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. For example, extreme sea-level events, where large storm surges and high tides temporarily push the sea much higher than normal, currently occur once a century. However, they are projected …
Fallen autumn leaves are a valuable resource – here’s how to make the most of them: I Wei Huang / shutterstock Towards the end of autumn the days get colder and shorter. This triggers the reduction of the plant hormone auxin in most deciduous trees, which start to shed their leaves. In natural woodlands, this …
The most vulnerable shoulder rising energy costs because their homes aren’t efficient enough – here’s why that’s so hard to tackle: Maren Winter/Shutterstock In September 2023, the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, announced that landlords will no longer be required to improve the energy efficiency of their rental properties. The announcement marked a departure from decades …
Climate complacency: study finds even the most informed people would rather take the easy option: Energy efficient lightbulbs are useful – but more radical actions are available. New Africa / shutterstock It is often argued that all we need to do is raise awareness of a “global emergency” and rising eco-anxiety means individuals will “do …
We quizzed 4,000 people on the economy – here’s who knew the most: Khosro/Shutterstock People in the UK say the economy and inflation are currently the most important issues facing the country. But do Britons actually know much about how the economy works? My colleagues, Dan Kenealy and Hayley Bennett, and I used a survey …
Breakthroughs in medicine: top virologist on the two most important developments for Africa: There have been several important breakthroughs in medical science recently. Crispr, mRNA, next-generation cancer treatments and game-changing vaccines are some of them. Oyewale Tomori, a virologist with decades-long involvement in managing diseases in Nigeria, gives his verdict on the most significant discoveries …
Most secondary schools don’t have to teach the national curriculum. It should be revised and restored – or discarded: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock Each year, when new PGCE students arrive at the University of Bristol to start their journey towards becoming English teachers, I ask them to study the national curriculum. This is the statutory document prescribing what …
The Reckoning: I’ve interviewed over 50 actors who’ve played real people and Steve Coogan’s Savile is the most contentious: Steve Coogan portrays Jimmy Savile in the new BBC mini-series The Reckoning. This much anticipated and debated show is the most recent – and perhaps most contentious – in a long line of programmes “based on …
Most people who think they are allergic to penicillin aren’t: Michael Moloney/Shutterstock About 6% of people in the UK are wrongly labelled on their medical records as being allergic to penicillin, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has warned. This figure is concerning because being labelled as allergic to this class of highly effective antibiotics is associated …
Andrey Rublev has been called the ‘greatest Russian artist who ever lived’ – but one of his most famous works is at risk under Putin: Andrey Rublev (or Rublyov – nobody is sure how his name was pronounced) has been described as “the greatest Russian artist who ever lived”, whose work had “a clarity of …
Sex Education review: this ‘kind comedy’ climaxes with its most mature and progressive series yet: Netflix’s hit show Sex Education is back for its much-anticipated fourth and final series. The show follows Otis (Asa Butterfield) as he reluctantly becomes his school’s resident sex guru – despite having little experience himself – thanks to years of …
Albania: how one of the most corrupt countries in Europe is tackling crime at the highest level: Albania may be struggling with high levels of corruption at all levels of society, but the country is taking a new approach to tackling this crime with the introduction of a special anti-corruption body, known as Spak. Spak …
Women’s sexual desire often goes undiscussed – yet it’s one of their most common health concerns: Many women are afraid to voice concerns about low desire to their doctors. Lordn/ Shutterstock Female sexual desire is frequently misunderstood. Despite desire (also known as libido or sex drive) being the most common sexual health concern for women, …
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 …