Christmas films: there might be some truth to stories about hometown romances, according to research: The festive season seems to be a good time for love, or so many Christmas films would have us believe. One incredibly popular trope is “the return” – where the main character, usually with a successful career in the city, …
Why do people feel lonely at Christmas? Here’s what the research says: Shutterstock/Superstar Christmas is said to be a time for connecting with friends, family and having fun. But it can also be time of loneliness. Indeed, the results of a 2018 survey looking at loneliness during Christmas time in the UK revealed that 17% …
Gen Z beauty brands can use ‘friendly’ chatbots to boost body image as well as sales, research shows: Some members of gen Z spend hundreds of pounds every year on makeup. Anastasiia Vyshnevska / Shutterstock Some members of “generation Z” – people born after 1996, the oldest of whom are turning 26 in 2022 – …
London Underground polluted with particles small enough to enter the human bloodstream — new research: Roughly 2 million people use the London Underground each day. Tom Eversley/Shutterstock The London Underground is key to the functioning of England’s capital city. Roughly 2 million people use it each day. But it is polluted with small particulate matter …
What do politicians really think of economists? Our new research explains why relations fell apart after 2008: ESB Professional / Shutterstock As countries across Europe and around the world grapple with high living costs and impending recession, voters are concerned about the economy and how their elected representatives will fix it. For many, it’s tempting …
Why I’m righting the wrongs of my early research and sharing my scientific data with local communities : Dr Sarah Mothulatshipi and Topo Mpho Çhengeta in Gweta, Botswana exchanging knowledge with the local community about long term environmental change and stone age archaeology in the area. Sallie Burrough, Author provided “You know what’s wrong with scientific power? …
Short bursts of physical activity during daily life may lower risk of premature death – new research: Short bursts of physical activity could be as simple as playing with your children or grandchildren. Prostock-studio/ Shutterstock Most of us know that regular exercise is important for our health and longevity. But with our busy schedules, many …
Picky eater? Research shows it could be in your DNA: Ever wondered why people can't agree on what foods taste good? Shift Drive/Shutterstock In the last 40 years obesity has been constantly rising. This has happened despite the popularity of all kind of diets ranging from low carb, paleo or even ice cream based. Many …
Research has long shown institutional misogyny and racism within the UK’s fire services: shutterstock Sarnia | Shutterstock Following the tragic death of trainee firefighter Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit, who took his own life in August 2020, an independent review was set up to investigate the workplace culture at the London Fire Brigade. Chaired by the solicitor …
A liver disease drug could be repurposed to protect against COVID – new research: This drug could be effective regardless of the COVID variant. Explode/Shutterstock Almost three years into the pandemic, we’re still regularly seeing hundreds of thousands of new COVID cases recorded each day worldwide. In a new study, involving a combination of miniature …
World Cup 2022: footballers run either like gazelles or grizzlies – here’s how our research can help coaches: MaciejGillert/Shutterstock Every team still competing in the Fifa World Cup is determined to get their hands on football’s ultimate prize. But willpower isn’t everything. Success on the pitch also depends on the players’ abilities to run for …
Overweight women may be at highest risk of long COVID – new research: Rostislav_Sedlacek/Shutterstock While hundreds of thousands of people are still getting COVID every day across the globe, reassuringly, the number of people dying as a result of the infection has dropped significantly thanks to effective vaccines and treatments. Yet for many people, the …
New grant will fund The Conversation partnership on critical research into COVID recovery, net zero, cities and levelling up and inequality: Shutterstock The world has changed in manifold ways since the height of the pandemic – and research evidence can help governments respond to them. In the last few years, homeworking has become the new …
God of War Ragnarök breaks new ground for accessibile gaming – our research explains what more developers can do: Lead artwork for God of War Ragnarök SIE Santa Monica Studio Digital games are a bigger part of our culture than ever before. Over 50% of people in the UK, Europe and US are now gaming …
Child sexual abuse review: how research can help to tackle growing online abuse: Each time abuse material is shared, the victim is revictimised. Chinnapong | Shutterstock In the seven years since the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse launched in 2015, it has held more than 300 days of public hearings, processed over 2 million …
Cannabis is no better than a placebo for treating pain – new research: Many people use cannabis to manage pain. photolona/ Shutterstock Cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. While there are only a few countries where cannabis is legal for recreational use, many more countries have legalised the use …
Autumn statement is highly political compared to research on ‘best’ ways to fix public finances: The UK faces some significant belt-tightening following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement, which announced spending reductions and tax rises of around £55 billion. Much research has been done into the best ways to do fiscal austerity in terms of reducing …
The UK’s privatisation drive cost lives, research suggests: The UK’s most active period of privatisation saw health and safety disasters and fatalities increase dramatically. In recently published research, we identified 27 multifatality disasters between 1979 and 1997 leading to 763 deaths. These figures were the highest compared with three other European countries. During that period, …