The risk of seizures and epilepsy is higher after COVID than after the flu – new research: hutpaza/Shutterstock Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting roughly 50 million people around the world. It’s a condition characterised by seizures which involve episodic, abnormal activity in nerve cells in the brain. People can have …
Just Stop Oil: research shows how activists and politicians talk differently about climate change: The environmental activist group Just Stop Oil has grasped public attention with a series of “art action” stunts targeting famous paintings and buildings with cans of soup and paint. They have climbed motorway gantries, blocking drivers on the M25. Their message …
Regulations can burden small businesses but our research shows they can also help them grow: Small businesses can benefit from following rules. Dragana Gordic / Shutterstock A couple of weeks before her short stint as prime minister ended, Liz Truss delivered on a pledge to tackle what some – including Truss – saw as red …
Psychedelic research: balancing trippyness with a new scientific rigor – The Conversation Weekly podcast transcript: Research into psychedelics and their medical uses is making a comeback. 24K-Production via Shutterstock This is a transcript of The Conversation Weekly podcast episode: Psychedelic research: balancing trippyness with a new scientific rigor, published on September 29, 2022. NOTE: Transcripts …
High blood pressure linked to 22% greater risk of severe COVID – new research: pikselstock/Shutterstock From early on in the pandemic it was apparent that older adults and those with underlying health problems were more likely to get very sick from a COVID infection compared with younger, healthier people. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is …
Updown girl: DNA research shows ancient Britain was more diverse than we imagined: People took long voyages to start a new life in Britain in early medieval times Dm_Cherry/Shutterstock When you imagine life for ordinary people in ancient Britain, you’d be forgiven for picturing quaint villages where everyone looked and spoke the same way. But …
How a quest for mathematical truth and complex models can lead to useless scientific predictions – new research: The mathematical concept of a fractal is a never-ending pattern. G. DAWSON/Flickr, CC BY-SA A dominant view in science is that there is a mathematical truth structuring the universe. It is assumed that the scientist’s job is …
Burglars steal more gold when the price is high – new research: Opportunity knocks… Andrey_Popov/ Shutterstock Are criminals rational? In his groundbreaking work of 1968, Gary Becker argued that they are. The American economist, who would go on to win the Nobel prize in economics in 1992, theorised that individuals engage in crime only if …
Cooking from meal boxes can cut household food waste by 38% – new research: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock The amount of food wasted by households each year was estimated at 570 million tonnes in 2019. This is food that has been produced, packaged and taken to shops and homes, only to end up in the bin. …
Wild chimpanzees and gorillas can form long friendly associations that last decades – new research: Chimpanzees are highly social but recent research suggests they can be with gorillas too. apple2499/Shutterstock To survive, animals compete for resources, be it food, mating partners or territory. But a ground breaking recent study shows chimpanzees and gorillas form friendships, …
Gender diversity reforms have helped UK company boards, but they are failing in other countries – new research explains why: G-Stock Studio / Shutterstock It may take close to 300 years to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, according to a UN progress report on its sustainable development goals (SDG), …
Bankers need to be personally liable to avoid future financial crises — new research: Shutterstock/ImageFlow Most financial crises have plenty in common. They tend to start in the banking sector and involve excessive borrowing, together with an asset bubble, usually related to property. The global crisis of 2008 was no different, with the asset bubble …
Solar farms a ‘blight on the landscape’? Research shows they can benefit wildlife: Liz Truss, the new UK prime minister, isn’t a fan of solar farms. In 2014, when she was environment secretary, she described rows of panels arranged in a field to capture energy from the sun as a “blight on the landscape”. Eight …
Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why: This isn't the first study to show a link between late night eating and weight gain. MMD Made my dreams/ Shutterstock It’s long been popular advice for people looking to lose weight to avoid late night snacking. It’s no wonder, with …
Four ways to reduce your household energy use – proven by research: Many households are already feeling the effects of rising energy prices. Budimir Jevtic/Shutterstock A particularly cold September has given us a glimpse of the winter to come. The cold will bite hardest for the 13% of England’s households that are already in fuel …
Smartwatches could help detect and track COVID – here’s what the research shows: voronaman/Shutterstock Wearable technologies such as smartwatches and activity trackers have attracted lots of interest over the past few years around their potential to monitor our health. You can listen to more articles from The Conversation, narrated by Noa, here. During the pandemic, …
Has the pandemic changed our personalities? New research suggests we’re less open, agreeable and conscientious: Lightspring/Shutterstock For many of us, some personality traits stay the same throughout our lives while others change only gradually. However, evidence shows that significant events in our personal lives which induce severe stress or trauma can be associated with more …
Research into 1930s commuting in London shows how public transport boosts the labour market: Following losses of £1.5bn in annual fare revenues incurred during the pandemic, Transport for London recently signed a deal with the UK government for emergency funding. The agreement ensures that new train orders, bridge repairs and tube upgrades will continue as …