How conspiracy theories can affect the communities they attack – new research: Scientists have learned a lot about why people believe in conspiracy theories and how they harm society over the past couple of decades. Yet little is known about how the groups targeted by conspiracy theories feel and behave. Our new research found that …
Doctor Who: what the show gets wrong about climate change and energy justice ? new research: Fans across the globe have been celebrating 60 years of Doctor Who – the world’s longest-running science fiction series. It may at times seem silly and childish, but people’s ideas of how the world works, could work and should …
Does having children make you happier? Here’s what the research suggests: The happiness and fulfilment you feel with the decision will depend on many different factors. CeltStudio/ Shutterstock The prevailing belief in many parts of the world is that having children is key to happiness – and that people who don’t have children are unfulfilled …
Girls less likely to be diagnosed with special educational needs – new research: Mariia Korneeva/Shutterstock The point when a child with special educational needs (SEN) is diagnosed is an important moment in their lives. It allows schools to provide them with access to additional resources, such as assistive technology, specialised teaching programs or the services …
Sharpeville: new research on 1960 South African massacre shows the number of dead and injured was massively undercounted: On 21 March 1960 at 1.40 in the afternoon, apartheid South Africa’s police opened fire on a peaceful crowd of about 4,000 residents of Sharpeville, who were protesting against carrying identity documents that restricted black people’s movement. …
Tropical forest loss from growing rubber trade is more substantial than previously thought – new research: Hevea brasiliensis is grown in the world's most biodiverse areas. dangdumrong/Shutterstock Over 4 million hectares of tree cover – an area equivalent to the size of Switzerland – may have been cleared to make space for rubber plantations since …
Why a social media detox may not be as good for you as you think – new research: DimaBerlin/Shutterstock Whether you’re an influencer, an occasional poster, or just a lurker, you likely spend more time than you’d like on social media. Globally, working-age people with internet access now spend more than 2.5 hours per day …
How governments use IMF bailouts to hurt political opponents – new research: Sri Lanka received a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March amid soaring inflation, debt and a sovereign default. In exchange for US$ 3 billion (£2.4 billion), the government committed to spending cuts and tax and financial sector reforms. These have prevented …
Autistic people experience loneliness far more acutely than neurotypical people – new research: New research debunks the stereotype that autistic people lack the motivation to form meaningful social connections. KieferPix/Shutterstock Autistic people are up to four times more likely to experience loneliness than non-autistic people. Despite enduring stereotypes that autistic people lack the desire for …
How autistic parents feel about breastfeeding and the support they receive – new research: Almost half the study's respondents found breastfeeding to be a positive experience most or all of the time. Lolostock/Shutterstock Surprisingly little is still known about autism and breastfeeding. A few years ago, we reviewed all of the research evidence and found …
PFAS: how research is uncovering damaging effects of ‘forever chemicals’: Sergey Mironov/Shutterstock Since their inception in the 1940s, the so-called forever chemicals have woven themselves into the fabric of our modern world. But recently, they’ve been appearing in alarming news headlines about their damaging effects on our health. PFAS have, in fact, come under intense …
Storm Ciarán is breaking records and research suggests more severe weather in future: Storm Ciarán made landfall in south-west England and northern France overnight on November 1, with heavy rain and winds blowing up to 180 kilometers per hour (108 mph). The UK Met Office names storms each winter season, which starts in early September, …
Climate labels similar to cigarette packet warnings could cut meat consumption – new research: Valerie Sidorova/Unsplash, CC BY-SA There was a time when smoking cigarettes was not only a normal thing to do, it was actually encouraged by doctors. Eventually, the evidence caught up. A similar thing has happened with meat over the last couple …
Carbon budget for 1.5°C will run out in six years at current emissions levels – new research: Mykhailo Pavlenko/Shutterstock If humanity wants to have a 50-50 chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, we can only emit 250 another gigatonnes (billion metric tonnes) of CO?. This effectively gives the world just six years to get …
Why humans aren’t as egocentric as you might think – new research: fizkes/Shutterstock If you’ve read much about psychology or evolution, it’s easy to get the idea that humans are hardwired to act as if the world revolves around themselves. But my team’s new study joins a growing body of research showing that humans are …
Parkinson’s disease: tai chi may help manage symptoms – new research: Tai chi has been practised for centuries. Mladen Mitrinovic/ Shutterstock The centuries-old martial art of tai chi is shown to have many health benefits – including improving balance, reducing anxiety and preventing cardiovascular disease. But these aren’t the only benefits this exercise may have. …
People in Europe ate seaweed for thousands of years before it largely disappeared from their diets – new research: Yarlander / Shutterstock Seaweed isn’t something that generally features today in European recipe books, even though it is widely eaten in Asia. But our team has discovered molecular evidence that shows this wasn’t always the case. …
Kola nut: from nanofertiliser to protecting metals from corrosion – our research finds new uses for the valuable plant: The kola nut tree is grown for its seed. The tree is indigenous to west Africa, where it is widely cultivated. It’s now also found in Asia, South America and the Caribbean. World production of kola …