Melting glaciers in the Alps will eradicate some invertebrates that are crucial for alpine ecosystems – new research: A glacier-fed river from the Odenwinkelkees glacier, Austria. Jonathan Carrivick, CC BY-NC-ND Glaciers across the European Alps are melting at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2014, glaciers in the region thinned by up to 0.9 metres …
Women appear to be more resilient to body clock disruptions than men – new research: One of the most common causes of circadian misalignment is shift work. Ground Picture/Shutterstock You might not know it, but we all have a clock ticking away inside us. This circadian clock operates on roughly a 24-hour cycle. It influences …
Stories of kindness may counteract the negative effects of looking at bad news – new research: Looking at positive news — and in particular, kind acts — may help people feel more uplifted. Cast Of Thousands/ Shutterstock “If it bleeds, it leads” has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news …
COVID fatigue: cognitive behavioural therapy could help people manage persistent symptoms – new research: YURII MASLAK/Shutterstock While COVID is no longer regarded as a global health emergency, it remains a serious disease. Notably, even mild cases can result in persistent symptoms known as long COVID, which can have wide-reaching effects on physical health, mental health …
Obesity speeds up loss of immunity from COVID vaccines – new research: iiiNooMiii/Shutterstock COVID vaccines are very effective, but for some groups they don’t generate as strong an immune response. These groups include older adults and people with weakened immune systems, for example due to cancer or other medical conditions. They tend to already be …
Our research shows home working didn’t harm mental health at the start of the pandemic – but things changed later on: Vera Petrunina/Shutterstock One of the key changes to our daily lives brought about by the COVID pandemic was, for those able to do so, working from home. According to UK data, almost 60% of …
Deadly heatwaves threaten to reverse India’s progress on poverty and inequality – new research: PradeepGaurs/Shutterstock Record-breaking heatwaves in April 2022 put 90% of people in India at increased risk of going hungry, losing income or premature death, according to our new study. After 2022 was designated the hottest in 122 years, extreme heat has appeared …
How we discovered the true origins of a pint of lager – new research: Researchers have uncovered the likely genesis of the yeast used to make lager. DavidedeAngelini / Shutterstock Despite a surge in interest in craft beers and ales, lager continues to dominate global sales, with more than 150 billion litres consumed around the …
The impact of childhood and teenage anxiety disorders on later life – new research: fizkes/Shutterstock Anxiety rates have been rising in recent years among children and young people, with the situation partially exacerbated by the pandemic. Occasional feelings of anxiety are normal, even in childhood – for example, a child may feel anxious about an …
Rising seas could flood nests of vulnerable sea turtles – new research: A nesting green sea turtle in the Chagos Archipelago. Nicole Esteban, Author provided Sea-level rises caused by global warming could flood sea turtle nesting beaches in Australia, several Caribbean islands, Costa Rica and the US. Our findings suggest that flooding could deprive five …
Overconfidence dictates who gets ‘top jobs’ and research shows men benefit more than women: fizkes/Shutterstock There has been a steady stream of popular literature in recent years telling women to “lean in”, be more confident, and not worry about “imposter syndrome”. Men, on the other hand, are often seen to be overconfident compared to women. …
Microplastics: 77% more found in River Thames during lockdown may be due to discarded face masks and PPE – research shows: Oxana A / shutterstock At a first glance the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have a positive impact on the environment, with significant decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, and transport-related noise, air and light pollution. …
Ukraine war: the devastating effects of conflict on infant mortality rates – new research: The brutal war in Ukraine is now over a year old. While estimates of the numbers of civilians killed and injured vary, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has estimated that 8,317 civilians have been killed and a …
Why focusing on COVID deaths undercounts the health harms of the pandemic – new research: View Apart/Shutterstock More than three years into the COVID pandemic, both the virus and the measures taken to control its spread have affected people’s lives across the globe. But how can we fully quantify these effects? While we have estimates …
Risk of heart disease lower when obesity is due to genetics rather than lifestyle – new research: peakanucha/Shutterstock It’s well known that a high body mass index (BMI) has negative effects on our health, increasing the risk of several diseases. This is concerning since nearly one-third of the world’s population is now classified as overweight …
Great apes like to spin themselves dizzy, a lot like children do, research shows: Evgeniyqw/Shutterstock Children love to spin. Whether it is by whirling around on their feet, whipping around on a tyre swing, or tumbling down a grassy hill, they revel in the drunken effects of dizziness that follow. As humans mature, they might …
New research shows how rapidly ice sheets can retreat — and what it could mean for Antarctic melting: A glacier in Paradise Bay, Antarctica. jet 67/Shutterstock The Antarctic Ice Sheet, which covers an area greater than the US and Mexico combined, holds enough water to raise global sea level by more than 57 metres if …
Having low expectations probably won’t make us happier – here’s what psychology research says: mavo/Shutterstock Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year running. A range of theories have been put forward to explain why the Nordic nation continues to rank at the top of the table for happiness, …