Four ways thinking like a strategist can make you a better padel player
Zoran Zeremski/Shutterstock As an avid tennis player, I never imagined an injury would lead me to discover a new sport. But just a few months ago, forced to take a break from tennis, I picked up a padel racket for the first time. I assumed that years of playing tennis would give me a head […]
Is natural toothpaste really as good as fluoride? Tooth decay expert on the difference
Natural and herbal toothpastes may contain plant-derived ingredients, but these alone cannot replace fluoride’s proven protection against tooth decay. Ivan Citakovic/Shutterstock Natural, herbal and organic toothpastes are becoming familiar sights on shop shelves, often promoted as healthier alternatives to conventional products. Some contain ingredients such as aloe vera, neem or green tea. But before changing […]
AI won’t ever make a historically accurate film – but it could help archaeology create better stories
Grok’s Odysseus wears cloth we have no evidence for. Grok Imagine Tech billionaire Elon Musk was up in arms about the recent adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey by director Christopher Nolan, which he heavily criticised for its diverse casting and accused of lacking historical accuracy. Claiming he wanted to show that artificial intelligence could bypass traditional […]
US midterms: women voters helped drive the ‘blue wave’
The 2026 US midterm elections delivered a decisive blow to Donald Trump’s Republican party. Democrats successfully flipped seven seats in the Senate, gaining a decisive majority. This turnaround was mirrored in the House of Representatives, where the Democrats could end up taking 258 seats against 177 for the Republicans. Women voters played a significant part […]
Interest rates are making UK homes less affordable, even as wage rises increase faster than house prices
P.Cartwright/Shutterstock The Bank of England’s decision to put interest rates up for the first time in over three years could be bad news for prospective homebuyers. Higher borrowing costs risk putting home ownership even further out of reach for many people. But the numbers aren’t all bad. Official figures show that annual earnings between 2021 […]
This weightlifting technique can help older adults stay fit and independent as they age
Muscle power is important for many aspects of daily life. Anatoliy Karlyuk/ Shutterstock If you’re over 60 and have started lifting weights, you’ve probably been told to take it slowly. Lift steadily, lower steadily, keep it controlled. This may sound like sensible advice, but lifting slowly isn’t always better. While the technique may have an […]
AI could transform mathematics, but humans will still need to be in the loop
Andrew Angelov / Shutterstock OpenAI recently announced that one of its AI models solved one of the hardest problems in modern mathematics: the Navier–Stokes problem. The equations at the heart of this problem describe the movement of fluids like water and, according to the scientific definition, air. The Navier-Stokes equations are essential to understanding phenomena […]
Don’t wash your laundry at teatime – why planning energy use can reduce your bills
Halfpoint/Shutterstock For decades, judging a home’s energy performance meant asking one question: how much does it use? Labels such as energy performance certificates still ask only that. But homes are changing. Add solar panels, a battery or an electric car, and a house starts to generate, store and sell electricity. Meanwhile, what that electricity costs […]
What Tommy Robinson’s conviction tells us about the cost to journalists reporting in the public interest
During the unrest that followed the 2024 Southport murders, British tabloid the Daily Mail reported on the activities of far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The story was covered by freelance reporter Andrew Young, and edited by the Mail’s own Jacob Dirnhuber. On October 28, Robinson was convicted for threatening and harassing Young and Dirnhuber. A jury […]
Labour’s immigration dilemma: with social care exceptions, the party is trying to have it both ways
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s headline announcement on immigration centred on how long someone must spend in the UK before they can be granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR). She said this period will double from five to ten years – but social care workers will be exempt. This proposal was widely expected, but exempting social […]