Headspace: can our brains get full?
Maciej Bledowski/Shutterstock.com My husband was recently describing something that happened on a past holiday. It wasn’t a significant event, but it sounded pleasant. I, however, had no recollection of what he was telling me. He couldn’t quite believe it. We know that “recollections may differ”, but how can it be so different? And why do […]
The Russian resistance no one is talking about
You could be forgiven for thinking everyone in Russia either supports the war in Ukraine or is too scared to do anything about it. A dominant narrative is that Russian civil society is passive, complicit or has been quashed to the point of being neutralised. Some elements of this may be true. Following the full-scale […]
High petrol prices are fuelling interest in EVs. Here’s how this could bring down electricity bills
Vehicle-to-grid storage could unlock lower bills for UK consumers. Southworks/Shutterstock With oil prices skyrocketing following the US and Israel’s bombing of Iran, and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, motorists around the world have been looking for ways to save money. Improvements in electric vehicle (EV) technology, combined with the high price of […]
Orbán’s election loss frees up €90 billion for Kyiv but raises thorny question of EU membership for Ukraine
As widely expected, the EU has unlocked the disbursement of its previously agreed €90 billion (£78 billion) loan to Ukraine. Together with the approval of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, this is good news for Brussels. It became possible after Hungary dropped its opposition following a change of government after recent parliamentary elections. […]
Prime ministers have always faced political scandals – so why can’t they weather them now?
Left to right: Altopix, Mark Reinstein, 360b, Frederick Legrand/Shutterstock UK prime ministers today are about as secure in their jobs as football managers. In the nearly three decades between 1979 and 2005, Britain had just three prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair. From 2005-2015, we again had three: Blair, Gordon Brown and […]
How to Enter the Art World by Hettie Judah offers a smørgasbord of sage advice
“Most artists work alone, with little to steer them save crummy ‘how to’ guides.” So writes author and curator Hettie Judah in her new book, How to Enter the Art World. At first glance, the book’s presentation might mislead the reader into believing it to be another giant crumb from the loaf of bad guidance. […]
Codeine: why one person’s painkiller can be another person’s problem
Jack_the_sparow/Shutterstock For a medicine so commonly found in bathroom cabinets and high street pharmacies, codeine has a surprisingly complicated story. It sits at the intersection of pain relief, genetics, public health and regulation. As the UK continues to tighten rules around opioid use, codeine offers a useful case study in how a drug can be […]
How Antarctica warmed by 28°C in the depths of winter – and what it signals for the decades ahead
Ivan Hoermann / shutterstock In the middle of the Antarctic winter, during months of darkness when temperatures often dip below −30°C, the continent warmed dramatically. In July and August 2024, temperatures in parts of East Antarctica rose by up to 28°C above average and stayed high for more than two weeks. To put that in […]
Palantir and the NHS – 10 things you need to know
Who has access? DC Studio/Shutterstock.com Palantir, a US data analytics company backed in its early years by In-Q-Tel, now plays a central role in the NHS’s £330 million Federated Data Platform. Supporters say it could improve planning and efficiency, while critics have raised questions about governance, transparency and trust. Here’s what you need to know. […]
Needlecraft: this hobby has a long history as a subversive form of protest
Fotopogledi/Shutterstock To pass the time while filming, before her eyesight deteriorated, actor Judi Dench could often be found sewing. The picture of submissive femininity, she sat bent over her needlework. The finished work however, which she gave as gifts, were actually expletive-filled insults worked in ornate embroidery. There has been a resurgence of people taking […]