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 […]

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 […]

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 […]