Middle East conflict looks increasingly like a war nobody can win

Let’s begin with a simple question that rarely gets a straight answer: what would victory over Iran actually look like? In Washington and Jerusalem, the answers tend to sound definitive: eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability, break its regional power, perhaps even force political change at the top. It’s the language of decisive war, the kind with […]

The Strait of Hormuz shows how everything is now about leverage

lavizzara//Shutterstock Iran’s military might was never going to be a match for the US and Israel. So instead it turned to the highly effective weapon it has at its disposal – geography. Blocking off the Strait of Hormuz has shaken the global economy. It has doubled the price of a barrel of crude oil, which […]

How Bafta helped elevate the video game to a respected art form worthy of celebration

To receive a nomination at the Bafta Game Awards is to be placed amongst the very best video games developed each year. This year’s ceremony saw 42 games nominated, demonstrating a wide range of gaming excellence. Among the nominees were designers, voice actors and composers, each contributing to the validation of video games as a […]

Understanding incel culture – and how schools can address it

New Africa/Shutterstock Incels – involuntary celibates – believe they have been unconditionally excluded from the dating market and are doomed to remain virgins. This has negative implications for their mood and self-esteem, as well as the women and girls they grow to resent. For this reason, schools in England are now required to address incel […]

Our unsung hero of science: Friedrich Miescher, the man who discovered DNA

Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia, CC BY-NC Whether through TV crime dramas or cinema blockbusters about dinosaur theme parks, DNA is a staple of modern popular culture – its double-helix structure one of science’s most iconic visualisations. Yet remarkably, the young Swiss scientist who discovered DNA in the first place is largely forgotten. Born in Basel […]

Five health conditions mothers can develop after giving birth

Postpartum pre-eclampsia can affect as many as 27% of mums. antoniodiaz/ Shutterstock During pregnancy, a mother’s body undergoes vast structural and functional changes. But what many might not know is that the after-effects of these changes can last long after giving birth – and can even result in the development of new health conditions. Here […]