Could the UK actually split? Experts explain the legal route for pro-independence leaders
As the Scottish National Party gathered in Aberdeen for the its annual conference, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham had also travelled north of the border. SNP conferences are of course a platform for the party to coalesce around its core aim of Scottish independence. But at Labour’s conference in September, Burnham told colleagues the union […]
Can AI screen for heart disease using photos of your tongue and face?
Lee Charlie/Shutterstock.com An AI system trained on photographs of the face and tongue correctly identified every patient with coronary heart disease (CHD) in a small test, according to a new study from China. The researchers recruited 518 people: 200 with diagnosed CHD and 318 healthy volunteers. Each had their face and tongue photographed with a […]
Rabbits were a medieval royal luxury in England – until the Black Death made them commonplace
The European rabbit is a common sight in the British countryside today. Yet it was not always so. They are not native to the British Isles and are one of the most devastating invasive species. The early history of rabbits in the British Isles tells the captivating story of social change in medieval England. From […]
Vaccines have been so successful that some people have forgotten why we need them
Measles causes a distinctive rash that usually begins on the face before spreading across the body. Falling vaccination rates have contributed to its resurgence. phichet chaiyabin/Shutterstock Three measles-related deaths have been reported in England in 2026. One child died from an acute infection, another from the long-term effects of measles, and an adult with an […]
Can India’s cockroach movement reverse its democratic decline?
More than 25,000 police officers were deployed across New Delhi recently to prevent demonstrations led by India’s new youth-led political movement, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Government authorities had denied the CJP permission to protest on public-order grounds. The ensuing security operation saw the authorities shut one in six metro stations in the capital, barricade […]
Restraint can leave mental health patients traumatised. New research reveals what they need afterwards
Compassionate conversations after restrictive interventions can help mental health patients feel heard and regain a sense of control. David Pereiras/Shutterstock Most of us know what it feels like to be ill and frightened. Now imagine being held down by the very people responsible for your care. This can happen in mental health hospitals when staff […]
Duct tape kept out more flood water than sandbags in laboratory tests
urbanbuzz / shutterstock Could a cheap roll of duct tape help protect your home from flooding? New research suggests it could make a surprisingly big difference. In controlled tests, correctly applied duct tape on the outside of a household door reduced water leakage by 97-98%. The findings suggest that a simple low-cost measure could substantially […]
We compared what happens after a schizophrenia diagnosis in Denmark and the UK
Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental illnesses. This makes it an important test of how well countries support those with the most complex needs. Schizophrenia can involve hearing voices, delusions and difficulties with thinking, motivation and everyday activities. It does not mean having a split personality and improvement is possible. But recovery is […]
Japan’s MMX mission aims to swipe soil samples from Mars’ moon Phobos
The MMX spacecraft will enter Martian orbit before attempting to collect samples from Phobos. Jaxa A Japanese space mission is about to launch towards Mars. But it will not land on the planet itself. Instead, the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission will focus on Phobos, the bigger of Mars’s two small moons. The mission will […]
The complicated history of women being seen as ‘monstrous bitches’ – from ancient Mesopatamia to modern film
Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse (1891) National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne It’s news to no one that women have been consistently demonised in popular culture for a very, very long time. In her new book, Monstrous Bitch: A History of Terrifying Women, feminist academic Eleanor Johnson takes us on a detailed and […]