Can producers keep up with our hunger for pistachios?
nelea33/Shutterstock Pistachio production has more than trebled in the last 20 years. In 2024, more than 1.4 million tonnes were produced globally. Their popularity has only increased in the last two years, with a growing status as a trendy, luxury food item. However, this rise in popularity has come with concerns around the pistachio’s environmental […]
Bayeux tapestry: Matilda of Flanders – the woman who was instrumental to William the Conqueror’s success
The Mora, far right, was gifted by Matilda of Flanders to her husband William the Conqueror. Ulrich Harsh / WIkipedia , CC BY Just three women appear in the main body of the Bayeux tapestry: Edith of Wessex, shown grieving at the deathbed of her husband Edward the Confessor; the mysterious and much-debated shrouded figure […]
War has shifted how power works in Iran
When Washington unveiled its economic “D-Day” on August 19, the latest tightening of the financial siege and the blockade around Iran’s ports, it believed it was applying decisive leverage. But in Tehran the move was read as something else entirely – as confirmation that the US still prefers pressure to any settlement it might one […]
Autonomous weapons can select targets without human help – now is the time for binding rules
One-way military drones already have the capability to select their targets. Anelo/Shutterstock Government experts are meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, to work towards a possible negotiating mandate on autonomous weapons systems (AWS). These are military systems that can select and engage targets without human intervention. This major international gathering follows a recent call by the UN […]
How medieval infertility was experienced and understood
Two lovers, from a 14th-century manuscript of the Le Roman de la Rose. Bibliothèque nationale de France Infertility was a source of stress and sadness for some medieval couples, as it is for modern ones. It was a personal matter, but also a public one. Both families and the church assumed that the purpose of […]
Why you should live your life like an accountant – and how you probably already do
Accountants are often portrayed sitting at a desk studying financial reports. alphaspirit.it / Shutterstock When asked to think about accounting, most people imagine numbers, calculators, spreadsheets and offices populated by smart-suited bean counters hunched over reports. You most certainly think about money. But by breaking away from this image and reclaiming the term “accountant” to […]
Five ways the human body can sync up with other people
AYO Production/ Shutterstock The myth that when women live together their menstrual cycles become synchronised has long persisted – despite research showing there’s no evidence that this so-called McClintock effect exists. Any overlap that does happen is probably just down to chance. However, just because this isn’t true doesn’t mean our bodies don’t sync with […]
Restraint in mental health hospitals: what families want staff to understand
myboys.me/Shutterstock A mother discovered her son was restrained 33 times in six weeks. Another was told her distressed daughter is “aggressive” as six staff pin her to the floor and inject her with medication. Through tears, families describe images they cannot forget: bruises, broken bones, loved ones left sitting in urine-soaked clothes, isolated and afraid. […]
How algorithms are making our environments bland
Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock The Pantone colour of the year for 2026 is white. It’s called Cloud Dancer, which is described as a “lofty white”. This choice reflects a growing trend away from colour in our visual world. You might have noticed this yourself. Where an area once had a distinct sense of place we are seeing […]
Growing up socially isolated linked to young people becoming Neet
Mr.vicpix/Shutterstock Around a million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training (Neet). The consequences for their health and income can be significant and long lasting, with costs to the economy too. There’s pressure on the government to do something about it. To act effectively, we need to understand why some […]