Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?
“A vote for the SNP is a vote for a referendum on independence. Based on the 2011 precedent, an SNP majority at this election is a mandate for the transfer of powers to the Scottish parliament to enable an independence referendum to be held.” So said the SNP manifesto. Yet as the party failed to […]
Ukraine war: air campaign intensifies as Russia and Ukraine trade massive drone and missile attacks
Over the past month, there has been a notable increase in the intensity of the air war in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Strikes in mid- and late-May and early June have been characterised by significantly larger numbers of drones and missiles deployed by Russia in single attacks, leading to more destruction and more casualties. At […]
Where peace talks between the US and Iran currently stand
To understand where talks on ending the war between the US and Iran currently stand, all we can confidently assume is that Donald Trump’s pronouncements offer no guide. The US president said an agreement had been “largely negotiated” on May 23. That proposal would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief […]
Why the electric SUV boom is a problem for climate, health and equity
Fahroni/Shutterstock Governments and car manufacturers sell electric cars as the future of green transport. But a less visible trend is challenging this story: many electric cars are getting bigger. The International Energy Agency recently reported that larger models, including sports utility vehicles (SUVs), are taking up a major share of electric car markets. In China, […]
Armenia’s ties with Russia continue to deteriorate as election day approaches
Armenia was once widely considered Russia’s closest ally in the South Caucasus, with the two nations maintaining deep political, economic and military ties. But ahead of pivotal parliamentary elections on June 7, Armenia is facing the deepest crisis in its relations with Moscow since it secured independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. One week […]
Two scientists on their race to make a new Ebola vaccine
As health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue to battle an ongoing Ebola outbreak, scientists around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against the strain of the virus that’s causing it. Two approved vaccines exist for Ebola, but they target the Zaire strain of the virus, not the Bundibugyo strain […]
The pigeon fanciers of the Bronze Age
Domestic animals have long been some of our closest companions. While dogs, cats, horses, cattle and chickens have all played major roles in human history, domestic pigeons may be a little less familiar. But they are no slouch when it comes to cultural importance. Charles Darwin wrote about domestic pigeon diversity to explore his theories […]
Irregular heartbeat risk much lower in super-fit people than previously thought
Our study shows that atrial fibrillation risk in very fit people is smaller than previously thought. voronaman/ Shutterstock Exercise is important for your heart and cardiovascular health. But for years, research has suggested that very fit people – particularly young men – have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) later in […]
Reaction to Henry Nowak murder shows why the government needs to channel a real ‘common sense’
The murder of student Henry Nowak on December 3 2025 shocked the UK. Now the case has also become a pretext for attempts by some on the right to divide communities with demands for “common sense”. It leaves the Labour government with an important choice: move away from its failed strategy of trying to win […]
Dopamine menus: can small pleasures help us get unstuck?
You sit down to start a task you care about. Nothing happens. You open your phone instead. Minutes turn into hours. You feel restless, flat, or oddly exhausted, even though you haven’t done much at all. For many neurodivergent people, this cycle is painfully familiar. It’s often described as a motivation problem or a focus […]