Lucy Letby: Thirlwall inquiry lays bare the responsibility of NHS management – here’s what needs to change for the future
A public inquiry into the Countess of Chester Hospital found that the deaths of some babies could have been prevented if safeguarding practices had been followed after concerns were raised by staff about former neonatal nurse, Lucy Letby. It also found serious failures in the hospital’s management and oversight. The Thirlwall inquiry investigated what went […]
What the Bayeux tapestry reveals about medieval buildings on both sides of the Channel
Edward the Confessor in his turreted palace. Wikipedia, CC BY For many, the Bayeux tapestry conjures up images of clinker-built ships, prancing horses, the Normans feasting on chicken on the eve of the battle of Hastings, and the arrow in King Harold’s eye that ended centuries of Anglo-Saxon rule. But for the architectural historian, it […]
Your brain runs on 20 watts. Could brain-inspired computing do the same?
Blue Andy/Shutterstock Right now, your brain is recognising the shapes of these letters, analysing their meaning, and holding a stream of thought together – all on about 20 watts of power. That’s roughly what it takes to run a lightbulb. Yet reproducing even a small fraction of the brain’s capabilities using today’s AI systems can […]
‘Ferritin face’ is trending – but can your skin really reveal low iron?
Marina Demeshko/Shutterstock.com Forget jade rollers, LED masks and salmon sperm facials. The latest skincare trend taking over TikTok is a blood test. “Ferritin face” is the social media term for the claim that low iron levels leave visible clues on your face – dark circles under the eyes, pale or grey-looking skin. Some influencers say […]
The domestic goddess enters the tent: Nigella Lawson and Bake Off thrive on the same fantasy
When The Great British Bake Off returns for its 17th series this autumn, viewers will be greeted by a new judge – Nigella Lawson. There are connections between Lawson’s domestic goddess persona and the world of Bake Off, which make her a logical choice for the show’s new judge. For more than two decades, Lawson […]
UK government’s new ‘class unit’ promises to tackle inequalities – but it’s a risky strategy
White working class children have been left behind, the government argues. pics five / Shutterstock Inequality has been debated in British politics for decades, often with a reluctance to address class issues. Bridget Phillipson, the minister for women and equalities, thinks this needs to change. Announcing the government’s new class unit, she argued that Britain […]
Why Yemen has returned to conflict
The dormant conflict in Yemen has erupted once more, with the Houthi rebel group seizing control of the Red Sea port city of Mocha and a number of islands from Yemeni government forces in recent weeks. This has given the Houthis a foothold close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key trade gateway linking Asia […]
AI can be more comforting than a person – our research shows why
22% of 18- to 21-year-olds have sought emotional support from generative AI. oatawa/Shutterstock Some of us now use generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) to talk through difficult feelings. We may ask a chatbot to write an email or plan a holiday, but we also tell it that we have had a rotten day or feel […]
How firelight may have shaped the origins of spoken language
PeopleImages/Shutterstock When asked about the greatest innovation of humans, people will often say language or fire. A new paper suggests that these innovations may be more interlinked than we previously assumed. Understanding how human language evolved is one of the hardest problems in science to unpick, since writing is a relatively recent innovation. Also, the […]
Wendell Berry spent his life farming and writing – his legacy is an ethic of care for the natural world
The American farmer, novelist and poet Wendell Berry, died on August 31 2026, aged 92. Berry farmed in Port Royal, in his native Kentucky, for over 40 years. Through his writing and his farming, Berry emphasised the importance of both community and care for the planet, advocating for small-scale agriculture as key for both. He […]