The Piano: how the viral appeal of pianists in public spaces is not so different from 19th-century music salons
Why have public displays of piano playing become so compelling? At railway stations, shopping centres and airports, an instrument usually associated with concert halls bursts into everyday life. In the space of a few moments, shoppers and passengers become an audience – and once a recording of the performance is posted online, this encounter can […]
Wildfires: what can the UK and other nations learn from Australia’s world-leading fire response systems?
A wildfire in Tasmania in 2021. Matt Palmer/Unsplash, CC BY-ND Wildfires are becoming a feature of the UK’s hotter, drier climate. In July 2026, major fires swept through parts of the UK in a matter of days – notably setting Arthur’s Seat, the extinct volcano in the centre of Edinburgh, alight. The Scottish Greens labelled […]
Seven climate-friendly ways to transform your home
PerfectHobbyDMK/Shutterstock This roundup of The Conversation’s environment coverage was first published in our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter, Imagine. Drastic climate action can feel overwhelmingly difficult and far away. But making changes to your home, whether you rent a room in a city centre or own a house in the countryside, is a tangible and […]
Differences in human and great ape laughter reveal clues to the origin of speech
Bonobos in the water in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock Humans are not the only animals that communicate. Birds sing to attract mates, dolphins use signature whistles that identify individuals, and many primates produce complex vocalisations that help them coordinate their social lives. By studying these communication systems, researchers can reconstruct some of […]
Charli XCX has entered a new era. Here’s why pop’s biggest transformations are no longer just about the music
Pop has always thrived on reinvention, with artists moving through distinct phases that reconfigure both their sound and sense of self. David Bowie moved through personas such as Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, each marking a distinct shift in sound and identity. Madonna similarly built her career through transformation, with each phase tied […]
NHS waiting lists are finally getting shorter, but not fairer everywhere
After years of grim records, the NHS in England finally has some good news to report. The waiting list for planned hospital care has begun to edge down, and the share of patients treated within the 18-week target has climbed, from 59.8% in March 2025 to around 63% a year later. Ministers, who have promised […]
Andy Burnham’s purge of the Starmerites may store up problems for the future
If he were alive today, Machiavelli would have enjoyed watching the first days of Andy Burnham’s premiership. An enemy of the Medicis, the Florentine diplomat (full name Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli) was a student of power. He would have appreciated the clarity, focus and – yes – the brutality of Burnham’s move against loyalists […]
Ukraine: bad week on the home front for Volodymyr Zelensky
Just as reports from the front lines in Ukraine are giving Volodymyr Zelensky some reasons to be cheerful, his government has descended into turmoil. Within a matter of days he sacked his defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, before having to fire his commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Fedorov’s dismissal was very much Zelensky’s decision. Syrskyi’s, however, appears to […]
Ancient Egyptian princesses weren’t just figureheads – their weapons reveal lives of skill and strength
This dagger was found in the coffin of the tomb of Princess Ita, a daughter of Amenemhat II of the 12th Dynasty of Egypt. De Young Museum, San Francisco, CC BY For centuries, the image of the ancient Egyptian princess has been shaped by ideas of ceremony, beauty and royal privilege. But a new scientific […]
Why the Commonwealth Games are such an important platform for para sport
England’s Mark Swan celebrates a lift during the men’s para powerlifting at the Birmingham games in 2022. hairul_nizam/Shutterstock The Commonwealth Games, being staged this year in Glasgow, hold para events in the same place and at the same time as the general competition. Not only does this give equal opportunity to all athletes, but it […]