Hot and cold climate extremes push UK’s energy system to its limits, new report reveals
Magdalena Teterdynko/Shutterstock The arrival of cooler weather following a summer of heatwaves, is a timely reminder that the UK electricity system must be resilient to the effects of temperature extremes at both ends of the thermometer. The Royal Meteorological Society has released a new report that highlights how recent weather conditions have influenced electricity generation, […]
Has your fitness hit a plateau? An expert explains how to track progress and when to change your training plan
The questions to ask yourself the next time you’re feeling ‘stuck’. Krakenimages.com/ Shutterstock If you train regularly, your progress will eventually slow and personal bests will become harder to beat. When this happens, it’s tempting to start a completely new training programme – but this is usually the wrong move. To understand why, it’s important […]
Why Meta’s new virtual reality glasses could finally take this technology primetime
Two years after releasing its last virtual reality product, Meta has announced plans to release virtual reality (VR) glasses. They are due to reach the market in spring of 2027. With a lightweight and stylish form, the glasses could be the tipping point for mainstream VR adoption. Interest in virtual reality waxes and wanes. Versions […]
Hot days linked to fewer births, two new studies find
davide bonaldo/Shutterstock.com Hot weather is associated with fewer babies being born in France and Italy, according to two new studies. Each day with an average temperature of 25°C or above was linked to about 360 fewer births in France and about 192 fewer in Italy. The drop shows up nine to ten months after exposure […]
Jackdaw approval: what a new North Sea gasfield means for UK energy security, bills and tax
Stock1987/Shutterstock The UK government has just approved the Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea, clearing the way for production to begin as early as this winter. Jackdaw, around 150 miles east of Aberdeen, could account for roughly 6.5% of UK North Sea gas production at its peak and will connect to existing infrastructure at the […]
Wild fish are a precious resource – here’s how aquaculture can bolster food security
Menhaden are a small, silver, oily fish often caught to be turned into fish meal for use in aquaculture. SNEHIT PHOTO/Shutterstock Small fish such as sardinella are an affordable source of protein and essential nutrients for millions of people across West Africa. Some of these fish are increasingly exported or processed into fishmeal and fish […]
What faces in paintings can tell us about how we perceive emotion
Helen of Troy by Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys (1867) Wikimedia Look closely at a face in a painting and you might think you know what emotion the person is experiencing. A smile suggests happiness. A furrowed brow might signal anger. Widened eyes could mean fear or surprise. But what happens when you ask lots of […]
Parthenon marbles loan to Greece is not a simple solution – who gets control over objects?
Some of the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum Jannissimo/Shutterstock European museums have become more willing to discuss the colonial histories of their collections. But acknowledging how an object entered a museum is not the same as questioning who should control it – or who gets to produce knowledge about the past. Few antiquities are […]
What unrest on French streets could mean for next year’s presidential election
And so France continues to smoulder. Two weeks after the first mass demonstrations in support of increased funding for French state schools, events reached a peak on Saturday October 17. Widespread destruction of small businesses, cafés, town halls and chain shops have brought the French economy even further to catastrophe. The scenes of mass looting, […]
Will Reform UK’s racism scandal cost votes? Here’s what previous polling tells us
ITV’s newly released documentary Undercover: A Year in Reform has raised fresh questions about Nigel Farage’s party, after covertly recorded footage showed councillors and candidates making racist, Islamophobic, misogynistic and violent remarks. The investigation also exposed the party’s vetting procedures and internal discussions about controversial candidates. The immediate consequences have included resignations and suspensions of […]