What watching people restock their cupboards tells us about aesthetics and authenticity on social media
Faithie/Shutterstock There are few things a good influencer can’t turn into engaging content. Social media has made even the smallest aspects of our daily lives entertaining and “aesthetic”. Viral trends have developed around what we might consider boring, mundane tasks, such as restocking the refrigerator or cupboards. In a recent paper, we explored the appeal […]
Why the US economy stays strong even when its policies shock the rest of the world
A container ship entering a port in New York City. MikeDotta / Shutterstock The US economy is continuing to grow faster and generate more new jobs than Europe. Annual national income growth over the past five years has averaged 3.3% in the US against 2.6% in the EU. In the first quarter of 2026, the […]
How sports stars can also be influential climate leaders
Extreme heat has become one of sport’s toughest opponents. This summer’s Fifa World Cup has once again raised concerns about players competing in dangerous temperatures. But football is far from alone. Tennis players have battled through extreme heat at Grand Slam tournaments. Marathon races have been cancelled because of soaring temperatures. Wildfire smoke has disrupted […]
Why power banks in hold luggage pose such a risk on holiday flights
Skrypnykov Dmytro / Shutterstock Airline passengers are being warned not to pack power banks in their hold luggage ahead of the summer holiday travel period. Devices with rechargeable batteries, like mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches can be plugged into power banks on the go, where charging sockets may not be available. However, power banks […]
Medieval plague survivors left us graffiti, court records and a lesson for COVID
Graffiti inscription about the Black Death at St Mary’s church, Ashwell Jack1956/Wikipedia, CC BY Memories of pandemics are often contentious. They can be disputed, uncomfortable and politically charged. As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to feel more distant, governments, communities and families have started asking how it should be remembered. Efforts range from personal memorials for […]
This is what Andy Burnham’s devolution plans need to consider – expert panel
The clearest of Andy Burnham’s proposed policies is introducing greater levels of devolution – the handing over of more power from Westminster to regional and local authorities. Our experts explain the upcoming challenges, and potential solutions, if Burnham presses ahead with this policy. What will Burnham’s key challenge be? Michael Kenny, Professor of Public Policy, […]
Brazil’s highland forest has been shaped by climate change and Indigenous people for 6,000 years
Araucaria forest and _campos_ grasslands on the highlands of southern Brazil. Diego Murta/Shutterstock When you think of a South American rainforest, you probably don’t imagine biting winds, heavy frosts and freezing temperatures. But in the mountains of southern Brazil, that’s exactly what you can find. On this highland plateau, far from Amazonia in the country’s […]
Why an EU ruling about a traffic app could have major implications for big tech companies
Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock Many of the biggest online platforms have long argued they aren’t publishers of the content their users upload, merely hosts. The likes of Google, YouTube, Meta and TikTok claim they simply store and display information created by others, so should not be seen as legally responsible for it. But a recent ruling by […]
Can we map The Odyssey? How ancient geographers and modern researchers have traced Odysseus’s travels
Homer’s Odyssey is a quest, following King Odysseus’s ten-year journey back home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. It is a tale with distinct geographic, spatial and temporal dimensions. It is no wonder that for centuries, people have been intrigued by the places mentioned in the Odyssey, wondering how many of them were real. A […]
Why Iran broke the ceasefire in the Strait of Hormuz and what might happen next – expert Q&A
The 60-day ceasefire signed by the US and Iran three weeks ago fell apart on July 8. Iran targeted vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz without its say-so, prompting the US to respond with strikes against a range of military targets in the Islamic Republic. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire “over”, saying further talks […]