Taiwan Travelogue wins 2026 International Booker – a deftly translated tale of food, love and history
Set in 1930s Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, Taiwan Travelogue follows fictional Japanese novelist Aoyama Chizuko and her Taiwanese interpreter, Ō Chizuru (or Ông Tshian-ho’h), as they journey across colonial Taiwan by rail, encountering its diverse local food cultures. But Taiwan Travelogue is far more than a historical travel narrative. Through meals, translation and silences, […]
What AI taxis and robots can learn from bees
Bees are very good at navigation. James wk/Shutterstock Even advanced technology can struggle when the real world becomes unpredictable. In April 2026, a Waymo robotaxi in San Antonio, Texas, drove into a flooded lane during severe weather, prompting the company to recall about 3,800 vehicles for a software fix. No one was injured, but the […]
Why early medieval Ireland had laws for bees
Bees attacking a threat, as depicted in a medieval manuscript. Douai Cuincy Library Network, CC BY-SA Who owns a swarm of bees? And what happens when they stray onto a neighbour’s land? In early medieval Ireland, such questions were addressed by a remarkable set of laws known as the Bechbretha, which set out the rights […]
Cathedrals by Claudia Piñeiro is a gripping Argentinian crime story about gender violence and the weaponisation of religion
Cathedrals is the latest work by Argentinian crime writer Claudia Piñeiro to be published in English by Charco Press, in a translation by Frances Riddle. The crime is the murder and dismemberment of 17-year-old Ana Sardá 30 years ago. Yet, as ever in Piñeiro’s work, nothing is quite what it seems. Each section is written […]
Can supplements containing NMN, NAD+ and resveratrol really slow ageing? Here’s what the evidence says
luchschenF/Shutterstock As more people look for ways to stay younger for longer, the supplement industry has moved beyond creams and cosmetic fixes to something more ambitious: products that claim to slow ageing by acting on cellular processes. Among the most heavily marketed compounds are NAD+, NMN and resveratrol, often described as supporting cellular repair, energy […]
What Keir Starmer got wrong about Zionism and antisemitism
Loredana Sangiuliano/Shutterstock Police are investigating an attack on a Jewish man in Golders Green, London, just weeks after two Jewish men were stabbed in the area. These are the latest in a series of violent attacks on Jewish people and institutions. They have also given fresh impetus to a long-running debate about the extent of […]
Is the Gulf losing its grip on the oil world?
One of the most striking features of the Iran war has been the resilience of the global oil market. Despite the disruption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, prices have generally hovered around US$100 (£75) per barrel – a lower level than many observers had expected. A […]
Fears of helping the enemy are blocking international agreements on AI in weapons systems
Walking the dog: a US service member patrols with a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 prototype at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Tech. Sgt. Cory Payne / US Air Force The third in a series of military AI summits was held in La Coruña, Spain in February 2026. The aim of the meeting was to […]
We reviewed 48 ‘low carbon’ projects and found they were becoming part of the fossil fuel problem
Palm oil plantations are sometimes classed as a climate solution, as the oil can be made into biofuel. mngthm / shutterstock The world’s major oil and gas companies claim they are leading the energy transition. They spend billions on PR to brand themselves as part of the solution. The data we’ve reviewed tells a different […]
Six tech-free tips from history for designing your garden
Three gardens at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show have found themselves mired in controversy rather than the more usual mud. This year’s show gardens include one designed by Matt Keightley, who has used Spacelift, a design app he developed that incorporates AI. Advocates of such tools praise their potential to democratise garden design and […]