Women report poor sleep despite a good night’s rest — while men overestimate their own sleep quality
Men reported sleeping better than they objectively did, while the opposite was true for women. DimaBerlin/ Shutterstock Disturbed sleep is a common problem — and one that has many serious consequences beyond feeling tired the next day. Research has linked insomnia and poor sleep to early mortality and diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Women […]
AI robots can go rogue – a researcher on how easily it happens
Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock Earlier this year in Beijing, a humanoid robot crossed a half-marathon finish line in a blistering 50 minutes, 26 seconds. The feat immediately lit up global headlines for shattering the human world record by almost seven minutes. This performance came with many asterisks. The robot followed a pre-mapped track, stayed in its […]
The UK has the means to avoid climate policy being driven by culture wars
shutterstock Loredana Sangiuliano / shutterstock Climate policy has become one of the principle casualties of America’s political polarisation. The Trump administration, for instance, recently announced it is dismantling a key ocean monitoring system, despite growing scientific concerns about the rise of a “Super El Niño” and the prospect of disruption to key Atlantic Ocean currents. […]
What early modern literature can teach us about neurodivergence
Does it seem as though more people are coming out as neurodivergent these days? Perhaps you’ve heard complaints that social media – particularly TikTok – is driving a trend. Or maybe you’ve encountered the suggestion that neurodivergence has somehow become fashionable, a label people adopt for attention, status or belonging. For neurodivergent people, these claims […]
UK under-16 social media ban: what parents need to know
Vukasin Ljustina/Shutterstock The UK government has announced plans to introduce a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16. This follows a consultation on the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, wellbeing and safety. It represents one of the most significant interventions in children’s online lives since the […]
The mysterious tooth condition affecting millions of children
It affects a significant number of children and can leave their adult teeth permanently weakened and discoloured. Sorapop Udomsri/Shutterstock Your child’s small, delicate, chalk-white baby teeth fall out. In their place grow yellowish-brown, fragile teeth – much to everyone’s surprise. This is the dental condition molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), a condition that is almost as […]
US-Iran war: what the ‘peace deal’ really means
The announcement of a new agreement between the United States and Iran has been greeted with relief across global markets. Oil prices have eased, shipping insurers have relaxed and politicians have rushed to hail a diplomatic breakthrough. The memorandum of understanding, which both sides have agreed to and are expected to formally sign in Switzerland […]
Cooling ingredients in vapes might cause irregular heartbeats
Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com For years, flavour additives in e-cigarettes have been largely viewed as a secondary concern compared with nicotine. Research and regulation have focused on addiction, nicotine delivery and, more recently, the respiratory effects of vaping. But as evidence accumulates researchers are increasingly asking whether certain flavouring ingredients have health effects of their own. Among the […]
Australia has already banned social media for under 16s – here’s what the UK can learn from the experience
Bricolage/Shutterstock As the UK prepares to introduce an “Australia plus” ban on social media for under 16s, many lessons can be learned from Australia’s experiment. Many people may think Australia’s ban is a success, with nearly 5 million social media accounts deactivated, removed or restricted. But the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. The […]
Haruki Murakami has a new book coming out and fans know what to expect – for the most part
A new novel by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami is set to hit bookshops this summer. The Tale of KAHO is an expansion of four interlinked short stories first serialised in the Japanese magazine Shincho, starting in 2024. Only the first of these stories, Kaho, has as yet been translated into English, by Philip Gabriel […]