Many women with breast cancer could avoid chemotherapy – what you need to know about the genetic test
Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock.com Breast cancer treatment has come a long way, but one of the hardest questions has always been: who really needs chemotherapy, and who can safely do without it? Chemotherapy saves lives, but it also comes with serious side-effects and long‑term risks. A new study, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual […]
Women’s prize in non-fiction: powerful biographies, moving histories and creative approaches to health – six experts review the shortlist
The Women’s prize for non-fiction celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in narrative non-fiction written by women. This prize acknowledges that while great gains have been made in representation for women in fiction, their voices remain systemically underrepresented in non-fiction. In only its third year, the 2026 shortlist covers a diverse range of topics, examining themes […]
Scottish elections: why did Labour see its worst result in the history of devolution?
Scottish Labour’s result in the 2026 election was its worst in devolution history, but it also sits forlornly in a pattern of serial decline for a party that I dedicated much of my adult life to and once led. The backdrop of the UK political context has been unhelpful to Scottish Labour in each of […]
Quantum computers could expose our digital secrets – but there are much better reasons to build them
The Q System One quantum computer built by IBM, photographed at an electronics show. Audio und werbung / Shutterstock Quantum computers are coming. Or, at least, that’s what current predictions say. These machines harness the power of quantum mechanics, the set of rules governing how physics operates at atomic and sub-atomic scales. Because of this, […]
Honey may be the natural buzz you need to fuel your workouts
The best pre-workout fuel could already be sitting in your cupboard. Valentyn Volkov/ Shutterstock Honey has been used by humans as a natural sweetener and energy source to sustain work and physical performance for thousands of years. Recently, it has re-emerged as a natural option for fuelling exercise, with some social media users claiming it’s […]
Why the world’s most ambitious coal phase-out deal has failed – and what it means for climate finance
In December 2025, Indonesia quietly abandoned plans to close the Cirebon-1 coal power plant. This was no ordinary power plant. Cirebon-1 was supposed to be the centrepiece of a US$21.4 billion (£16.5bn) international deal backed by the US, UK, Japan and the EU to help Indonesia end coal use. Indonesia’s so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership, […]
In an age of ‘heteropessimism’, straight romcoms can make us cringe – but the story’s different when it comes to queer love
Cringe-inducing moments feature heavily in much millennial romantic comedy. These stories tend to centre women diminishing themselves in relationships with men and, rather than trying to make audiences swoon, they often include scenes that inspire repulsion, disapproval or distaste. Think of Hannah Horvath’s boyfriend Adam peeing on her in the shower in Girls. Or the […]
Turkish democracy on trial: how Erdoğan’s rule has undermined justice and weakened his rivals
There has been unrest across Turkey after an appeals court annulled the results of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) 2023 leadership election, deposing the popular winner Özgür Özel. Özel’s removal, based on the the court’s decision that the CHP’s 38th congress was void from the beginning, overturning an earlier court finding rejecting allegations of electoral […]
Why students still face a postcode lottery in university wellbeing support
PeopleImages/Shutterstock Over the last decade, UK universities have put increasing effort into supporting student mental health. This often means following frameworks: documents that outline good practice, typically developed by sector bodies and charities. Universities can adopt these frameworks to guide their approach to student wellbeing. The difficulty is that the sector has relied heavily on […]
Thinking about selling clothes on Vinted? The steps you can take to make this a greener option
Krievietka/Shutterstock You’ve had a spring clean and decluttered your wardrobe, and now you’re wondering what to do with the pile of unwanted clothes in the corner. With the growth of online secondhand sales channels such as eBay and Vinted, the alternatives to putting old clothes in the bin have grown. But are these a green […]