Election day in the UK: what to look out for – and when we’ll know the results
Voters are casting their ballots in elections to 136 English local authorities, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd. For most, it’s the first opportunity to cast a ballot since the 2024 general election. This set of elections is complex, taking place in multiple locations with ballots being counted over several days and across three […]
Normal: this quirky Bob Odenkirk caper is Die Hard meets Fargo
Ulysses, a mild but disillusioned police officer, arrives in icy Minnesota to start an eight-week stint as substitute sheriff in the surprisingly prosperous small town of Normal. The previous sheriff has died in mysterious circumstances. As he recovers from a traumatic episode in his own career, his aim is to serve out his time as […]
The ‘100-day cough’ that adults often miss
MDV Edwards/Shutterstock Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the airways. It gets its common name from the “whoop” sound that some infected children make when they take a deep, gasping breath after a severe coughing fit. The infection is caused by the bacterium bordetella pertussis, with research […]
Introducing The Conversation Climate Poetry Award – for UK-based academics
HappyBall3692/Shutterstock We’re launching a new poetry award to bring science and creativity closer together. Too often, research can stay locked in academic language – but poetry offers a powerful way to make ideas felt, not just understood. This prize is for UK-based researchers who want to explore the climate crisis through a different lens, blending […]
The Conversation UK Climate Poetry Award Terms & Conditions 2026
The Promoter The promoter of this competition is The Conversation Trust (UK), a non-profit company limited by guarantee (number 08158264), with its registered office at Shropshire House (4th Floor), 11-20 Capper Street, London, WC1E 6JA. For queries about this competition, please contact climatepoetry@theconversation.com. 1. How to enter 1.1. The competition will close on September 1 […]
‘Skimpflation’: how the Strait of Hormuz is linked to your lasagne – and other everyday goods
Food magic/Shutterstock The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has already made fuel and energy noticeably more expensive. But energy prices are only part of the story. While tensions continue between Iran and the US over that vital stretch of water, another, more subtle economic effect could come into play. “Skimpflation” is the name for […]
China has played a key role in the Iran war – and will continue to do so
Donald Trump has paused “Project Freedom”, the US operation aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on social media just days after the operation was first announced, Trump said he had made the decision to give US negotiators time to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war. […]
The other Brontë sister: why do we always forget about Anne?
A recent trip to Haworth, in West Yorkshire, got me thinking about Anne Brontë, who died 177 years ago this month. Stepping into St Michael and All Angels’ Church, a carved stone pillar prominently declares the location of the Brontë family vault. All members of the Brontë family – parents Patrick and Maria, sisters Elizabeth […]
US declares war in Iran ‘over’ to avoid row with Congress over whether it was legal
Operation Epic Fury is over. Or at least, that’s what the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced on May 5, describing any further US action in the Gulf as purely “defensive”. Rubio’s insistence that the conflict the US and Israel launched on February 28 achieved its objectives is open for debate. But this change […]
Why banning pro-Palestine marches is a risky response to antisemitic violence
Pete Speller/Shutterstock Following recent antisemitic violence and aggression, calls from some quarters for a temporary ban on pro-Palestine marches have gained traction. Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch has firmly supported a ban, while Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has suggested that some protests may need to be stopped. The government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation […]