Vitiligo affects around 1 in 100 people worldwide – yet the skin condition remains misunderstood
Model Winnie Harlow has non-segmental vitiligo. Andrea Raffin/ Shutterstock Around one in every 100 people worldwide has vitiligo – a chronic, autoimmune skin condition that causes the skin to appear lighter in patches. The number of people affected by vitiligo makes it one of the most common skin disorders. Several studies also suggest that many […]
Should you embrace your inner stonemason? Why our constant desire for change needs a rethink
Cryptographer/Shutterstock When John, a stonemason working at Glasgow Cathedral, finishes repairing a section, the highest praise he can receive is that no one notices. “When we get things that come together you just see a couple of wee bits of stone”, he explains. “You don’t actually see the work that went into it. But it’s […]
Swatch brawls: why are people fighting over pocket watches?
So now we know exactly what you get when you cross two distinct brands of Swiss watch-making, one affordable (Swatch) and one luxury (Audemars Piguet). You get a new model of watch that attracts massive hype, huge queues and brawling customers. For £335, you might also get your hands on a colourful pocket watch. But […]
Why digital IDs are back on the UK government’s agenda
PhotoGranary02/Shutterstock In the recent king’s speech, King Charles outlined a series of UK government proposals, including plans to move forward with digital identity through the digital access to services bill. The government says the scheme is designed to modernise access to public services, allowing people to verify who they are more quickly and securely. The […]
European countries reach new agreement on human rights – here’s what it means for the UK’s immigration debate
The 46 countries bound by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) have signed a new declaration on migration, setting out how they believe human rights law should apply to migration issues. With the ECHR playing a contentious role in immigration discourse in the UK, the UK government trailed this declaration as a “more modern […]
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 […]