Mapping the Odyssey – what you should watch, read and listen to this week
I first read the Odyssey at university. I was surprised by how much I loved it considering how old and how blokey it was (blood, war, boys being boys) – not to mention the fact it is 12,109 lines of epic poetry. It’s a story about coming home (too soon?), following Odysseus and his men […]
Yes, Burnham’s Bee Network has transformed central Manchester. But that’s not the whole picture
As mayor of Greater Manchester, one of Andy Burnham’s most eye-catching policies was his agenda for public transport. This centred on the creation of a more integrated and inclusive “London-style” system, and the aim was that everybody should be able to access reliable, safe and affordable public transport across the region. The idea behind his […]
Andy Burnham is the Labour leader – third time lucky for the UK’s prime minister-in-waiting
Andy Burnham has won on his third attempt to be Labour’s leader. In a wide-ranging speech to Labour MPs at a special conference in London, a jubilant Burnham pledged to “bring back hope” and promised to be a leader for all nations of the UK. But it has taken him well over a decade to […]
Venezuela earthquakes create opening for military’s return to public life
Three weeks after Venezuela was struck by twin earthquakes on June 24, the scale of the devastation is still growing. The death toll is approaching 5,000 people, with 18,000 homeless and 21,000 more in shelters. The worst-hit state is La Guaira on the Caribbean coast – an area that had already been the site of […]
In hot water: what happens to marine life during heatwaves
Robert Harding Video/Shutterstock A dip in the sea can provide welcome relief after long stretches of hot weather – especially when the water is an inviting 20°C or more, as it has been recently across southern parts of the UK. But such sea temperatures are unusually warm, with UK waters being hit by the third […]
Do patients who suffer heart attack have more micro and nanoplastic in their blood? New study assessed
Microplastics are a big environmental issue. They’ve been found in oceans, drinking water, seafood, the air we breathe, and increasingly throughout the human body, from the placenta to the brain. A new study by researchers in Italy, published in the European Heart Journal, adds another organ to that growing list: the heart’s own blood supply. […]
The Large Hadron Collider is being upgraded so that it can unlock the secrets of the Higgs boson
Deep beneath the French-Swiss border, the world’s largest scientific instrument has fallen silent. After years of smashing proton particles together at nearly the speed of light, Cern’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has stopped operations and entered a long shutdown. While no particle collisions are taking place at the LHC, thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians […]
Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem, but solutions do exist – expert Q&A
Julien-images-videos-93/Shutterstock.com Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics are linked to millions of deaths a year – a number set to grow dramatically. From hospital wards to farms, resistance is being driven by how, and how often, we use antibiotics. Dr Sam Willcocks, director of the Antimicrobial Innovations Centre at Brunel University London, answers key questions […]
Manchester – the city powering Andy Burnham, the UK’s incoming prime minister
Three months ago, Andy Burnham’s desk was filled with the business of running Greater Manchester. Buses. Housing. Policing. This mayoral region in the north of England is home to 3 million people and Burnham, a former minister in the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has been its mayor for nearly a decade. […]
New climate film triggers debate – here’s how to make those conversations constructive
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock A new independent film called the People’s Emergency Briefing has been screened more than 1,400 times across the country in recent months. The 50-minute documentary, hosted by TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham, reviews and critiques the UK’s handling of the climate and nature crisis. After screenings, prompts given by the local screening host […]