A day in the life: a look at the Danish way versus the British way
Denmark and the UK are often compared when it comes to health. Danes live longer, survive more cancers and report higher levels of wellbeing. But the reasons why stretch well beyond hospitals and healthcare systems. One place to look is the everyday: how people structure their time, move through their day and balance work with […]
Could AI really kill off humanity within the decade? Expert Q&A
Samuel Boivin Artificial intelligence (AI) could wipe out humanity this decade, according to three researchers from the US company Anthropic. One of the employees, Jacob Coxon, has quit the AI firm. His predictions were backed by two other current Anthropic researchers in posts on social media. On X, Coxon claimed: “The people building AI earnestly […]
Why ‘slow jogging’ is the perfect fitness trend for people who want to get into exercise
Exercise doesn’t always have to be intense to improve health. Carlo Prearo/ Shutterstock Avid runners are often chasing speed. Whether that’s improving their 5K or shaving seconds off their marathon time to nail a personal best. The idea that exercise should involve pushing further, harder or faster has long been embedded in fitness culture. But […]
Your brain may be doing its most important work when you think you’re doing nothing
Research suggests people remember significantly more information if they simply sit comfortably and rest quietly for several minutes after learning. KieferPix/Shutterstock You finish a lecture, a meeting, a conversation with someone you care about. And what do you do? You reach for your phone. You stick in your earbuds. You fire up a podcast, a […]
A brief history of the hangover and its cures – from cabbages to cloves and the lungs of a goat
Purging was one of the hangover cures prescribed in the Middle Ages. Tacuinum Sanitatis manuscript Anyone who has ever woken up with a hangover will recognise its physical and psychological effects: headache, nausea, self-loathing, regret, and perhaps even some shame at the uninhibited behaviour that accompanied the intoxication. In these days of smartphones, any shame […]
Floods and droughts are both signs of water insecurity – they show up in these four places
Alasdair Jones/Shutterstock After the UK’s hottest ever summer on record, when much of the country has experienced a fraction of its normal levels of rain, many regions continue to be in drought. This water crisis has led to parched reservoirs and widespread hosepipe bans. Yet early autumn heat has been making way for some serious […]
Nepal floods: how measuring snow in the Himalayas could help avoid future disasters
The massive and deadly floods on the Nepal-Tibet border are a stark reminder of why the world needs to constantly update its understanding of the fragile ecosystem in the Himalayas. These towering mountains contain nearly 90,000 glaciers, which sustain ten major river systems. Countries nearby, including India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan, are reliant […]
Charming witches and supernatural forces: what to watch and visit this week
Practical Magic is still bewitching Every generation of women has its witch. For my grandmother, it was the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, with her striped stockings and flying monkeys. For my mother, a child of the sixties, it was the villainous Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf, who zoomed around on […]
Chihuahua dogs are part coyote – this might help explain their ‘small but mighty’ reputation
Eric Isselee / Shutterstock It turns out that one of the smallest dog breeds, the chihuahua, is part wild coyote, according to recently published genetic research. The chihuahua breed originated in Mexico but is now a popular canine companion worldwide. Coyote genes may have been introduced into ancestors of the chihuahua accidentally. It may also […]
UK changes its tune on Israeli policies in the West Bank
There’s been a broad spectrum of reactions to the UK government’s decision to introduce a ban on trade in goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements. These have ranged from “it’s about time”, to “too little, too late” to “pathetic undergraduate politics” (this last from someone I was chatting to after the announcement was made […]