Solar panels won’t slash energy bills on their own – an expert explains how to maximise savings
MAXSHOT.PL/Shutterstock Energy bills in the UK are still expected to rise in the coming months, putting more pressure on household budgets despite the shaky ceasefire in the Gulf. Meanwhile, use of solar power is growing across the UK, achieving 22 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity from nearly 2 million installations, by February 2026. In March, […]
The surprising power of seashells: how oyster waste can recapture rare earth elements
On many coastlines around the world, piles of discarded oyster and mussel shells are a common sight — the leftovers of a global seafood industry that produces millions of tonnes of waste each year. At the same time, hidden in rocky deposits far from the coast, a very different sort of resource — rare earth […]
What secret report reveals about impact of UK nuclear programme on veterans who claimed they were harmed by the fallout
“The Ministry of Defence has always maintained that it never rained,” said Ken McGinley, founder of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA). “I’m sorry, you’re liars … I was there!” McGinley, who was a royal engineer, gave this interview in January 2024, shortly before his death, as part of our Oral History of British […]
Drought could be making antibiotic resistance worse, scientists say
Piyaset/Shutterstock.com Antibiotic resistance is often associated with hospitals and the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture. Both are genuine problems, but new research suggests another potential culprit that many people haven’t considered – droughts caused by climate change. A recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology found that when soil dries out, it can speed […]
How to tell if your dog is in pain (and what to do if they are)
If your pooch is losing interest in exercise it could be a sign they’re in pain. Elayne Massaini/Shutterstock If you live with a pet, you might feel like you can almost read each other’s minds. You might even have experienced your pet responding to your emotional state. Animals seem to have impressive skills at detecting […]
Five Paddington books to read with your child, and why the bear on the page is different and worth meeting
Peggy Fortnum and Harper Collins Children’s Publishing For many children, Paddington is now primarily the star of three movies and a hit west end musical. However, that is not where the bear in a red hat whose adventures involve high-speed chases and marmalade-based slapstick began. In writing our book on the bear, we have found […]
How to feed your garden birds without spreading disease
Erni/Shutterstock The outbreak of a mysterious and deadly disease in finches in British gardens in 2005 set alarms bells ringing for conservationists. A decade later, the extent of that disease in greenfinches and chaffinches was reported. And now, bird scientists are beginning to understand how feeding birds in our gardens might be linked to their […]
The UK wants a cleaner steel industry – but its plan rests on a supply chain that doesn’t exist yet
Norenko Andrey/Shutterstock Around the world, countries are seeking to build greener, more circular economies. Steel is central to that ambition. It is still one of the most widely used materials – but producing it is one of the largest industrial sources of carbon emissions worldwide. The UK domestic steel industry is the smallest it has […]
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style – an unwavering sense of self expressed through fashion
As Britain’s longest‑reigning monarch, and one rarely out of the public eye since childhood, Queen Elizabeth II left behind a wardrobe so extensive and meticulously archived that the curators at Historic Royal Palaces have had an embarrassment of riches to draw upon for a new exhibition at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth […]
The National Gallery’s £750m new wing has reignited London’s art turf war
“When should painters become old masters?” Former National Gallery director Philip Hendy put that question to then Tate director John Rothenstein almost 70 years ago. Founded in 1897 as the National Gallery’s annexe for British Art, by the 1950s Tate had developed into a gallery of modern as well as British art. Rothenstein wanted it […]