Trump and Burnham’s first meeting was a success – but could this ‘good connection’ harm the prime minister at home?
Tonally, it was perhaps not quite what the UK prime minister and his delegation had been hoping for. Moments before meeting Andy Burnham for the first time, Donald Trump told the world about “a British invasion fleet” arriving 250 years ago “to crush the cause of liberty”. Immediately after Trump’s address to the UN General […]
Nine political books to inspire young people – chosen by experts
Jacob Lund/Shutterstock Amid a cycle of divided parties, political fragmentation and the UK going through a record number of prime ministers in recent years, young people could be forgiven for tuning out of politics altogether. Our experts have recommended nine books to strike teenagers and young adults’ interest in thinking politically. 1. Noughts and Crosses […]
New mining map highlights damage caused by extracting metals for your smartphone
Ahmet Misirligul/Shutterstock The most sustainable smartphone is the one you currently own. An estimated 80% of your phone’s negative impact on the environment happens before the first minute of use – before it is even unboxed. One smartphone contains more than 70 raw materials and more than 50 metals. Many of these need to be […]
AI is finding chart success in Christian, gospel and country music
In the wake of the US Screen Actors Guild strike over AI protections and UK musicians’ silent album to protest proposed changes to copyright law, more than a dozen AI-produced tracks have emerged on the Billboard charts since 2022. While AI music has gone viral across social media platforms like TikTok through novelty covers that […]
Five intimidating houseplants that are surprisingly easy to care for
Sergii Kozii/Shutterstock Humans have an innate connection to nature – a concept known called biophilia. Studies have shown the biophilic connection we experience being surrounded by plants improves our mental state and may even slightly shorten hospital recovery rates. This connection has driven the desire for greenery throughout history, with the Victorians even renting rare […]
Saddam Hussein used Oliver Reed and a James Bond director to tell Iraq’s story – but who tells it now?
From the beginning of his brutal reign in Iraq, Saddam Hussein could claim an unusual credit: film producer. After Saddam became president in 1979, his cousin played him in The Long Days. The film dramatised his role in a failed 1959 attempt to assassinate Iraq’s then-prime minister, Abdul-Karim Qasim. The film presented the new dictator […]
Emily Robinson wins The Conversation Prize for writers 2026 for her entry on the lost medieval island of Ravenser Odd
Congratulations to Emily Robinson, historian and professor at the University of Sussex, who is our 2026 winner of The Conversation Prize for writers for her entry on Ravenser Odd, the sunken medieval island that continues to inspire and obsess. Now in its second year, the prize invites academics to submit a 2,000-word article and book […]
Homeless people can now get free flu jabs – but will this initiative actually reach them?
Jon C 303/Shutterstock.com From the start of October, people sleeping rough or staying in homeless hostels and night shelters in England can get a free flu vaccine for the first time. But will the jab reach those who need it? The case for eligibility is not in doubt. The UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and […]
These stories of forbidden love and devotion during the Troubles reveal a more intimate side of conflict in Ireland
Love across the divide. Lize Smith/Shutterstock The following story is runner up in The Conversation Prize for writers 2026, a competition run in partnership with Faber and Curtis Brown. Read more about the competition here. A woman is handing out paper cups of squash and flat lemonade at the back of a parochial hall in […]
Ravenser Odd, the sunken medieval island that continues to inspire and obsess
The following story is the winner of The Conversation Prize for writers 2026, a competition run in partnership with Faber and Curtis Brown. Read more about the competition here. “It’s a heck of a way”. My parents are surprisingly resistant to visiting Spurn Point. It’s the second summer of the COVID pandemic, and my husband, […]