EU’s new Arctic strategy signals shift in its geopolitical mindset
Security is the dominant feature of the EU’s new Arctic strategy. dotshock / Shutterstock The EU recently presented its latest Arctic strategy. It is the bloc’s fifth such strategy since 2008 and the first to be published since 2021, a few months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This conflict has disrupted Arctic […]
Primetime: in this taut morally complex thriller, ambition, entertainment and justice collide
Director Lance Oppenheim creates a grim and grubby world in Primetime, steeped in the sweat and compromised ambitions of its characters. But below the film’s grimy surface is a sharp examination of the personal and professional concessions people make in pursuit of success. Inspired by real events, Primetime follows American television presenter Chris Hansen (Robert […]
Autistic children come to A&E in mental health crisis from as young as eight
Kmpzzz/Shutterstock Research consistently shows that autistic people face higher risks of mental health difficulties and are more likely to think about or attempt suicide than the general population. For example, a 2014 study found that up to 66% of those surveyed had had suicidal thoughts (compared to 20% of non-autistic adults) and up to 35% […]
The hydrogen atom: the raw material of the universe barely exists on Earth – now we’ve made it in a flask
James Webb Space Telescope/NASA, CC BY-SA What do you see when you look up at the night sky? While everyone may have a different answer, the truth is that almost everything out there is hydrogen. The first element in the periodic table is by far the most abundant substance in the cosmos. It’s the fuel […]
What is artificial general intelligence – and is it already here?
OpenAI’s president, Greg Brockman, recently suggested that its advanced model, known as GPT-6 Astra, could mark the arrival of something called artificial general intelligence, or AGI. If AI itself is often defined as the ability to simulate human intelligence, OpenAI defines AGI as an AI system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work – […]
Medieval ghost stories featured rotten flesh, the walking dead and spoon-stealing spirits
Stories of wandering spirits and the restless dead were common in the Middle Ages. These ghostly encounters were recorded in a wide variety of medieval literature. Medieval ghost stories combined folklore traditions with religious doctrine. The widespread belief in purgatory – a place where souls were cleansed of sin before entering heaven – helped fuel […]
Exercise can sometimes cause chest pain – and this condition may be to blame
buritora/ Shutterstock As a GP, I know that chest pain is one symptom that makes people worry. The immediate concern is that it’s a sign there’s something seriously wrong – such as a problem with their heart or lungs. But these aren’t the only reasons that chest pain can happen. For many otherwise healthy people, […]
Your bottom shape doesn’t reveal your oestrogen levels – despite what social media says
Daria ‘Bastet’ Felis/Shutterstock.com The shape of your bottom cannot tell you anything about your hormones, whatever recent social media posts claim. The only way to find out your levels of cortisol, oestrogen or anything else is a blood test. A heart-shaped bottom, influencers say, signals healthy oestrogen, while an H shape means too much cortisol. […]
Starlink disruptions in Ukraine: what Elon Musk’s alignment with US geopolitics means for Europe
While Elon Musk was on stage in Texas advertising a flying Tesla on October 16, his other venture, SpaceX, was reshaping geopolitics in Ukraine. SpaceX operates Starlink, the satellite communication system that has played a crucial role in Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Its military-grade spin-off, Starshield, has become a backbone of Ukrainian military […]
Could humanoid robots replace soldiers on the battlefield?
Battlefield robots were once thought of as the stuff of science fiction. But the Ukraine war has put paid to that view, with uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) – or ground robots – taking on an increasingly visible role. In September 2026, Mykhailo Fedorov, the former defence minister of Ukraine – who is generally credited for […]