A mosquito that can transmit Zika has bred in London – but that doesn’t mean the virus is spreading in people there
khlungcenter/Shutterstock The discovery that a mosquito species capable of transmitting the Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses is breeding in east London may sound alarming, particularly to people living nearby. Yet finding the species is several steps removed from finding evidence that any of these viruses are circulating locally. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has […]
Syria: journey through a country in ruins
Just over a decade ago, at the height of Russia’s bombing campagn in Syria in 2015, an old friend who had spent much of his career teaching in the Middle East sent me two photographs of the city of Homs, which had taken a particularly heavy bombardment at the hands of Vladimir Putin’s warplanes. One […]
Science uncovers how the brain interprets artistic beauty – new research
Stand in front of Turner’s Sun Rising Over Water (1825-30) and something odd tends to happen. The painting holds you, even though observers might struggle to say why. Maybe it is the colour, the balance, the composition, or the strange stillness the artwork seems to carry. Whatever it is, you feel it long before you […]
Rebuilding in Nepal-Tibet will be challenging – communities in India are still recovering from 2023 glacial disaster
The city of Gangtok, India in June 2026. The devastating 2023 Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood triggered massive landslides, destroying infrastructure across the Teesta Valley. Soumitra Giri/Shutterstock Debris flowing down a Himalayan valley. Towns and villages washed away. Thousands of people affected. Not the recent devastating catastrophe on the Nepal-Tibet border, but a similar disaster […]
Ukraine’s labour market has been surprisingly resilient during the war with Russia
Construction workers repairing a road in Kyiv, Ukraine, in March 2026. aileenchik / Shutterstock Russia’s war in Ukraine has generated one of the largest labour supply shocks in recent history. From an estimated pre-war population of 41 million people, close to 6 million have now left Ukraine. This outward migration alone has reduced the country’s […]
Research shows it’s become even more difficult for prisoners serving indefinite sentences to be released
Angela Allen/Shutterstock As part of plans to deal with nearly-full prisons in England and Wales, Andy Burnham has pledged to bring an end to indeterminate imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences. For those serving these sentences, this is a long-awaited development. IPP sentences were abolished in 2012, but not retrospectively. Currently, 2,271 IPP prisoners remain […]
The workout recovery techniques backed by science – and the ones that are just hype
GBJSTOCK/ Shutterstock Finishing a tough workout always feels good. That is, until a few hours later when those uncomfortable muscle aches start setting in. This discomfort can linger for days – making easy, everyday tasks a challenge. In search of relief, some recreational gym-goers are adopting the kind of recovery techniques once reserved for elite […]
Shoppers buying online while drunk is big business – but who is responsible?
Revenue from shopping online while drunk is worth billions, according to some estimates. Oleg Elkov / Shutterstock One Sunday morning, Juliet* woke up to an eager delivery driver with a large package she had no recollection of ordering. She was quick to dismiss it as an e-commerce mistake before the card inside helped solve the […]
The pastry paradox: why are the Danes slimmer than Britons?
Picture a cosy Danish living room. Candles flicker, soft music plays and friends and family gather around a table laden with pastries – flaky, buttery and gloriously calorific. This is hygge in action, and it seems almost tailor made to give any health conscious Briton a mild panic attack. While Britons have spent decades being […]
Xi, Putin and Modi looking in different directions as Shanghai Cooperation Organisation marks 25th anniversary
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) marked its 25th anniversary in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, with all the trappings a diplomatic milestone demands. There were 21 heads of state and government present for a ceremonial “family photo” and two-page Bishkek Declaration on September 1. A further 28 agreements included “strengthening multilateral partnership in nuclear safety […]