The TV industry still struggles with class inequality – access alone won’t fix it
Production staff described cultures where exhaustion and overwork were normalised and where saying no to work could carry professional consequences. Grusho Anna/Shutterstock For years, efforts to make the UK television industry more inclusive have largely focused on access initiatives, designed to help people from underrepresented backgrounds “get a foot in the door”. While questions of […]
Methanol, pistachios and cement: the other Iranian exports being choked by the war
The war between Iran, the US and Israel has escalated into a major global crisis, with consequences that are reaching far beyond the Middle East. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 25% of the world’s oil ordinarily passes, has rattled global energy markets. This has only been worsened by the US […]
How a remarkable trial on bedrest during the Korean war helped lead to evidence-based medicine
Catching up on the latest evidence. fizkes/Shutterstock.com In 1959, a young doctor named David Sackett stumbled on a clinical trial that would change his life – and most of ours. The study showed that conventional wisdom on bed rest in medicine was wrong. And it helped lead Sackett and others to develop evidence-based medicine, in […]
From gait analysis to fingerprint theft, how worried should we be about the latest advances in biometric technology?
GoldenDayz/Shutterstock You unlock your phone with your face, your fingerprint sends your laptop whirring into action, you pass airport security by glancing at a camera. Biometric technology has become so woven into the daily routine that for many people, it barely registers any more. That invisibility is part of the point. These systems are usually […]
Even top athletes skip stretching – what amateurs can learn from the elites who struggle with recovery routines
If you watch elite sport, it may be easy to imagine that top athletes have perfected every detail: training, nutrition, sleep, recovery. Yet even elite athletes with expert support can struggle to maintain good recovery habits, like stretching or foam rolling. Our study explored that gap between knowing and doing. We spoke to national and […]
Black detainees twice as likely as white detainees to be strip-searched in police custody – new study
AngelaAllen/Shutterstock The government has promised a new era of youth justice reform focused on protecting vulnerable children and reducing harm. At the same time, new evidence exposes uncomfortable truths about strip-searching in police custody. This is one of the most intrusive powers available to police behind closed doors, and is particularly harmful for children and […]
Beyond Anglo-Saxons, Celts and Vikings: DNA uncovers a dynamic history of migration to Britain
Each of us tells a story about who we are, often tracing our identity back through an imagined line of ancestors. Though identity is fundamentally cultural, we tend to anchor it in biology – in the idea of a stable genetic inheritance passed down through generations. Population genomics has exposed a history far more complex, […]
Can you own a voice? Taylor Swift’s latest legal move raises big questions for AI and copyright
Taylor Swift has filed a trademark application covering her voice and stage image. It includes a photo of her performing in her distinctive bejewelled Eras Tour bodysuit and two voice recordings: “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift.” It’s the latest example of the singer using her status and power to challenge industry norms […]
Why humans care so much about body odour, and what it really tells us
Microgen/Shutterstock Humans spend a great deal of time trying to smell good. We wash, deodorise and perfume our bodies daily, suggesting body odour must matter. Yet scientifically, the picture is far less straightforward. In the animal world, smell is a powerful communication tool. Many species use scent to signal readiness to mate, mark territory or […]
Heatwaves are destroying the sex lives of bees – new research
A red mason bee seeking pollen. Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock There is not yet much research on the effects of heatwaves on bees. What little there is focuses on super extremes of weather that would kill an adult bee. However, my new research with colleagues shows that UK populations of solitary bees may be much more […]