Traffic-calming schemes are controversial – here’s why some succeed while others fail
Chatham172/Shutterstock In January 2025, a traffic-calming gate was installed by the local council in the Portswood area of Southampton on the south coast of England. But when this bus gate (a section of road where only buses and other authorised vehicles are allowed to pass) was removed following months of consultations, the debate quickly became […]
How a 19th-century estate agent offered 3D property ‘walkthroughs’ before the dawn of the photography age
The Cosmoramic Room in P.T. Barnum’s American Museum, New York. Illustration from the museum’s official guidebook. If you’re thinking about moving house or just feeling nosy about your neighbours, your first port of call may be an online property marketing site: Rightmove and Zoopla in the UK, Zillow in the US or Magic Bricks in […]
How diabetes can affect your ability to control the pedals while driving
Jo Panuwat D/Shutterstock Picture a driver approaching a sharp bend on a country road. As the car turns, they move their foot to slow down. But instead of pressing the brake, they hit the accelerator. The car surges forward. For some drivers with diabetes-related nerve damage in their feet, a situation like this may begin […]
European ‘war fatigue’ may be growing – but Ukraine’s recent momentum could buy time
As the Ukraine war approaches its four-and-a-half year milestone, the sustainability of the coalition of support for Kyiv has once again become a key question on the minds of Europeans. YouGov data from February 2026 shows considerable variation among Europeans in support for maintaining the war effort. Support for a negotiated peace has overtaken that […]
Four reasons why fully electric homes can be affordable and efficient
Pasha Smith/Shutterstock Across Europe, running a home – whether you need to keep it cool in the summer or heat it during winter – usually means burning imported gas. That wastes energy and creates carbon emissions, contributing to climate change. The European Commission’s new electrification action plan aims to end that era, mapping out a […]
A brief history of embroidery – and how to get started yourself
Women Sewing by William Bruce Ellis Ranken (1903). Royal Albert Memorial Museum Embroidery is a way to embellish textiles by stitching patterns and images onto them with thread. It has a long history with the earliest examples dating to ancient times. Since then, it has developed into myriad forms around the world. Many embroidery techniques […]
Taliban claims five years of peace in Afghanistan – but women and girls face oppression
Five years on from seizing power in Kabul on August 15 2021 and consolidating its hold through the whole of Afghanistan, the Taliban claims to have ended the country’s decades-long war and achieved security. International troops have withdrawn and the former Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has collapsed. Daily security incidents, such as suicide attacks and […]
From padded bras to penis injections: how changing body shape can give athletes a competitive edge
Competitors in the Tour de France Femmes raised eyebrows recently after it was alleged that some riders were stuffing their bras to go faster during the time trials. Race organisers started checking riders’ clothes more closely before the race. While this story sounds like a joke, there is a real reason that competitors would do […]
How healthier farm animals can cut greenhouse gas emissions
Preventing disease and miscarriage in cattle can help reduce methane emissions. Pravine/Shutterstock When a dairy cow miscarries, a farmer loses far more than an unborn calf. Feed has been grown, land and water used, and greenhouse gas released during the cow’s pregnancy but milk production, a future animal and income will be lost. One of […]
What is sudden adult death syndrome?
Tetiana_Kryvous/Shutterstock.com When Mark Hughes, the former Manchester United and Wales manager, lost his 38-year-old son, an inquest found the cause was sudden adult death syndrome, or Sads. He had appeared healthy. There was no obvious disease. For a family, that combination is almost impossible to make sense of. How can someone die from a heart […]