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Reducing energy demand and improving efficiency will help prevent the next gas crisis

Gas prices have relaxed, Europe has come out of the winter with record gas storage levels and a surfeit of liquefied natural gas is set to reach...

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The Conversation

Louis Fletcher

Rishi Sunak claims the UK is heading for a hung a parliament – let’s check his maths

By common consent, the local elections on May 2 were a disaster for the Conservatives. The party lost a total of 478 councillors in the 107...

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The Conversation

Paul Whiteley

Gaza war: as ceasefire talks break down the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate

As Gaza ceasefire talks hang in the balance, Israel has launched its assault on Rafah in the south of the strip, despite the remaining presence of...

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The Conversation

Sarah Schiffling

We’ve researched trans inclusion for nearly a decade – how we do our work has changed

We’ve researched the experiences of transgender and non-binary people, particularly in the workplace, for much of the last ten years. Our...

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The Conversation

Rosa Marvell

If using LinkedIn makes you feel like an imposter at work, here’s how to cope

When it comes to professional social media, LinkedIn, with its billion-plus members, stands unrivalled. The platform for career updates, networking...

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The Conversation

Sebastian Oliver

War in Gaza has plunged Israel’s tourism industry into a crisis it will struggle to recover from

On a warm evening in April 2023, I sat outside a café in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City and enjoyed a drink with friends. An...

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The Conversation

Samuel Scanlon

Latin America: several countries look to combat gang violence by fighting fire with fire

Gangs have an enduring presence in Latin America. They have existed as power brokers, illicit economic actors and spoilers in the developmental...

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The Conversation

Amalendu Misra

Novelist J.G. Ballard was experimenting with computer-generated poetry 50 years before ChatGPT was invented

The novelist and short story writer J.G. Ballard, is known for conjuring warped and reimagined versions of the world he occupied. Dealing with...

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The Conversation

David Beer

Assisted dying: why Scotland should be wary of changing the law

Scotland took the first step towards legalising assisted dying on March 27 with the publication of the assisted dying for terminally ill adults (...

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The Conversation

Mary Neal

Most Gypsy and Traveller sites in Great Britain are located within 100 metres of major pollutants, shows research

Gypsy and Traveller communities are among the more socially excluded groups in the UK. There is a long history of government failures in meeting...

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The Conversation

Alice Bloch

Gaza campus protests: why understanding 1960s’ student demonstrations and police reaction is relevant today

For anybody interested in the history of the 1960s, the ongoing protests at US universities have a peculiar resonance. In the past weeks, riot...

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The Conversation

Sinead Mceneaney

Our new vaccine could protect against coronaviruses that haven’t even emerged yet – new study

The rapid development of vaccines that protect against COVID was a remarkable scientific achievement that saved millions of lives. The vaccines...

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The Conversation

Rory Hills

What is energy made of? The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast

Have you seen that scene from Star Wars where Yoda uses the force to lift the spaceship out of a swamp? Its energy is so powerful, but what exactly...

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The Conversation

Eloise Stevens

These local council results suggest Tory decimation at the general election ahead

The local elections which took place on May 2 have provided an unusually rich set of results to pore over. Around 2,600 seats were up for election...

03.05.2024 40

The Conversation

Paul Whiteley

Boris Johnson: if even the prime minister who introduced voter ID can forget his, do we need a rethink?

Former prime minister Boris Johnson was reportedly turned away on election day after arriving at his polling station to vote with only “an...

03.05.2024 40

The Conversation

Toby James

Four major threats to press freedom in the UK

Just five years ago, the UK took the bold step of setting up a Media Freedom Coalition of 50 countries committed to protecting press freedom...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

William Horsley

How one 18th-century sermon triggered England’s first celebrity crush – with merchandise

Three hundred years ago, on June 5 1724, an Anglican clergyman by the name of Henry Sacheverell died in Highgate, north London. He was 50 years...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Hannah Yip

Gut microbiome: meet E coli – the infamous bacteria with an unfair reputation

Escherichia coli (which most of us know better as E coli) has a bit of a bad reputation. Many know it as the harmful bug that can cause a stomach...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Mel Lacey

Can an organ transplant really change someone’s personality?

Changes in personality following a heart transplant have been noted pretty much ever since transplants began. In one case, a person who hated...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Adam Taylor

Plastic is climate change in a bottle – so let’s put a cap on it

Plastic pollution and climate change have common culprits – and similar solutions. The penultimate round of negotiations for a global pact on...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Jack Marley

Starliner: Boeing prepares to launch its first crewed spacecraft as it chases after SpaceX

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to make its first flight into space with astronauts on May 6, 2024. This flight and a few others will...

03.05.2024 4

The Conversation

Gareth Dorrian

‘Jeremy Hunt is probably right to oppose the finance watchdog’s plans to name and shame firms under investigation’ – expert Q&A

The UK banking regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), finds itself in a public row with the government and many City grandees over its...

03.05.2024 5

The Conversation

Alper Kara

Blackpool South byelection: the size of the swing to Labour made this such an unpleasant night for Rishi Sunak

The last time Labour won Blackpool South, the party won 270 other constituencies. It was 1997 and Labour took 179 more than all other parties...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Martin Farr

Five tales of violent, ambitious, brilliant women – what you should watch and read this week

This article was first published in our email newsletter Something Good, which brings you a summary every fortnight of the best things to watch,...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Naomi Joseph

The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky and how I used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way

What did our ancestors think when they looked up at the night sky? All cultures ascribed special meaning to the Sun and the Moon, but what about...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Or Graur

Swapping payments for vouchers won’t fix disability benefits – here’s what’s needed instead

The UK government is proposing major changes to the benefits system, in response to the increase in people claiming benefits for disability and ill...

03.05.2024 3

The Conversation

Richard Machin

What a second Trump presidency might mean for the rest of the world

Just over six months ahead of the US election, the world is starting to consider what a return to a Trump presidency might mean. While Americans...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Christopher Featherstone

Supermarket Iceland is producing a manifesto on behalf of customers – but should retailers meddle in politics?

The food retailer Iceland has pledged it will give its customers a voice during the UK’s upcoming election. If that sounds like a good idea, then...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Andrew Crane

Decision to stick with single-word Ofsted judgments is all about control, not what is best for schools – former inspector

In April 2024 the Department for Education announced that there were “no plans” to change single-word Ofsted judgments. These give schools...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Colin Diamond

A global plastic treaty will only work if it caps production, modelling shows

An international agreement to end plastic pollution is due to be sealed this year in Busan, South Korea. At the penultimate round of negotiations,...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Costas Velis

The EU’s new ecocide law may still let environmental criminals get away with it

The EU recently passed a law that criminalises actions “comparable to ecocide”. It’s a revolutionary legal development – the first law of its...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Filippos Proedrou

‘Everywhere we looked we found evidence’: the godfather of microplastics on 20 years of pollution research and the fight for global action

Thirty years ago, while counting barnacles, limpets and seaweeds along rocky shores, I started noticing a daily tide of litter, mostly plastic. As...

03.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Richard Thompson

Ancient scroll reveals new story of Plato’s death – here’s why you should be suspicious of it

Plato of Athens (429-347BC) may be one of the most famous philosophers of all times. He was the thinker who came up with the “theory of forms”...

03.05.2024 4

The Conversation

Bert Van Den Berg

Some experts say the US economy is on the up, but here’s why voters don’t think so

Many Americans are gloomy about the economy, despite some data saying it is improving. The Economist even took this discussion to TikTok. When its...

03.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Jessica Eastland-Underwood

Why women would prefer to be alone in the woods with a bear than a man

Would you rather find yourself alone in the woods with a bear or a man? This is the question currently dividing social media. Based on the...

02.05.2024 30

The Conversation

Lisa Sugiura

US student Gaza protests: five things that have been missed

Coverage of the recent student encampments at more than 50 universities across the United States has focused on confrontations between opposing...

02.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Robert P. Jackson

Personalised mRNA vaccines: a revolutionary new approach in melanoma treatment

A personalised mRNA vaccine to treat melanoma has now reached late-stage trials in the UK. This is just the latest step in improving the cure rate...

02.05.2024 30

The Conversation

Justin Stebbing

Public backs move to green home heating but more government support is needed, research shows

The UK faces a significant shift in how homes are heated. To meet climate change goals, new gas boiler installations must be phased out by 2050....

02.05.2024 9

The Conversation

Gareth Thomas

Holding a placard outside court isn’t illegal, judge rules – is that the best British democracy has to offer?

The UK High Court recently dismissed the case against environmental activist Trudi Warner, who was referred for contempt of court in March 2023....

02.05.2024 1

The Conversation

Steven Cammiss

Maths degrees are becoming less accessible – and this is a problem for business, government and innovation

There’s a strange trend in mathematics education in England. Maths is the most popular subject at A-level since overtaking English in 2014. It’s...

02.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Neil Saunders

Gaza update: US students protest while leaders talk and Palestinians continue to die

Over the past few days we seem to have been hearing more about the protests roiling the campuses of some of the most prestigious universities in...

02.05.2024 8

The Conversation

Jonathan Este

Computer science culture often means anybody’s data is fair game to feed the AI algorithm – but artists are fighting back

Content created with the help of generative AI is popping up everywhere, and it’s worrying some artists and content creators. They’re concerned...

02.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Gemma Ware

Can this thumb test tell if you are at increased risk of a hidden aortic aneurysm?

All the parts of our bodies share an inherent connectivity. This goes much further than “the foot bone’s connected to the … leg bone”. For...

02.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Dan Baumgardt

If Rishi Sunak is ousted, should Tory MPs or members pick his replacement? The answer isn’t that simple

Speculation continues over Rishi Sunak’s position as prime minister and Tory leader. The Conservatives’ leadership rules stipulate that Sunak...

02.05.2024 3

The Conversation

Tom Quinn

Gaza war: success of Egypt’s peace deal would set blueprint for future of Middle East – expert Q&A

In the diplomatic manoeuvrings surrounding the conflict in Gaza, things are beginning to gather pace. Israel’s western allies are pressing the...

02.05.2024 1

The Conversation

John Strawson

Russia: arrest of deputy defence minister on corruption charges reveals bitter factional infighting among the elite

The recent arrest of Timur Ivanov, Russia’s deputy defence minister and close ally of defence minister Sergei Shoigu, has rocked the country’s...

02.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Stephen Hall

Where is the legal line between celebrity worship and stalking?

Falling under the spell of a celebrity crush is a common part of adolescence. But in the age of social media and unprecedented access to our idols,...

02.05.2024 6

The Conversation

Alexandros Antoniou

How to spot fake online reviews (with a little help from AI)

Before you buy something, or visit a new restaurant, or see a new film, you may be tempted to check out the online reviews. Researching what...

02.05.2024 8

The Conversation

Nick Hajli

A Spy Like Me: Kim Sherwood’s evocative and thrilling addition to the James Bond canon

This article contains spoilers for The Double O trilogy of James Bond books by Kim Sherwood In the first book of Kim Sherwood’s Double O trilogy,...

02.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Monica Germanà

Unravelling life’s origin: five key breakthroughs from the past five years

There is still so much we don’t understand about the origin of life on Earth. The definition of life itself is a source of debate among...

02.05.2024 7

The Conversation

Sean Jordan

Radical Optimism is Dua Lipa’s philosophy for dealing with life’s chaos – but radical openness is a better approach

In a teaser video for her third album, Radical Optimism, Dua Lipa explained that every track has that...

02.05.2024 4

The Conversation

Joshua Forstenzer

The UK has become the world’s fourth largest exporter, but can it maintain this momentum?

UK business is beaming with pride with the recent news of the country’s emergence as the fourth largest exporter in the world based on the United...

02.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Ibiyemi Omeihe

What to expect from the next generation of chatbots: OpenAI’s GPT-5 and Meta’s Llama-3

Recently, there has been a flurry of publicity about the planned upgrades to OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI-powered chatbot and Meta’s Llama system, which...

02.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Abdul Sadka

Beautifully crafted Roman dodecahedron discovered in Lincoln – but what were they for?

Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First...

02.05.2024 1

The Conversation

Samantha Tipper

How extreme dieting can affect bone health

In a recent Instagram post, the actor Jameela Jamil revealed she has poor bone density, despite only being in her 30s. Jamil blamed this finding on...

01.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Adam Taylor

Four ways to cultivate a unique taste in music in the age of streaming algorithms

One of the positive things about modern media is that artists can now get their music into the world without having to first impress industry...

01.05.2024 7

The Conversation

Glenn Fosbraey

Why demonising people as ‘workless’ won’t solve rising economic inactivity

As the gloves come off for election year, Britain’s would-be leaders are circling a new political punch-bag: people who are “economically...

01.05.2024 40

The Conversation

James Morrison

China set to blast off to the far side of the Moon – here’s what it could discover

China is attempting to recover the first ever soil and rock samples from the lunar far side. The surface mission, Chang’e 6, named after the...

01.05.2024 30

The Conversation

Ben Rider-Stokes

Love Lies Bleeding: this vengeful queer romance is a visceral cinematic experience

Warning: this article contains minor spoilers for Love Lies Bleeding. The filmmakers behind Love Lies Bleeding (director Rose Glass and her...

01.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Kate Mcnicholas Smith

London’s runaway horses remind us that animals are workers too

The extraordinary sight of five horses galloping through London, sweating and covered in blood, caused the hashtag #Apocalypse to trend briefly on...

01.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Helen Wadham

More price rises and empty shelves on the cards as UK brings in Brexit border checks

New import checks on foods arriving from the EU could affect supplies at Britain’s local delis, high-street greengrocers or independent cafes....

01.05.2024 8

The Conversation

Kamran Mahroof

After struggling with its past, is the Labour party looking to the future?

Tony Blair left Downing Street nearly 17 years ago, but in terms of his impact on the Labour party, it’s almost like he never left. After Gordon...

01.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Karl Pike

James by Percival Everett: an enthralling reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of an escaped slave

James, the new novel by Percival Everett, is a stunning book which I relished long after finishing. It is the sort of book you need to tell all...

01.05.2024 20

The Conversation

Emily Zobel Marshall

Hemp is more sustainable than timber – here’s how it could transform low-carbon construction

Hemp could become a key tool in the fight against climate change. Like timber, hemp is a biogenic material – it’s produced by growing plants....

01.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Bernardino D&39Amico

US election: why it’s not the protesters votes that the Democrats should worry about

As hundreds of New York police officers in riot gear were called in to clear away a student protest at Columbia University on Tuesday night, the...

01.05.2024 40

The Conversation

Thomas Gift

Trump-proofing Nato: why Europe’s current nuclear deterrents may not be enough to face biggest threats since WWII

Though a second Trump presidency is not a foregone conclusion, Nato members are gearing up to Trump-proof the organisation and reviewing their...

01.05.2024 30

The Conversation

Natasha Lindstaedt

James by Percival Everett: an enthralling reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of formerly enslaved Jim

James, the new novel by Percival Everett, is a stunning book which I relished long after finishing. It is the sort of book you need to tell all...

01.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Emily Zobel Marshall

Alarming decline in children’s health and wellbeing predated pandemic, research reveals

The COVID pandemic affected several aspects of children’s health and wellbeing. The number of children referred to specialist mental health teams...

01.05.2024 2

The Conversation

Michaela James

Millions of young people will head to the polls over the next year – but many are disillusioned about mainstream politics

A record number of people will go to polls in 2024 to vote in national elections around the world. People who came of age during the last electoral...

01.05.2024 20

The Conversation

James Sloam

Are young people smarter than older adults? My research shows cognitive differences between generations are diminishing

We often assume young people are smarter, or at least quicker, than older people. For example, we’ve all heard that scientists, and even more so...

01.05.2024 9

The Conversation

Stephen Badham

What being a teenage girl in 1960s Britain was really like

Dressed in a mini skirt and passionate about boys, music, dance and fashion, the 1960s teenage girl is a pop culture icon, the seeming beneficiary...

01.05.2024 9

The Conversation

Penny Tinkler

Cyberflashing is now a criminal offence – but the normalisation of this behaviour among young people needs to change

In March 2024, a 39-year-old man became the first person in England and Wales to be convicted of the new offence of cyberflashing, part of the...

01.05.2024 4

The Conversation

Jessica Ringrose

Why it takes so long to simulate the climate in a supercomputer

Climate models are some of the most complex pieces of software ever written, able to simulate a vast number of different parts of the overall...

01.05.2024 10

The Conversation

Samar Khatiwala

Climate models can run for months on supercomputers – but my new algorithm can make them ten times faster

Climate models are some of the most complex pieces of software ever written, able to simulate a vast number of different parts of the overall...

01.05.2024 9

The Conversation

Samar Khatiwala

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