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BBC climate thriller The Rapture isn’t so far‑fetched

BBC climate thriller The Rapture isn’t so far‑fetched

We are not wired to deal with the complexity of climate change – but we can tune into relatable stories that emphasise common experiences and values.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Gracia Ramirez

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta uses ‘desirable difficulties’ to prepare his players – is this a good coaching strategy?

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta uses ‘desirable difficulties’ to prepare his players – is this a good coaching strategy?

Arteta’s tactics include delaying the players’ meals, unexpectedly changing their travel plans, and making dressing rooms hotter.

previous day 10

The Conversation

David Turner

Why far‑right protesters target non‑political groups like lifeboat volunteers

Why far‑right protesters target non‑political groups like lifeboat volunteers

It goes further than just briefly disrupting services.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Craig Collie

What is trauma‑informed care – and how do schools do it?

What is trauma‑informed care – and how do schools do it?

Trauma informed care shifts approaches from ‘what is wrong with this person’ to ‘what does this person need?’

previous day 4

The Conversation

Sarah Ward

Russia’s new jet‑powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine

Russia’s new jet‑powered drones mark latest evolution in air war above Ukraine

Ukraine is struggling to defend its cities against aerial attack as Russia introduces a new, long-range drone to the war.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Marina Miron

The Uprising: the real medieval revolt that inspired Andrew Garfield’s new film

The Uprising: the real medieval revolt that inspired Andrew Garfield’s new film

Government corruption and misspending inspired the medieval rebels depicted in The Uprising.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Alex Brown

AI is creating jobs as well as erasing them – but how rewarding are they?

AI is creating jobs as well as erasing them – but how rewarding are they?

One area of burgeoning employment is in people cleaning up ‘workslop’.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Akhil Bhardwaj

Once rejected as ‘too outlandish’, Zandra Rhodes’ archive is helping to shape fashion’s future

Once rejected as ‘too outlandish’, Zandra Rhodes’ archive is helping to shape fashion’s future

Rhodes donated her archive to De Monfort University, where it is being used to engage and inspire upcoming fashion designers.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Katharine Short

How scapegoating happens – and what we can do to stop it

How scapegoating happens – and what we can do to stop it

The tragic case of Jason Arday shows what scapegoating a person can look like.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Fay Bound-Alberti

Ancient virus hunters: how we discovered sheeppox DNA hidden in medieval gospels

Ancient virus hunters: how we discovered sheeppox DNA hidden in medieval gospels

DNA can survive in parchment for well over a thousand years.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Kevin Daly

Feeling the burn? It’s not lactic acid

Feeling the burn? It’s not lactic acid

The myth that lactic acid causes the ‘burn’ we feel during exercise is actually a long-lasting misunderstanding.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Shaun Phillips

Why Indiana Jones is the best and worst thing to happen to archaeology

Why Indiana Jones is the best and worst thing to happen to archaeology

The idea of archaeology as adventure predates the discipline itself.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Stephan Blum

There’s something you can do now to cool your home next summer – and it’s far cheaper than air conditioning

There’s something you can do now to cool your home next summer – and it’s far cheaper than air conditioning

Plants can help homes stay cooler in a variety of ways.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Ross Cameron

Nigella Lawson and the fantasy of Bake Off – what to watch and read this week

Nigella Lawson and the fantasy of Bake Off – what to watch and read this week

Bake Off is back and Nigella is judging. We’re also recommending a host of books from non-fiction on British food history to a fiction book about...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Naomi Joseph

What the differences between Danish and British humour can teach us about laughter

What the differences between Danish and British humour can teach us about laughter

Why we laugh at different things – and what that tells us about humour

previous day 6

The Conversation

Marc Hye-Knudsen

Trump‑XI summit aims to head off an AI arms race

Trump‑XI summit aims to head off an AI arms race

Can the two leaders achieve the sort of rapport that helped Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev face the threat of nuclear proliferation in the 1980s.

previous day 20

The Conversation

Jonathan Este

G20 needs a new approach to tackle the changing world order

G20 needs a new approach to tackle the changing world order

The UK has an opportunity to revolutionise the way the G20 operates as a problem-solving body.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Henrietta Moore

Government hacks, rogue agents and no transparency: can we ever fully trust AI?

Government hacks, rogue agents and no transparency: can we ever fully trust AI?

AI expert Nick Jennings speaks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about calls for an slowdown in the development of frontier AI models.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Gemma Ware

This 18th‑century Gospel has reignited a fierce battle over Ethiopia’s looted heritage

This 18th‑century Gospel has reignited a fierce battle over Ethiopia’s looted heritage

The controversy highlights a broader, escalating global movement demanding the return of African antiquities.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Jacopo Gnisci

UN chief says world’s biggest problem is the changing way power is used – Donald Trump’s speech confirms his diagnosis

UN chief says world’s biggest problem is the changing way power is used – Donald Trump’s speech confirms his diagnosis

The UN general assembly meeting brought together many leaders whose countries are locked in conflict.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Martin Waehlisch

Can HRT prevent dementia? What the latest research tells us

Can HRT prevent dementia? What the latest research tells us

The type of menopause and differences between women taking HRT complicate claims about its potential to prevent dementia.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Eef Hogervorst

Women have been priests in Sweden since 1960 – but the battle for gender equality in the Church continues

Women have been priests in Sweden since 1960 – but the battle for gender equality in the Church continues

Officially recognising women’s vocation to the priesthood continues to elicit opposition from conservative factions of the Church.

thursday 20

The Conversation

Frida Mannerfelt

Why winter cold spells are getting milder

Why winter cold spells are getting milder

Across the northern hemisphere, cold spells are becoming milder as the temperatures rise, with their intensity decreasing by 0.3°C per decade.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Weronika Osmolska

More than one in three illicit drug samples contain unexpected substances, testing finds

More than one in three illicit drug samples contain unexpected substances, testing finds

Drug testing has found potent synthetic opioids and other unexpected substances in products sold as heroin, diazepam and cannabis.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Joseph Janes

Overprescribing can take a toll on older peoples’ health and independence – here’s what can be done

Overprescribing can take a toll on older peoples’ health and independence – here’s what can be done

Around 8 million people in England take five or more prescription drugs each day.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Kinda Ibrahim

Trump and Xi face an AI security dilemma – but face‑to‑face diplomacy could be a start in mitigating it

Trump and Xi face an AI security dilemma – but face‑to‑face diplomacy could be a start in mitigating it

The question is whether both leaders appreciate each other’s security fears.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Nicholas John Wheeler

Neet with a disability: what’s holding back visually impaired young people who want to work

Neet with a disability: what’s holding back visually impaired young people who want to work

Young people described an inaccessible job market.

thursday 6

The Conversation

Rachel Hewett

The Love Hypothesis and the rise of romance adaptations: how readers became part of the marketing machine

The Love Hypothesis and the rise of romance adaptations: how readers became part of the marketing machine

Streamers are increasingly treating established online fan communities as part of the adaptation process itself.

thursday 3

The Conversation

Julia Szivak

Before I Forget by Anne Pauly: a touching and surprisingly funny meditation on caring for ageing abusive parents

Before I Forget by Anne Pauly: a touching and surprisingly funny meditation on caring for ageing abusive parents

How do you put the past aside when you have no choice but to care for a parent who treated you badly?

thursday 7

The Conversation

Helen Vassallo

Water failures in England and Wales are a warning for Canada and the US

Water failures in England and Wales are a warning for Canada and the US

Water services are too important to fail. If a utility becomes financially unstable, consequences are passed on to customers, regulators and...

thursday 6

The Conversation

David Barrett

A new venomous British snake? Why there’s no need to panic

A new venomous British snake? Why there’s no need to panic

Why the smooth snake is in far more need of protection than humans.

thursday 3

The Conversation

Wolfgang Wüster

As Ukraine rebuilds amid constant Russian attacks, small towns and villages are being sidelined

As Ukraine rebuilds amid constant Russian attacks, small towns and villages are being sidelined

Lacking staff, Ukraine’s rural communities are missing out on crucial reconstruction funding.

thursday 10

The Conversation

Doug Specht

How the emojis and fashion choices of Germany’s far‑right supporters get around the ban on Nazi symbolism

How the emojis and fashion choices of Germany’s far‑right supporters get around the ban on Nazi symbolism

The extreme right has learned to navigate Germany’s strict laws on extremist symbols

23.09.2026 20

The Conversation

Tom Birkett

Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days has new meaning in the age of climate change

Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days has new meaning in the age of climate change

Happy Days serves as a reminder to look after our planet while we still can.

23.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Fraser Cattini

Magnesium supplements: what you need to know about each different type

Magnesium supplements: what you need to know about each different type

Magnesium is important for hundreds of processes in the body.

23.09.2026 60

The Conversation

Dipa Kamdar

Can you lend me a hand? Researchers are developing wearable robotic limbs

Can you lend me a hand? Researchers are developing wearable robotic limbs

Scientists are creating additional robotic arms, legs and thumbs to push the boundaries of what can be achieved by the human body.

23.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Alessia Noccaro

Trump and Burnham’s first meeting was a success – but could this ‘good connection’ harm the prime minister at home?

Trump and Burnham’s first meeting was a success – but could this ‘good connection’ harm the prime minister at home?

Having satisfied the party membership and erstwhile Labour voters over Israel, Andy Burnham may find it harder to do so over his meeting with Donald...

23.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Martin Farr

AI is finding chart success in Christian, gospel and country music

AI is finding chart success in Christian, gospel and country music

AI performers finding success are not disrupting the conventions of their genres, which may be why audiences have been more willing to accept them.

23.09.2026 3

The Conversation

Melissa Avdeeff

Five intimidating houseplants that are surprisingly easy to care for

Five intimidating houseplants that are surprisingly easy to care for

Learning more about the origins and ecology of our beloved houseplants can help them avoid the compost bin.

23.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Charlotte Pughe

Saddam Hussein used Oliver Reed and a James Bond director to tell Iraq’s story – but who tells it now?

Saddam Hussein used Oliver Reed and a James Bond director to tell Iraq’s story – but who tells it now?

Iraq’s media landscape has undergone profound change over the past two decades.

23.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Matthew Alford

New mining map highlights damage caused by extracting metals for your smartphone

New mining map highlights damage caused by extracting metals for your smartphone

This new open-access tool connects global extraction sites with the ten key metals inside smartphones.

23.09.2026 20

The Conversation

Mark Maslin

Homeless people can now get free flu jabs – but will this initiative actually reach them?

Homeless people can now get free flu jabs – but will this initiative actually reach them?

A new flu jab offer for homeless people arrives just as the NHS bodies meant to deliver outreach face cuts and restructuring.

23.09.2026 5

The Conversation

Philip Broadbent

These stories of forbidden love and devotion during the Troubles reveal a more intimate side of conflict in Ireland

These stories of forbidden love and devotion during the Troubles reveal a more intimate side of conflict in Ireland

Baptisms, schools, church services – how ordinary families navigated love and marriage across taboo lines.

23.09.2026 6

The Conversation

Alison Garden

Ravenser Odd, the sunken medieval island that continues to inspire and obsess

Ravenser Odd, the sunken medieval island that continues to inspire and obsess

A medieval island that was home to a wealthy city continues to fascinate 800 years after it disappeared beneath the waves.

23.09.2026 9

The Conversation

Emily Robinson

Grand Theft Auto: players are voting, debating, protesting and making political decisions

Grand Theft Auto: players are voting, debating, protesting and making political decisions

It can become a way for gamers who haven’t previously shunned politics to engage.

22.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Emma Brewis

England is rainy again. So why is it still in drought?

England is rainy again. So why is it still in drought?

The grass is greener, but surface improvements tell only part of the story.

22.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Lucy Clarke

In the race to roll out 6G, the UK and Europe are caught between technology’s superpowers

In the race to roll out 6G, the UK and Europe are caught between technology’s superpowers

For the UK and Europe, the rollout of 6G is creating a geopolitical dilemma.

22.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Natalia Orrego Tapia

Bangladesh has lost 900 children to measles – a warning to other countries where vaccine rates have slipped

Bangladesh has lost 900 children to measles – a warning to other countries where vaccine rates have slipped

After a pandemic-era collapse in vaccination, Bangladesh is racing to protect children from measles, but lasting protection depends on reaching 95%...

22.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Vikram Niranjan

As Ukraine rebuilds amid constant Russian attack, small towns and villages are being sidelined

As Ukraine rebuilds amid constant Russian attack, small towns and villages are being sidelined

Lacking staff, Ukraine’s rural communities are missing out on crucial reconstruction funding.

22.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Doug Specht

Having a baby in Denmark v the UK: how different is it?

Having a baby in Denmark v the UK: how different is it?

And is it really true that Danish babies cry less?

22.09.2026 7

The Conversation

Christine Parsons