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The Cop31 climate summit is betting on electrification – but still needs a plan to ditch fossil fuels

The Cop31 climate summit is betting on electrification – but still needs a plan to ditch fossil fuels

Electrification alone won’t deliver a clean energy transition. Two major challenges remain.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Freddie Daley

AI won’t ever make a historically accurate film – but it could help archaeology create better stories

AI won’t ever make a historically accurate film – but it could help archaeology create better stories

The evidence we have from Troy is incomplete so it’s impossible to create complete historically accurate images from it.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Stephan Blum

Interest rates are making UK homes less affordable, even as wage rises increase faster than house prices

Interest rates are making UK homes less affordable, even as wage rises increase faster than house prices

Mortgage payments are putting home ownership out of reach.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Alper Kara

AI won’t ever make an historically accurate film – but it could help archaeology create better stories

AI won’t ever make an historically accurate film – but it could help archaeology create better stories

The evidence we have from Troy is incomplete so it’s impossible to create complete historically accurate images from it.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Stephan Blum

US midterms: women voters helped drive the ‘blue wave’

US midterms: women voters helped drive the ‘blue wave’

Women turned out to vote in significant numbers and were elected in historic fashion.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Musica Lorence

Four ways thinking like a strategist can make you a better padel player

Four ways thinking like a strategist can make you a better padel player

My expertise in strategic management has given me an advantage on the padel court.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Veselina Stoyanova

Is natural toothpaste really as good as fluoride? Tooth decay expert on the difference

Is natural toothpaste really as good as fluoride? Tooth decay expert on the difference

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay, but some toothpastes leave it out. Researchers examine the evidence behind natural and herbal alternatives.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Aylin Baysan

Don’t wash your laundry at teatime – why planning energy use can reduce your bills

Don’t wash your laundry at teatime – why planning energy use can reduce your bills

Electricity is being priced by the time it is used, not just by how much, so timing really matters.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Lala Rukh

This weightlifting technique can help older adults stay fit and independent as they age

This weightlifting technique can help older adults stay fit and independent as they age

Muscle power fades faster than strength as we age. One small change to how you lift could help.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Liam T. Pearson-Noseworthy

AI could transform mathematics, but humans will still need to be in the loop

AI could transform mathematics, but humans will still need to be in the loop

AI solutions to longstanding maths problems have sent shockwaves through the mathematics community.

yesterday 5

The Conversation

Carolin Antos

The John Lewis Christmas ad captures the deep need for grandmothers

The John Lewis Christmas ad captures the deep need for grandmothers

Science shows that being closely involved in each other’s lives protects grandparents against isolation and helps kids flourish.

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Helen Minnis

What Tommy Robinson’s conviction tells us about the cost to journalists reporting in the public interest

What Tommy Robinson’s conviction tells us about the cost to journalists reporting in the public interest

The far-right activist could face prison for harassing two Daily Mail journalists.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Tom Felle

Labour’s immigration dilemma: with social care exceptions, the party is trying to have it both ways

Labour’s immigration dilemma: with social care exceptions, the party is trying to have it both ways

Immigration has always caused ideological tensions for the party.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Erica Consterdine

The worse climate change gets, the harder it becomes to stop it

The worse climate change gets, the harder it becomes to stop it

Climate breakdown could undermine the social trust, political cooperation and financial resources needed to tackle it – new research shows how this...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

James Dyke

Domestic abusers don’t always stop in the home – partners’ friends and family can become victims too

Domestic abusers don’t always stop in the home – partners’ friends and family can become victims too

Coercive control can spill over to friends and family of the primary victim.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Morag Kennedy

How often should you be working at the office? Here’s what the research suggests

How often should you be working at the office? Here’s what the research suggests

How many days you spend in the office matters less if your colleagues are not there with you.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Umar Boodoo

Commotio cordis: how a blow to the chest can stop the heart

Commotio cordis: how a blow to the chest can stop the heart

Jesús de Miguel, a football played with CD Tenerife, may have died from commotio cordis. An anatomist explains the condition.

previous day 20

The Conversation

Adam Taylor

Imagine newsletter: the power of plankton

Imagine newsletter: the power of plankton

From photosynthesis to fluffy cloud formation, plankton play a huge role in planetary systems, from marine food chains to the carbon cycle.

previous day 20

The Conversation

Anna Turns

What the US midterms result means for the Ukraine war

What the US midterms result means for the Ukraine war

The result is both an opportunity and a threat to Ukraine.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Michael Cox

It’s a bumper year for wild mushrooms – here’s what you could find in the woods today

It’s a bumper year for wild mushrooms – here’s what you could find in the woods today

Some fungi are having an abundant year, but other types are struggling because of dry summer weather.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Joni Wildman

Clothes on the bed, nothing feels right: the psychology behind your seasonal wardrobe meltdown

Clothes on the bed, nothing feels right: the psychology behind your seasonal wardrobe meltdown

If you’ve ended up staring at a pile of rejected clothes this week, you’re not alone.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Catherine Greenwood

How private schools segregate students by class and strengthen social divisions

How private schools segregate students by class and strengthen social divisions

Class segregation between schools is quite simply unfair.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Sol Gamsu

What makes music truly ‘Russian’? The forgotten debate between Tchaikovsky and his star pupil

What makes music truly ‘Russian’? The forgotten debate between Tchaikovsky and his star pupil

Taneyev rebelled against the prevailing mood in Russian classical music to forge a distinctive national style only through folk songs, history and...

previous day 5

The Conversation

Stacy Olive Jarvis

The Binance hack exploited familiar weaknesses – all organisations should learn from it

The Binance hack exploited familiar weaknesses – all organisations should learn from it

The hackers compromised a laptop belonging to an IT engineer, according to Binance.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Bogdan Księżopolski

From doctors and teachers to lawyers, every profession has a duty to align with climate goals

From doctors and teachers to lawyers, every profession has a duty to align with climate goals

New research outlines how climate responsibility can become part of professional practice.

previous day 6

The Conversation

Aaron Thierry

HIV prevention medication is highly effective, but it can complicate blood donor screening

HIV prevention medication is highly effective, but it can complicate blood donor screening

Prep can make HIV harder to detect if an infection occurs. Clear donation guidance can help protect donors and people receiving blood.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Jaid Debrah-Donkor

King Arthur and Ramayana: ancient stories that speak to the moral dilemmas of today’s leaders

King Arthur and Ramayana: ancient stories that speak to the moral dilemmas of today’s leaders

Although separated by centuries, these two epics pose dilemmas that separate the morality of the husband from the duty of the leader.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Harsh Trivedi

Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery is a brilliant exploration of the life of the queen of crime

Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery is a brilliant exploration of the life of the queen of crime

A fun, interactive but also thoughtful look at the real life experiences that inspired her world famous mysteries.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Nadia Atia

We used ancient DNA to track the origins and spread of the Germanic and Celtic languages – new research

We used ancient DNA to track the origins and spread of the Germanic and Celtic languages – new research

The findings are based on analysis of DNA from thousands of prehistoric human remains from Europe.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Guus Kroonen

Stair climbers are said to boost fitness, strength and bone health — here’s what the evidence actually says

Stair climbers are said to boost fitness, strength and bone health — here’s what the evidence actually says

There are a few key areas where this popular cardio machine has an edge on other forms of exercise.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Dan Gordon

International surrogacy and the narrow legal idea of what makes a family legitimate

International surrogacy and the narrow legal idea of what makes a family legitimate

Depending on where they’re born, babies can be left without a clear nationality.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Katie Tonkiss

US midterms: after two years of unchecked Trump we’ll now see if Congress can reassert its democratic role

US midterms: after two years of unchecked Trump we’ll now see if Congress can reassert its democratic role

After two years of almost unbridled executive power under the Trump administration, the Democrats now control both houses of Congress.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Sarah Trott

US midterms: why a Democrat Congress could mean less political gridlock, not more

US midterms: why a Democrat Congress could mean less political gridlock, not more

History shows that opposition control of both chambers of US Congress need not mean less legislation.

wednesday 9

The Conversation

Massimo Morelli

Why Trump, Xi, and Putin can’t carve up the world like the ‘big three’ leaders of 1945

Why Trump, Xi, and Putin can’t carve up the world like the ‘big three’ leaders of 1945

It’s hard to imagine a world dominated by ‘great powers’ in the 21st century.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Nicholas Westcott

Seeing is no longer believing: why physical witnesses matter more in the age of AI‑generated content

Seeing is no longer believing: why physical witnesses matter more in the age of AI‑generated content

In an age where AI can create an image of everything and anything, verifying the truth is becoming much harder.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Oliver Bray

Moderate drinking carries health risks even within UK alcohol guidelines

Moderate drinking carries health risks even within UK alcohol guidelines

A new study estimates the lifetime risks of drinking alcohol and explains why staying within the UK’s 14-unit weekly limit doesn’t guarantee safety.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Winston Morgan

Wild Horse Nine: Martin McDonagh’s odd‑couple CIA drama is really a love story

Wild Horse Nine: Martin McDonagh’s odd‑couple CIA drama is really a love story

One of the film’s many pleasures is its detailed presentation of Easter Island.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Andrew Dix

Fireworks provide a few minutes of joy, but the economic and environmental costs last much longer

Fireworks provide a few minutes of joy, but the economic and environmental costs last much longer

The consequences of lighting firework displays are spread among households, public services and wildlife.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Narmin Nahidi

When social media no longer needs people, what does the ‘social’ part mean?

When social media no longer needs people, what does the ‘social’ part mean?

The AI agents do not truly experience friendship, but their exchanges are coherent and resemble the way humans correspond.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Vincent Charles

Why so many British pubs are closing down

Why so many British pubs are closing down

Britain’s pubs are not just businesses, they are part of the country’s social infrastructure.

wednesday 10

The Conversation

David Bailey

Why an Ebola outbreak in Africa doesn’t mean an epidemic in Britain

Why an Ebola outbreak in Africa doesn’t mean an epidemic in Britain

The DRC outbreak has passed 10,000 cases. Here is why UK health officials rate the risk to Britain as low, and how Ebola differs from COVID.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Simon Clarke

Donald Trump’s Republicans suffer landslide defeat – what this means for the world

Donald Trump’s Republicans suffer landslide defeat – what this means for the world

Facing a hostile Congress, the US president is likely to focus on foreign policy to secure his legacy.

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Andrew Gawthorpe

The world promised to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 – now it needs to turn pledges into action

The world promised to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 – now it needs to turn pledges into action

A recent UN biodiversity summit showed little progress has been made.

03.11.2026 20

The Conversation

Gabriella Santini

Climate change is killing hundreds of thousands – a kidney specialist’s concerns

Climate change is killing hundreds of thousands – a kidney specialist’s concerns

The 2026 Lancet Countdown reveals the growing health toll of extreme heat, while references to climate and health in UN speeches have declined.

03.11.2026 20

The Conversation

Peter Stenvinkel

Jonathan Swift foresaw the pitfalls of AI in Gulliver’s Travels

Jonathan Swift foresaw the pitfalls of AI in Gulliver’s Travels

On Gulliver’s third travel he meets the Projectors who have come up with a device that is surprisingly similar to our modern large language models.

03.11.2026 10

The Conversation

Daniel Carey

Canada‑EU alliance: as a blueprint for a ‘middle‑power bloc’ it has a lot of hurdles to overcome

Canada‑EU alliance: as a blueprint for a ‘middle‑power bloc’ it has a lot of hurdles to overcome

The EU can’t agree what sort of relationship it wants with Canada.

03.11.2026 20

The Conversation

Martin Waehlisch

From Wales to Finland, minority language speakers still face prejudice

From Wales to Finland, minority language speakers still face prejudice

Research with Welsh-speaking families reveals a generational shift, while experiences in Finland show the problem is not unique to Wales.

03.11.2026 10

The Conversation

Kaisa Pankakoski

From industrial powerhouse to uncertain future: lessons from Britain’s chemical industry

From industrial powerhouse to uncertain future: lessons from Britain’s chemical industry

Three decades after ICI was broken up in the clamour for a knowledge economy, UK chemicals output is down 60% in five years.

03.11.2026 30

The Conversation

Janet Godsell

Four foods with ancient roots that we still eat on Bonfire Night

Four foods with ancient roots that we still eat on Bonfire Night

The ritualised burning of the debris of the year can be dated back to pre-Christian times. Food was always an important part of the merrymaking.

03.11.2026 20

The Conversation

Pippa Catterall

Andy Burnham at Prime Minister’s Questions: what’s he doing differently?

Andy Burnham at Prime Minister’s Questions: what’s he doing differently?

Viewers are often turned off by the traditional jibes and jeering at PMQs.

03.11.2026 10

The Conversation

Lauren Martin