By Rachel Woods, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, University of Lincoln
Diet searches surge every January, but most quick fixes do not last. Here are five evidence-based habits that improve health without focusing on weight.
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By Geoff Beattie, Professor of Psychology, Edge Hill University
I knew there would be an argument. The room had gone eerily quiet. “Isn’t it about time,” my partner began, “that we freshened this place up a little?”
There was a long pause as she glanced around the white walls of our kitchen – which, I’ll admit, do have a little bit of paint chipping off them. Then she dropped a glossy magazine on the table – World of Interiors, I think. I was trying not to look.
My partner is passionate about colours and knows the names of all the different shades. I don’t – but I am a psychologist, and that gives me some skin in this colour game too.
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By Anastasia Denisova, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University of Westminster
Four in five adults in the UK say they have changed their lifestyle to help tackle environmental change. The New Year is a good time to implement changes to behaviour, but our willpower is finite.
The secret isn’t to be more virtuous, but to be strategic.
If you want 2026 to be the year you make a difference without burning out, here…
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By Vlad Glăveanu, Professor of Psychology, Business School, Dublin City University
The start of a new year has long been considered an important moment for personal change. Psychological research shows that calendar landmarks such as birthdays, Mondays or the new year can act as mental reset points, making people more likely to reflect on their lives and attempt new goals. This phenomenon was described by researchers more than a decade ago as the “fresh…
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By Mosikidi Toka, PhD candidate, University of the Free State
Warblers in high mountain wetlands change their dawn singing with temperature, rain, wind, humidity and moonlight, showing how weather shapes wildlife behaviour.
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By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato
You can trace your summer treat all the way back to the ‘ice pits’ developed in the Persian desert in 550 BCE.
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By Connal McLean, PhD Candidate in Zoology, University of Otago
Jacqueline Theis, PhD Candidate in Ecology, University of Otago
The New Zealand velvet worm’s reign as Bug of the Year is coming to an end, with voting now open for the 2026 competition.
This year, 21 nominees are vying for the crown in the competition’s fourth year. Nearly 100 bugs have so far featured, representing an incredible range of rich invertebrate diversity – from insects and arachnids to crustaceans, worms and molluscs.
The term “bug” was chosen deliberately. While not scientifically precise, it acts as an easily understood umbrella definition of Aotearoa New…
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By Matthew Barton, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University
Michael Todorovic, Associate Professor of Medicine, Bond University
TV adventurer Bear Grylls is famous for his survival hacks. But when it comes to rehydrating by drinking your own pee, was he right?
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By Naduni Madhavika, Doctoral Researcher, Social Sustainability in Tourism, University of Tasmania
Balkrushna Potdar, Lecturer in Marketing, University of Tasmania
Mansi Mansi, Senior Lecturer in Accounting, University of Tasmania
Rakesh Pandey, Associate Professor in Accounting, University of Tasmania
If they haven’t already, many Australians will soon head off for summer holidays. But behind every smooth check-in, cocktail or airport gate smile is one of more than an estimated 270 million tourism workers – about 8.2% of the global workforce.
These workers – cleaners, cooks, waiters, porters and cabin crew – often labour around the clock to make holidays feel effortless for everyone else. But too often there’s a dark reality hiding behind this idyllic picture.
Our team at…
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By Dwain Allan, Lecturer, School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury
It’s hardly a revelation that we’re living in an era of distraction and smartphone addiction. Our phones interrupt us, hijack our attention, and tempt us into scrolling. Even when we aren’t interacting with them, their mere presence makes it difficult to concentrate.
To address this, app developers have responded with a vast ocean of productivity…
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