By Colin Davidson, Professor of Neuropharmacology, University of Lancashire
A sedative developed for cats and dogs is turning up in Scotland’s illicit drug supply. Medetomidine has been found in a fifth of heroin samples in Scotland, and there is no proven antidote if someone overdoses.
Often called a new street drug, medetomidine was actually first developed as a sedative more than 50 years ago. It was patented in 1981 and introduced in Europe in 1987 under the name Domitor – a sedative for use in veterinary…
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By Rachel Ann Da Costa, PhD Candidate, Aging Research Centre, Karolinska Institutet
Adrián Carballo Casla, Postdoctoral Researcher in Geriatric Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet
When it comes to healthy ageing, the overall quality of a person’s diet matters more than eating any one “superfood” or nutrient. From the Mediterranean diet to the Nordic diet, specific eating patterns have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, physical frailty and cognitive decline.
But while we know diet affects our health, we haven’t really been clear until now…
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By Adesewa Olofinko
Young people are old enough to vote and old enough to protest but are often told they need experience before they can hold political office.
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By Débora Thomé, Professora, Instituto Brasileiro de Ensino, Desenvolvimento e Pesquisa (IDP) ; Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV); Associação Brasileira de Ciência Política (ABCP)
Once the 2026 election is over, Brazil must ensure the strength of its institutions far beyond simply guaranteeing fair elections.
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By Guilherme Casarões, Associate Professor of Brazilian Studies, Florida International University
Political project born in the mid-1980s from the debris of a 21-year military dictatorship in Brazil is over, and the question now is what will replace it.
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Men accused of Islamic State links await questioning at Al-Karkh prison in Iraq following their transfer from northeast Syria, February 12, 2026. © 2026 Hadi Mizban/AP Photo Nearly 5,700 men and boys held as alleged Islamic State (ISIS) members and transferred to Iraq in early 2026 are at risk of abuse including imminent prosecution for adults in unfair trials, followed by execution.Dozens of countries are stalling on repatriating and providing aid to their nationals detained in Iraq amid allegations of torture, as well as grave illnesses and several deaths in custody.Governments…
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By Adele Pavlidis, Associate Professor, and Director of the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University
Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s Hell Days explores her diagnosis of PMDD, an extreme form of premenstrual syndrome – drawing on research, interviews, reading and more.
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By David Rowe, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University
After investing so much emotional energy in supporting a club, many fans struggle to manage public shame in overheated environments.
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By Matthew Crocker, Graduate Researcher Teaching Fellow, Deakin University
On January 18 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip and the ships of the First Fleet landed on the shores of New South Wales.
They brought a supply of food, agricultural tools and livestock. Everything the British government thought they’d need to establish a colony on the other side of the world.
But Phillip wasn’t supplied with one thing: money.
The British government had chosen not to give Phillip coins or banknotes (i.e. currency). The only coins and banknotes that existed were those brought out by the officers, sailors and some convicts.
As to why Phillip…
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By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University
At just after 2am on Saturday morning, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred at Arawata, about six kilometres northeast of Korumburra and 100km southeast of Melbourne.
Residents closest to the epicentre described a loud bang – a phenomenon which occurs only in the epicentral region of an earthquake, when seismic energy reaches the surface.
They also described houses and windows rattling, and trees swaying back and forth as a result of the strong shake. The…
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