By Katie Edwards, Commissioning Editor, Health + Medicine and Host of Strange Health podcast, The Conversation
Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol
From humming and ice baths to medical implants, the vagus nerve is everywhere. But what does it actually do and can you really reset it? Listen and watch the Strange Health podcast to find out more.
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By Salil Gunashekar, Senior Research Leader and Deputy Director, Science and Emerging Technology, RAND Europe
Adam Urwick, Analyst, Science and Emerging Technology, RAND Europe
Teodora Chis, Senior Analyst, Science and Emerging Technology, RAND Europe
The unveiling by IBM of two new quantum supercomputers and Denmark’s plans to develop “the world’s most powerful commercial quantum computer” mark just two of the latest developments in quantum technology’s increasingly rapid transition from experimental breakthroughs to practical applications.
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By Stuart Walker, Research Fellow in Sustainabilty Assessment, University of Sheffield
When we moved into our house, there was a shed in the garden. Its timbers were rotten, the floor had long since disappeared into the ground, there was no door, the window had fallen out and various creatures had moved in.
I decided to rebuild it out of a material that has been used around the world for hundreds of years, but is less commonly seen in modern buildings: straw bales. A year later, and the “work shed” is now nearly finished.
As sustainability assessment lead at Sheffield University’s…
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By Leanne Calvert, Assistant Professor in Irish History, University of Limerick
As a physical piece of a person that would outlast their human life, a lock of hair symbolised immortal love.
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By Una Cunningham, Professor Emerita, Department of Teaching and Learning, Stockholm University
BethAnne Paulsrud, Associate Professor in English Applied Linguistics, Stockholm University
Swedish is a vibrant language spoken by about 10 million people, mostly in Sweden and Finland. But Swedish young people are often proficient in English, too.
Sweden consistently ranks very high in English proficiency comparisons, with young people in Sweden speaking such good English that other…
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By Laura E. Alexander, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Nebraska Omaha
Clergy sometimes place themselves in harm’s way for moral and religious reasons. A scholar of religious ethics explains when – and why.
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By Dan Kennedy, Professor of Journalism, Northeastern University
The Washington Post’s evisceration at the hands of its billionaire owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, didn’t have to happen.
Following months of speculation, the Post cut at least 300 of its 800 journalists on Feb. 4, 2026, drastically reducing its international, local and sports coverage and eliminating its photo department and stand-alone…
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By Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, Doctoral Student and Graduate Researcher in Marketing, West Virginia University
Emily Tanner, Associate Professor of Marketing, West Virginia University
M. Paula Fitzgerald, Professor of Business Administration, West Virginia University
Researchers describe what they call a consumption stigma – when you feel judged or looked down on for using certain products or services.
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By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University
Bruce Springsteen wrote and recorded ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ within days of Alex Pretti’s killing, continuing a long tradition of songs as protest against violence and repression.
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By Thomas Begley, Professor of Biological Sciences, Associate Director of The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York
Marlene Belfort, Professor of Biological Sciences, Senior Advisor of The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York
Researchers are embarking on the RNA equivalent of the Human Genome Project, including sequencing all the chemical modifications that make cells unique.
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