By Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University
The myth that when women live together their menstrual cycles become synchronised has long persisted – despite research showing there’s no evidence that this so-called McClintock effect exists. Any overlap that does happen is probably just down to chance.
However, just because this isn’t true doesn’t mean our bodies don’t sync with those around us in other ways. In fact, more and more scientific evidence of this happening is being discovered.
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By Elaine Craig, Lecturer specialising in Violence, Abuse and Mental Health, Manchester Metropolitan University
A mother discovered her son was restrained 33 times in six weeks. Another was told her distressed daughter is “aggressive” as six staff pin her to the floor and inject her with medication. Through tears, families describe images they cannot forget: bruises, broken bones, loved ones left sitting in urine-soaked clothes, isolated and afraid.
These are recent experiences shared by family carers supporting relatives with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions in mental health hospitals.…
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By Johanna Gibson, Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Queen Mary University of London
The Pantone colour of the year for 2026 is white. It’s called Cloud Dancer, which is described as a “lofty white”. This choice reflects a growing trend away from colour in our visual world.
You might have noticed this yourself. Where an area once had a distinct sense of place we are seeing more cookie cutter developments popping up. Take the London borough…
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image Yakov Vorontsov. © Petr Trotsenko (RFE/RL) The case of Vladimir (Yakov) Vorontsov, a Russian Orthodox priest from Kazakhstan who was defrocked in 2024 over apparent retaliation for independent religious activity and public criticism of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is scheduled to go to trial on September 11. But dubious charges and lack of adequate medical care in detention raise serious concerns.Vorontsov, 40, was arrested in February 2026. He is facing a seven-year prison sentence on charges of illegal drug storage and maintaining premises for drug use,…
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The major political parties are struggling to find ways to effectively counter Pauline Hanson and One Nation.
Their attacks, whether general or on specific policies, bounce off what seems a teflon surface. They bring their targets more attention – and that (so far) appears to work for the Hansonite insurgents rather than against them.
And when they ramp up the attacks, as Anthony Albanese did at the weekend, Hanson brazenly turns the heat back on her opponents.
Albanese told the Queensland Labor conference on Sunday:
Delegates, this…
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By José Miguel Soriano del Castillo, Catedrático de Nutrición y Bromatología del Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universitat de València
When we think about nutrition, we almost always picture the same key players: the mouth, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas and, perhaps, the gut microbiota. However, the human body is not made up of isolated compartments. Eating is not just about introducing food into the digestive tract, it also involves salivating, swallowing, transporting, distributing fluids, activating defences, moving fats through the lymph, connecting tissues and supporting organs.
In recent years, three body structures…
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By Bridget Bryan, Research Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
Louise Arseneault, Professor in Developmental Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
Around a million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training (Neet). The consequences for their health and income can be significant and long lasting, with costs to the economy too.
There’s pressure on the government to do something about it. To act effectively, we need to understand why some young people become Neet. Most explanations focus on things like exam results, family socioeconomic background or access to job opportunities.
Our new…
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By Clint Witchalls, Senior Health Editor, The Conversation
Holly Squire, International Editor, The Conversation
A new series from The Conversation UK and our Danish partner Videnskab.dk, exploring what Denmark and the UK can learn from each other about health and wellbeing.
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By Subhash Pokhrel, Professor of Public Health Economics, Brunel University of London
Denmark and the UK both wear the badge of universal healthcare with pride. Nobody is turned away, nobody is handed a bill on the way out. And the principle – that where you are born or how much you earn should not determine whether you live or die – is sacred in both countries. But principles are not the same as outcomes.
Denmark spends more per person on healthcare than the UK and operates one of the most expansive welfare states on the planet. It consistently outperforms the UK on some of the
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By Elisa Rigosi, Researcher in Sensory Biology, Department of Biology, Lund University
David O'Carroll, Professor of Sensory Biology, Department of Biology, Lund University
One bee has long been regarded as a benchmark for visual performance: the honeybee drone.
These male honeybees (Apis mellifera) have evolved highly specialised eyes for detecting queens during mating flights. They are extraordinarily sensitive to tiny moving objects less than half a degree across. In human terms, that’s like spotting a person more than 250…
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