By Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
A variety show that’s still revered for its absurdist, slapstick humor debuted 50 years ago. It starred an irreverent band of characters made of foam and fleece.
Long after “The Muppet Show”‘s original 120-episode run ended in 1981, the legend and legacy of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and other creations concocted by puppeteer and TV producer Jim Henson have kept on growing. Thanks to the Muppets’ film franchise and the wonders of YouTube, the wacky…
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By Ronald S. Green, Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Coastal Carolina University
Mindfulness is taught everywhere, from schools to workplaces. But scientists define and measure it in very different ways. Here’s why that matters.
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By Rebecca Wagner, Postdoctoral Researcher, Stem Cell Biology and Single Cell Technologies, Karolinska Institutet
Cleansing has long been an important part of hygiene rituals across cultures. Nowadays, cleansing remains an essential part of daily skincare routines, helping to remove sweat, makeup and old skin cells.
But with skincare routines becoming more and more extensive (and expensive), it can be difficult to know which cleanser to use…
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By Brian J. Phillips, Reader (Associate Professor) in International Relations, University of Essex
It’s only one year into Donald Trump’s second term as US president, and he has already massively transformed US counter-terrorism policy.
The list of designated terrorist groups has grown at an unprecedented rate. Counter-terror policies are being stretched to include drug cartels – with serious international consequences, as we saw in Venezuela at the beginning of January.
And, importantly, the US is taking these steps without its longtime allies.
Since early 2025, Trump has added…
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By Jo Middleton, Research Fellow in Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Scabies cases are surging across the UK and Europe. The tiny mites that cause it spread easily through skin contact, making children, young adults and elderly people particularly vulnerable. Effective treatments are available, but myths and stigma are getting in the way of proper control.
What is scabies and how do people catch it?
Scabies is a skin infestation with tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei. The mites transfer from person to…
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By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex
Mexico has been at odds with the US for years about a long-running treaty which requires it to supply its neighbour with billions of gallons of water.
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By Sarah Olive, Senior Lecturer in Literature, Aston University
Morfa Halen means “salt marsh” in Welsh. This tidal island is a delicious invention of Sky Arts’ new detective drama, Under Salt Marsh, although it has very real antecedents in north Wales. Shell Island on the Mochras peninsula, near Harlech, inspired writer and director Claire Oakley.
Morfa Halen is cut off from the mainland nightly, when the tide swamps the causeway. This isolation is emphasised through an overhead shot of a car cutting a foamy, white swathe through the blues and browns of saltwater and sunken grasses. Immediately, Morfa Halen is established as the kind of closed…
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By Maarten Wynants, Marie Curie Global Postdoctoral Fellow, Ghent University
Across large parts of northern Tanzania, gully erosion – soil erosion caused by flowing water – is cutting deep scars through fertile farmland, grazing areas, roads and even villages. These gullies grow faster every year and what was once a slow environmental process has accelerated into a humanitarian threat. It has serious consequences for food and livelihood security, infrastructure and biodiversity.
Soil erosion is a natural process. Rainfall breaks soil into particles, and flowing water transports…
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By Timothy G. Bromage, Professor, New York University
A new way of analysing fossils has revealed more about animals and environments of ancient times, when humans were evolving.
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By Alassan Assani Seidou, Research fellow at Future Africa and Senior Lecturer at University of Parakou, University of Pretoria
Benin’s smallholder dairy farmers need development finance to plant shady trees on the land where their cattle graze, to improve cattle health.
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