By Melissa Butcher, Professor Emeritus, Social and Cultural Geography, Royal Holloway University of London
Amy Buller’s Darkness of Germany describes the difficult decisions Germans faced as fascists took over their country – including whether to flee or stay and fight.
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By Reiner Jumpertz-von Schwartzenberg, Professorship for Clinical Metabolism and Obesity Research, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen
More than 2.5 billion adults worldwide are currently overweight or obese, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. This staggering number highlights a growing global health crisis. Obesity isn’t just about weight – it’s a powerful risk factor for a range of serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, heart attacks, and strokes. As awareness grows, more people are asking a critical question: how can I lose weight and stay healthy in the long run?
Obesity…
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By Karen Wright, Lecturer in Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University
Digestive issues like IBS and SIBO can mimic each other, but understanding their differences – and the role of our gut microbiome – could be key to feeling better.
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By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex
The Russian leader, Vladmir Putin, has announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine to commence on May 8, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the second world war. The Kremlin says “all hostilities will be suspended” during this period and has made it clear it expects Ukraine to follow suit.
Ukraine responded by calling for an immediate month-long ceasefire and questioned Russia’s commitment…
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By Amy Tatum, Lecturer in Communication and Media, Bournemouth University
At a rally in November 2024, Donald Trump told the women of America that whether they “like it or not, I’m going to protect them”. And in his first 100 days as president, Trump has taken his role in a direction that leans into the most traditional form of patriarchy – a protector who knows what is best for women despite their demands to the contrary.
In his leadership of the Republican party and his administration – and, crucially, in the executive orders he has…
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By Rachel Stuart, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Deviant Identities, Brunel University of London
Warning: this article contains minor spoilers for Sinners.
Sinners is a vampire film set in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, a time of harsh segregation and racial injustice. The vampire is Irishman Remmick (Jack O'Connell), who is drawn to the blues music played at the Juke Joint, a club set up by identical gangster twins, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan).
We first encounter Remmick as he is being chased by a band of indigenous Choctaw vampire hunters, who corner him in the shack of a couple who happen to be part of the Ku Klux Klan. The Choctaw’s claim…
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By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University
Nasal decongestant sprays are a popular remedy for relieving nasal congestion caused by colds, allergies and sinus infections. These sprays provide quick relief allowing for easier breathing. However, while they can be effective in the short term, overusing nasal decongestant sprays can lead to serious health issues.
In April 2025, ITV news reported on people who became dependent on nasal sprays. Many others went on to share similar experiences on social media…
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By Judith Schomaker, Assistant Professor, Department of Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Leiden University
When getting ready to take exams, it can sometimes feel as though there’s no way all the information you need to remember is going to fit in your brain. But there are ways to create the right conditions to make your studying as efficient as possible.
My research into the science of memory shows that both novelty – new experiences – and familiarity can affect memory. You can use novelty to prime yourself for learning, and familiarity to organise your memory and retain knowledge.
To start with, this might mean going for a walk in an unfamiliar part of your neighbourhood…
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By Alexandre Pace, PhD Candidate in Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies, Concordia University
The effects of climate change are complex, especially on the water cycle. As we seek to better understand human-driven climate changes, long-term baselines for environmental data are essential.
However, records of past environmental conditions are too short to give us a robust understanding of how these systems have changed over time. One solution is to look at natural archives.
There are many natural processes that leave behind records of past environmental conditions, including…
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By Human Rights Watch
Click to expand Image US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks after being sworn in by Vice President JD Vance near the White House in Washington, DC, January 21, 2025. © 2025 AP Photo/Evan Vucci (Washington, DC) – The Trump administration’s new US State Department structure may further hamstring rights and justice-related work, with programming already decimated by foreign aid cuts, Human Rights Watch said today. The new structure eliminates several human rights-focused offices and senior positions.On April 22, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a “comprehensive reorganization…
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