
Microplastics: are they poisoning crops and jeopardising food production?
Microplastics are hindering photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert energy from the sun into the fruit and vegetables we eat. This threatens massive losses in crop and seafood production over the coming decades...

If we fully engage with how generative AI works, we can still create original art
Even before the recent protest by a group of well-known musicians at the UK governments plans to allow AI companies to use copyright-protected work for training, disquiet around artists rights was already growing. In early...

Why nicotine pouches may not be the best choice to help you to stop smoking
If you are trying to stop smoking, you may have heard of nicotine patches or gum to help reduce cravings. But how about nicotine pouches? Small, tobacco-free sachets containing a powder made up of nicotine, flavourings and...
Eight ways to reduce your stroke risk – no matter what your age you are
Sarayut Sridee/Shutterstock As a nurse working in a neurocritical care, I witnessed the sudden and devastating effects of stroke on survivors and their carers. Following my nursing career, I became a researcher...
Evolution: features that help finding a mate may lead to smaller brains
Male southern elephant seals are much larger than females. Jeremy Richards/Shutterstock A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is how sexual selection influences how entire genomes develop. Sexual selection is...

Why the future of women’s rugby in England looks stronger than ever
The womens rugby side Gloucester-Hartpury have had a pretty good season. On March 16 they won their third Premiership Womens Rugby Championship in a row, beating Saracens 31-19 in the final. But the sport as a whole is...

European defence spending: three technical reasons for political cooperation
How much would it really cost the European Union to defend itself against aggression? In the immediate term, that question, of course makes us think of Russia, but we can no longer exclude multiple other possibilities,...