Aliens, very strange universes and Brexit – Martin Rees Q&A
The Astronomer Royal answers some of the world's – and the universe's – biggest questions.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
What’s the best source of protein for building muscle – meat or plants?
New research on whether animal- or plant-based protein sources are better have been severely misrepresented.
Elon Musk wants to merge man and machine – here’s what he’ll need to work out
It's a slow process, but billionaires like Musk push boundaries and help researchers set long-term goals for developing brain-computer interfaces.
The Conversation quiz #5
Ten questions. On your marks. Get set. Go.
How the Great Repeal Bill could turn into a major government power grab
The white paper proposing post-Brexit legal changes is deceptively technical. In reality, it has much wider implications.
‘Machine folk’ music composed by AI shows technology’s creative side
Rather than replace humans, AI could actually boost our creativity.
Liberating Mosul is one thing – next comes the real challenge for Iraq
Islamic State will change tack after Mosul, but Iraq isn't ready for what comes next.
Stakes for South Africa’s democracy are high as Zuma plunges the knife
The focus will now be on how the social democratic and left-leaning members of South Africa's cabinet -- the "constitutionalists" -- will respond to the reshuffle.
Scotland’s dazzling visitor attraction numbers are not quite what they seem
Are Edinburgh Castle et al really acing their English equivalents?
Firing of South Africa’s finance minister puts the public purse in Zuma’s hands
South African President Jacob Zuma has replaced the finance minister and his deputy with appointments that would allow looting of the national purse.
May’s warning to EU over security has been called blackmail – but it’s more likely a bluff
The prime minister has linked continued security cooperation with the EU to a successful trade deal. Was that wise?
Thing-ification: why the human face of work needs to be brought back in
We spend most of our waking hours at work, but are we really ourselves when we step through the door?
Public Health England’s new guideline for the food industry is unlikely to curb obesity
Body weight is a complex issue and going after one culprit is not enough.
How Britain’s monolingualism will hold back its economy after Brexit
The cultivation of language experts in post-Brexit Britain is essential if it wants to connect with fresh markets overseas.
10 things every child with autism wishes you knew
Because the world can look different to a child on the autism spectrum.
Why have there been so few protests against Brexit?
Although thousands have taken to the streets, protests against Brexit have been muted.
New welfare reforms put extra pressure on single parents to enter paid work
From April, single parents will have to look for work when their youngest child turns three.
The science of gossip: four ways to make it less toxic
Gossiping may well be toxic and harmful in certain situations but there are ways to engage in "good gossip" that can reap rewards in social groups.
The British media’s progressives are coming round to Scottish independence
London's media were unified against Scottish separatism in 2014. Second time around, the picture is more complicated.
The strange science of odour memory
Studying odour memory is more than just an interesting diversion, it has practical uses too.
How football’s richest clubs fail to pay staff a real living wage
The wealth bonanza enjoyed by top flight football clubs does not trickle down to many of their employees.
What Britain’s post-Brexit immigration policy could look like
The options on the table for the UK when it comes to that most contentious of issues.
The Brexit divorce bill explained
Will the UK have to pay a vast sum of money to the EU in order to leave it – or will it get cash back?
EU wildlife laws should be celebrated – and retained – not treated as red tape
Some Brexiteers see EU withdrawal as an excuse to weaken environmental protections.
How breast milk could help prevent the antibiotic apocalypse
A compound in human breastmilk can reverse antibiotic resistance in bugs such as MRSA. Researchers hope we can soon start trialling it.
Act tough and hide weakness: research reveals pressure young men are under
Young interviewees speak of the pressure to conform to certain ideals of masculinity.
America’s evangelical Christian right isn’t the political force it once was
The religious right's leaders are old men, and the generation coming up behind them is something quite different.
Podcasts
The Anthill
We unearth some of the best and brightest research from the world of academia.
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Donald Trump
Defrosting relations with Russia and debunking ‘grand narratives’
The rocky relationship between Russia and the West is on a knife edge. But simple dialogue and face-to-face discussions can go a long way to easing tensions.
FBI’s Russia probe threatens a reckoning for team Trump
The slow drip of leaks about the Trump team's Russian connections has given way to something much more threatening.
Do Brexit and Trump show that we’re living in a computer simulation?
Surely no super intelligence would be that cruel.
Trump’s planned military buildup is based on faulty claims, not good strategy
Trump's first budget proposal would boost defense spending by US$52 billion, but his desired military buildup is premised on misleading claims and lacks a strategic vision.
Trump versus the intelligence agencies – we’ve seen it all before
History is littered with the debris of the all too often abusive relationship between the intelligence community and those in power.
Everything you wanted to know about @realdonaldtrump’s Twitter habit
Is there method behind the US president's seeming social media incontinence?
Brexit
What a ‘no deal’ Brexit would mean for healthcare of British pensioners in Spain
The worst case scenario could put pressure on the NHS.
How Brexit border debate could affect human trafficking into UK
While the UK argues over 'hard' or 'soft' Brexit, thousands of trafficked people continue to live in slavery.
Brexit causes anguish on Gibraltar
With Spain spying an opportunity and major questions about economic stability, Brexit is causing sleepless nights on the Rock.
Not long ago, there was a British European identity – so what happened?
Children in the 1940s were brought up believing that European identity was the way forward – so what went wrong?
Food Security
Food security looks very different depending on where you are sitting
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to global food insecurity except that the West needs to learn to consume, and waste, less.
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Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
How a rugged Soviet relic became one of the car industry’s most iconic survivors
The Lada Niva is 40 years old – and it could just be the best 4x4 ever made.
Scientists create electric circuits inside plants
Do androids smell electric roses?
Robots and AI could soon have feelings, hopes and rights … we must prepare for the reckoning
We have long believed ourselves to be the only intelligent beings on Earth – that may soon change and the consequences will be dramatic for law, politics and society in general.
Choosy consumers drive a near 1,000% spike in vanilla prices
Scientists' success in producing synthetic vanilla flavouring means it is used 99% of the time. So why does the price of genuine beans keep rising?
How the Italian Futurists shaped the aesthetics of modernity in the 20th century
A transcript from a segment of The Anthill podcast about the futuristic visions of Filippo Marinetti.
Oscars Best Picture blunder drowned out an overwhelmingly political ceremony – how apt
The overwhelming politicism of this year’s awards have been overtaken by the Best Picture slip up.
Why science fiction set in the near future is so terrifying
Near-future science fiction is on the rise, but is it foreshadowing the rise of the machines?
Events
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Peeling back the label - Food regulation in post Brexit UK — Manchester Metropolitan University
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The Micro:bit Story: The Highs and Lows of Creating a Million Tiny Computers — Lancaster University
How we are different
10 reasons
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