The Conversation UK
Expert analysis by academics on politics, science, health, business, and more.
Ageing with purpose: the surprising science of frailty reversal
Some of the most powerful interventions to slow or improve frailty are also the most ordinary: regular movement, adequate nutrition and meaningful social connection. It almost sounds too simple for a condition now recognised as one of the strongest predictors of hospitalisation, disability, poor recovery from illness or surgery, nursing home
John of John: weaving an island tale of secrets that lie beneath repression and shame
Fifty pages into John of John, Douglas Stuart’s atmospheric third novel, you can almost feel the cold, damp air of the fictional Hebridean village of Falabay, and come to recognise its brooding and eccentric inhabitants like old friends and neighbours. Through a microcosm of everyday island life, Stuart demonstrates his finely honed skill in
The Enhanced Games: ‘dangerous clown show’ or a wake-up call for traditional sport?
Las Vegas has always had a reputation for doing things bigger, louder and glitzier than everyone else. On Sunday, May 24 2026 it continues that tradition when the inaugural Enhanced Games take place at a purpose-built entertainment centre at Resorts World, a giant hotel complex on the city’s famous strip. A one-day sports competition showcasi
‘AI needs to be disarmed’: Pope Leo sees threat to humanity in technological arms race
In the first landmark publication of his papacy, Pope Leo XIV has addressed recent advances in artificial intelligence by focusing on the threat it poses to workers, social justice and “the dignity of persons”. Presenting his first papal encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), at the Vatican on May 25, Leo declared: “Artif
Net migration and asylum claims have fallen – here’s what the latest figures tell us
The latest figures on immigration to the UK show a sharp decline in net migration, which is now at its lowest point since 2012, excluding the pandemic years. Data released by the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office covers the most recent changes in visas, small boat arrivals, asylum hotel use and overall migration levels. Sever
How ‘zebra striping’ on a night out can help you drink less – and potentially avoid a hangover
On a typical night out, the rhythm of drinking can be hard to control. Rounds arrive quickly, glasses are topped up before they’re empty, and intentions to “take it slow” often dissolve by the second or third drink. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself waking up with a dreaded hangover the next morning. A drinking trend known as “zebra
Asexual lizards, virgin births and clones – the all-female species of the animal kingdom
It may sound too bizarre to be true but the Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), a fish that inhabits rivers, lakes and swamps in Mexico and Texas, exists over much of its range in populations that are 100% female. In 1932, the Amazon molly became the first known vertebrate to reproduce by cloning itself, producing all-female populations. A new g
Why warmer UK summers could make staycations the money-smart choice
For decades, the British summer holiday has carried one basic assumption: if you want reliable sun, you leave the UK. Spain, Greece, Turkey, Portugal and Italy have offered what Britain could not always guarantee: warmth, blue skies and the feeling of a proper summer break. But climate change is beginning to alter the financial logic of that