Paul Hudson, Leiden University From the Czech Republic to Spain, Europe has been plagued by devastating floods this autumn. Climate scientists agree that severe flooding was probably driven by climate change resulting in record-breaking rainfall. Warmer temperatures increase the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, especially over warmer oceans, which increases the
Ph. A tethered Episyrphus balteatus hoverfly. Richard Massy, CC BY-NC-ND Richard J. Massy, University of Exeter Name an animal that migrates. You might think of the long migrations of humpback whales crossing the Pacific Ocean or flocks of geese flying noisily overhead. But, did you know that huge numbers of insects make ultra-long
Natasha Lindstaedt, University of Essex When I was buying coffee at a cafe owned by a Syrian man in the UK on Sunday, I asked him what he made of the news that longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad had been ousted from power. He responded optimistically that he and the 7 million Syrians that
The killing of a UnitedHealthcare executive has prompted a closer look at the health insurance industry. AP Photo/Jim Mone Simon F. Haeder, Texas A&M University The U.S. health care system leaves much to be desired. It is convoluted, fragmented, complex and confusing. Experts have also raised concerns about quality, and disparities are rampant.
Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham and Tetyana Malyarenko, National University Odesa Law Academy US president-elect Donald Trump has invited China’s president Xi Jinping to his inauguration on January 20 in a surprise move which appears to be part of a plan to involve Beijing in ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine. Just after his recent
The era of climate change as a distant concept or a matter for academic discourse has passed. It is now a stark and undeniable truth, evidenced by rising temperatures, intensifying weather extremes, and rapidly diminishing ice caps. These are not abstract phenomena—they are the visible warning signs of a planet in distress. The
Asia, the world’s largest and most diverse continent, thrives on its intricate web of waterways, which serve as lifelines for its inhabitants, economies, and ecosystems. These rivers, lakes, and canals are far more than geographic entities—they form the backbone of ancient civilisations, support bustling modern cities, and sustain diverse ecological landscapes. From the
Title: Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life Author: Michael Caine Pages: 272 Michael Caine, the inimitable Hollywood icon with a career spanning over seven decades, invites readers into his world in Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life. As much a memoir as it is a
When oceanographer Toste Tanhua and his research team set up a trial system to monitor aquaculture conditions near Barcelona in 2023, they were keenly aware of the havoc a powerful storm had wreaked on the region three years earlier. Storm Gloria ravaged southeast Spain in January 2020, killing 13 people and causing millions
Henning Melber, University of Pretoria Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (72) is almost guaranteed a place in Namibian history as the first woman to become the president of the southern African nation of three million people. At Namibia’s independence in 1990, “NNN”, as she is widely known, became a member of the national assembly. She has