menu_open Columnists

The Conversation
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

A potted history of fermented foods – from pickles to kimchi

People have been fermenting food since before the written word.

latest 30

The Conversation

Serin Quinn

How a popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences – new study

New research reveals how widely used sugar alternative erythritol damages brain protection systems.

latest 10

The Conversation

Havovi Chichger

Three types of drought – and why there’s no such thing as a global water crisis

While drought is intensifying, its causes and consequences vary. Here’s how.

latest 7

The Conversation

Filippo Menga

I watched a simulated oil spill in the Indian Ocean – here’s how island and coastal countries worked together to avoid disaster

A security specialist in the Western Indian Ocean sees how countries work together to counter the threat of a massive oil spill.

latest 10

The Conversation

Kate Sullivan De Estrada

BBC Verify largely factchecks international stories – what about UK politics?

Domestic political stories were more likely to have context added, rather than claims challenged.

latest 6

The Conversation

Stephen Cushion

The hidden history behind every rose blooming this summer

Roses don’t look beautiful by accident - humans and nature have shaped them.

latest 5

The Conversation

Alexander Bowles

How a popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences

New research reveals how widely used sugar alternative erythritol damages brain protection systems.

latest 0

The Conversation

Havovi Chichger

Three reasons buffets can be a recipe for a health disaster – and how to keep diners safe

One tray of lasagne. Twenty strangers. Shared spoons. What could go wrong? Here’s what every buffet-goer should know.

latest 0

The Conversation

Kimon-Andreas Karatzas

Is a ‘nanny state’ a price worth paying to keep the NHS free? The evidence shows it could work

When it comes to healthcare, state intervention can save lives and money.

latest 2

The Conversation

Renaud Foucart

How young people have taken climate justice to the world’s international courts

Four international courts are due to deliver advisory opinions on how governments are legally responsible for climate justice.

latest 2

The Conversation

Susan Ann Samuel

Teenagers aren’t good at spotting misinformation online – research suggests why

Teenagers may think that misinformation is limited to certain kinds of content.

latest 1

The Conversation

Yvonne Skipper

Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge

Sanseitō, an ultranationalist populist party, gained in Japan’s elections after framing immigration as a central issue.

latest 1

The Conversation

Rin Ushiyama

Are you ageing well? Take the five-part quiz that could help change your future

Ageing well isn’t about luck – it’s about habits.

latest 0

The Conversation

Jitka Vseteckova

Why it’s not a problem that dinosaurs are sold for millions of dollars – art historian

A ceratosaurus fossil has sold for US$30 million in New York, infuriating many dinosaur experts. Here’s why they ought to think again.

latest 0

The Conversation

Mark Westgarth

From painkillers to antibiotics: five medicines that could harm your hearing

Hearing loss isn’t just caused by loud noise – some medicines can harm your ears from the inside out.

latest 0

The Conversation

Dipa Kamdar

Exercise could ease symptoms for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) – new study

Exercise could ease symptoms for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) – new study

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common adult blood cancer in the western world, and it predominantly affects older adults. Most...

friday 6

The Conversation

David Bartlett

Automatic voter registration: a huge step forward for democracy – and a chance to bring missing millions into elections

Automatic voter registration: a huge step forward for democracy – and a chance to bring missing millions into elections

The UK government has announced planned changes to elections which it claims to be “the boldest and most ambitious change to our democracy for...

friday 2

The Conversation

Toby James

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet

Pollution causes more illness and early death than any other environmental threat, accounting for one in six deaths worldwide. For decades, the US...

friday 5

The Conversation

Scott Glaberman

Going on holiday? What you need to know about taking your meds with you

Going on holiday? What you need to know about taking your meds with you

As summer holidays begin, many travellers are packing more than just swimsuits and sunscreen – for millions, medicines are essential. But taking...

friday 1

The Conversation

Dipa Kamdar

Decoding hints that Xi Jinping may be under pressure to relinquish some of his power

Decoding hints that Xi Jinping may be under pressure to relinquish some of his power

Political and economic pressures might force Chinese president and overall leader Xi Jinping to delegate some of his powers to his deputies in a...

friday 2

The Conversation

Chee Meng Tan

Testosterone gel: what happens if it rubs off on other people

Testosterone gel: what happens if it rubs off on other people

A case that first appeared in a medical journal several years ago has recently resurfaced in the media, highlighting an unexpected risk of hormone...

friday 2

The Conversation

Daniel Kelly

Why did the government hide a data leak about Afghans working with British forces and why did the courts finally reveal it?

Why did the government hide a data leak about Afghans working with British forces and why did the courts finally reveal it?

When thousands of Afghans were quietly flown to the UK under a secret relocation scheme, few knew it was triggered by an error. A defence official...

friday 4

The Conversation

Alexandros Antoniou

How to understand the row between Angela Rayner and Unite – and what it means for Labour’s relationship with the unions

How to understand the row between Angela Rayner and Unite – and what it means for Labour’s relationship with the unions

At its recent conference in Brighton, the union Unite voted overwhelmingly to expel deputy prime minister Angela Rayner from membership. The...

friday 1

The Conversation

Eric Shaw

Afghan data leak: how selective state secrecy and cover-ups can harm civilians

Afghan data leak: how selective state secrecy and cover-ups can harm civilians

In 2022, somebody in the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) mistakenly shared a spreadsheet containing the personal information associated with 18,714...

friday 1

The Conversation

Victoria Canning

Israel is exploiting the vacuum left by southern Syria’s sectarian clashes and a weak state

Israel is exploiting the vacuum left by southern Syria’s sectarian clashes and a weak state

Several days of bitter sectarian fighting in the south of Syria has brought the fledgling government in Damascus dangerously close to direct...

friday 2

The Conversation

Rob Geist Pinfold

Going on holiday? Here’s how to make sure your trip is sustainable

Going on holiday? Here’s how to make sure your trip is sustainable

With the rise of sustainable tourism (travelling in a way that minimises harm to the environment, and benefits local communities), words such as “...

friday 1

The Conversation

Sayed Elhoushy

It doesn’t have to be welfare versus warfare. Changes that make tax fairer could fund both

It doesn’t have to be welfare versus warfare. Changes that make tax fairer could fund both

Historically, UK spending on defence has often been pitted against welfare, education and local government. But at a time when the government has...

friday 2

The Conversation

Giray Gozgor

A brief art history of adultery

A brief art history of adultery

A stolen glance across a crowded room, a shadowy figure slipping through a doorway, a lover hidden behind a curtain – adultery has long been a...

friday 3

The Conversation

Natalie Hanley-Smith

Cynthia Erivo will be the most talked about Jesus of 2025 – but women have long retold the gospel

Cynthia Erivo will be the most talked about Jesus of 2025 – but women have long retold the gospel

Cynthia Erivo, the award-winning actor and star of Wicked, will play Jesus Christ at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles between August 1 and 3 2025....

friday 3

The Conversation

Sarah Parkhouse

‘People who spent years saving lives are now struggling to survive’ – how we witnessed Trump’s USAID cuts devastate health programmes in Kenya

‘People who spent years saving lives are now struggling to survive’ – how we witnessed Trump’s USAID cuts devastate health programmes in Kenya

My phone wouldn’t stop ringing – nurses, social workers, young mothers – all begging for help. ‘I’ve lost my job,’ ‘I have no food,’ ‘What do we do...

friday 5

The Conversation

Rachael Eastham

Scroll, watch, burn: sunscreen misinformation and its real‑world damage

Scroll, watch, burn: sunscreen misinformation and its real‑world damage

On a sunny afternoon, I was scrolling through social media when I came across a video of a young woman tossing her sunscreen into a bin. “I don’t...

friday 1

The Conversation

Rachael Kent

Bluetongue outbreak endangers UK livestock – what you need to know about the virus

Bluetongue outbreak endangers UK livestock – what you need to know about the virus

A tiny midge, no bigger than a pinhead, is bringing UK farming to its knees. The culprit? A strain of the bluetongue virus that’s never been seen...

friday 1

The Conversation

Cate Williams

Britain’s ban on lead ammunition could save tens of thousands of birds from poisoning

Britain’s ban on lead ammunition could save tens of thousands of birds from poisoning

The UK’s environment minister Emma Hardy has announced a ban on toxic lead ammunition to protect Britain’s countryside. This ban includes the sale...

friday 1

The Conversation

Deborah Pain

Lions rugby tour: why visual training, including juggling, can be a secret weapon in elite sports

Lions rugby tour: why visual training, including juggling, can be a secret weapon in elite sports

Much of the pre-series attention on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia has been on injuries, player omissions and personal...

friday 1

The Conversation

Zoe Wimshurst

Cognitive warfare: why wars without bombs or bullets are a legal blind spot

Cognitive warfare: why wars without bombs or bullets are a legal blind spot

Imagine waking up to the news that a deadly new strain of flu has emerged in your city. Health officials are downplaying it, but social media is...

friday 4

The Conversation

David Gisselsson Nord

What will batteries of the future be made of? Four scientists discuss the options – podcast

What will batteries of the future be made of? Four scientists discuss the options – podcast

The majority of the world’s rechargeable batteries are now made using lithium-ion. Most rely on a combination of different rare earth metals such...

17.07.2025 10

The Conversation

Gemma Ware

Trump’s changing stance on Epstein files is testing the loyalty of his Maga base

Trump’s changing stance on Epstein files is testing the loyalty of his Maga base

During his 2024 US presidential election campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said he would declassify and release the files related to Jeffrey...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Robert Dover

New discovery at Cern could hint at why our universe is made up of matter and not antimatter

New discovery at Cern could hint at why our universe is made up of matter and not antimatter

Why didn’t the universe annihilate itself moments after the big bang? A new finding at Cern on the French-Swiss border brings us closer to...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

William Barter

Will Donald Trump get Vladimir Putin (before Maga gets Trump)?

Will Donald Trump get Vladimir Putin (before Maga gets Trump)?

This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Jonathan Este

Bitter melon for diabetes? Fenugreek for cholesterol? The research behind ancient remedies

Bitter melon for diabetes? Fenugreek for cholesterol? The research behind ancient remedies

Herbs like ashwagandha and turmeric are now widely recognised as part of the global wellness lexicon. But ayurveda, India’s traditional system of...

17.07.2025 1

The Conversation

Dipa Kamdar

Reform spent just £5.5m on the 2024 election, while Labour’s majority cost £30m – new data

Reform spent just £5.5m on the 2024 election, while Labour’s majority cost £30m – new data

The 2024 election was the most expensive in British political history, new figures confirm. Across parties, candidates and third parties, a whopping...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Sam Power

Incels, misogyny, role models: what England’s new relationships and sex education lessons will cover – and how young people will benefit

Incels, misogyny, role models: what England’s new relationships and sex education lessons will cover – and how young people will benefit

Sex and relationships education for children at primary and secondary state-funded schools in England will see significant changes following the...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Sophie King-Hill

Japan and South Korea can show governments how to compete with China and US

Japan and South Korea can show governments how to compete with China and US

Governments around the world are hustling. European policymakers, for example, are eager to boost the region’s industrial relevance in a world...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Robyn Klingler-Vidra

Starmer’s suspension of ‘rebel’ MPs risks alienating his party in a way he can’t afford

Starmer’s suspension of ‘rebel’ MPs risks alienating his party in a way he can’t afford

Political parties with commanding parliamentary majorities are often tempted by the promise of assertive leadership and decisive action. Yet, as...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Tony Mcnulty

Israel: Netanyahu considering early election but can he convince people he’s winning the war?

Israel: Netanyahu considering early election but can he convince people he’s winning the war?

One of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, Shas, has announced it will resign from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The party...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Brian Brivati

The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it

The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it

Why do people care about coral reefs? Why does their damage cause such concern and outrage? What drives people to go to great lengths to protect...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Tim Lamont

Why the UK’s butterflies are booming in 2025

Why the UK’s butterflies are booming in 2025

Biodiversity is in rapid decline, across the UK and globally. Butterflies are excellent for helping us understand these changes. Where butterfly...

17.07.2025 2

The Conversation

Willow Neal

Babies born with DNA from three people hailed as breakthrough – but questions remain

Babies born with DNA from three people hailed as breakthrough – but questions remain

Ten years after the UK became the first country to legalise mitochondrial donation, the first results from the use of these high-profile...

17.07.2025 1

The Conversation

Cathy Herbrand

UK to lower voting age to 16 – a once-in -a-generation opportunity to secure the future health of British democracy

UK to lower voting age to 16 – a once-in -a-generation opportunity to secure the future health of British democracy

The UK government has announced that the voting age will be lowered to 16 at the next election as part of a wider effort to restore trust in and “...

17.07.2025 1

The Conversation

Andrew Mycock

Why some ‘biodegradable’ wet wipes can be terrible for the environment

Why some ‘biodegradable’ wet wipes can be terrible for the environment

Have you felt disgust when taking a walk along the riverside or plunging into the sea to escape the summer heat, only to spy a used wet wipe...

17.07.2025 1

The Conversation

Daniel James Jolly