Conversation news

Salem's Lot screen grab

Salem鈥檚 Lot: a faithful but shallow adaptation of Stephen King鈥檚 classic vampire novel

The vampire story dwells among the undead of literary and cinematic genres, ever available for reanimation. This year alone has seen the publication of more than 30 vampire novels in the US (from Rachel Harrison鈥檚 So Thirsty to K. M. Enright鈥檚 Mistress of Lies), alongside the release of several vampire movies, including Abigail (with Nosferatu, rebooting the silent German classic, due at Christmas).
A busy London street with Big Ben in the distance

New rights for UK workers are unlikely to put enough money in the pockets of those who need it

Sarah was in a comfortable job, working for an archaeology business before being diagnosed with cancer. Much of her 20-year career had left her with reliable employment rights in the civil service.
A close up of an arm lifting dumbbells from a rack

Scientists recently studied the body of one of the world鈥檚 strongest men. This is what they found

The development of 鈥渟uperhuman鈥� strength and power has long been admired in many cultures across the world.

Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies are a reminder of how easily your devices can be hacked 鈥� here鈥檚 how to make sure they are safe

The recent attacks on walkie-talkies and pagers in Lebanon have highlighted the hidden vulnerabilities in everyday technology. These incidents underscore the need for individuals to understand the potential risks associated with their devices and to take proactive steps to protect themselves in an increasingly digital world where safety can be compromised.

Five films and TV shows about Operation Market Garden, recommended by a war historian

Operation Market Garden 鈥� the 80th anniversary of which takes place over September 17-25 鈥� has gone down in history as a strategic failure. The brainchild of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, this military operation was intended to hasten the end of the second world war.
a child jumping over a plastic hoops

Too many disabled young people are missing out on PE 鈥� here鈥檚 how that could change

The聽UK government聽has called on schools to do more to enhance opportunities in PE and sport for disabled young people.
Screenshot from the Netflix show The Perfect Couple

The Perfect Couple: a cocktail of Succession, The White Lotus and Agatha Christie that ultimately fails to deliver

鈥淣antucket!鈥� exclaims Ishmael, the narrator of Herman Melville鈥檚 Moby-Dick (1851). 鈥淟ook at it 鈥� a mere hillock, and elbow of sand; all beach, without a background.鈥�
Katseye K-pop band

The harsh process of becoming a K-pop star is opening to western performers

Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience is a six-part reality show following five British trainees over 100 days as they debut as a Korean-pop (K-pop) idol boy group called Dear Alice. In collaboration with SM Entertainment, a K-pop powerhouse, the show will introduce the behind-the-scenes of making a K-pop idol through an immersive training system.
silhouette of a woman writing with a quill

The Amorous Prince by Aphra Behn was the #MeToo play of the 17th century

Seventeenth-century writer Aphra Behn (1640-89) made her name in London鈥檚 theatre world as the playwright who provided the Duke鈥檚 Theatre Company (the theatre company chartered by King Charles II at the start of the Restoration era) with some of its biggest hits.

a line of police stand in debris thrown during a riot

The trouble with England 鈥� why rioting in the UK has not spread to Scotland and Wales

The violent unrest that has caused so much damage in the UK has not in fact happened across the UK. It has almost been exclusively confined to England.
someone typing an online review

The good, the bad and the awful 鈥� how business reacts to online reviews

Every day travellers across the globe are flocking to popular destinations, eager to relax and create memories.
Computer chip made from trees

Four ways to make AI algorithms more sustainable and better for consumers

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies become more embedded into our everyday lives and business operations, their high energy demands and environmental impacts call for a more sustainable approach to building algorithms 鈥� the sets of instructions used to inform this technology.
rural Zimbabwe mountains in the background three huts in the foreground

Green energy for all: Zimbabwe will need a new social contract to roll out projects like solar power

The Zimbabwean government is racing against time to meet the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goal 7: affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030. However, the race towards green energy is top-down and mostly privatised. New technology is being introduced or sold to individuals or small families, but renewable energy is not being made part of a decent life for the entire community. Sustainable transitions researchers Ellen Fungisai Chipango and Long Seng To have researched ways to use the communal ethic of African ubuntu, expressed as 鈥渁 person is a person through other persons鈥�, in the rollout of renewable energy.
An aerial shot of the River Seine in Paris. The Eiffel Tower can be seen to the left.

Paris 2024 Olympics: is open-water swimming in the Seine safe?

Open-water swimming events at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris could be scuppered by the Seine river, where bathing has been prohibited since 1923.
Outline drawing of a mother and child

Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood by Hettie Judah celebrates the craft and chaos of mother artists

In her new book Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood, art critic Hettie Judah shows that motherhood has played a significant role in the history of art. Not only in the ways that both motherhood and mothering have been depicted, but also in the way that artists who are mothers have created representations of their experiences, and in doing so shaped their artistic identities.
A handshake

How to resolve friendship tension like Lorde and Charli XCX

Do these lyrics resonate with you? 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if you like me / Sometimes I think you might hate me / Sometimes I think I might hate you.鈥�
A newspaper being printed

Why legacy media brands still matter in the UK鈥檚 鈥榮ocial media election鈥�

For decades, the front pages of newspapers have documented iconic campaign moments. Now, many think that the internet (particularly social media platforms) is where an election is won or lost. Some have even dubbed this year鈥檚 general election the 鈥淭ikTok election鈥�.
The Normandy landings

D-day: how world leaders have made commemorations part of their diplomatic playbook

The 2024 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of D-day are the latest in a long line of commemorations in honour of the allied landings in Normandy, which began on June 6 1944.
Person checking starred reviews on their phone

How to spot fake online reviews (with a little help from AI)

Before you buy something, or visit a new restaurant, or see a new film, you may be tempted to check out the online reviews. Researching what strangers think of the things we might like has become a familiar part of the modern consumer experience.
Stylised graphic of Tokyo station with train in the background

Is the shine coming off Japan鈥檚 bullet trains?

Just ten days before the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, Japan opened its T艒kaid艒 Shinkansen, a high-speed rail line connecting Tokyo with Osaka. Shinkansen bullet trains showcased the high quality of Japanese railway technology to the world, with trains travelling at up to 285 km/h (177 mph).
A pair of reading glasses on a table in front of an eye test chart

How your vision can predict dementia 12 years before it is diagnosed 鈥� new study

The eyes can reveal a lot about the health of our brain. Indeed, problems with the eyes can be one of the earliest signs of cognitive decline. Our聽latest study shows聽that a loss of visual sensitivity can predict dementia 12 years before it is diagnosed.
A mobile phone with the words Fake News on the screen

Election disinformation: how AI-powered bots work and how you can protect yourself from their influence

Social media platforms have become more than mere tools for communication. They鈥檝e evolved into bustling arenas where truth and falsehood collide.
German flag surrounded by cannabis plants

Germany decriminalised cannabis: why the UK should consider doing the same

The German government has approved new legislation which decriminalises cannabis.
busy scene in a train station

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK鈥檚 stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has 鈥渢urned a corner鈥�. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain 鈥渂ounces back鈥�.
An image of Baltimore Key Bridge before its collapse.

Baltimore Key Bridge: how a domino effect brought it down in seconds

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on 26 March was a shocking and tragic event. Six people remain unaccounted for in the disaster, which saw the world鈥檚 third largest continuous truss bridge fall into the Patapsco river.