Toxic fungus from King Tutankhamun’s tomb yields cancer-fighting compounds – new study

| Insights & Views

In November 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter peered through a small hole into the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun. When asked if he could see anything, he replied: Yes, wonderful things. Within months, however, Carters...

When do we first feel pain?

| Insights & Views

At some point between conception and early childhood, pain makes its debut. But when exactly that happens remains one of medicines most challenging questions. Some have claimed that foetuses as young as twelve weeks can...

From Roman drains to ancient filters, these artefacts show how solutions to water contamination have evolved

| Insights & Views

A new exhibition in London (open until February 2026) called Thirst: In search of freshwater highlights how civilisations have treasured and been intrinsically linked to safe, clean water. As a chemist, I research how...

How Trump plays with new media says a lot about him – as it did with FDR, Kennedy and Obama

| Insights & Views

There is a strange and worrying parallel between the breakneck speed at which Donald Trump has operated in the first few months of his presidency and the ever-accelerating pace at which information moves on social media...

Why Asos should be wary of banning customers returning unwanted goods

| Insights & Views

Shopping for clothes online is a risky business. How do you know if that top will be a good fit, or those shoes will definitely be the right colour? One popular solution to this predicament is to order lots of tops and...

Humans and animals can both think logically − but testing what kind of logic they’re using is tricky

| Insights & Views

Can a monkey, a pigeon or a fish reason like a person? Its a question scientists have been testing in increasingly creative ways and what weve found so far paints a more complicated picture than youd think. Imagine youre...

Decades of South African research reveal key strategies to reduce water contamination in fruit and veg

| Insights & Views

Water is essential at all stages of food production, from irrigation to food processing to washing fruit and vegetables before we eat them. Crops and livestock need it to grow, but water can also be contaminated by...