SYED ZAIN UMAR

You can now buy a DIY quantum computer

on March 21, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Qilimanjaro is selling a relatively cheap kit with everything you need for a quantum computer – you just need to be able to put it together

Inside the world’s first antimatter delivery service

on March 21, 2026 at 6:00 am

On Tuesday, CERN will transport antiprotons on a truck for the first time, testing the plan to deliver antimatter by road to research labs across Europe

We’ve spotted a huge asteroid spinning impossibly fast

on March 20, 2026 at 5:00 pm

Astronomers have found a 710-metre-wide asteroid that spins once every 1.9 minutes, so fast that it should have spun itself apart

Major leap towards reanimation after death as mammal’s brain preserved

on March 20, 2026 at 4:19 pm

A pig’s brain has been frozen with its cellular activity locked in place and minimal damage. Some believe the same could be done with the brains of people with a terminal illness, so their mind can be reconstructed and they can “continue with their life”

Private company to land on asteroid Apophis as it flies close to Earth

on March 20, 2026 at 2:52 pm

Apophis will be visited by multiple spacecraft – including landers – when it skims past Earth in three years

A negative attitude towards ageing is making you age faster

on March 20, 2026 at 9:00 am

We know that a person’s outlook can have a huge effect on their health, and it’s no different when it comes to ageing. Columnist Graham Lawton looks at new evidence of just how powerful our attitude is – and how to use it to age better

Probiotic cream that ramps up heat production could prevent frostbite

on March 19, 2026 at 5:07 pm

Tweaking our skin’s microbiome via a probiotic cream could prevent frostbite and hypothermia in extreme environments

Mathematician wins 2026 Abel prize for solving 60-year-old mystery

on March 19, 2026 at 11:00 am

Gerd Faltings shocked mathematicians around the world for his 1983 proof of the Mordell conjecture, which brought together seemingly disparate mathematical fields

Physicists create formula for how many times you can fold a crêpe

on March 19, 2026 at 10:00 am

When you fold a flexible material such as a pancake or a tortilla, its behaviour depends on a competition between gravity and elasticity

How worried should you be about ultra-processed foods?

on March 19, 2026 at 8:00 am

We are constantly told to watch out for the health risks of eating ultra-processed food, but should you be worried every time you sit down for a meal? Sam Wong takes a look at the evidence

Fluorescent ruby-like gems have been found on Mars for the first time

on March 18, 2026 at 7:00 pm

The Perseverance rover has found tiny crystals that seem to be rubies or sapphires inside pebbles on Mars, where they have never been seen before

Boosting the blood-brain barrier could avert brain damage in athletes

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

The neurodegenerative condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy appears to be driven by damage to the blood-brain barrier due to repetitive head injuries, like those that occur in boxing. This suggests that drugs that strengthen this barrier could prevent or slow the condition

Neanderthals may have treated wounds with antibiotic sticky tar

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Tar made from birch tree bark is commonly found at Neanderthal sites, and experiments show that it kills some bacteria that cause skin infections

Captivating space images show how it has inspired us through the ages

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

An upcoming book from presenter and author Dallas Campbell collects both iconic and lesser-known images of space, from illustration to photography

Rebecca Solnit: ‘The great majority of people want climate action’

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Climate activist and author Rebecca Solnit tells Rowan Hooper why she still has hope, even in these “catastrophic” times

What to read this week: Katrina Manson’s terrifying Project Maven

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

It is scarily fascinating to read about the US military’s journey into AI warfare in this deeply-researched book. But what happens next, asks Matthew Sparkes

It’s time to monetise the moon! Definitely! Maybe?

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Feedback discovers an accounting firm has unveiled its latest “lunar market assessment”, which predicts huge profits to be had. Suit up, lunar entrepreneurs!

New Scientist recommends Cirque du Soleil’s insect-themed OVO show

on March 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Will war in the Middle East accelerate the clean energy transition?

on March 18, 2026 at 4:28 pm

Disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has led to a spike in oil and natural gas prices, which could spur countries to boost the roll-out of renewable energy and electric vehicles

The mystery of how volcanic lightning happens has been solved

on March 18, 2026 at 4:00 pm

When particles in volcanic ash cloud rub together, some pick up positive charge and others negative – now physicists have finally elucidated how these different charges are determined

Steven Spielberg shares working experience with Tom Cruise

on March 23, 2026 at 5:24 am

Steven Spielberg shares working experience with Tom CruiseSteven Spielberg has finally revealed what it was really like to work with actor Tom Cruise.In a recent conversation with Sean Fennessey, the 79-year-old director reflected on his experience working with Tom, admitting that during their…

Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet plan to take their relationship to next level: Report

on March 23, 2026 at 4:29 am

Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet plan to take their relationship to next levelKylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet are reportedly set to take their serious relationship to the next level.On Sunday, an insider spilled to Us Weekly that The Kardashians star and the Marty Supreme actor…

‘Supernatural’ actress Carrie Anne Fleming’s cause of death revealed

on March 23, 2026 at 3:36 am

‘Supernatural’ actress Carrie Anne Fleming’s cause of death revealedCarrie Anne Fleming, best known for her roles in iZombie and Supernatural, has passed away at the age of 51.The actress breathed her last in Canada on February 26, following a breast cancer diagnosis.”She died peacefully with her…

Why Jessica Biel wants to ‘move past’ Justin Timberlake arrest drama?

on March 23, 2026 at 3:13 am

Jessica Biel wants to ‘move past’ Justin Timberlake arrest dramaJessica Biel is standing by husband Justin Timberlake, but she is not comfortable with the situation amid the release of footage from his 2024 DWI arrest.After a police body camera footage was released on March 20, from Timberlake’s…

Jude Law’s ex opens up as Chappell Roan denies involvement

on March 23, 2026 at 2:48 am

Jude Law’s ex opens up as Chappell Roan denies involvementJude’s Law ex, Catherine Harding, has reacted on the recent incident involving her 11-year-old daughter Ada Law and singer Chappell Roan.The 34-year-old mom, also known by moniker Cat Cavelli, shared her side of the story in an Instagram…

Sarah Ferguson breaks silence on claim about cloning Queen Elizabeth’s corgis

on March 23, 2026 at 1:22 am

Sarah Ferguson breaks silence on claim about cloning Queen Elizabeth’s corgisSarah Ferguson refuses the claims that she planned to clone Queen Elizabeth’s corgis.A spokesperson of Ferguson revealed to People that the former Duchess of Yorker never proposed to star in a reality show where she would…

Doja Cat’s family drama deepens as father speaks out

on March 23, 2026 at 12:37 am

Doja Cat’s family drama deepens as father speaks outDoja Cat’s family drama once again erupted involving her father, Dumisani Dlamini.Dlamini recently took to his Instagram account and posted several videos sharing his side of the story about his and daughter Doja Cat’s strained…

Khloe Kardashian reveals Lamar Odom divorce was ‘catalyst’ for major life change

on March 22, 2026 at 11:31 pm

Khloe Kardashian reveals divorce was ‘catalyst’ for major life changeKhloe Kardashian opened up about how her divorce from Lamar Odom shifted her perspective on a healthy lifestyle.In a recent chat on her podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land, the TV personality revealed she used to be a stress…

Michael B Jordan celebrates Oscar win with unexpected burger run

on March 22, 2026 at 10:15 pm

Michael B Jordan celebrates Oscar win with unexpected burger runMichael B Jordan is celebrating his Oscar win with a sweet tribute to his younger self.The “Black Panther” actor won the Best Actor award at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15 for his performance in “Sinners.”And to commemorate one…

Kurt Russell reveals real reason he, Goldie Hawn left Hollywood residence

on March 22, 2026 at 9:08 pm

Kurt Russell reveals real reason he and Goldie Hawn left HollywoodKurt Russell and Goldie Hawn found that leaving Hollywood for Colorado was better for them.The 75-year-old actor appeared in a recent interview with FOX News for the promotion of his new show, The Madison.During the coversation he…

Uma Thurman brings ‘wicked’ twist to new villain character, says Director

on March 22, 2026 at 8:08 pm

Uma Thurman brings ‘wicked’ twist to new villain character, says DirectorUma Thurman is coming back in the avatar of another villainous role.In a recent chat with People, the world premiere of “Pretty Lethal” in Texas, director Vicky Jewson gushed over Uma’s acting skills to play the villain role…

Kyle Richards drops big dating update

on March 22, 2026 at 6:55 pm

Kyle Richards drops big dating updateKyle Richards set the record straight about her love life.Following her split from longtime husband Mauricio Umansky, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star talked about her relationship status now.Speaking with People Magazine, Kyle confirmed that she’s…

‘Friends’ star Lisa Kudrow sparks debate with blunt ’90s comments

on March 22, 2026 at 5:13 pm

‘Friends’ star Lisa Kudrow sparks debate with blunt ’90s commentsLisa Kudrow is offering a fresh perspective on the ongoing resurgence of 1990s nostalgia.The actress spoke candidly while attending the premiere of The Comeback season 3 at SXSW in Austin, Texas, according to People Magazine.Lisa…

Sosie Bacon reveals what it’s really like working with famous parents

on March 22, 2026 at 3:30 pm

Sosie Bacon reveals what it’s really like working with famous parentsSosie Bacon opened up about working with famous parents Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon.In an interview with People Magazine, Sosie revealed that she almost rejected dad Kevin’s movie.Speaking at the premiere of family’s next…

Vin Diesel breaks hearts with emotional tribute to Paul Walker

on March 22, 2026 at 1:52 pm

Vin Diesel breaks hearts with emotional tribute to Paul WalkerVin Diesel has shared a heartfelt tribute to Paul Walker.Taking to Instagram, Vin left Fast & Furious fans emotional after sharing a photo of himself embracing younger brother of Paul, Cody Walker.The picture was captured during…

Rachael Leigh Cook opens up about ‘Josie and the Pussycats’ revival after 25 years

on March 22, 2026 at 12:23 pm

Rachael Leigh Cook opens up about ‘Josie and the Pussycats’ revival after 25 yearsRachael Leigh Cook has shared her true feelings, as Josie and the Pussycats is returning to find a whole new audience after 25 years.For those unaware, Cook played the role of Josie McCoy in the 2001 musical comedy…

Reese Witherspoon on her journey to becoming ‘powerhouse mogul’

on March 22, 2026 at 8:56 am

Photo: Reese Witherspoon reveals strong opinions on maturing with ageReese Witherspoon, who turned 22 years old on 22nd March 2026, seemingly has no fear of getting older. As per the latest report of The Mirror, Reese Witherspoon has voiced her take on the wisdom from the years and…

Ed Sheeran talks about his plans for baby no. 3: ‘They’re fun but it’s up and down when tantruming’

on March 22, 2026 at 7:44 am

Ed Sheeran talks about his plans for baby no. 3: ‘They’re fun but it’s up and down when tantruming’Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has tugged at heartstrings like no other and its come because he just got honest about wanting to become dad again, that too to a little girl, no…

Barry Keoghan exposes ‘nasty side’ of social media in heartbreaking confession

on March 22, 2026 at 6:58 am

Barry Keoghan exposes ‘nasty side’ of social media in heartbreaking confessionBarry Keoghan has lifted the lid on how he is being criticized online because of his looks.Keoghan sat with Ben Harlum for the Friday, March 20 episode of SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up, where he talked about…

Brooks Nader drops her biggest ‘regret’: ‘I shouldn’t say this’

on March 22, 2026 at 6:21 am

Brooks Nader drops her biggest ‘regret’: ‘I shouldn’t say this’Brooks Nader recently opened up about having liposuction “years ago.”On Friday, March 20, Nader attended Clarins Night of Extra at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, where she chatted with PEOPLE…

Middle East crisis live: Iran threatens to lay mines across entire Gulf if coasts are attacked as Israel warns war could continue for weeks

by Yohannes Lowe (now),Siraj Datoo and Adam Fulton (earlier) on March 23, 2026 at 8:55 am

Iran is ramping up its rhetoric on how it would respond to a major attack on the Kharg island or a coastal attackIran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plantsBritish prime minister Keir Starmer is set to chair an emergency meeting on the economic fallout from the war in Iran on Monday, with chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves and Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey also attending, the UK government has said.Financial markets face another turbulent week after Iran said it would strike its Gulf neighbours’ energy and water systems if Donald Trump followed through on his threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t fully open up the crucial strait of Hormuz.Topics expected to be covered are the economic impact of the crisis on families and businesses, energy security and the resilience of industry and supply chains alongside the international response. Continue reading…

FTSE 100 share index falls into correction territory as Trump’s Iran ultimatum rocks markets; four UK interest rate rises expected this year – business live

by Graeme Wearden on March 23, 2026 at 8:43 am

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsMiddle East crisis live: Starmer calls emergency meeting on UK economy; IEA open to releasing more oil stocksStarmer adviser urges ministers to look at profits cap for energy and petrol firmsWholesale gas prices in Europe have jumped in early trading.The UK month-ahead gas prices is up 3.1% at 155p per therm, nearly double their levels before the Iran conflict began. Continue reading…

Arson attack on London volunteer ambulances being treated as antisemitic hate crime, police say

by Kevin Rawlinson on March 23, 2026 at 8:39 am

Met says four vehicles from Jewish community service damaged in suspected arson attack in Golders GreenFour ambulances belonging to the Jewish community ambulance service have been set on fire in Golders Green, north London, with police saying they were treating the incident as an “antisemitic hate crime”.The prime minister, Keir Starmer, denounced it as a shocking attack on London’s Jewish community, while the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, called it cowardly. Mark Gardner, from the Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitism and provides security for the UK Jewish community, said it was an attack on Jews as well as an attack on the whole of society. Continue reading…

Long-awaited trial over Greece’s deadliest train crash begins

by Agence France-Presse in Athens on March 23, 2026 at 8:38 am

More than 30 people face charges after collision between two trains that killed 57 people in February 2023A long-awaited trial has opened over Greece’s worst train tragedy, which killed 57 people in 2023, leaving the entire country in shock.Thirty-six people face charges and over 350 witnesses are due to be heard at the trial that opened in the central city of Larissa, near where a freight train and a passenger train collided on 28 February 2023. Continue reading…

Stock markets plunge after Trump’s ultimatum on Iran

by Lauren Almeida on March 23, 2026 at 8:17 am

Stocks slump in Asia and Europe, gold slides and investors brace for higher oil prices after US president’s threatBusiness live – latest updatesMiddle East crisis – live updatesGlobal stock markets dropped sharply on Monday after Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants unless the strait of Hormuz is opened.Stock markets in Asia and Europe slumped at the start of the week. Japan’s Nikkei share index dropping by 3.4%, China’s CSI 300 down 2.8%, and the South Korean Kospi fell 6.5%. Continue reading…

Pilot and co-pilot killed after Air Canada jet collision at LaGuardia New York

by Reuters on March 23, 2026 at 8:01 am

Dozens injured and airport closed after landing plane collided with fire truck reportedly operated by policeThe pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport.NBC News, which reported the deaths, said dozens of others were injured in the incident. Continue reading…

Vincent in Brixon review – a radiant portrait of the artist as a young romantic

by David Jays on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

Orange Tree theatre, LondonVan Gogh is a restless soul who finds kinship – and possibly more – with his London landlady in this tender and full-hearted dramaThe young Vincent van Gogh spent a year in south London pursuing a fitful career as an art dealer, and may have had a relationship with his landlady or her daughter. Nicholas Wright’s 2002 play imagines this episode: in Georgia Green’s tender production, it emerges as far more than a footnote from art history.Landlady Ursula, clinging to crow-black widow’s weeds, feels her life is over. Vincent, all misdirected energy, tries to get his life started. In Wright’s telling, they share a mental perturbation: they uncover kinship in misery, then a romance that alleviates it. Continue reading…

The Last Blossom review – a yakuza faces his final reckoning in affecting anime

by Phuong Le on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

A talking balsam flower asks an elderley yakuza to weigh up a life of violence and kindness in Baku Kinoshita’s quietly contemplative taleAn original story from director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, this is the kind of quiet, contemplative anime feature that rarely gets a theatrical release. Enveloped in the dusk, the film opens in a lonely prison cell, home to the elderly former yakuza Akutsu. Now on his deathbed, he finds an unexpected confidant in … a talking balsam flower. (The legend goes that only newborns and the dying can converse with the plant.) Over the course of one sleepless night, his life story unfolds in bursts.Thirty years prior, another balsam flower also grows in the back yard of Akutsu’s humble house, which he shares with Nana and her baby son, Kensuke. The relationship between the taciturn man and the bubbly young woman is seemingly platonic; Kensuke is not his son. Yet there are hints of romantic attraction; they share bowls of piping hot ramen noodles, play endless rounds of Reversi, and join in harmonising the Ben E King classic Stand By Me. Continue reading…

Predatory feral ferrets removed from an island for the first time ever

by Patrick Barkham on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland is ferret-free after £4.5m five-year partnership led by RSPB NIPredatory feral ferrets have been removed from an island for the first time ever, in a boost for Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony.Rathlin Island is ferret-free after a £4.5m five-year partnership led by RSPB NI involving islanders, charities, volunteers and a red labrador called Woody. Continue reading…

Raheem Sterling still searching for Feyenoord form after De Klassieker flop

by Nick Ames at De Kuip on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

Former England forward started against Ajax but failed to make an impression and was hooked early on by Robin van PersieWhen the moment came, Raheem Sterling ran out of road. At long last a few yards of space had opened up and here, advertised by a spike in the decibel level around De Kuip, was an invitation to attack the Ajax right-back Lucas Rosa. There was no doubting what his mind intended to do: go around the outside, skitter along the byline and execute in the manner that has defined a largely brilliant career. For a split second the muscle memory seemed enough but Rosa’s angles were perfect and the legs had no way of compensating. Just as he had in a tighter spot before half-time, Sterling could only dribble the ball off the pitch.Four minutes later, he would be exiting it for good. Feyenoord had gone a goal down in De Klassieker to a drab, workmanlike Ajax and the unfortunate truth was that there was only one place to look. Continue reading…

Hull FC turn tide and tame Leeds before era-defining moment for Super League

by Aaron Bower at the MKM Stadium on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

A 24-16 win may mark turning point for Hull’s season, but greater change is afoot with investment talks looming on eve of league’s 30th birthdayIt may seem slightly churlish to suggest the pressure is rising in the lower reaches of Super League when the clocks haven’t even gone forward yet and the season is still in its early stages.But if there were any doubting clubs across the competition are feeling the heat despite there being no automatic relegation to the Championship, the news that filtered out from Huddersfield Giants on Sunday lunchtime that Luke Robinson had been relieved of his head coaching duties after a winless start to 2026 hammered the message home. Continue reading…

Premier League and Carabao Cup final: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

by Guardian sport on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

Kobbie Mainoo needs a power boost, Everton revel in home comforts but Brentford must rediscover their buzzPremier League top scorers: check the latest standingsOne theory behind Manchester City’s subpar 18 months is that the end is sliding into view on Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, and the fact that he may be considering life after City is transmitting itself to his players. Sunday’s Carabao Cup win goes some way to refuting that. Not only did he see off the challenge of his former apprentice Mikel Arteta, but it was vintage Guardiola on the touchline. He looked gobsmacked when decisions didn’t go his side’s way, produced a Chuck Norris tribute kick to an advertising hoarding when City took the lead then sprinted down the touchline, fists pumping, when Nico O’Reilly scored his second of a fairytale final for the club’s local lad. If Guardiola’s intense level of care has dropped, he’s disguising it well. Anybody writing off him – and City’s league title ambitions – would do well to remember just what level of manager we are dealing with here. Alex ReidMatch report: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester CityPlayer ratings: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester CityMatch report: Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest Continue reading…

‘I’m a big bear. I lumber’: showbiz superstar Richard Kind on delivering performances you can see from space

by Ryan Gilbey on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

The first time Kind starred in Nazi-spoof The Producers, he lost 30lb. Is he – and the West End – ready for his return? And why is he so worried about his old flatmate George Clooney?Richard Kind has played everything from a child’s imaginary friend in the Pixar fantasy Inside Out to a neighbour with antibiotic-resistant pinkeye in Only Murders in the Building. He was a physics savant with a sebaceous cyst in the Coen brothers’ A Serious Man, Joaquin Phoenix’s final tormentor in the nightmarish Beau Is Afraid and Larry David’s insufferable cousin Andy in Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he squabbled over the correct direction of travel for a Lazy Susan and became an accessory to the murder of a swan. “Ubiquitous?” splutters Kind, his letterbox mouth agape. “I’m all over the fucking place! Nobody works more than me.”We meet at the Garrick theatre in London, where the genial 69-year-old is beginning a seven-week stint in Mel Brooks’ bad-taste, Nazi-spoofing musical The Producers. Kind is temporarily taking over from Andy Nyman in the role of Broadway huckster Max Bialystock, who plans to swindle his backers by staging a surefire stinker called Springtime for Hitler and pocketing their investments when it closes prematurely. Continue reading…

Raye: This Music May Contain Hope review – a wildly ambitious epic of unbridled self-expression

by Alexis Petridis on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

(Human Re Sources)Almost overstuffed with musical ideas, the singer’s second studio album can be self-indulgent and messy, but it’s a heartfelt and exuberant grand statement from an artist determined to go her own wayLast autumn, Raye was the subject of a lengthy profile in a major fashion magazine. In it, the singer told an anecdote that placed her in precisely the position you would expect following her successful debut album: ensconced in the studio with a very big name producer, the better to capitalise on its success. But the recording session was, she suggested, “fuckshit”: the producer simply turned up with a beat and expected her to sing over it. Raye declined to, as she put it, “do that dance … I was just thinking: ‘Get me out of here.’”This story seems telling in light of This Music May Contain Hope, an album that very much suggests an artist determined to go her own way. It’s about an emotional breakdown occasioned by romantic woe, online criticism, a troubling call from her grandmother and, she notes, “seven negronis”. And, like Lily Allen’s West End Girl, it flies in the face of perceived wisdom about how people consume music in the streaming age, being a 17-track, 73-minute concept album divided into four sections and evidently intended to be listened to from start to finish. Continue reading…

Is it true that … you need to work out if you want to lose weight?

by Kate Lloyd on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

To shift the pounds you need to create a calorie deficit, which means changes to your diet, exercise, or a combination of the twoIn order to lose weight, most people need to maintain a calorie deficit over a sustained period, says Bethan Crouse, a performance nutritionist at Loughborough University. “This can be done by increasing exercise to boost your calorie expenditure and therefore create a deficit,” she says. “In that case, exercise might be the key to losing weight. But you could approach it the other way: by choosing less calorie-dense foods and reducing your energy intake, you can create a deficit without changing how much you exercise.”Relying on workouts alone for weight loss can be challenging. “If you’re aiming to burn an extra 300 to 500 calories a day, that’s an awful lot of exercise. You’re likely to need some kind of nutritional intervention as well to create that gap between energy intake and output.” Continue reading…

iPhone 17e review: Apple upgrades its cheapest new smartphone

by Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor on March 23, 2026 at 7:00 am

Mid-range handset gets chip, storage and MagSafe upgrades to offer more essential iOS features for less The cheapest new iPhone has been upgraded for this year with a faster chip, double the storage, automatic portraits and MagSafe, providing even more of the core Apple smartphone experience for less.The iPhone 17e is an upgraded version of the mid-range “e” line launched last year with the first iPhone 16e and is the latest member of the iPhone 17 family. It starts at £599 (€699/$599/A$999), undercutting the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 by £200 and £100 respectively to be the cheapest new iPhone sold by Apple.Screen: 6.1in Super Retina XDR (OLED) (460ppi)Processor: Apple A19 (4-core GPU)RAM: 8GBStorage: 256 or 512GBOperating system: iOS 26Camera: 48MP rear; 12MP front-facingConnectivity: 5G, wifi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, Satellite and GNSSWater resistance: IP68 (6 metres for 30 mins)Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mmWeight: 170g Continue reading…

‘You’d be pushed to find a more soul-stirring landscape in Scotland’: walking in Beinn Eighe

by Stuart Kenny on March 23, 2026 at 7:00 am

It isn’t only climbers who get misty-eyed about the awe-inspiring mountains and ancient pinewoods of Britain’s first national nature reserve, created 75 years agoThe waymarked quartzite path glimmers in the sun, flanked by amber-gold grassland. Beyond, one of Scotland’s finest landscapes opens up before me, a woodland of ancient Caledonian pines leading my eye to the metallic glint of Loch Maree. On the other side of the water, a winding river separates the steep, stacked rocks of Beinn a’Mhùinidh from Slioch, one of the great mountains of Wester Ross, rising to a knuckle ridge of Torridonian sandstone.I’m walking the four-mile mountain trail looping through Beinn Eighe national nature reserve (NNR), Britain’s first NNR, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. In a crowded list, you’d be hard pushed to find a more soul-stirring landscape in all of Scotland. Continue reading…

BT keeps my 90-year-old mother waiting three months to reinstate phone number

by Anna Tims on March 23, 2026 at 7:00 am

Ordeal left vulnerable woman living alone cut off from family, friends and doctorsMy 90-year-old mother was sent home from hospital to die at the end of last year. Since she lives alone, and I’m her sole carer, it was essential that she get broadband so a personal alarm could be fitted.BT told her she’d have to have a temporary phone number while Openreach carried out the work. Continue reading…

We Know You Can Pay a Million by Anja Shortland review – the terrifying new world of ransomware

by Dorian Lynskey on March 23, 2026 at 7:00 am

Criminals extorting money online have created huge businesses, complete with branding and HRThe birth of ransomware was a stunt that got out of hand. In 1989, an evolutionary biologist called Joseph L Popp Jr was working part time for the World Health Organisation on the Aids epidemic. He was a difficult man. When he was denied a permanent job, he decided to punish his peers while shocking them into acknowledging another kind of infection: the computer virus.Popp wrote a questionnaire promising to help minimise the risk of contracting HIV, duplicated it on to 20,000 floppy discs, and sent them to researchers in 90 countries. Each disc contained a Trojan virus. Once it was inserted, a malware timebomb eventually made the computer unusable until the user paid a “licence fee” of $189 to a PO box in Panama. Popp’s primitive “Aids Trojan” was quickly identified and he was arrested for blackmail. Intending to make a point rather than a profit, he was mortified to learn that some of his targets had overreacted by wiping their hard drives: one Italian Aids organisation lost a decade’s worth of vital data. Popp experienced a psychological collapse and was deemed unfit to stand trial. The criminals who developed his crude innovation into a global business would not be so scrupulous. Continue reading…

‘Anyone but Labour’ or ‘anyone but Reform’? Clash of animosities likely to define May local elections

by Pippa Crerar Political editor on March 23, 2026 at 7:00 am

While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectationsSmall swings, high drama: why UK polls are less volatile than they seem – in chartsLocal elections are often regarded as a referendum on the sitting government, with many previous administrations taking a bloody nose from the electorate but successfully fighting back by the next general election.Senior Labour figures have taken to reeling off a list of midterm results – 1999, 2003, 2012 – to prove that point. “As we get closer to the general election, it will be less about people’s view of the parties generally and more about the actual choice in front of them,” one said. Continue reading…

Her son needed a fecal transplant for a fearsome C. diff infection. Getting one required a tortuous journey

by Eric Boodman on March 23, 2026 at 8:30 am

Her son needed a fecal transplant for a fearsome C. diff infection. Getting one required a tortuous journey.

Opinion: The AI push in health care is deepening medicine’s trust crisis

by Oni Blackstock on March 23, 2026 at 8:30 am

Health care’s adoption of AI should move at the speed of trust, not investment, writes Oni Blackstock.

STAT+: Automatic enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans under consideration, top Trump health official says

by Tara Bannow on March 20, 2026 at 8:48 pm

The idea could be a major win for the health insurance industry, which has seen a crackdown on Medicare Advantage in recent years.

STAT+: Iran war has not disrupted pharma supply chains. That could change if conflict is prolonged

by Ed Silverman and Annalisa Merelli on March 20, 2026 at 8:31 pm

The escalating war in the Middle East so far has not appreciably disrupted global pharmaceutical supply chains, but it could eventually — affecting prices.

STAT+: Sepsis hospitalizations have tripled in Massachusetts. Is it real or a billing game?

by Jessica Bartlett — Boston Globe on March 20, 2026 at 6:34 pm

In Massachusetts, sepsis cases has more than tripled since 2010. Some blame hospitals’ use of AI tools for medical coding and billing.

STAT+: Inside the delicate, high-stakes search for a new CDC director

by Rick Berke and Daniel Payne on March 20, 2026 at 5:51 pm

At #STATBreakthrough, top HHS official Chris Klomp talked to STAT about the delicate, high-stakes search for a new CDC director.

STAT+: ACIP conflict is test of Trump’s support for RFK Jr.’s vaccine policy overhaul

by Chelsea Cirruzzo on March 20, 2026 at 5:37 pm

The Trump administration is weighing how to respond to a court ruling on vaccine policymaking, a decision that could come with political risks.

STAT+: Medicare chief says TrumpRx is meant to be narrow in scope

by Meghana Keshavan on March 20, 2026 at 3:32 pm

Today’s biotech news includes the Medicare director offering a tempered view of TrumpRx and high-dose Wegovy getting an FDA nod.

STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

by Ed Silverman on March 20, 2026 at 2:53 pm

From new hires to departures and promotions, here are the latest comings and goings in the pharmaceutical industry.

A conversation with the ‘godfather’ of biotech

by Elaine Chen and Adam Feuerstein on March 20, 2026 at 2:25 pm

This week on “The Readout LOUD,” a conversation with biotech “godfather” Stelios Papadapolous live from #STATBreakthrough.

All the highlights from STAT’s Breakthrough Summit East

by Theresa Gaffney on March 20, 2026 at 1:54 pm

In today’s Morning Rounds newsletter, the highlights from #STATBreakthrough, a ruling against Kennedy’s gender-affirming care declaration, and more.

STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about TrumpRx expectations, a high-dose version of Wegovy, and more

by Ed Silverman on March 20, 2026 at 1:26 pm

And so, another working week will soon come to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans.…

STAT+: U.K. to take another look at cost-effectiveness of Alzheimer’s drugs

by Andrew Joseph on March 20, 2026 at 11:05 am

Following successful appeals from drugmakers, the U.K. is taking another look at whether two new Alzheimer’s drugs can be considered cost-effective.

STAT+: A family’s giving to the Broad Institute’s research tops $1 billion

by Marin Wolf — Boston Globe on March 20, 2026 at 8:30 am

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is poised to receive a massive injection of cash to fund research in the understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia research.

Tobacco could get a boost from the farm bill. How does that square with MAHA?

by Sarah Todd on March 20, 2026 at 8:30 am

The farm bill shows politicians catering to the agriculture industry risk losing the support of MAHA while running afoul of public health goals.

Opinion: Congress must fix the No Surprises Act before it bankrupts patients and employers

by James Gelfand and Patricia Kelmar on March 20, 2026 at 8:30 am

Congress must fix the No Surprises Act before it bankrupts patients and employers, James Gelfand and Patricia Kelmar write.

Opinion: How OB-GYNs like me are increasingly able to treat pain from IUDs and other gynecologic procedures

by Maryl Sackeim on March 20, 2026 at 8:30 am

OB-GYNs increasingly can, and want to, address pain from procedures like IUD insertion.

STAT+: Novartis picks up experimental breast cancer therapy for $2B

by Andrew Joseph on March 20, 2026 at 8:22 am

Looking to bolster its pipeline, Novartis is buying a breast cancer drug candidate for $2 billion from Delaware-based Synnovation Therapeutics.

STAT+: Political influence ‘a serious problem’ for FDA under Trump, former commissioner says

by Daniel Payne on March 20, 2026 at 12:54 am

“What’s changed now is that there’s a view in this administration that everything is political,” said Robert Califf, former FDA commissioner.

Judge will rule against Kennedy’s declaration on gender-affirming care

by Theresa Gaffney on March 20, 2026 at 12:28 am

A U.S. district judge said he will vacate a declaration by Kennedy that asserted gender-affirming care for young trans people does not meet medical standards of care. 

Alien Life Could Look Nothing Like What We Expect. Here’s How Microbes Beyond Earth Might Live Without Liquid Water

on March 20, 2026 at 11:00 am

Like the lead character of “Project Hail Mary,” some scientists are proposing ways that life might exist beyond a star’s “habitable zone,” often considered the gold standard of potential livability

These Sea Slugs Can ‘Eat’ Sunlight—but They’re No Astrophage. Here’s How the ‘Project Hail Mary’ Antagonist Has a Real-Life Analogue in Earth’s Oceans

on March 18, 2026 at 11:30 am

By snatching chloroplasts from algae, animals called sacoglossans produce their own energy through photosynthesis

These Charcoal-Eating Fungi Flourish After Fires. Uncovering Their Genetic Secrets Could Help Rebuild Burned Ecosystems

on March 13, 2026 at 11:30 am

Mycologists cultivated fungi they found in post-wildfire landscapes to understand the evolutionary traits behind their ability to thrive in the wake of flames

Venomous Snakes Represent a Serious Public Health Problem. Scientists Are Biting Back With a Groundbreaking Antidote

on March 12, 2026 at 1:27 pm

Researchers around the world are attempting to create a safer and more effective treatment in hopes of saving hundreds of thousands of lives

Bumblebee Queens Breathe Underwater to Survive Drowning, Revealing How They Can Live Submerged for a Week

on March 11, 2026 at 3:15 pm

After scientists accidentally discovered that the common eastern bumblebee can withstand flood conditions, they wanted to investigate what makes that super-ability possible

Would You Jump Into Your Local River? Swimmable Cities May Be Within Reach as Once-Polluted Waterways Are Restored

on March 10, 2026 at 3:13 pm

Efforts to improve the “swimmability” of urban areas are gaining global traction, from Paris to Chicago

In the World’s Best Place to See Wild Jaguars, Residents Are Using the Big Cat’s Appeal to Reach Conservation Goals

on March 4, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Brazil’s Pantanal region has the highest jaguar density on Earth, drawing camera-toting visitors to its riverbanks. Despite overtourism concerns, one enclave may offer a model for how to protect the charismatic apex predator

As ADHD Coaching Gains Popularity, Researchers Stress the Importance of Careful Vetting

on March 3, 2026 at 12:30 pm

A recent survey highlights variation in the training credentials and experience across the burgeoning industry, which is mostly unregulated and unlicensed

This Giant Carnivore Ran on Hooves. Scientists Are Investigating Its Massive Skull and Crushing Teeth to Decipher the Beast’s True Nature

on February 19, 2026 at 6:37 pm

For more than a century, paleontologists have been piecing together how the mysterious predator Andrewsarchus is related to other mammals, like the extinct “hell pigs” and “wolves with hooves”

The Sahara Desert Hasn’t Always Been a Dry, Desolate Landscape. Some Scientists See Signs It May Be Greening Again

on February 19, 2026 at 11:00 am

Petroglyphs on sandstone at a national park in Chad bear witness to wildlife that once roamed the area before the continent’s water largely receded 6,000 years ago. Could it return?

After a Devastating Bird Flu Outbreak, Scotland’s Seabirds Are Slowly Recovering—and So Are the Scientists Who Witnessed Their Decline

on February 18, 2026 at 1:12 pm

The world’s largest colony of northern gannets was decimated by bird flu in 2022. Now, as their numbers climb again, researchers are collecting data to understand the virus’ lasting effects

When Coyotes Threatened Livestock on Central Texas Ranches, the Solution Was to Unlock an Ancient Ability in Dogs

on February 17, 2026 at 10:00 am

Killing the predators is not nearly as effective as the intimidating presence of well-trained guardians, a role some breeds have played for 5,000 years

Gallop Into the Year of the Horse With These Five Amazing Equine Discoveries

on February 13, 2026 at 1:26 pm

Since their domestication, horses have changed the course of human history. It’s no wonder the Chinese zodiac associates them with prosperity and success

The Tragedy of the Alps’ Disappearing Glaciers for Those Who Live, Visit and Ski There

on February 12, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Warming temperatures are wreaking havoc at elevation, upending the Winter Olympics and the tourism industry and imperiling communities

An Asteroid Ended the Age of the Dinosaurs. But How Did Their Reign Begin? Mysterious Early Reptiles May Hold the Answer

on February 11, 2026 at 3:10 pm

Researchers are uncovering the evolutionary steps that set the stage for dinosaurs to rule the planet

These Lazy Bats Are Super-Efficient Killers That Carefully Conserve Energy to Attack at a Moment’s Notice

on February 9, 2026 at 3:18 pm

Wild fringe-lipped bats spend just one-tenth of the night in flight, but they can precisely snatch a calling frog and nab prey that rivals their own size

If Microbes Entered the Olympics, These One-Celled Superstars Would Win Gold

on February 6, 2026 at 12:30 pm

They race, they spin, they shoot. Meet the organisms for which physical prowess is more than sport—it’s a matter of life and death

These Beetles Are Entirely Dependent on Ants for Survival. Here’s Why That’s Not an Evolutionary Death Sentence

on February 5, 2026 at 4:01 pm

Rove beetles cloak themselves in ant pheromones to sneak into the insects’ nests for protection. But in an odd catch-22, that makes them forever reliant on their hosts

Seals Are Seemingly Vanishing Off the Dutch Coast. These Scientists Are Trying to Get to the Bottom of the Mysterious Disappearances

on February 4, 2026 at 2:45 pm

Recent counts of the Wadden Sea’s adult harbor seal population have revealed a surprising trend of decline, prompting a consortium of researchers to investigate whether the animals are dying off, relocating or experiencing something else altogether

Small, Stubby-Armed Dinosaurs Have Confounded Paleontologists. Are Answers Finally Within Reach?

on February 2, 2026 at 1:00 pm

Recent discoveries about an alvarezsaur called Manipulonyx have drawn renewed attention to this group of bird-like, clawed creatures and the mysteries around their anatomy and behavior

Predatory feral ferrets removed from an island for the first time ever

by Patrick Barkham on March 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland is ferret-free after £4.5m five-year partnership led by RSPB NIPredatory feral ferrets have been removed from an island for the first time ever, in a boost for Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony.Rathlin Island is ferret-free after a £4.5m five-year partnership led by RSPB NI involving islanders, charities, volunteers and a red labrador called Woody. Continue reading…

Earth being ‘pushed beyond its limits’ as energy imbalance reaches record high

by Jonathan Watts on March 23, 2026 at 4:00 am

State of the Climate report finds Earth’s energy has moved dangerously out of balance, with oceans absorbing vast majority of trapped heatOur home planet is struggling with a record energy imbalance, which is warming oceans to unprecedented levels, making weather more extreme and threatening health and food supplies, the World Meteorological Organization has warned.The United Nations body confirmed 2015 to 2025 were the hottest 11 years ever measured, but a still bleaker message was that the rising temperature experienced by humans on the surface was only 1% of the faster-accumulating heat in the wider Earth system. Continue reading…

Truck convoy brings cattle feed relief to north-west Queensland after months of flooding – video

by Guardian Staff on March 23, 2026 at 2:51 am

A convoy of seven trucks and one semi-trailer carrying cattle feed has brought much-needed relief to flood-affected graziers in north-west Queensland. Many in the area have not been able to leave their farms for weeks as flood waters forced road closures. Tens of thousands of cattle have also been lost in the floods that have affected the region since January. The charity group Rapid Relief Team organised the free cattle feed as well as a community catchup event. It was the first time since January that many farmers were able to talk with their neighbours face-to-faceJust two flavours of chips and pub theme nights: how these isolated Queensland towns have survived being cut off for weeks Continue reading…

I discovered three new geckos in Cambodia’s limestone caves – and that’s not all we found

by Pablo Sinovas on March 23, 2026 at 12:01 am

The whole ecosystem inside a cave feeds off guano, dead bats, or any dead animals on the ground. It’s not for the faint-heartedIt can be daunting entering a cave. It is an underground world that possibly hasn’t been explored before. The first smell that hits you is guano (or bat poo). Some of these caves host millions of bats – you can hear them chirping above, hanging in the darkness, and occasionally flying around. It always seems like night-time inside a cave because it’s pitch black.The walls are covered in interesting creatures such as tailless whip scorpions, which look like a cross between a spider and crab (they look dangerous, but are not), as well as millipedes and centipedes. The whole ecosystem feeds off guano, dead bats, or any dead animals on the ground. It’s not for the faint-hearted. Continue reading…

Weather extremes gripping US bear climate crisis ‘fingerprint’, experts say

by Marina Dunbar on March 22, 2026 at 12:00 pm

There are flooding rains in Hawaii, rare snow in Alabama and a severe heatwave in the west coastSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US is experiencing a striking mix of weather extremes this March. Flooding rains in Hawaii, rare snow in Alabama, flip-flopping temperatures in the north-east and, perhaps most concerning, a severe heatwave affecting the west coast are raising questions about how strange these patterns really are, and what role the climate crisis is playing.Experts suggested that people around the US need to pay closer attention to the climatecrisis and do what they can to “minimize the impacts”. Continue reading…

‘She gave her life to protect the richness of Congo’: inside the deadly assault on Upemba wildlife park

by Emmet Livingstone on March 22, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Survivors describe how rangers and staff were targeted by an armed group during a raid on DRC’s national park earlier this monthNearby Congolese soldiers had received warnings of the attack in the morning. But the soldiers did not arrive until late in the evening, long after the killings were over.It happened before dawn on Tuesday 3 March, as a dozen rangers at Upemba national park headquarters were being briefed by their commander before the day’s routine anti-poaching patrol. At 5.40am machine-gun fire began to rattle out of the surrounding darkness. Continue reading…

5m tonnes of CO2 emitted in just 14 days of US war on Iran, analysis finds

by Damien Gayle on March 21, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Exclusive: War in the Middle East is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combinedThe US-Israel war on Iran is a disaster for the climate, according to an analysis that finds it is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined.As warplanes, drones and missiles kill thousands of people, level infrastructure and turn the Middle East into a gigantic environmental sacrifice zone, the first analysis of the climate cost has found the conflict led to 5m tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in its first 14 days. Continue reading…

More than 230 people rescued as flash flooding hits Hawaii and fears dam could fail

by Maanvi Singh and agencies on March 21, 2026 at 5:44 am

Heavy rains have pummeled the Hawaiian island of Oahu and triggered the worst flooding the island has in 20 yearsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxTowering flash floods and an imminent dam failure in the northern part of Oahu triggered mass rescues and evacuation warnings in Hawaii on Friday, as the state continued contending with a powerful storm this week.The waters came on quickly in the middle of the night, and videos on social media captured inundated streets and cars being swallowed by the muddy flood waters. Continue reading…

Arizona desert town breaks record for hottest March temperature in US history

by Guardian staff and agencies on March 20, 2026 at 6:22 pm

Martinez Lake, about 145 miles west of Phoenix, reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday amid scorching south-west heatSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA small community in the Arizona desert has broken a record for the highest March temperature ever recorded in the US, as the south-west bakes in a blistering late-winter heatwave.The astonishing temperature was recorded just outside Martinez Lake, Arizona, which reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Continue reading…

Mexico’s monarch butterfly population jumps 64%, offering hope for at-risk species

by Oscar Lopez in Mexico City on March 20, 2026 at 5:41 pm

The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticidesThe population of monarch butterflies in Mexico increased 64% this winter, compared with the same period in 2025, offering a glimmer of hope for an insect considered at risk of extinction.The figures, released this week by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico, showed that the area occupied by monarchs expanded to 2.93 hectares (7.24 acres) of forest from 1.79 hectares (4.42 acres) the previous winter, the largest coverage since 2018. Continue reading…

‘It’s not sustainable’: US farmers reeling as Iran war pushes fertilizer costs up

by Debbie Carlson in Chicago and Victoria Bekiempis in New York on March 20, 2026 at 11:00 am

Closure of strait of Hormuz – a key fertilizer production and transportation route – has squeezed farmers as prices jumpRodney Bushmeyer has been farming as long as he can remember. Bushmeyer’s father was a farmer, as was his grandfather.The family-run Bushmeyer Farms in Illinois dates back more than 100 years, when his ancestors came to the US from Germany. They acquired the first 80 acres cost-free as homesteaders, cleared the land, and worked it. Continue reading…

Week in wildlife: wild boar babies, fenland ponies and a slug with strange genitalia

by Joanna Ruck on March 20, 2026 at 8:00 am

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading…

Heatwave scorching US west ‘virtually impossible’ without climate crisis, say scientists

by Dharna Noor on March 20, 2026 at 7:01 am

Unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week were up to 30F above average for the time of yearThe record-breaking heatwave scorching the US west this week would have been “virtually impossible” if not for the climate crisis, a team of scientists has determined.Millions of Americans from the Pacific coast to the Rockies baked under unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week, with temperatures up to 30F (17C) above average for the time of year. Continue reading…

Historic March heatwave in US west shatters high-temperature records

by Coral Murphy Marcos in Oakland, and agency on March 19, 2026 at 11:56 pm

Some highs in California, Nevada and Arizona recorded at 25-35F above normal, with widespread alerts and closuresStates across the US south-west recorded blistering temperatures at the tail end of winter, including some of the hottest March temperatures ever recorded in the US, with forecasts indicating hotter days are still to come.California, Nevada and Arizona were all under heat warnings on Thursday amid record-breaking temperatures. Continue reading…

US states sue Trump EPA over decision to repeal bedrock climate finding

by Dharna Noor on March 19, 2026 at 7:54 pm

Lawsuit says rescission of endangerment finding – which ruled greenhouse gases threaten public health – was illegalSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA coalition of 24 states, alongside a dozen cities and counties, has sued the Trump administration over its decision to revoke the bedrock scientific determination underpinning virtually all US climate regulations.The new lawsuit, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Thursday, is being led by the states of Massachusetts, California, New York and Connecticut. It argues that the Environmental Protection Agency’s February rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding – which the White House described as the “single largest deregulatory action in US history” – was illegal. Continue reading…

We need to be honest about Iran – and how our rampant greed for oil is causing mayhem | George Monbiot

by George Monbiot on March 19, 2026 at 6:00 am

Oil has empowered capitalism, and some of the world’s most exploitative regimes. Move away from it and we can solve some of the key issues we faceI realise this is a serious breach of etiquette. But could we perhaps abandon good manners and contextualise Donald Trump’s attack on Iran? The intense western interest in the Middle East and west and central Asia, sustained for more than a century, and the endless attempts by foreign governments to shape and control these regions, are not random political tics. They are somewhat connected to certain fuel sources situated beneath the ground.Trump’s war aims are typically incoherent: apparently incomprehensible even to himself. But Iran would not be treated as an “enemy of the west” were it not for what happened in 1953, when Winston Churchill’s government persuaded the CIA to launch a coup against the popular democratic government of Mohammad Mossadegh. The UK did so because Mossadegh sought to nationalise the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company: to stop a foreign power from stealing the nation’s wealth. The US, with UK support, tried twice to overthrow him, and succeeded on the second attempt, with the help of some opportunistic ayatollahs. It reinstated the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1954, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company became British Petroleum, later BP.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading…

Possum found in Hobart airport gift shop’s toy section – video

on March 19, 2026 at 12:48 am

A possum surprised Hobart airport staff after wandering into a departures gift shop, where it settled among plush toys on Wednesday. A spokesperson said the animal appeared calm, and was safely escorted out of the terminal without incident Continue reading…

Butterflies crossing oceans, moths navigating by the stars: unravelling the mysteries of insect migrations

by Phoebe Weston, Ana Lucía González Paz, Prina Shah and Garry Blight on March 18, 2026 at 8:00 am

Trillions of insects embark, largely unnoticed, on epic journeys every year across mountain ranges, deserts and seas, and it is only now, as their numbers suffer huge declines, that scientists are tracking their movementsOn a cloudless sunny day in October 1950, ornithologists Elizabeth and David Lack stood on a mountain pass in the Pyrenees and observed a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle – clouds of migrating insects.Up to 500 butterflies were fluttering past them every hour through the 2,200m-high Puerto de Bujaruelo mountain pass on the French-Spanish border. By mid-afternoon dragonflies were skimming through, outnumbering the butterflies by 10 to one. The spaces between were filled with thousands of tiny flies. Continue reading…

Surfing’s big break: how climate crisis insurance may save El Salvador’s waves

by Emma Bryce. Photographs by Angelo Picardo on March 17, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Fearing that extreme weather threatened its epic breaks, Oriente Salvaje is piloting the first surf insurance policy to protect livelihoods and ecosystemsIn the late 1990s in El Salvador, Rodrigo Barraza went in search of every surfer’s dream: a pristine wave, far from the crowds. Down a rough dirt track hours from any city, he found it: a little-known surf spot on the country’s eastern shores, where long lines of waves form a crisp right-hand break, surrounded by thousands of hectares of tropical forest.“I fell in love with the place,” says Barraza. In 2004, he opened a small hotel there, and along with some surfing friends, founded a tourism association. They developed sustainable tourism standards and committed to protect the surrounding biodiverse ecosystem of rare dry tropical forest, rivers and mangroves. They called it Oriente Salvaje – the “wild east”.Oriente Salvaje is known by surfers for its world-class breaks, Las Flores and Punta Mango Continue reading…

The Guardian view on SUVs: London’s mayor is right to push back on supersize cars | Editorial

by Editorial on March 16, 2026 at 6:40 pm

Huge vehicles are popular with drivers, but their wider impacts on road safety and the environment must be tackledNo one who walks, cycles or drives around London, or many of the world’s big cities, could fail to notice the vastly increased size of the typical car. A type of vehicle once associated with rural settings and outdoor lifestyles is now ubiquitous. Heavily marketed as sports utility vehicles (SUVs), supersize cars are among the key consumer trends of recent decades. In 2022, they accounted for 46% of global new car sales.For manufacturers, these vehicles are big earners due to higher profit margins. For those inside them, they offer more space and a higher vantage point. But for those on the outside, SUVs have obvious downsides. The threat that they pose to pedestrians is one. Research shows that children are 77% more likely to die if struck by an SUV compared with other cars, due to their size and structure – particularly their raised bonnets. This finding was highlighted in an announcement from the London mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, that such risks are being scrutinised as part of a wider review into SUVs’ environmental impact. This evidence will provide the basis for policy proposals that are expected to include higher charges for owners.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading…

Bitch: a history

by Karen Stollznow on March 20, 2026 at 10:00 am

The word can morph from noun to verb to adjective, from dog to human, from female to male. What will it do next?- by Karen StollznowRead on Aeon

Running against time

by Aeon Video on March 19, 2026 at 10:01 am

We all want longevity without compromising on quality of life. This 87-year-old achieves both with a daily running habit- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Geist in the machine

by Peter Wolfendale on March 19, 2026 at 10:00 am

As the 18th-century war between mechanism and romanticism returns, we face a new question: can we build artificial souls?- by Peter WolfendaleRead on Aeon

Izembek

by Aeon Video on March 18, 2026 at 10:01 am

What does true wilderness look like? A photographer captures a rare slice of it in this refuge threatened by development- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Abandoning ourselves

by Tasha Kleeman on March 17, 2026 at 10:00 am

Since living requires choosing, we will always feel regret about the paths not taken. But what matters is the future we forge- by Tasha KleemanRead on Aeon

Henri Bergson: Creative Evolution

by Aeon Video on March 16, 2026 at 10:01 am

How do we develop our sense of space? Henri Bergson questioned the very fabric of our reality in his revolutionary work- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Unbounded

by Julia Ravanis on March 16, 2026 at 10:00 am

In the early 20th century, Emmy Noether’s mathematics transcended the physical world. She longed to do the same herself- by Julia RavanisRead on Aeon

A duty to oneself

by Thaddeus Metz on March 13, 2026 at 10:00 am

African philosophical values of harmony and vitality have much to offer our thinking about what we owe to ourselves- by Thaddeus MetzRead on Aeon

What is electronic music?

by Aeon Video on March 12, 2026 at 10:01 am

These days, synthesised sound is easy to access – but early electronic music pioneers had to get hands on to produce it- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Reversing extinction

by Sadiah Qureshi on March 12, 2026 at 10:00 am

Technologies of preserving and reviving organisms are already redefining the meaning of life, death, and extinction itself- by Sadiah QureshiRead on Aeon

Echo

by Aeon Video on March 11, 2026 at 10:01 am

Struggling to speak after an operation, one man sets out to build himself a new connection to the world: a radio antenna- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Does culture make emotion?

by Noga Arikha on March 10, 2026 at 10:00 am

Franz Boas helps us solve the puzzle of where our emotional lives originate: in our selves or in the cultures around us- by Noga ArikhaRead on Aeon

Ever behind the sunset

by Aeon Video on March 9, 2026 at 10:01 am

This hand-painted stop motion animation recalls the textures of a family home demolished to make way for a widened road- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

The eye of the mathematician

by Rita Ahmadi on March 9, 2026 at 10:00 am

Is mathematical beauty real? Or is it just a subjective, human ‘wow’ that is becoming redundant in an AI age?- by Rita AhmadiRead on Aeon

Savage care

by Ronald W Dworkin on March 6, 2026 at 11:00 am

Neat ethical principles have nothing to say to doctors like me, faced with the brutal, bloody compromises of hospital life- by Ronald W DworkinRead on Aeon

After rain

by Aeon Video on March 5, 2026 at 11:01 am

A family swim, share meals and tell stories by a creek in Central Australia in a joyous celebration of much-needed rain- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

On her own terms

by Catherine Taylor on March 5, 2026 at 11:00 am

Doris Lessing’s Golden Notebook remains shocking, necessary and imperfect – a dazzling experiment in living as a woman- by Catherine TaylorRead on Aeon

Exploratorium

by Aeon Video on March 4, 2026 at 11:01 am

Play with the physics of perception at Frank Oppenheimer’s Exploratorium in this captivating, Oscar-nominated short from 1974- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

The insurance catastrophe

by Gavin Evans on March 3, 2026 at 11:00 am

Whole regions of the world are now uninsurable, bringing radical uncertainty to the economy. How do we fix the problem?- by Gavin EvansRead on Aeon

Great art explained: Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on 16 November 1581

by Aeon Video on March 2, 2026 at 11:01 am

Why Ilya Repin’s masterpiece of Ivan the Terrible, first banned in 1885, remains one of Russia’s most controversial paintings- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon