Talk Fuse

    Science

    Science covers discoveries, research and evidence-based explanations of the natural world, from health and wildlife to climate, technology and the environment.

    It helps readers understand how new findings may affect daily life, public policy and the future, while keeping an eye on the methods, uncertainties and wider context behind the claims.

    • Ed Miliband indicates development and climate will be at heart of UK foreign policy

      Britain’s foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, is set to personally take up the UK’s seat on the World Bank board, a role usually delegated to a junior minister, in a move signalling that climate action and international development will remain central to UK foreign policy. The decision matters because it comes as the Trump administration pressures…

    • Self-dressing clothes could help older adults

      Researchers at South Korea’s KAIST and Stanford University have developed self-dressing clothing fitted with soft, air-powered robotic components, aimed at helping older adults get dressed independently. The innovation addresses a common but under-discussed problem: everyday tasks like putting on a shirt or trousers can become genuinely difficult for people with stiff shoulders, limited mobility or…

    • GLP-1 drugs could reduce long-term sick leave: Study

      A Danish study has found that people treated with GLP-1 medicines, including drugs used for diabetes and weight management, took less long-term sick leave. The finding suggests that the medicines’ health benefits may also improve workers’ ability to remain in employment, with possible implications for employers and public finances. Using linked administrative data, researchers estimated…

    • Residents urged to join nationwide butterfly count

      Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is encouraging residents to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, a nationwide survey run by the charity Butterfly Conservation, to help scientists assess how this year’s warm weather has affected butterfly populations. Participants are asked to spend 15 minutes recording butterflies and day-flying moths in gardens, parks and…

    • Man accused of illegally ‘wrestling’ protected sharks in Washington state after months-long investigation

      An Oregon man is facing charges after being accused of illegally catching and “wrestling” protected sharks in Puget Sound, Washington state, following a months-long investigation by wildlife officers. Video captured the suspect allegedly removing a shark from the water and handling it, in breach of state fishing regulations designed to protect the species. The case…

    • Could study into head injuries change women’s rugby?

      Cardiff University researchers are conducting the first head impact assessment study designed specifically for female rugby players, after finding that concussion affects women differently to men. Former Wales internationals including Elinor Snowsill and Caryl James have backed the research, arguing that current concussion guidelines are based largely on the men’s game and fail to account…

    • Climate change is now threatening a pillar of childhood: summer break

      Climate change is disrupting one of the fixtures of American childhood: the summer camp. Rising temperatures, wildfire smoke and flooding are forcing camps and families across the United States to cancel or drastically rework outdoor activities that have long been staples of the summer break, with organisers warning that what were once rare extreme-weather days…

    • ADHD looks different in women and poses unique health risks

      ADHD has long been treated as a condition that primarily affects boys, but researchers and clinicians say it looks markedly different in girls and women, leading to widespread underdiagnosis and, in many cases, serious harm. Rather than the overt hyperactivity typically associated with boys, girls with ADHD tend to appear distracted, disorganised or “in the…

    • France battles fire ‘whirlwinds’ as another 55,000 evacuated

      Wildfires continuing to sweep across France and Spain have forced fresh mass evacuations, with a further 55,000 people ordered out of six towns south of Bordeaux in the Gironde region. The blaze in France has created its own erratic weather, including whirlwinds, and firefighters have described it as unmanageable, prompting the deployment of military reinforcements…

    • ‘It’s like having an amusement park and not opening it’ – algae closures take toll

      Blue-green algae has reappeared at Camlough Lake near Newry and Craigavon Lakes in Northern Ireland during a spell of warm summer weather, forcing closures and warnings that are hitting local businesses and communities. The toxic bacteria, which can cause skin irritation and sickness in people and animals, has become a recurring summer problem, and its…