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.
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.
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.
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.
A potted history of fermented foods – from pickles to kimchi
People have been fermenting food since before the written word.
BBC Verify largely factchecks international stories – what about UK politics?
Domestic political stories were more likely to have context added, rather than claims challenged.
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.
The hidden history behind every rose blooming this summer
Roses don’t look beautiful by accident – humans and nature have shaped them.
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s retreat from science endangers the health of people and the planet
From detecting pollutants to assessing health risks, the US EPA’s Office of Research and Development has long ensured that environmental decisions are grounded in credible, cutting-edge science.
Decoding hints that Xi Jinping may be under pressure to relinquish some of his power
Is China’s supreme leader under pressure to give up some power to influential party leaders? Our writer looks at why he might be.