Author: Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University

Master1305/Shutterstock.com Excitement is building again with the announcement of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing contestants. As celebrities prepare to swap everyday life for sequins and the ballroom, they’ll also be putting their bodies through one of the most physically demanding experiences on television. Last year’s series offered a reminder of those demands when Dani Dyer […]

Valery Evlakhov/ Shutterstock At any given point there are hundreds of thousands of people in the skies travelling by air. For many, these journeys will pass by without consequence. But for some, a routine flight may trigger a health emergency. Although these events are rare, with the demand and availability of air travel increasing, so […]

The ripple of the net after a Jude Bellingham strike is no longer the only ripple attracting attention. During England’s World Cup campaign, the midfielder’s prominent thigh veins have become an internet talking point. They may look dramatic, but visible veins are common in elite athletes. The explanation begins with anatomy. Superficial veins lie in […]

Alan Crosthwaite/Shutterstock.com A wave of unregulated peptides is sweeping the wellness world, sold online with bold promises about muscle gain, anti-ageing and fat loss. But concern is growing about side-effects, and almost nobody is asking whether these substances affect men and women in the same way. The evidence suggests they do not. Women are one […]

Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock.com The White House is gearing up to host a UFC event as part of celebrations of 250 years of American independence. The fighters on the card are relying on body conditioning techniques that have been around for centuries to try to emerge victorious. Muay thai, karate and jiujitsu all use ancient practices that […]

Jeorge/Shutterstock.com Hip dips are having a moment. The perfectly normal indentations that sit below your hips on the outer thigh have become the latest body feature to be scrutinised, fixed and agonised over on social media. But what are they? Can you actually get rid of them? And should you even try? Formally known as […]

MDV Edwards/Shutterstock Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the airways. It gets its common name from the “whoop” sound that some infected children make when they take a deep, gasping breath after a severe coughing fit. The infection is caused by the bacterium bordetella pertussis, with research […]

Fibroblast, collagen and elastin fibres. Olga Zinkevych/Shutterstock Collagen has become a staple of skincare advertising and social media wellness trends. But it is not just a buzzword. It is the most abundant protein in the body and helps support structures throughout the body, including skin and bone. For women, collagen loss can become especially noticeable […]

Postpartum pre-eclampsia can affect as many as 27% of mums. antoniodiaz/ Shutterstock During pregnancy, a mother’s body undergoes vast structural and functional changes. But what many might not know is that the after-effects of these changes can last long after giving birth – and can even result in the development of new health conditions. Here […]

When missiles and drones strike populated areas, the images that follow tend to show destroyed buildings and burning streets. What they rarely capture is what happens inside the bodies of those nearby, including people who walk away apparently unharmed. The injuries caused by modern explosive munitions are wide-ranging, often hidden, and can develop hours or […]