Category: Health

Beauty standards have always evolved, but in today’s social media age, they shift at lightning speed. From “clean girl” minimalism to the “quiet luxury” aesthetic, each new ideal promises perfection few can reach – fuelling comparison and self-doubt. It isn’t just social media trends that fuel these feelings of inadequacy. Our brain also plays a […]

The Kardashians are back with a new season of their reality series The Kardashians on Disney Plus. As a researcher of consumer psychology, I have written about consumer neuroscience and how brands and media shape behaviour and self-perception. Watching The Kardashians through that lens reveals more than entertainment. It exposes how luxury and aspiration are […]

As Halloween approaches, the air fills with excitement. Costumes are planned, pumpkins are carved, and the promise of sweet treats is everywhere. But while dipping into chocolates and colourful candies may seem harmless, some ingredients in these festive favourites can cause trouble for people taking certain medications or living with specific health conditions. From artificial […]

While Halloween offers a chance to embrace all things spooky and supernatural, the real terrors this season aren’t confined to ghost stories. From pumpkin-carved fingers to contact lens infections that can lead to life-threatening heart conditions, the festivities come with genuine medical hazards – some surprisingly severe. In the US, 44% of Halloween-related injuries stem […]

A landmark global health study has warned of an “emerging crisis” in adolescent mortality, with rising death rates among teenagers despite decades of overall progress in global life expectancy. Comprehensive Global Analysis The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, published in The Lancet in October 2025, is the most extensive health analysis of its kind. […]

Every product we touch has a footprint. A phone, a fridge, a hospital syringe. Each begins and ends in the same place: the planet’s resources. The EU’s recent ecodesign for sustainable products regulation aims to break the cycle of take, make, waste by forcing manufacturers to think circularly. Products will need to last longer, be […]

Malaria remains a deadly threat for pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, often leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, low birthweight and serious illness.  Now, an EU-funded collaborative research project is aiming to protect women before they become pregnant – an approach that could transform maternal and newborn health in regions where malaria is endemic. Dr Flavia D’Alessio heads […]

AlexShevchenko78/Shutterstock “Hubble bubble toil and trouble” is a quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth that conjures images of evil witches making potions in giant cauldrons. But the truth was that women persecuted as witches were probably legitimate healers of the time. Prior to the 14th century, women healers were generally tolerated throughout Europe, offering one of the […]

As Halloween approaches, stories of witches and their potions resurface, often featuring eerie plants like belladonna, mandrake and mugwort. These botanicals, steeped in myth and folklore, have long been linked to spells and sorcery. Yet behind their spooky reputations lies a fascinating pharmacological history, and in some cases, ongoing medical relevance. Belladonna Belladonna (Atropa belladonna), […]

Many cancer survivors live with the worry that their cancer might come back. This “recurrence” occurs when cancer cells hide somewhere in the body – like in the bone marrow – and start growing again, sometimes years later. Scientists have been trying to understand how to stop these cells from reactivating and causing cancer to […]