Senior lecturer in analytical science Claire Turner looks at the science of chocolate. — Over the years, we all get bombarded with the latest health warnings or stories proclaiming the latest superfood which can provide miraculous health benefits. And very often, the stories completely contradict previous reports about the same item. You know the sort of thing — one month you hear that red…

How was it for Fido? Do animals approach sex in more than a — well, animalistic — way? — There’s an idea circulating that humans are the only animal to experience sexual pleasure; that we approach sex in a way that is distinct from others. As with many questions about sex, this exposes some interesting facts about the way we discuss the subject. On one level, the question of…

Whilst this year’s Olympic Games will almost certainly suffer from COVID-19 constraints, the event remains the largest sporting spectacle in the world. Over time the Games have evolved from their modest beginnings into something incomparably grand. In this article, Steph Doehler discusses how a rural English town has closer links than most to the modern Olympics. — Despite the perception that it was Baron Pierre de Coubertin who revived the modern Olympic Games there were in fact many Olympic events taking place throughout Europe before Coubertin was even born. One of these, set in the small Shropshire town of Much Wenlock, has been widely considered by sports…

The life of an Olympic or Paralympic athlete is characterised by highly planned and structured 4-year cycles designed to lead to peak performance in Olympic/Paralympic year, but what happens when that cycle unexpectedly stretches to 5 years and is threaded with uncertainty? — The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented situation with Tokyo 2020 being the first Olympic/Paralympic Games to be cancelled or postponed since the Second World War. The postponed 2021 games will likely be a different experience to previous games with, for example, no spectators at most events (BBC, 2021) and a…

Simon Rea previews the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, looking at the new sports featuring, plus who are Team GB’s best chances of winning medals. — The Games are going ahead despite a host of problems After the successes of Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and London in 2012, the 2021 Olympic Games land in Tokyo amid difficult circumstances. Only domestic spectators will be allowed in the stadiums due to concerns about athletes and spectators bringing in the COVID-19 virus.

How does the brain age and what can be done to decrease the onset of dementia? This article has many handy tips for people with dementia and their carers. — How does the brain age and what can be done to decrease the onset of dementia? This article has many handy tips for people with dementia and their carers. Supporting people to achieve the best mood and cognitive skills (memory and thinking) can be challenging.

Recently concussion in football has become a serious issue for debate, and with the UEFA EURO 2020, UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 coming up it is likely to be in the spotlight once again. — Why is concussion a serious issue? Media reports have raised awareness of key issues such as the higher risk of concussion in female youth footballers, the need for more effective concussion guidelines, and the link between heading the ball and degenerative brain disease.

What is planetary protection? This article explores the policies and legislative action of forwards and backwards contamination. — Mars has long been a planet of interest for scientists, especially those involved in the search for life, past or present. There is currently an increase in Mars missions. The United States landed Perseverance in early 2021 and China is planning on doing so in April 2021. The primary focus…

Eleanor Spencer-Regan explores the common thread between Look What You Made Me Do and Lady Lazarus. — In the opening shots of the video for her record breaking new single “Look What You Made Me Do”, we see the zombie formerly known as Taylor Swift claw her way out of a grave. This shovel-wielding revenant is a far cry from the “girl next door” who, in the…