Health – Views & Research – The Conversation

A hand holds a mini model of the gut microbiome.

A hand holds a mini model of the gut microbiome.

Why your gut microbiome and heart are closer than you think

Fiona Newberry, University of Leicester

A man standing outside in the sun takes a deep breath through his nose.

A man standing outside in the sun takes a deep breath through his nose.

This is why you only breathe out of one nostril at a time

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

A young woman singing in the car.

A young woman singing in the car.

Why you can remember every word of a song from 25 years ago – but not why you walked into the room

Michelle Spear, University of Bristol

Strength training may be the key to healthy ageing

Christopher Hurst, Newcastle University

Senior couple strength training with dumbells

Senior couple strength training with dumbells

What the UK’s ‘day of reflection’ reveals about COVID memory

David Tollerton, University of Exeter

The Glass Works, Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Memorial Statue, permanent memorial tributes to the victims and key workers of the covid 19 pandemic

The Glass Works, Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Memorial Statue, permanent memorial tributes to the victims and key workers of the covid 19 pandemic

Hyrox is booming worldwide – here’s how to train for this race safely and effectively

Athalie Redwood-Brown, Nottingham Trent University and Jen Wilson, Nottingham Trent University

A Hyrox race, depicting a group of men performing lunges with sandbags balanced across their shoulders.

A Hyrox race, depicting a group of men performing lunges with sandbags balanced across their shoulders.

That cosy candle? It’s also polluting the air you’re breathing

Karin Rosenkilde Laursen, Aarhus University

Woman wearing white jumper with black painted nails lights a white candle with a match.

Woman wearing white jumper with black painted nails lights a white candle with a match.

Hay fever season is coming – here’s how to get ahead of symptoms

Christine Loscher, Dublin City University

A woman sitting in front of her laptop blows her nose into a tissue.

A woman sitting in front of her laptop blows her nose into a tissue.

England’s sewage scandal hinges on lack of water industry regulation – new docudrama reveals how profit drives pollution

Alex Ford, University of Portsmouth

girl's feet on polluted beach

girl's feet on polluted beach

No, autistic people are not ‘mind blind’ – here’s why

Travis LaCroix, Durham University

A seated child, staring into the distance.

A seated child, staring into the distance.

The UK is about to start an experiment that could end smoking for good – but it won’t be easy

Lisa McNally, University of Birmingham

Man holds cigarette and vape in one hand while holding up the other hand in a 'stop' sign

Man holds cigarette and vape in one hand while holding up the other hand in a 'stop' sign

graphic of woman with eyes closed, colourful swirly lines on black background surround her

graphic of woman with eyes closed, colourful swirly lines on black background surround her

Can flashing light alter your mind? The science of stroboscopic stimulation

Katie Edwards, The Conversation and Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol

Fitness + Exercise

An older woman sits on the floor on top of a yoga mat looking at her fitness watch.

An older woman sits on the floor on top of a yoga mat looking at her fitness watch.

What wearables can (and can’t) tell you about your heart health

Kevin O'Gallagher, King's College London

Broken legs, skier’s thumb and ‘sled head’: just some of the injuries risked by Winter Olympians

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

Austrian freestyle skiier Julius Forer crashes during a qualifying run at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Austrian freestyle skiier Julius Forer crashes during a qualifying run at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Can pre-workout supplements benefit your workouts?

Justin Roberts, Anglia Ruskin University; Fernando Naclerio, University of Greenwich, and Joseph Lillis, Anglia Ruskin University

A fit man holds up a shake bottle with liquid in one hand and a white container in the other hand.

A fit man holds up a shake bottle with liquid in one hand and a white container in the other hand.

Exercise snacks: the best bursts of activity to incorporate into your day

Jack McNamara, University of East London

A man who is working from home performs a bodyweight squat behind his desk and chair.

A man who is working from home performs a bodyweight squat behind his desk and chair.

The Norwegian 4x4 Hiit workout is a favourite among athletes and actress Jessica Biel – here’s why it’s so beneficial

Paul Hough, University of Westminster

A young woman cycles indoors on an exercise bike.

A young woman cycles indoors on an exercise bike.

Diet + Nutrition

Woman with no appetite eats cereal

Woman with no appetite eats cereal

What weight loss jabs teach us about how appetite works

Lewis Mattin, University of Westminster

Anxiety in teenagers linked to sugary drinks – new research

Chloe Casey, Bournemouth University

A teen girl studying her notes holds a can of sugary drink on her hand.

A teen girl studying her notes holds a can of sugary drink on her hand.

Weight-loss drug ‘support supplements’: do they address nutrient deficiencies, or are they just another fad?

Jordan Beaumont, Sheffield Hallam University

Woman taking food supplements instead of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Woman taking food supplements instead of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Four foods that can help improve your cholesterol and boost heart health

Ioannis Zabetakis, University of Limerick

A woman pours olive oil onto a salad.

A woman pours olive oil onto a salad.

Vitamin D: everything you need to know about this supplement – from when to take it, to how much you really need

Dipa Kamdar, Kingston University

A person holds a vitamin D supplement up to the sun.

A person holds a vitamin D supplement up to the sun.

Strange health

F15E fighter jet.

F15E fighter jet.

Blasted out at 20 times the force of gravity: what ejection from a fighter jet does to the body

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

From kneecap necklaces to umbilical cord keepsakes: the risks of keeping and consuming human tissue

Adam Taylor, Lancaster University

Umbilical cord in a wooden keepsake box next to a small red ceramic heart

Umbilical cord in a wooden keepsake box next to a small red ceramic heart

The worse your mental health problem, the less sympathy you get – why?

Robin Bailey, University of Cambridge

A woman holding a cardboard smiley face and a sad face in front of her own face.

A woman holding a cardboard smiley face and a sad face in front of her own face.

When your eyelids become a cinema screen: what strobing light reveals about the brain

David Schwartzman, University of Sussex

Girl viewing a sixties style Dreamachine

Girl viewing a sixties style Dreamachine

You are covered in mites – and most of the time that’s completely normal

Katie Edwards, The Conversation and Dan Baumgardt, University of Bristol

Demodex Folliculorum close-up

Demodex Folliculorum close-up

Drugs

Young man with bottle of cough syrup sitting on sofa in living room

Young man with bottle of cough syrup sitting on sofa in living room

Five everyday over-the-counter medicines with potential dangers

Dipa Kamdar, Kingston University

Ostarine: the performance-enhancing drug giving anti-doping agencies a headache

Tom Bassindale, Sheffield Hallam University

Athlete running on a track.

Athlete running on a track.

Pregnancy and pre-eclampsia: is aspirin the answer for everyone?

Patricia Maguire, University College Dublin

A pile of aspirin pills.

A pile of aspirin pills.

From bodybuilding to the local gym: how performance-enhancing drugs can damage the heart

David Oxborough, Liverpool John Moores University and Flo Place, Liverpool John Moores University

A fit man exercising outdoors holds his chest in pain.

A fit man exercising outdoors holds his chest in pain.

Why raising NHS spending on new drugs by 25% is the wrong decision – health economist’s view

Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, Bangor University

Doctor and patient in a consulting room at a GP surgery

Doctor and patient in a consulting room at a GP surgery

Dementia

A spitfire flying through a blue sky.

A spitfire flying through a blue sky.

The man who fell in love with the sound of Spitfires – here’s what this unusual symptom can teach us about dementia

Lucy Core, UCL

Dementia: how brain resilience, immune health and the menopause play a role in women’s risk

Eleftheria Kodosaki, UCL and Amanda Heslegrave, UCL

An elderly woman tries to complete a puzzle.

An elderly woman tries to complete a puzzle.

Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer’s disease – new study

Eef Hogervorst, Loughborough University

Smog over a cityscape.

Smog over a cityscape.

Menopause, hormones and the brain: how hormone therapy could help protect against Alzheimer’s

George E. Barreto, University of Limerick and Miguel G. Borda, Universidad de Navarra

Your morning coffee might protect your brain as you age – here’s the sweet spot

Eef Hogervorst, Loughborough University

Woman passing a cup of takeaway coffee to someone.

Woman passing a cup of takeaway coffee to someone.

Live forever

Older woman in sportswear exercising in gym with dumbells.

Older woman in sportswear exercising in gym with dumbells.

Liverpool’s ‘blue people’: the older adults redefining what ageing looks like

Krisztina Rudolf, Liverpool John Moores University

The truth about energy: why your 40s feel harder than your 20s, but there may be a lift later on

Michelle Spear, University of Bristol

Tired looking woman sitting on the edge of a bed.

Tired looking woman sitting on the edge of a bed.

Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health

Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, University of Cambridge and Christelle Langley, University of Cambridge

A tired woman sits on the edge of her bed, resting her head in her hand.

A tired woman sits on the edge of her bed, resting her head in her hand.

More young adults are developing osteoarthritis – here’s how we can spot those at risk before the damage is done

Atiqah Aziz, University of Malaya

Young woman suffering from pain in knee on sofa at home

Young woman suffering from pain in knee on sofa at home

What new twins study reveals about genes, environment and longevity

Bradley Elliott, University of Westminster

Twin sisters looking at the ocean.

Twin sisters looking at the ocean.

Cancer

Two hands holding ribbons of various colours representing different cancer charities.

Two hands holding ribbons of various colours representing different cancer charities.

Overdiagnosis? Why finding cancer isn’t always the same as saving lives

Ahmed Elbediwy, Kingston University and Nadine Wehida, Kingston University

A virus hiding inside bacteria may help explain colorectal cancer

Ryan Cook, Quadram Institute

A woman holding a cardboard cutout of the human gut against her abdomen.

A woman holding a cardboard cutout of the human gut against her abdomen.

The next cancer breakthrough may be stopping it before it starts

Ahmed Elbediwy, Kingston University and Nadine Wehida, Kingston University

Blood samples in a laboratory setting.

Blood samples in a laboratory setting.

The unanswered questions in the NHS’s new cancer plan

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

Woman attending a breast cancer screening appointment.

Woman attending a breast cancer screening appointment.

People who survive cancers are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s – this might be why

Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

A woman with her head covered.

A woman with her head covered.

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