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Why do so many people believe in conspiracy theories? It’s a question researchers have wrestled with for decades. And they’ve uncovered many contributing factors, including personality, cognitive biases, social influences and social media use.
There’s been less focus, however, on subtle, everyday influences, such as stress levels or sleep. Now a study has uncovered a link between sleeping badly and believing in conspiracy theories. And while correlation isn’t necessarily causation, the authors argue sleep-focused interventions, such as insomnia therapy, could help counter conspiratorial thinking.
How fast could early human ancestors run? Researchers have worked out that the species Australopithecus afarensis (which the skeleton known as Lucy belongs too), was much slower than modern humans.
And after the US and Ukraine signed a 30-day ceasefire proposal, we look at the factors Russian president Vladimir Putin will now have to weigh up as he considers whether to accept the deal.
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Miriam Frankel
Senior Science + Technology Editor
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DimaBerlin/Shutterstock
Daniel Jolley, University of Nottingham; Iwan Dinnick, University of Nottingham
By prioritising good sleep we may be able to boost our ability to think critically and resist misinformation.
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Australopithecus afarensis were an early human ancestor.
Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock
Tom O'Mahoney, Anglia Ruskin University
There has been much debate over the years as to exactly how “Lucy” walked.
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Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha presents US secretary of state Marco Rubio with a religious icon painted on the lid of an ammunition box.
EPA-EFE/Ukranian presidential press service
Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham; Tetyana Malyarenko, National University Odesa Law Academy
Vladimir Putin will now have to weigh up how to maintain a reset with the US while also pressing for more military success on the battlefield.
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World
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Nyi Nyi Kyaw, University of Bristol
Over the past year, Myanmar’s military junta has been enforcing mandatory conscription, targeting men and women of working age.
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Dafydd Townley, University of Portsmouth; Matthew Powell, University of Portsmouth
Denying access to intelligence sharing and satellite information could lead to an existential crisis for Ukraine.
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Politics + Society
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Nadine Shanahan, University of Liverpool
Social media enables a culture of commentary, where anyone and everyone can comment on your physical appearance.
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Arts + Culture
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Megan Smith-Dobric, University of Oxford
The show raises critical questions about how the UK treats young offenders.
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Ross Walker, University of Stirling
Widely regarded as being created by a Canadian in America, the history of basketball often overlooks the role played by the strong Scots heritage and influences that informed James Naismith’s identity, character and values.
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Glenn Fosbraey, University of Winchester
For those of us who are into our misery music, The Bends is a beautiful place to wallow.
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Business + Economy
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Pietro Micheli, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
Consumer demands have changed – and the old manufacturers have taken their foot off the gas.
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Naresh R. Pandit, University of East Anglia; Feng Wan, Zhejiang University; Peter Williamson, Cambridge Judge Business School
Relying on strategy over brand recognition.
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Education
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Holly Joseph, University of Reading; Daisy Powell, University of Reading
Library reading sessions tend to be attended by families who already engage with books at home
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Environment
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Krysia Mazik, University of Hull; Magnus Johnson, University of Hull; Rodney Forster, University of Hull; Sue Hull, University of Hull
A large tanker has released jet fuel into the sea near crucial seal and seabird breeding spots, say local marine ecologists.
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Jean-Christophe Nebel, Kingston University; Farzana Rahman, Kingston University
Small air sensors that harness the power of AI could transform pollution monitoring.
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Health
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Stephanie Kullmann, University of Tübingen
And insulin in the brain might explain why.
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Tiia-Marie Sundberg, Lund University; Mehreen Zaigham, Lund University
Umbilical cord pH test could help identify babies at risk of brain damage and disabilities.
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