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Ever wondered what it would have been like to experience the gargantuan asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and half of the Earth’s other species? Would you have been instantly burnt to a crisp? Drowned in a tsunami in the Indian Ocean the following day? Frozen to death weeks later or survived against all odds?
We’ve teamed up two leading experts – planetary scientist Monica Grady and palaeontologist Mike Benton – to take you right back to the end of the Cretaceous era in this blow-by-blow account of the impact.
Meanwhile, the UK’s local elections saw the Green Party gain 440 councillors across England. But what can they actually do to tackle the climate crisis? And whether we like it or not, screens are now a ubiquitous part of children’s lives. Here are five tips for parents to use them healthily and set a good example.
Do you enjoy our Daily Newsletter? If you value it, please consider supporting our work with a regular donation, if you haven’t already. The Conversation is a UK registered charity, and we rely on the support of our readers. You can donate here.
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Miriam Frankel
Senior Editor, Science Insights
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serpeblu/Shutterstock
Michael J. Benton, University of Bristol; Monica Grady, The Open University
A week after the asteroid impact, rotting vegetation, smoke and sulphur create a stinky planet. Plant and animal survivors succumb to the corrosive acid rain.
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Members of the Green Party celebrate a win in Bellingham in south London, May 2026.
Andy Rain / EPA
Rebecca Willis, University of Manchester
Councils have no formal duties to reduce emissions, and there is a huge temptation for local politicians to look the other way.
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airdone/Shutterstock
Liane Beretta de Azevedo, Sheffield Hallam University; Colette Marr, Sheffield Hallam University
Try to think consciously about how often you use your own device.
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Politics + Society
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Daniel Gover, Queen Mary University of London
There are said to be around 200 MPs who are willing to reintroduce it as a private member’s bill.
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Arts + Culture
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Joe Towns, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Cameras mounted on the referee, trialled at the Fifa Club World Cup last year, will show us what the ref can – and can’t – see.
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Jack Reid, University of Limerick
Loss is inevitable, but the formalised language of poetry may help us endure it.
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Business + Economy
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Nick Chater, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick; George Loewenstein, Carnegie Mellon University
Not all problems are caused by personal choices.
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Environment
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Nick Kirsop-Taylor, University of Exeter
It can be hard for governments to prioritise the risks of ecosystem collapse above conflict, energy poverty and food supply chain issues
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Health
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Jennifer Loudon Moxen, University of the West of Scotland
COPD is often diagnosed late, but the lung damage behind it can build up slowly over decades.
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Louise Burgess, Bournemouth University
Electrical muscle stimulation uses small electrical impulses to help the muscles contract.
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Science + Technology
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Stuart Thompson, University of Westminster
Plants are more fascinating than you might imagine.
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Sungho Hong, The Institute for Basic Science; Victor J. Drew, The Institute for Basic Science
Hasty adoption of AI may erode the scientific culture and human relationships that sustain rigorous research.
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2 March - 30 September 2026
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3 March - 15 May 2026
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Glasgow
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21 April - 19 May 2026
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Wivenhoe Park, Colchester
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