UK Edition - Today's top story: Reading, socialising and doing puzzles can help preserve cognitive health – large study shows October 2, 2026 UK Edition   Could doing a crossword, reading a book or learning a new language help keep your brain healthy as you age? A large trial involving 11,500 people aged 60 to 85, found that simple, everyday brain-stimulating activities were linked to better cognitive function after a year. More than one in four people who started the study with cognitive impairment no longer showed signs of it a year later. The findings suggest that even small changes to what we do each day could help keep our brains active as we get older. Having taken the bold decision to scrap the pensions triple lock, Prime Minister Andy Burnham may be relieved to read the verdict from economist Jonquil Lowe. She says the lock has done its job and is ready for retirement. We’ve also looked at another big announcement from Burnham this week – GB Grid. Done right, this national energy initiative has the potential to put money back into household budgets.   Heather Kroeker Commissioning Editor, Health + Medicine   Zuev Ali/ Shutterstock Reading, socialising and doing puzzles can help preserve cognitive health – large study shows Paul Little, University of Southampton Our study shows that brain remains malleable and can learn new things well into older age. Triple clap. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN The UK’s pension triple lock has done its job and needs to be retired Jonquil Lowe, The Open University The triple lock is a fairly recent part of pension policy. Neil Phillips / Alamy How the new Great British Grid could help households benefit from abundant and cheap renewable power Jacopo Torriti, University of Reading As Britain builds more renewable energy, it will need to get better at encouraging people to use electricity when it’s plentiful. World One in three Ukrainian civilians estimated to meet the criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD – new study Gwendolyn Sasse, Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS); University of Oxford; Deirdre MacManus, King's College London War-related trauma now affects most people in Ukraine and presents a major threat to the country’s resiliance in the face of continuing Russian aggression. Serbia’s president has resigned – but intends to remain in control Eric Gordy, UCL Serbians will go to the polls in October for what looks set to be their closest national election in years. As Baltic states face Russian hybrid aggression, our research shows what Europe can do Alex Hardy, University of Liverpool Hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, poses a big threat, not only to Russia’s neighbours, but to the whole of Europe. Politics + Society The great Romanian contribution – research reveals just how Britain benefits Alina Dolea, Bournemouth University; Ruxandra Trandafoiu, Edge Hill University According to one poll, Romanians are the UK’s least-wanted European migrants. Arts + Culture The Traitors: the psychology works differently for celebrity players like Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan Paddy Ross, Durham University Fame as an important affect on how the game is played. Social media hasn’t killed personal style, it’s killed how we communicate it Catherine Greenwood, University of Lancashire Put down the coffee, walk away from the zebra crossing, think beyond chic and get more creative. North Sea, Nature Untamed puts personal wonder back into nature documentaries  Jean-Baptiste Gouyon, UCL North Sea, Nature Untamed signals a shift in wildlife filmmaking. Business + Economy The UK’s pension triple lock has done its job and needs to be retired Jonquil Lowe, The Open University The triple lock is a fairly recent part of pension policy. Manchester City supporters have been gaslit. What happens now? Josh Bland, University of Cambridge The evidence now requires Manchester City supporters to make the distinction their owners have spent years blurring. Environment Would a 50mph motorway speed limit really save much fuel? Amin Al-Habaibeh, Nottingham Trent University Physics suggests slower cars use less petrol. But in the real-world, fuel consumption depends on much more than aerodynamic drag. Wildfires are now an escalating risk: here’s how the UK needs to prepare ahead of next summer Chris Webber, Anglia Ruskin University; Liam Noll, Anglia Ruskin University Wildfires are a growing issue in the UK, with incidents escalating in 2026. Health Women are turning to testosterone, but what does the science actually say? Daniel Kelly, Sheffield Hallam University Growing numbers of women are using testosterone for menopause symptoms, but female-specific products remain scarce and evidence patchy. Science + Technology How deep do AI relationships really go? An expert in attachment theory explains Pascal Vrticka, University of Essex Can AI-human connections ever meet the psychological criteria of attachment – the relationships that hold people’s lives together? Podcasts Could a former IDF chief break Benjamin Netanyahu’s grip on power in Israel? Isabella Podwinski, The Conversation; Justin Bergman, The Conversation On The Conversation Weekly, why Israel’s political magician might be out of tricks and how a former IDF chief could be the one to upstage him. 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