+Renoir in love

UK Edition - Today's top story: Secret chambers in Tutankhamun's tomb could hold the burial of a lost Egyptian queen – we may get answers soon

October 5, 2026

UK Edition

The Conversation
 

The treasures of King Tutankhamun’s tomb have captivated people since their discovery in 1922. Now, a team of archaeologists says there may be more to find in the king’s burial chamber. Scientific tests have turned up possible hints of hidden spaces just beyond the north wall of the tomb. Some team members believe this could mean the lost burial of Queen Nefertiti, King Tut’s stepmother, is within reach. Archaeologists have applied for permission to feed miniature cameras through small holes drilled in the wall, to see if there are any concealed chambers. If there are, it could open the door to another grand discovery, perhaps rivalling that of Tutankhamun’s resting place more than 100 years ago. Jay Silverstein of Nottingham Trent University assesses their chances.

The 19th century French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir is sometimes misunderstood as a painter of kitsch nudes. But a new exhibition of his works aims to dispel that view.

Meanwhile, scientists have created a new “mini-bladder” in the lab, that may help explain why urinary tract infections keep coming back.

 

Paul Rincon

Commissioning Editor, Science, Technology and Business

 
The golden mask of King Tutankhamun on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Mohamed Hossam / EPA Images

Secret chambers in Tutankhamun’s tomb could hold the burial of a lost Egyptian queen – we may get answers soon

Jay Silverstein, Nottingham Trent University

There is growing interest in the possibility of hidden spaces next to the king’s tomb.

Oarsmen at Chatou by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1879) National Gallery of Art (Washington DC)

Renoir and Love is a wonderful celebration of the fleeting joys of life

Benedict Carpenter van Barthold, Nottingham Trent University

An exhibition that will leave most with a deep appreciation for Renoir as an artistic innovator and painter of the first rank.

DimaBerlin/Shutterstock

Lab-grown ‘mini-bladder’ helps explain why urinary tract infections keep coming back

Walid Omara, Sheffield Hallam University

New research suggests some UTI-causing bacteria can survive antibiotics deep in bladder tissue, helping explain why infections sometimes return.

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