lifestyle

Often presented as a simple way to deal with narcissistic, abusive or toxic behaviour, the technique is straightforward: make yourself as uninteresting as a grey rock. Respond in a neutral, minimal and emotionally flat way, particularly in interactions marked by conflict, criticism, or provocation.

It is his jousting behaviour that has enabled Bruce to win every one of his contests and become the undisputed king of the circus. So effective is this novel behaviour that Bruce seldom has to fight, making him more relaxed than the other birds over whom he reigns supreme.

Extreme heat can increase levels of specific proteins, known as shock proteins, in the blood of pregnant women. These proteins can trigger inflammation by activating the body’s immune response. High temperatures may also reduce blood flow to the placenta, limiting the oxygen and nutrients the baby receives.

Some peptide drugs are important, legitimate medicines. Insulin is one example. GLP-1 drugs are another.

Cocoa is one of the scarce, climate-sensitive and largely consumed commodities. The industry conglomerates have been exploring lab-grown alternatives to cocoa beans for years now. But where does that leave the consumers?

Scientists warn urgent emissions cuts are needed to meet net zero targets and avoid worsening impacts.

What began as a small-scale craft nearly 100 years ago has expanded into a structured industry, with plastic bangles from Pali reaching markets in countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside widespread domestic demand.

Gloves used by scientists in the lab may be skewing our understanding of the plastic crisis. New research reveals that these gloves can shed tiny particles that look identical to microplastics under a microscope. By accidentally mistaking these for pollution, researchers may have unintentionally inflated global microplastic estimates.

While epigenetic clocks are highly effective research tools to study ageing at the population level, they aren’t designed to make claims about the health of individuals.

Limiting summer bird feeding also limits the spread of disease, which happens more prominently when birds gather in numbers to share food and water.

The most effective prevention method for congenital syphilis is universal screening of all pregnancies at three points: during the first trimester, the third trimester and at delivery.

Birds are also adapting to humans. In urban areas, wildlife is subjected to human-made noise such as cars and machinery. Consequently, urban birds now sing at a higher pitch than rural birds as higher-pitched songs carry better over low-pitch urban noise. And it’s not just the pitch of the song that has been altered.