Category: The Conversation – UK

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Janine Natalya Clark, Professor of Transitional Justice and International Criminal Law, University of Birmingham

The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York included a world premiere of War Through the Eyes of Animals (also known as Animals in War). The documentary gives an animal-eye view of Russia’s war against Ukraine and features the wartime experiences of several different species, including a cow, a rabbit and a wolf.

Throughout history, animals have been affected by war and exposed to its many dangers. Despite this, war is usually discussed from human-centred perspectives that marginalise animal experiences.

My own work on the Russia-Ukraine war uses sound as a way of thinking about some of the war’s environmental impacts and the experiences of animals. The idea that sound can provide ecological information is not new. Research has shown how the sounds, for example, of plants and animals can tell us a lot about how their environment is changing. What is new is exploring this in the context of war.

For my research project I interviewed more than 30 Ukrainians, including botanists, ornithologists, herpetologists (who study reptiles and amphibians) and a marine biologist. I also asked them to make short recordings of their local soundscapes.

A scientist working in Tuzlivski Lymany National Park in the Odesa region of southern Ukraine made a recording of Iranian Shahed drones flying over his office and explained that these “abnormal” sounds greatly affect some species of birds.

In 2024, for example, there was a large colony of nesting flamingos in Tuzlivski Lymany. However, noise caused them to abandon their nests, leaving their eggs vulnerable to predators. No chicks were born in the flamingo colony that year. Research in peacetime has found that drones can lead to significant breeding failures among some birds.

A herpetologist, meanwhile, shared his recording of natterjack toads and European tree frogs that he made in the Volyn region of northern Ukraine the year before the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

What he wanted to convey was that he may never hear this particular “amphibian chorus” again. The area is close to the border with Belarus, and it is unclear what impact the construction of Ukrainian defensive fortifications has had on local animal and plant life.

I also asked interviewees whether the war has helped nature in any way. In response, they frequently talked about reduced anthropogenic (human-made) pressures on the environment. An example is the ban on hunting, first imposed at the start of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

One interviewee recorded a nighttime summer meadow in Kyiv region and captured the distant sound of a fox calling. The prohibition on hunting has enabled foxes to thrive

Another interviewee made a recording near the Kaniv Nature Reserve in central Ukraine. Alongside birdsong are the barking sounds of roe deer, another species that has benefited from the hunting ban.

Of course, such population increases are not necessarily beneficial to wider ecosystems, as ecologist Aldo Leopold discussed in his classic Thinking like a Mountain (1949). Leopold found that uncontrolled numbers of deer due to the mass killing of wolves in the United States during the first part of the 20th century took a huge toll on the environment. “I have seen every edible bush and seedling browsed”, he wrote”, “first to anaemic desuetude, and then to death”.

The fact that the Russia-Ukraine war has contributed to reducing some anthropogenic pressures does not in any way minimise the enormity of harm done to nature, including forests, soil and marine ecosystems. Yet it is too narrow to think about the environment only in terms of harms done to it.

Nature’s recovery

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) created following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 is often cited as an example of nature’s ability to recover. One of the ornithologists whom I interviewed made a recording of birdsong from within the CEZ, in northern Ukraine.

When I listen to the recording I am reminded of research which has found that birds have adapted physiologically to radiation exposure within the CEZ.

Another example of recovery relates to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023. When Russian aggressors breached the dam, water drained from the Kakhovka reservoir, leaving it dry. Today, there is a young willow forest growing on the site of the former reservoir.

To emphasise the resilience of nature, one of my interviewees made an audio recording from the Yelanets Steppe Nature Reserve in the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine. Against the acoustic backdrop of wind gusting through the grasslands are the repeated calls of the common pheasant.

These sounds of the wild steppe awakening in early spring, the interviewee stressed, are also the sounds of nature getting on with life.

Birdsong is clearly audible in a recording made by soldiers near the frontline in Kharkiv region.

Similarly, birds continued to sing over the trenches during the first world war. Some interviewees also pointed out that certain species of birds, including cormorants, herons and white storks, have adapted to the sounds of war, becoming less sensitive to them.

Justice and reparations

I am particularly interested in the significance of nature’s sounds in the context of transitional justice – and especially reparations.

Discourse on environmental reparations focuses on repairing harms done to nature – and sounds can provide useful insights into some of these harms.

But what is missing from existing scholarship on reparations is attention to some of the ways that ecosystems can and do regenerate and recover. Moving forward, therefore, it is essential to think about how reparations can support (and not disturb) these natural ecosystem processes.

Janine Natalya Clark receives funding for this research from the Leverhulme Trust (RF-2024-137)

– ref. Sound recordings can give us an animal-eye view of the war in Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/sound-recordings-can-give-us-an-animal-eye-view-of-the-war-in-ukraine-260519

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

 Across Europe, far-right movements are gaining ground. From the Netherlands, to Germany and Italy, they’re winning seats in parliaments and sometimes joining ruling coalitions. By normalising nationalist rhetoric and challenging democratic institutions, these parties raise comparisons with former periods of fascism on the continent.

Between 1943 and 1945, when Nazi forces occupied northern Italy, ordinary people in towns and villages across the country took up arms against fascism in one of Europe’s largest resistance movements. Now, 80 years later, in many of these same towns, anti-fascist sentiment remains unusually strong.

In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to political scientist Juan Masullo at Leiden University, who’s been finding out about the enduring legacy of these anti-fascist movements.

The town of Sant’Anna di Stazzema, tucked away in the mountains of Tuscany, is a place haunted by its wartime past. The site of a notorious Nazi massacre during the Italian civil war it’s become a memorial to Italian resistance, and what Massulo describes as a “bastion of anti-fascist, left-wing progressive thinking”.

In 2021, the mayor of Stazzema began collecting signatures from around Italy to a petition calling for a ban on every form of fascist or neo-fascist propaganda. It needed 50,000 signatures to be discussed in parliament, and 240,000 signed it.

Masullo saw this as an opportunity to answer a question about political resistance and its legacy: was there an association between places with a lot of anti-fascist resistance during the war, and places that supported the petition? “We did find out that there was an association,” he told us. And when he began interviewing people in places where the correlation was particularly strong to try and find out why, he said “ these people spend a lot of time memorialising what happened”.

Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly to hear our conversation with Juan Masullo about his research.

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This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany with mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer.

Newsclips in this episode from DW News, BBC News, BattleForTelenuovo, Hindustan Times, Look in the Past War Archives, Archivio Luce Cinecittà, Tele Liguria Sud.

Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Juan Masullo has received funding for this research from UNUWIDER and Leiden University. He is affiliated with the University of Milan.

– ref. The enduring anti-fascist legacy of places that mark Italy’s wartime resistance – podcast – https://theconversation.com/the-enduring-anti-fascist-legacy-of-places-that-mark-italys-wartime-resistance-podcast-260741

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nik Georgopoulos, Associate Professor in Cell Biology and Transforming Lives Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University

Hair loss is one of the most feared and traumatic side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatment, both for patients themselves and their loved ones, as it can visibly represent the “face of cancer”.

For most patients, maintaining their hair is not just about vanity – it’s about identity, dignity and control. That’s why scalp cooling caps, or (cold caps), often worn during chemotherapy, have become an increasingly common sight in cancer wards.

Chemotherapy drugs work by killing rapidly dividing cancer cells – unfortunately, they cause collateral toxicity to rapidly dividing healthy cells in our body, like those in the roots of our hair. This leads to hair follicle damage and ultimately, hair loss.

Automated scalp cooling devices are used to chill the scalp just before, during and for a short time after chemotherapy treatment. Our previous research showed that cooling works through several mechanisms. It reduces blood flow to the scalp, meaning less of the drug reaches the hair follicles.

It lowers cell activity and metabolism, which makes hair cells less likely to react to chemotherapy. Also, cooling directly stops drugs from entering follicle cells. But despite its potential, scalp cooling doesn’t work for all patients. Until now, we didn’t really know why.

Our new research shows that temperature precision might be fundamental in the ability of scalp cooling to prevent hair loss. We used human hair follicles grown as “mini organs” in the lab to simulate what happens during chemotherapy.

When we treated hair follicles with chemotherapy drugs, we found that cooling, quite remarkably, can prevent the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs. However, there is a catch: it only works if hair follicles are cooled to the right level. If not, the protection is not adequate to “rescue” them from the toxicity of chemotherapy.

More specifically, when cooled to an optimal temperature of 18°C, hair follicles were completely protected from chemotherapy drug-induced damage. However, when the temperature was higher – say, 26°C – the protection dropped dramatically. This finding may explain why scalp cooling doesn’t work for all patients. In real-world settings, scalp temperature can vary due to differences in equipment, head shape, blood flow, or hair type. Some patients may not reach the “protective threshold”.

But, here’s the exciting part: if the temperature isn’t cold enough, we have found a way to compensate for this by adding antioxidants, and that makes a huge difference. Together, cooling and antioxidant form a strong protective combination – offering hair follicles a powerful, double layer of defence.

So, how do the antioxidants help? Chemotherapy drugs generate harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, or ROS, which contribute to cell damage. By adding antioxidants like N-Acetylcysteine or Resveratrol – even at sub-optimal cooling temperatures – we saw a remarkable improvement in protection. In fact, the combined effect of antioxidants and moderate cooling mimicked the protection seen with optimal cooling alone.

Although our study was conducted in the lab, it paves the way for improving the outcomes for patients undergoing chemotherapy. The findings suggest that combining antioxidants with existing scalp cooling could make the treatment more reliable and accessible.

We’re now developing a topical antioxidant treatment designed to reach the vulnerable parts of hair follicles in the scalp. The idea is to apply this lotion during scalp cooling, to boost the follicle’s defenses. Clinical trials are being planned to test this combined approach in patients.

Our new research is a milestone, because with the help of antioxidants, we may now be able to offer effective scalp cooling-based hair protection more widely and more consistently – even when conditions aren’t perfect. The combinatorial approach is based on over a decade of research into how chemotherapy damages hair – and how that damage can be stopped.

Hair loss during chemotherapy is deeply distressing. If we can improve the tools we already have, such as scalp cooling, and make them work better for more people, we can help preserve not just hair, but dignity, normality and quality of life during an incredibly difficult time.

The future of supportive cancer care isn’t just about treating the disease. It’s also about helping people feel like themselves and maintain their dignity while they fight it. This new approach has the potential to “change the face of cancer” for patients worldwide.

Nik Georgopoulos is a member of the scientific advisory board of Paxman Coolers Ltd, but receives no consultancy-related income. He holds a research collaboration with and his laboratory receives funding from Paxman Coolers Ltd.

– ref. Cooling and antioxidants could help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy – new research – https://theconversation.com/cooling-and-antioxidants-could-help-prevent-hair-loss-during-chemotherapy-new-research-259722

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Janine Natalya Clark, Professor of Transitional Justice and International Criminal Law, University of Birmingham

The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York included a world premiere of War Through the Eyes of Animals (also known as Animals in War). The documentary gives an animals-eye view of Russia’s war against Ukraine and features the wartime experiences of several different species, including a cow, a rabbit and a wolf.

Throughout history, animals have been affected by war and exposed to its many dangers. Despite this, war is usually discussed from human-centred perspectives that marginalise animal experiences.

My own work on the Russia-Ukraine war uses sound as a way of thinking about some of the war’s environmental impacts and the experiences of animals. The idea that sound can provide ecological information is not new. Research has shown how the sounds, for example, of plants and animals can tell us a lot about how their environment is changing. What is new is exploring this in the context of war.

For my research project I interviewed more than 30 Ukrainians, including botanists, ornithologists, herpetologists (who study reptiles and amphibians) and a marine biologist. I also asked them to make short recordings of their local soundscapes.

A scientist working in Tuzlivski Lymany National Park in the Odesa region of southern Ukraine made a recording of Iranian Shahed drones flying over his office and explained that these “abnormal” sounds greatly affect some species of birds.

In 2024, for example, there was a large colony of nesting flamingos in Tuzlivski Lymany. However, noise caused them to abandon their nests, leaving their eggs vulnerable to predators. No chicks were born in the flamingo colony that year. Research in peacetime has found that drones can lead to significant breeding failures among some birds.

A herpetologist, meanwhile, shared his recording of natterjack toads and European tree frogs that he made in the Volyn region of northern Ukraine the year before the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

What he wanted to convey was that he may never hear this particular “amphibian chorus” again. The area is close to the border with Belarus, and it is unclear what impact the construction of Ukrainian defensive fortifications has had on local animal and plant life.

I also asked interviewees whether the war has helped nature in any way. In response, they frequently talked about reduced anthropogenic (human-made) pressures on the environment. An example is the ban on hunting, first imposed at the start of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

One interviewee recorded a nighttime summer meadow in Kyiv region and captured the distant sound of a fox calling. The prohibition on hunting has enabled foxes to thrive

Another interviewee made a recording near the Kaniv Nature Reserve in central Ukraine. Alongside birdsong are the barking sounds of roe deer, another species that has benefited from the hunting ban.

Of course, such population increases are not necessarily beneficial to wider ecosystems, as ecologist Aldo Leopold discussed in his classic Thinking like a Mountain (1949). Leopold found that uncontrolled numbers of deer due to the mass killing of wolves in the United States during the first part of the 20th century took a huge toll on the environment. “I have seen every edible bush and seedling browsed”, he wrote”, “first to anaemic desuetude, and then to death”.

The fact that the Russia-Ukraine war has contributed to reducing some anthropogenic pressures does not in any way minimise the enormity of harm done to nature, including forests, soil and marine ecosystems. Yet it is too narrow to think about the environment only in terms of harms done to it.

Nature’s recovery

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) created following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 is often cited as an example of nature’s ability to recover. One of the ornithologists whom I interviewed made a recording of birdsong from within the CEZ, in northern Ukraine.

When I listen to the recording I am reminded of research which has found that birds have adapted physiologically to radiation exposure within the CEZ.

Another example of recovery relates to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023. When Russian aggressors breached the dam, water drained from the Kakhovka reservoir, leaving it dry. Today, there is a young willow forest growing on the site of the former reservoir.

To emphasise the resilience of nature, one of my interviewees made an audio recording from the Yelanets Steppe Nature Reserve in the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine. Against the acoustic backdrop of wind gusting through the grasslands are the repeated calls of the common pheasant.

These sounds of the wild steppe awakening in early spring, the interviewee stressed, are also the sounds of nature getting on with life.

Birdsong is clearly audible in a recording made by soldiers near the frontline in Kharkiv region.

Similarly, birds continued to sing over the trenches during the first world war. Some interviewees also pointed out that certain species of birds, including cormorants, herons and white storks, have adapted to the sounds of war, becoming less sensitive to them.

Justice and reparations

I am particularly interested in the significance of nature’s sounds in the context of transitional justice – and especially reparations.

Discourse on environmental reparations focuses on repairing harms done to nature – and sounds can provide useful insights into some of these harms.

But what is missing from existing scholarship on reparations is attention to some of the ways that ecosystems can and do regenerate and recover. Moving forward, therefore, it is essential to think about how reparations can support (and not disturb) these natural ecosystem processes.

Janine Natalya Clark receives funding for this research from the Leverhulme Trust (RF-2024-137)

– ref. Sound recordings can give us an animals’ eye view of the war in Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/sound-recordings-can-give-us-an-animals-eye-view-of-the-war-in-ukraine-260519

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Breno Nunes, Associate professor in Sustainable Operations Management, Aston University

Since early January 2025, residents of Birmingham in the UK have been caught in the dispute between the city council and the Unite union over pay, terms and conditions for waste and recycling collectors. The latest attempt at talks broke down in acrimony.

At one point during the crisis, there were 17 tonnes of uncollected rubbish in Birmingham. Businesses and residents face public health and safety risks including pest infestations and the spread of disease and fire hazards.

These have tainted the reputation of the city and hurt its chances of hosting events and attracting visitors. The news of cat-sized rats in Birmingham has made headlines from the US to Australia.

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Read more:
Birmingham bin strikes: a threat to public health

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Workers’ pay is being negotiated between the union and the council in Birmingham. However, this is a fairly dangerous job and, with an ageing population, it may become more difficult to hire new workers. We argue that a more fair approach would be to use technology to help transition workers (including through training) towards better paid and safer positions.

This would be an opportunity to build more sustainable waste management in the UK’s second largest city and beyond. Advances in robotics and AI are making automated refuse collection a reality, for example. Some cities in the US, Canada and parts of Europe already use robotics-enabled equipment in their refuse collection systems.

A shortage of skilled personnel threatens the transition towards a greener economy. People have to be at the centre of the solution. In this case, skilled workers are needed to keep different types of waste separate and so improve recycling rates.

The recovery value can be high for certain products such as electronics, automotive parts, as well as materials like plastic and metal. This is still difficult for machines to do.

Smart bins and automated trucks

Birmingham city council has already proposed improvements to waste collection. Based on publicly available information, it aims at increasing the number of rubbish trucks, reducing the number of collection days and retraining refuse collectors. But it has yet to take full advantage of existing advanced technologies.

The plan, for instance, proposes improving communication with residents about collection day via text messages. While welcome, this is rather basic. It was only during the pandemic that all recycling centres started using online booking systems. Prior to that, endless queues were common – wasting time and increasing emissions with traffic jams.

We argue that a whole-systems approach is needed to make the most of the opportunities new technology affords. Automated side loader trucks and smart bins are already used in various cities – the latter use sensors to monitor waste volumes and predict when collection is needed. The council could analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each technology in different areas of the city.

Side loader trucks, which can lift up large bins and empty them, automate a dangerous process and are already considered a mature technology, used in cities across the US, Canada and Sweden. These trucks are difficult to drive in narrow streets. But, where appropriate, their benefits include increased productivity, reduced collection costs and greater worker safety.

Sensors embedded in the vehicle, including from cameras, can provide data on the distribution of waste in different areas. This helps to produce a waste map. AI algorithms can analyse the data and provide customised collection schedules that optimise the use of trucks in the collection fleet. The algorithms can learn and be continuously revised to improve the service.

In busy areas of the city, information from smart bins can prevent rubbish accumulating. Advanced machine learning techniques can then be employed to further optimise the collection schedule by detecting, for instance, anomalies such as a sudden increase in some types of waste. Such systems can provide more adaptable solutions and increase the productivity of officers.

Recent improvements in imaging techniques and chemical analysis can help to identify different waste materials and allow automatic sorting, and the identification of hazardous waste.

Other technological solutions, such as the use of smart underground large storage containers as communal bins allow for less frequent collections, but they may require significant changes to both infrastructure and trucks. These already exist in parts of Spain.

Pneumatic waste collection systems have been tested in Wembley, a suburb in northwest London. In this system, waste is sucked through underground pipes by a fan system at speeds approaching 50mph to a central point, where it is stored in airtight containers until further treatment takes place. More than 30 countries adopt this system.

Educating the public is vital too. Reducing waste in the first place is a good way to save money and would reduce pressure on waste collection systems.

As far as Birmingham goes, overlooking advanced technologies won’t make the council’s task of satisfying residents and waste collection teams any easier. We think a lot of people would be happier to see more robotics trucks and smart bins than more rats in the streets.

Breno Nunes receives funding from InnovateUK for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project on sustainable manufacturing strategy.

Roberto Castro Alamino does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. From robotic trucks to smart bins: how technology is helping cities sort their waste problem – https://theconversation.com/from-robotic-trucks-to-smart-bins-how-technology-is-helping-cities-sort-their-waste-problem-260023

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jane Steventon, Course Leader, BA (Hons) Screenwriting; Deputy Course Leader & Senior Lecturer, BA (Hons) Film Production, University of Portsmouth

When HBO launched Lena Dunham’s Girls in 2012, it followed shows such as Buffy (1997-2003), Sex and the City (1998-2004) and Gossip Girl (2007-2012), which had all set a standard of shiny, sanitised female representation that was both attractive and palatable to a wide audience.

The grubby realism of Dunham’s New York twentysomethings, on the other hand, offered a surprising authenticity for some. But for others it was too messy, too white, too privileged and too authored around Dunham’s own life.

Although younger characters are often categorised by self-absorption and poor judgment, the “realness” of Girls was still challenging for many viewers. In particular they struggled with Dunham’s own character, Hannah Horvath, an aspiring writer frequently making personal and professional mistakes. She made for an unlikely – and often unlikable – heroine.

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Much attention was also paid to Hannah’s nudity, which proved to be a talking point each season. Dunham is known for her bold and positive attitude to her body, which clearly does not conform to standard Hollywood beauty types. But this reaction to Hannah’s frequent nakedness was ultimately highlighted as misogynistic by the creative powers behind the series such as producer Judd Apatow and co-writer Jenni Konner, as well as Dunham herself.

The same critics may have similar problems with Too Much. Though fresh 20-something protagonist, Jessica is played with gusto by TikTok star Megan Stalter, not Dunham herself. She’s known for her scene-stealing performance in comedy-drama Hacks (2021-).

Too Much is still clearly written by Dunham. Jess’s relocation from NYC to London echoes her own move to the UK in 2021, where she met and married the Peruvian-British musician Luis Felber and settled in north London.

The pair have co-created this “love letter to London”, with Dunham directing and and Felber providing the original music. The story takes in London pubs, creative agencies, Notting-Hill-the-movie aspirations and council-estate realities.

Growing pains

As Jess starts work in a London media agency, helmed by an excitable Richard E. Grant, she meets cerebral indie musician Felix (played convincingly and charmingly by Will Sharpe). Their instant connection means that Jess is thrust back into the world of dating, with all the Instagram anxiety and breakup PTSD that her last relationship produced.

The tone is at once fresh and frivolous, but episode one feels contrived at times with the creaky set-up of post-relationship life and relocation.

The familial scenes are the most enjoyable, with Dunham calling in all her celebrity cameo favours, including herself as Jessica’s mother (she snaffles some of the show’s best lines), and Rita Wilson playing her own mother. The small but mighty Rhea Pearlman grabs the great-grandmother role with gusto, flirting salaciously with Jess’s paramour while dispensing wicked wisecracks with bone-dry humour.

As the story develops, so does the sophistication and thoroughbred quality of Dunham’s writing and directing. Glorious moments of obsession with skin, taste and touch in the early days of a relationship are convincingly conveyed by credible and well-crafted moments of intimacy, both physical and intellectual.

As Jessica and Felix navigate the inevitable ups-and-downs of togetherness (dinner parties, red-flag paranoia and an unrequited “I love you”), Dunham reflects on love’s tumultuous and terrifying roller-coaster via brilliant dialogue and meaningful visual storytelling.

A particularly thought-provoking moment of direction comes in the form of a long take at the end of episode three, where the duo cosy up together, ready for sleep, in silent closeness. Jess listens to music on headphones, potentially excluding Felix, but the inference is of acceptance and tenderness – a reassuring sign of potential longevity.

The pitfalls on the road to love are frequently revealed in flashback from Jessica’s past relationship with Zev (Michael Zegen), who has moved on with a new partner. We go from the “meet-cute” and early days of infatuation between Jess and Zev, steadily giving way to less and less tolerance and emotional intimacy, until finally the betrayal with the new love becomes clear.

Capitalising on the anxieties induced by social media, Dunham has Jess obsessively watching Zev’s new love Wendy (Emily Ratajkowski) on Instagram, where every desirable detail of her life plays out in perfection. When Wendy broadcasts the inevitable proposal on Instagram Live, Jess is sent spiralling and decides to flee to London.

As the series progresses, Dunham’s goals become clearer and echo those of Girls. Both shows explore what it means to be “too much” – an accusation that many strong, ambitious and focused women have experienced.

Being too much, it turns out, may be not such a bad thing. As Felix remarks at the close of episode four, after one of their first clashes, “too much” is not necessarily an insult – it can be a way of describing someone who is remarkable. It’s something that Dunham clearly believes – and wants us all to believe – about the tumultuous and chaotic experience of growing up.

Too Much is a hopeful paean to womanhood, a declaration that messiness, failure and fear are all part of becoming a woman just as much as joy, love and intimacy. This show inspires and engages the more it reveals of its flawed and fallible protagonist amid the melting pot of London that Dunham so clearly adores.

Jane Steventon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Too Much: Lena Dunham’s love letter to London, romance and the messiness of being a woman – https://theconversation.com/too-much-lena-dunhams-love-letter-to-london-romance-and-the-messiness-of-being-a-woman-260528

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin L. Olsson, Medical Director of the Nordic Reference Laboratory for Blood Group Genomics, Region Skåne & Professor of Transfusion Medicine, Head of the Division, Lund University

In a routine blood test that turned extraordinary, French scientists have identified the world’s newest and rarest blood group. The sole known carrier is a woman from Guadeloupe whose blood is so unique that doctors couldn’t find a single compatible donor.

The discovery of the 48th recognised blood group, called “Gwada-negative”, began when the woman’s blood plasma reacted against every potential donor sample tested, including those from her own siblings. Consequently, it was impossible to find a suitable blood donor for her.

Most people know their blood type – A, B, AB or O – along with whether they are Rh-positive or negative. But these familiar categories (those letters plus “positive” or “negative”) represent just two of several dozens of blood group systems that determine compatibility for transfusions. Each system reflects subtle but crucial differences in the proteins and sugars coating our red blood cells.

To solve the mystery of the Guadeloupian woman’s incompatible blood, scientists turned to cutting-edge genetic analysis. Using whole exome sequencing – a technique that examines all 20,000-plus human genes – they discovered a mutation in a gene called PIGZ.

This gene produces an enzyme responsible for adding a specific sugar to an important molecule on cell membranes. The missing sugar changes the structure of a molecule on the surface of red blood cells. This change creates a new antigen – a key feature that defines a blood group – resulting in an entirely new classification: Gwada-positive (having the antigen) or -negative (lacking it).

Using gene editing technology, the team confirmed their discovery by recreating the mutation in a lab. So red blood cells from all blood donors tested are Gwada-positive and the Guadeloupean patient is the only known Gwada-negative person on the planet.

The implications of the discovery extend beyond blood transfusions. The patient suffers from mild intellectual disability, and tragically, she lost two babies at birth – outcomes that may be connected to her rare genetic mutation.

The enzyme produced by the PIGZ gene operates at the final stage of building a complex molecule called GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol). Previous research has shown that people with defects in other enzymes needed for GPI assembly can experience neurological problems ranging from developmental delays to seizures. Stillbirths are also common among women with these inherited disorders.

Although the Caribbean patient is the only person in the world so far with this rare blood type, neurological conditions including developmental delay, intellectual disability and seizures have been noted in other people with defects in enzymes needed earlier in the GPI assembly line.

The Gwada discovery highlights both the marvels and challenges of human genetic diversity. Blood groups evolved partly as protection against infectious diseases (many bacteria, viruses and parasites use blood group molecules as entry points into cells). This means your blood type can influence your susceptibility to certain diseases.

But extreme rarity creates medical dilemmas. The French researchers acknowledge they cannot predict what would happen if Gwada-incompatible blood were transfused into the Guadeloupian woman. Even if other Gwada-negative people exist, they would be extremely difficult to locate. It is also unclear if they can become blood donors.

This reality points towards a futuristic solution: lab-grown blood cells. Scientists are already working on growing red blood cells from stem cells that could be genetically modified to match ultra-rare blood types. In the case of Gwada, researchers could artificially create Gwada-negative red blood cells by mutating the PIGZ gene.

A growing field

Gwada joins 47 other blood group systems recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion. Like most of these blood-group systems, it was discovered in a hospital lab where technicians were trying to find compatible blood for a patient.

The name reflects the case’s Caribbean roots: Gwada is slang for someone from Guadeloupe, giving this blood group both scientific relevance and cultural resonance.

As genetic sequencing becomes more advanced and widely used, researchers expect to uncover more rare blood types. Each discovery expands our understanding of human variation and raises fresh challenges for transfusion and other types of personalised medicine.

Martin L Olsson is a Wallenberg Clinical Scholar who receives research funding from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (grant no. 2020.0234). He holds other major grants from the Swedish Research Council (grant no. 2024-03772), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (grant no. NNF22OC0077684) and the Swedish government funds to university healthcare for clinical research (ALF grant no. 2022.0287). He is also a member of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT)’s Working Party on Red Cell Immunogenetics and Blood Group Terminology.

Jill Storry receives funding from the Swedish Research Council (grant no. 2024-03772). She is affiliated with, and the current senior Vice-President, of the International Society of Blood Transfusion, as well as a member of the society’s Working Party on Red Cell Immunogenetics and Blood Group Terminology.

– ref. Gwada-negative: the rarest blood group on Earth – https://theconversation.com/gwada-negative-the-rarest-blood-group-on-earth-260155

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

What does it mean to save a life – and what does it cost? In The Story of a Heart, Rachel Clarke answers this not with slogans or sentiment, but with quiet, searing honesty. This book, which won this year’s Women’s prize for non-fiction, is about organ donation, yes, but it’s also about family, grief, love, courage, and the astonishing edges of human experience.

At its centre are two children: Max Johnson, a healthy, active nine-year-old whose heart suddenly begins to fail, and Keira Ball, another nine-year-old – vibrant, horse-loving, full of life who tragically dies in a car accident. In a moment of unimaginable grief, Keira’s parents donate her organs. Her heart goes to Max.

A child dies. A child lives.

That is the simple, brutal, beautiful truth this book never looks away from. But Clarke does more than tell the story of heart. She immerses us in it – every breath, every monitor beep, every unbearable choice.

I read this as a health services researcher who has spent years working in the emotionally complex, ethically charged, and often hidden world of organ donation. My work explores how families navigate these unimaginable scenarios, particularly in the context of recent legislative change. Clarke’s account captures, with rare precision and compassion, the silences, the emotional labour of clinicians, and the profound weight of choice that families like Keira’s carry.

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As both a doctor and a mother, Clarke brings sensitivity to every page. We feel Max’s steady decline: the exhaustion, the fear, the silence that descends as even the doctors grow unsure. We witness Keira’s final hours, the heroic efforts to save her, and the moments where unbearable grief oscillates between hope and despair, eventually giving way to a different kind of gift.

There are no easy heroes in this story, only ordinary people facing the unthinkable with extraordinary grace. Clarke brings them to life with aching clarity: the cardiologist who, in the dim light of a hospital room, sketches Max’s failing heart on a napkin so his mother can understand what words can’t explain; the ICU nurse who stays long after her shift ends, gently brushing the hair of a child who will never wake up; the donation nurse who enters a family’s darkest hour not with answers, but with quiet presence and unwavering care; the surgeon who steadies his hands – and his heart – when every second matters.

And in the chaos of resuscitation, amid alarms and broken bodies, a teddy bear is tucked beneath Keira’s arm: “Someone in the crash team has seen Keira not simply as a body, inert and unresponsive, but as a vulnerable child in need of compassion.”

The Story of a Heart is also a book about history. It’s not just about one child’s transplant, but about medicine, surgery, and the heart itself. Clarke weaves in the stories of early transplant pioneers, accidental discoveries, and the scientific stumbles and breakthroughs that built modern practice. She brings it all to life with a storyteller’s flair, making science feel intimate, alive, and deeply human.

What the heart means

What sets the heart apart, Clarke reminds us, is not just its function, but its symbolism. No other organ holds such emotional weight. “Hearts sing, soar, race, burn, break, bleed, swell, hammer and melt,” she writes. They are not just organs, they are vessels for our hopes, fears and deepest longings.

Clarke shows how, across history, the heart was seen as the source of emotion, morality – even the soul – and how that deep humanism still pulses through our language and culture today. We have our hearts broken, wear our hearts on our sleeves, and as Clarke puts it: “When trying to express our truest and most sincere selves, we do so by saying we speak from the heart, or about all that our heart desires.”

But what makes The Story of a Heart so exceptional is its emotional truth. Clarke never shies away from the pain. Max’s parents watch their son fade, terrified to even touch him. Keira’s father buys her a pink princess dress for her funeral. Max, wired to machines, records a goodbye message; we learn later he even tried to take his own life. And yet, there is light.

Keira’s sisters climb into bed with her, painting her nails and sliding Haribo sweet rings onto her fingers. Then comes a moment so clear, so quietly astonishing, it takes everyone’s breath away. Katelyn, Keira’s older sister, turns to the doctor and asks, with calm, steady eyes: “Can we donate her organs?”

This isn’t a clinical decision or a well-rehearsed conversation. It is an unprompted act of extraordinary love. These moments – fragile, generous, profoundly human – are the true beating heart of Clarke’s book.

From there, we are guided into a world so few know and even fewer ever witness: the quiet choreography that carries a gift of life from one person to another. What Katelyn sets in motion with just five words unfolds with such precision, that reading it feels like witnessing a kind of living magic.

The aftermath is just as moving. Max recovers quickly, walks again, laughs again. The two families meet. There are no big speeches, just quiet awe. And beyond that: a law is passed. Max and Keira’s Law brings in an opt-out system of donation in England. Two children. One legacy. A country changed.

And still, Clarke doesn’t let us forget the hard truths. Not every child survives. Not every family gets a miracle. Transplants are fragile. But in that fragility, she shows us, is the real miracle. Max goes fishing with his dad, the sky glows orange – Keira’s favourite colour. That is enough.

At the moment organ donation consent rates for children are declining in the UK, and there are more children on the transplant wait list than ever before. The Story of a Heart asks us to see the children, the families, and the quiet acts of love behind every donation. It’s a powerful reminder that the greatest gifts are often given in the darkest hours.

This book will break your heart – and fill it up again. It’s not just essential reading for anyone interested in organ donation and transplant. It’s essential reading for anyone who has ever loved.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Leah McLaughlin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke is a powerful account of one child’s gift to another – https://theconversation.com/the-story-of-a-heart-by-rachel-clarke-is-a-powerful-account-of-one-childs-gift-to-another-260611

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Senior Lecturer at York Business School, York St John University

The recent launch of a government review into parental leave and pay in the UK is a hugely welcome development. In order to bring about meaningful change, it must challenge the fundamental issue at the heart of current parental leave laws. They are strongly influenced by, and so perpetuate, gender norms that see women as caregivers and fathers as breadwinners.

Parents in the UK can take maternity leave, paternity leave and shared parental leave in the first year of their child’s life. While these allowances provide parents with support, the support is disproportionate in how it is split between mothers and fathers. Although gender roles have evolved significantly, UK policies lag behind.

Mothers and fathers are equal parents and have equal parenting responsibilities. However, mothers are allowed up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, while fathers are only entitled to two weeks of statutory paternity leave.

The introduction of shared parental leave in 2015 was welcomed as a positive step towards gender equality – but it has failed in this aim.

There are significant barriers stopping fathers from benefiting fully from the legislation. Parents can share up to 50 weeks of leave between them. But because mothers are entitled to a year of leave, the policy requires mothers to act as gatekeepers. The mother determines if the father can share the leave and how long she is willing to give up for the father.

Consequently, fathers have no autonomy or independence to take parental leave at a time that is important to them and their babies – and they may be reluctant to deprive the mother of leave she is entitled to.

What’s more, while maternity and paternity leave is well known and the process relatively straightforward, shared parental leave has been criticised for its complexity. Parents that have explored shared parental leave have found the policy and process incredibly complex because some employers still don’t understand how it works and so are unable to support parents.

The problems with the policy have affected its uptake. Only 5% of fathers take any shared parental leave.

Financial implications

Another problem that affects all three policies is the pay. While the UK has a generous maternity leave allowance of 52 weeks, this is not accompanied by a decent financial allowance.

Although employers can set more generous terms, the law requires only the first six weeks of maternity leave to be paid at 90% of the mother’s salary. This is followed by 33 weeks at statutory pay of £187.18 and 13 weeks of no pay. The two weeks of paternity leave are paid at the statutory rate of £187.18, or 90% of the father’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

And while shared parental leave allows the mother to split 50 weeks of leave with her partner, a significant period of this is unpaid. Out of these 50 weeks, parents can share 37 weeks of pay at statutory rate and the rest of the leave would be unpaid.

Mothers have returned to work early because financially they cannot afford to stay longer on maternity leave – a problem compounded by the rising cost of living. Fathers sometimes opt to take annual leave rather than paternity leave because of the low pay.

The same reason applies to shared parental leave because parents cannot afford to both be off at the same time or different times on the statutory rate. While the policies are well intended, there is no financial incentive for parents to take it.

Finances have a significant impact on parental leave choices. The government review should enhance parental leave pay to encourage and support parents, particularly fathers.

Impact on careers

The implications for parents’ careers also need to be considered. While parental leave should not affect the career aspirations or progressions of the parents, my research demonstrates otherwise. Mothers have been bullied, refused opportunities, and have felt forced to leave their jobs.

Research also shows that fathers have concerns about their careers when considering parental leave. While it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a parent for taking parental leave, this remains an area of concern.

My research has demonstrated that some fathers consider shared parental leave as a “luxury” they cannot afford. They feel they need to work hard to demonstrate their commitment to their job. Equal parenting policies would support women’s careers and encourage fathers to take up more family responsibilities without fear of repercussions.

The last point to consider – and one that often goes overlooked – is that how parents choose to feed their baby may have an effect on their decisions to take parental leave. Babies can be breastfed, formula fed or a mixture of both breast and formula feeding. If the parents make the decision to breastfeed – a choice recommended by the World Health Organisation – this may affect the mother’s decision on how much leave she takes.

Employers have legal obligations to carry out risk assessments for breastfeeding mothers and make reasonable adjustments on specific health and safety guidelines. However, a general policy that covers the wider needs of breastfeeding mothers and offers them more support at work should be implemented.

My research shows that mothers may prefer to take more maternity leave to enable them to breastfeed.

The parental leave review shouldn’t miss the opportunity to introduce breastfeeding policies that ensure mothers are properly supported in the workplace – as well as making sure that both mothers and fathers have the opportunity to prioritise caring and their careers.

Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Parental leave in the UK isn’t working – here’s what needs to change – https://theconversation.com/parental-leave-in-the-uk-isnt-working-heres-what-needs-to-change-209661

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tom Harper, Lecturer in International Relations, University of East London

As the 14th Dalai Lama celebrates his 90th birthday with thousands of Tibetan Buddhists, there’s already tension over how the next spiritual leader will be selected. Controversially, the Chinese government has suggested it wants more power over who is chosen.

Traditionally, Tibetan leaders and aides seek a young boy who is seen as the chosen reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. It is possible that after they do this, this time Beijing will try to appoint a rival figure.

However, the current Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, insists that the process of succession will be led by the Swiss-based Gaden Phodrang Trust, which manages his affairs. He said no one else had authority “to interfere in this matter” and that statement is being seen as a strong signal to China.

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Throughout the 20th century, Tibetans struggled to create an independent state, as their homeland was fought over by Russia, the UK and China. In 1951, Tibetan leaders signed a treaty with China allowing a Chinese military presence on their land.

China established the Tibetan Autonomous Region in 1965, in name this means that Tibet is an autonomous region within China, but in effect it is tightly controlled. Tibet has a government in exile, based in India, that still wants Tibet to become an independent state.

This is a continuing source of tension between the two countries. India also claims part of Tibet as its own territory.

Beijing sees having more power over the selection of the Dalai Lama as an opportunity to stamp more authority on Tibet. Tibet’s strategic position and its resources are extremely valuable to China, and play a part in Beijing’s wider plans for regional dominance, and in its aim of pushing back against India, its powerful rival in south Asia.

Tibet provides China with a naturally defensive border with the rest of southern Asia, with its mountainous terrain providing a buffer against India. The brief Sino-Indian war of 1962 when the two countries battled for control of the region, still has implications for India and China today, where they continue to dispute border lands.

As with many powerful nations, China has always been concerned about threats, or rival power bases, within its neighbourhood. This is similar to how the US has used the Monroe Doctrine to ensure its dominance over Latin America, and how Russia seeks to maintain its influence over former Soviet states.

Beijing views western criticism of its control of Tibet as interference in its sphere of influence.

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Read more:
India and Pakistan tension escalates with suspension of historic water treaty

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Another source of contention is that Beijing traditionally views boundaries such as the McMahon line defining the China-India border as lacking legitimacy, a border drawn up when China was at its weakest in the 19th century. Known in China as the “century of humiliation”, this was characterised by a series of unequal treaties, which saw the loss of territory to stronger European powers.

This continues to a source of political tensions in China’s border regions including Tibet. This is a controversial part of China’s historical memory and continues to influence its ongoing relationship with the west.

Demand for natural resources

Tibet’s importance to Beijing also comes from its vast water resources. Access to more water is seen as increasingly important for China’s wider push towards self-sufficiency which has become imperative in the face of climate change. This also provides China with a significant geopolitical tool.

For instance, the Mekong River rises in Tibet and flows through China and along the borders of Myanamar and Laos and onward into Thailand and Cambodia. It is the third longest river in Asia, and is crucial for many of the economies of south-east Asia. It is estimated to sustain 60 million people.

China’s attempts to control water supplies, particularly through the building of huge dams in Tibet, has added to regional tensions. Around 50% of the flow to the Mekong was cut off for part of 2021, after a Chinese mega dam was built. This caused a lot of resentment from other countries which depended on the water.

Moves by other nations to control access to regional water supplies in recent years show how water is now becoming a negotiating tool. India attempted to cut off Pakistan’s water supply in 2025 as part of the conflict between the two. Control of Tibet allows China to pursue a similar strategy, which grants Beijing leverage in its dealings with New Delhi, and other governments.

Another natural resource is also a vital part of China’s planning. Tibet’s significant lithium deposits are crucial for Chinese supply chains, particularly for their use in the electric vehicle industry. Beijing is attempting to reduce its reliance on western firms and supplies, in the face of the present trade tensions between the US and China, and Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods.

Tibet’s value to China is a reflection of wider changes in a world where water is increasingly playing an important role in geopolitics. With its valuable natural resources, China’s desire to control Tibet is not likely to decrease.

Tom Harper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. China’s interest in the next Dalai Lama is also about control of Tibet’s water supply – https://theconversation.com/chinas-interest-in-the-next-dalai-lama-is-also-about-control-of-tibets-water-supply-255843