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Every day at The Conversation, we speak to academics conducting fascinating research. Some of it has the potential to change the world, or at least an entire field of inquiry. Some of it could help transform lives. Some of it is just so interesting you’ll want to tell all your friends and family about it.
Once we’ve uncovered this work going on in universities around the world, our team of editors works hard to help the researchers explain their findings to you in the clearest way possible through our articles and award-winning podcasts.
This year we’ve brought you so many fantastic research-based stories, from signs of ancient life on Mars, to the superhuman secrets of centenarians’ long lives, to the truth about what’s happening to Britain’s fracturing political vote. Meanwhile, our podcasts have taken you to the the compounds of south-east Asia where scamming has been turned into an industry, and delved deep into the works of Jane Austen to uncover the secrets of her enigmatic personality in the 250th year since her birth.
We couldn’t do all this without you, our readers. Your continued support and enthusiasm for our unique academic journalism enables us to keep finding and telling these fascinating and important stories. If you’re able to extend that support to a small donation to our charitable cause, we’d be even more grateful.
We wish you a very happy new year. See you in 2026 for even more.
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Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock
Alex Bryson, UCL; David Blanchflower, Dartmouth College; Xiaowei Xu, Institute for Fiscal Studies
The rapid rise in despair before the age of 45, and especially before the mid-20s, has fundamentally changed the lifecycle profile of despair.
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Irek Pod/Shutterstock.com
Anna M. Zamorano, Aarhus University
Can musical training rewire the brain to resist pain?
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Bodyguard and queen kill King of Lydia. Illuminated manuscript of Cité de Dieu by Maître François (circa 1475).
Author provided
Stephanie Brown, University of Hull; Manuel Eisner, University of Cambridge
In the 14th century, Sundays were particularly deadly.
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Sean McMahon, University of Edinburgh
The rock is peppered with spots that could have been formed by microbes four billion years ago.
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Karin Modig, Karolinska Institutet
Centenarians are of such great interest to scientists because they may hold the key to understanding how we can live longer in good health.
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Samuel Farley, University of Sheffield; David Hughes, University of Manchester; Karen Niven, University of Sheffield
Recent research has looked at the effect of bullying on the ‘big five’ personality traits.
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Jens Walter, University College Cork
The NiMe diet explained.
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Joanna L'Heureux, University of Exeter
Fine-tuning our oral microbiomes might be the key to fighting dementia.
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Will Gervais, Brunel University of London
Research highlights Atheists often believe religious faith is positive, even though they don’t hold it themselves.
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Ilya Ilyankou, UCL
This technology was developed in response to the stark disparity in how urban safety is experienced by women and men.
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John Curtice, National Centre for Social Research
Voters are now split on social identity. This new division, combined with distrust in established parties, is proving fertile ground for challenger parties.
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Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte, University of Southampton
Respondents thought the good guys would share their political views while the baddies would vote for the opposite party.
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Ed Hawkins, University of Reading
These ‘warming stripes’, adopted around the world as a symbol of climate awareness, action and ambition, now include another dark red stripe for 2024.
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Jane Parry, University of Southampton
There’s growing evidence about how to run hybrid working well – but some organisations still worry about opportunities to collaborate.
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Mags Lesiak, University of Cambridge
Perpetrators used emotional connection to create a sense of closeness early in the relationship, later using it against their victims.
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Justin Bergman, The Conversation; Matt Garrow, The Conversation
People around the world have lost billions of dollars to scams. But the scammers are often victims, too. We’re taking you inside their world.
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Anna Walker, The Conversation; Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Naomi Joseph, The Conversation
In the third episode of Jane Austen’s Paper Trail, we speak to Austen experts about her politics and views on slavery, as we dive into the pages of Mansfield Park.
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