UK Edition - Today's top story: How the 'first bird' leapt into the sky and soared above the dinosaurs September 8, 2026 UK Edition   Birds look so elegant in flight, it’s hard not to feel jealous. But it turns out the take-off of the ‘first bird’ may have actually been rather clumsy. To find this out, researchers filmed lots of real birds launching themselves into the sky and compared them to Archaeopteryx, a 150 million-year-old fossil species that is the earliest bird we know of. The results found the Archaeopteryx probably did a few jumps to take off or a couple of leaps with a flap. Which sounds like it might have looked a bit gawky to me. If you’re trying to get healthy, we have more evidence that you don’t need lots of supplements or fads. New research suggests that simply eating a handful of nuts a day can help lower your blood pressure. We also explain why the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won over so many voters in Germany. And we have a new series examining the state of Sweden ahead of the country’s general election later this month.   Jenna Whittlesea Commissioning Editor, Science   Archaeopteryx is known as the first bird. Karen Fawcett How the ‘first bird’ leapt into the sky and soared above the dinosaurs Neil J. Gostling, University of Southampton Archaeopteryx is an evolutionary icon for scientists. Ahmet Misirligul/ Shutterstock Eating a handful of nuts each day is linked with lower risk of high blood pressure, our research shows Shireen Kassam, University of Winchester; Dagfinn Aune, Imperial College London Consuming between 30-35g of nuts daily was linked with a 26% lower risk of hypertension. People react to exit polls during the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) election party in Magdeburg, Germany, following the Saxony-Anhalt state election on September 6. Filip Singer / EPA Germany: why the AfD won in Saxony-Anhalt – and what happens next Ed Turner, Aston University The AfD received by far the most amount of votes in Saxony-Anhalt, falling marginally short of an absolute majority. Politics + Society Immigration in Sweden: how the country went from one of Europe’s most welcoming, to one of its most restrictive Henrik Emilsson, Malmö University The 2015 refugee crisis fundamentally changed the political debate around migration. Crime is falling – but the public doesn’t feel safer, study finds Bobby Duffy, King's College London People are hardwired to believe they’re in danger – and politicians can tap into this. When does hardship become poverty? The left and right draw the line differently Joanna Syrda, University of Bath Britons divide sharply over whether exclusion from ordinary living standards counts as poverty. Arts + Culture The Long Version by Petra Hůlová is about a middle-aged feminist caught between the past and future Helen Vassallo, University of Exeter Sylvie feels like her radical world only exists in the past and as she gets older her choices and world are shrinking. Environment Saltwater flooding could radically change which crops are worth growing Saul Ngarava, University of Lincoln; Daniel Magnone, University of Lincoln; Eric Ruto, University of Lincoln The places most exposed to saltwater flooding, especially the low-lying Fenlands, are also some of the most productive farmland in the UK. How beavers can help create fire breaks as part of a drought preparation plan Christian Dunn, Bangor University A pilot scheme reintroducing beavers has created a green, wet corridor which could be valuable during hot, dry summers. Health Body size cannot tell you how fit someone is, but it shapes how people are judged Jordan Beaumont, Sheffield Hallam University Larger people were seen more negatively than slimmer people doing the same activities in this research. Why do I crash at 3pm? The science behind the ‘afternoon slump’ Michelle Spear, University of Bristol Don’t dread the ‘afternoon slump’. Here’s what you can do to combat it. Science + Technology How Facebook’s News Feed introduced the age of the algorithm 20 years ago Asher Kessler, University of Manchester It might seem quaint now but for many Facebook users, the introduction of this content algorithm felt like a violation of their privacy and trust. Star Trek used wormholes to jump through space – what’s the science behind them? Katy Clough, Queen Mary University of London The first appearance of a wormhole in Star Trek was a typically pioneering reference to what was then a niche research topic. 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