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The government wants households to prepare for disaster – but the UK’s real test will be the NHS

What happens when the NHS is hit by an emergency it cannot predict? A heatwave can send thousands more people to hospital. A power cut can put patients who depend on electricity at risk. A cyber-attack can suddenly knock out systems that hospitals rely on to function.

The Conversation · Aug 28

The memoir that changed my mind – 11 experts share a perspective‑shifting read

Our beliefs aren’t fixed. They’re shaped, stretched and sometimes overturned by the ideas we encounter as we move through life. For many of us, memoirs are the moments where that shift happens, through an argument that unsettles us or an inspiring story that re-frames how we see the world. We…

The Conversation · Aug 28

Most people would sacrifice some life satisfaction in exchange for a more equal society

What kind of society would you rather live in: an equal one where everyone is just about getting by? Or an unequal one where most people are doing substantially better, but a small group consistently falls behind? Now imagine having to choose that society before you were even born, but…

The Conversation · Aug 28

Nepal’s devastating floods: 10 seconds could save lives

At around 8:45am on August 26, Karbir Gaire, a customs and information officer at Nepal’s Rasuwa Customs Office, suddenly felt what seemed like an earthquake. He went outside, looked towards China and saw a huge flood accompanied by dust. He shouted, “The flood is coming, run!”

The Conversation · Aug 28

Ratko Mladić is still viewed as a hero by many Bosnian Serbs. It’s a reminder how divided my country remains today

I was a 19-year-old living in Banja Luka, the second-largest city in Bosnia, when Yugoslavia began falling apart. What I remember most is the shock and speed with which my normal life and those of my friends abruptly ended.

The Conversation · Aug 28

Satellite images show how the Nepal flood disaster unfolded

On August 26 a glacier collapsed in the Langtang region of Nepal near the China border, triggering an ice and rock avalanche. This apparently entered the Lhende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river, where it either caused or contributed to a temporary blockage. When this burst, a catastrophic…

The Conversation · Aug 28

Landmines and remnants of war pose a serious threat, and more needs to be done to solve it

In recent weeks, wildfires have ravaged Europe amid record-breaking heat and drought. These fires posed an immediate threat to life, forcing the evacuation of over 300,000 people across France, Spain and Portugal. Rivers across Europe have also hit record low water levels.

The Conversation · Aug 28

Powerhouse Parramatta was meant to reshape Sydney’s cultural map. Now its leadership is under scrutiny

The chief executive who has spent seven years overseeing one of Australia’s most ambitious cultural infrastructure projects has stepped aside, just ten weeks before it was due to open.

The Conversation · Aug 28

Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields will recreate the impact, power and joy of Lilith Fair

The symbol of daisy chains sits at the heart of the vision of Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields, a lineup of women and gender diverse musicians who will perform in California this weekend.

The Conversation · Aug 28

Wills, passwords, tricky conversations: what to do now to make your death easier for your family

Most of us don’t like thinking about our own death. But there is a practical reason to do so: when you die, somebody else has to sort out what you leave behind.

The Conversation · Aug 28