Editor's Choice
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Mental health crisis surging in UK schools
What is to blame? Today is World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is “young people in a changing world”. In the UK, there has been a surge in the number of schoolchildren seeking help.
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US scientists crack secrets of personality
Should we pay attention to personality tests? American scientists have used big data to split humanity into four distinct personality types. Science like this has a controversial history.
Latest Stories
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You are part of the royal family. Probably.
A leading geneticist has calculated that almost every Briton is directly descended from Edward III. But many find facts like this scarcely believable. Why are we so bad at probability?
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You may be a mess… but it is beautiful
So says new research by a group of German psychologists. It comes as a 12-month exhibition closed on Monday in which people were invited to put their deepest fears up on a gallery wall.
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The incredible story of triplets split at birth
Does nature or nurture determine who we are? Identical triplets were separated at birth and raised by very different families. Years later, the three strangers met for the first time.
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New Year resolutions: optimism v experience
Around a third of British people are trying to keep new year’s resolutions this month. Is January an ideal chance to improve our lives or an annual bonanza of indulgent wishful thinking?
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Germany introduces ‘third sex’ option at birth
Every year, thousands of babies are born who are biologically neither male nor female. Now some countries are recognising a “third sex”. Are gender distinctions less rigid than we think?
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Ariana Grande: your person of the year 2018
How should we respond to tragedy? At just 25, Grande has had enough for a lifetime, including a terror attack at her concert and the death of an ex. But her music is all about staying positive.
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No way José: the special one gets the sack
Is Mourinho finished? Dropped points, player feuds and public outbursts: José Mourinho’s rocky reign at Manchester United has come to an end. Some say his best days are very much behind him.
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Humble hero voted UK’s favourite sportsman
How important is it to be modest? Cyclist Geraint Thomas has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. He has had an extraordinary year, but many are struck by his unassuming...
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Don’t lie about Christmas warn psychologists
Should we stop telling children the Christmas myth is true? Santa Claus, the chimney and the reindeer: it is the story we all grew up with. But some experts argue these lies can be harmful.
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We spent 1,643 years watching this video
Was it a waste of time? The UK’s most watched YouTube videos of 2018 have been revealed, with Paul McCartney’s Carpool Karaoke topping the list. Why do these videos have such appeal?
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Living Coral declared 2019 colour of the year
What does it tell us about ourselves? Each December, design company Pantone picks a colour of the year. It says 2019’s pink-orange hue will “provide comfort and buoyancy” in changing times.
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UK at war over Brussels. (Sprouts, that is)
Is this utterly trivial or deeply important? Our most hated vegetable will take a starring role in millions of Christmas dinners. No wonder the nation is obsessed with such a vital topic.
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The simple invention that could save the world
Is focus the key to success? Yesterday was World Toilet Day — and it was no laughing matter. Bill Gates has spent seven years and £155 million reinventing loos. They may save thousands of lives.
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Thank u, next: being single is the new normal
Is that better than being in a couple? Ariana Grande’s new ode to singledom is number one in the UK. Meanwhile, people around the world spent record amounts on Sunday — aka “Singles Day”.
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The Jewish doctor who treated synagogue killer
Will his example inspire others? Dr Jeffrey Cohen has been praised for his “powerful humanity” after he helped save the life of a mass killer who hated Jews. Some see a lesson for us all.