Ellie Bury

After England and Wales experienced their driest July on record, rainfall has arrived but reservoirs remain exceptionally low. Hydrologist Anna Murgatroyd explains how much rain may be needed to restore water supplies through the next summer, why the drought has increased flood risk, and how people can use water more responsibly.

A UK fossil collection gathered on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast has been sold overseas and is now displayed at the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi, prompting experts to describe the sale as a loss to the nation. As dinosaur fossils command increasingly high prices from private collectors, scientists warn that museums are being priced out and that important specimens may become unavailable for research and new scientific observations.

Chef Endo Kazutoshi, having spent decades reaching the top of the culinary world, faces a devastating fire that threatens his achievements. Kieran Morris accompanies him on a journey around Japan as he visits the people and places that helped shape his career and culinary identity.

The audio long read examines the UK’s cargo theft crisis, which is said to cost the economy £700 million annually, as criminal gangs rob, raid and hijack lorries with near impunity. Investigator Mike Dawber tracks thefts including 35,000 pints of Guinness and 950 wheels of cheese, while the episode explores the impact on couriers, retailers and law enforcement.

Declining reading habits, despite books’ cultural popularity, may be depriving people of important cognitive benefits as attention is increasingly divided among competing media. Madeleine Finlay discusses the effects on memory, literacy and IQ with Guardian science editor Ian Sample and experimental psychologist Falk Huettig of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, who explains why sustained reading supports cognitive development.

The podcast examines the harsh experiences of international students in the UK, focusing on how British universities’ dependence on overseas students paying full fees has enabled unscrupulous recruitment practices. It highlights the financial hardship and debt faced by students and their families, with some describing the system as resembling trafficking.

Madeleine Finlay and Guardian science editor Ian Sample discuss research identifying four distinct types of thinker, an unprecedented US cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to two fatalities, and UK funding cuts threatening Jodrell Bank Observatory and its Lovell Telescope. The episode also includes a clip about the research on different thinking styles and efforts by artists, writers and scientists to persuade the UK government to protect the observatory.

Madeleine Finlay and Ian Sample discuss research identifying four distinct types of thinker, an unprecedented cyclosporiasis outbreak in the United States linked to two deaths, and funding cuts threatening Jodrell Bank and its iconic Lovell telescope.

Hermione Hoby recounts living with a mysterious illness for decades before receiving a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. The audio feature explores the severity of her symptoms and considers whether retraining the brain could help manage or improve her condition.

Madeleine Finlay visits the Rothbury estate in Northumberland, a historic property held by the same family for 700 years that is now being offered for sale. The UK’s Wildlife Trusts are seeking £30 million to preserve the estate as an intact landscape. Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Katy Barke discusses nature recovery, Newcastle University archaeologist Sam Turner examines how the land has been used over the centuries, and farm liaison officer Rosie Pearce explains how the project could promote more wildlife-friendly farming.

The podcast examines the scientific evidence behind the claimed mental and physical health benefits of saunas and cold plunges, which are becoming increasingly popular across the UK. Madeleine Finlay discusses the evidence with Guardian science editor Ian Sample and Heather Massey, an associate professor at the University of Portsmouth’s extreme environments laboratory.

Ian Sample speaks with sleep researcher Michelle Carr about why people dream, what dreams may reveal, and how nightmares develop. Carr discusses ways to examine dreams and offers techniques for taking greater control of dream content and reducing distressing nightmares.

William Davies reflects on training his unruly boxer, Dusty, and considers what the experience reveals about power, control, morality and the ways humans define good behavior. John Robins reads the audio version.

The investigation recounts how Tam O’Braan’s fraudulent Scottish tea operation unraveled, revealing the true source of the tea supplied to hotels and shops and detailing his testimony at trial, while considering the current state of the Scottish tea industry he influenced.

Nicola Davis explores suspicions among Scottish tea growers about the authenticity of products linked to Tam O’Braan and describes how scientific analysis was used to trace their origins and clarify the nature of a suspected tea fraud.

The podcast examines how Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker became one of the world’s most contentious thinkers, focusing on his views, public influence and prominent role in contemporary culture wars. The episode revisits a 2021 Long Read, introduced by its author Alex Blasdel and read by Christopher Ragland.

Nicola Davis revisits her first encounter with Tam O’Braan while investigating UK tea plantations, describing how his acclaimed Scottish-grown tea raised suspicions that led multiple parties to take interest in his story.

The podcast examines Saint Levant, a pop star from Gaza, whose music has attracted millions of enthusiastic fans as well as detractors who object to pop performance amid war and destruction. Supporters view him as affirming Palestinian culture and giving people permission to celebrate their identity and cause.

Iason Gabriel, a philosopher and ethicist working at Google DeepMind since 2017, considers what AI fundamentally is and how its development may affect society. The discussion examines whether ethicists can influence AI’s direction as commercial and geopolitical pressures intensify.

The first person has received an experimental gene therapy designed to rejuvenate ageing retinal cells and potentially improve vision. The trial will assess whether the treatment is safe; if successful, it could support a broader range of therapies aimed at reversing cellular ageing. Madeleine Finlay discusses the research with Guardian science editor Ian Sample and cell biology professor Paul Knoepfler.

An audio feature from The Guardian’s archive revisits a dispute over a beloved botanic garden on the Isle of Wight. After a US businessman took over the garden, he introduced a radical sustainability-focused approach, while critics argued that the changes amounted to neglect. The episode includes a new introduction by author Mark O’Connell and is read by Simon Vance.

Evolutionary biologist Toby Kiers explains why fungi are essential to planetary health and argues that their underground networks deserve greater attention alongside flora and fauna. She discusses research mapping fungal systems on Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific and what it reveals about fungi’s largely invisible ecological role.

Lauren Oyler explores whether she could be emotionally seduced by an AI chatbot despite her deep skepticism about artificial intelligence and her belief that chatbots have no place in a decent society. Kate Handford reads the podcast adaptation.

Tobias Jones recounts a year spent examining the boundary between fantasy and reality alongside Alessandro Casolari, a veteran of Italy’s football ultras. Casolari is portrayed as a particularly unusual and intimidating figure among hardcore fans, with alleged involvement in hostage negotiation, cocaine smuggling and Marxist-Leninist politics. The audio piece explores his attraction to fear and the violent culture surrounding ultras.

Scientists report that average male testosterone levels may have halved over the past 50 years, raising concerns about a potential male fertility crisis. The discussion examines obesity and diabetes as possible contributors, while also considering endocrine-disrupting chemicals in household products and global heating. Ian Sample and Hannah Devlin review how the research has been received and what action researchers believe should follow.

Algae quickly returned to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool despite extensive renovation efforts ordered by President Trump. Experts explain why blooms form, why they are difficult to eliminate, and what practical steps could help prevent them in future.