Egypt LGBTQ, Earth's first trees, Bramwell Brontë

Editor's note

Members of Egypt’s LGBTQ community are outraged at a wave of arrests of activists in recent weeks. Hendrik Kraetzschmar and Barbara Zollner write that the clampdown is part of a calculated “divide and rule” strategy by the al-Sisi regime, playing on conservative religious attitudes to stifle personal freedom.

The world’s oldest tree had the most complex anatomy of any ever seen on Earth, new research has found. Chris Berry explains how fossils of cladoxylopsids, which grew some 374m years ago and have been preserved in silica from volcanic eruptions, reveal a remarkable plant structure.

The Brontë sisters found fame as feted authors but their brother, Bramwell, despite his own creative talent, is remembered more for a spiralling addiction to drink and drugs. Pam Lock writes how his problematic alcoholism, which involved almost setting fire to the family home, affected him and his loved ones – and how the experience had a powerful influence on his sisters’ storytelling.

Gemma Ware

Society Editor

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Egypt's authoritarian regime plays to conservative mainstream in wave of LGBTQ arrests

Hendrik Kraetzschmar, University of Leeds; Barbara Zollner, Birkbeck, University of London

Personal freedoms and self-expression have come under attack.

Environment + Energy
How the first trees grew so tall with hollow cores – new research Christopher M. Berry, Cardiff University Cladoxylopsid trees were hugely complex and very different to those we have now.

Arts + Culture
Brontës under the influence: the legacy of Branwell’s drinking Pam Lock, University of Bristol The dark sheep of the Brontë family found his way into the sisters' work. How IKEA used affordable and innovative design to transform the homes of everyday consumers Dan Lewis, Staffordshire University The company has made the world flat (packed).

Education
More teenage girls are self harming than ever before – here's why Chris Nicholson, University of Essex The UK has the highest rates of self-harm in Europe. Overweight kids: tackling childhood obesity is about more than just diet and exercise David Morley, Sheffield Hallam University One in five children are now obese by the time they turn 11.

Politics + Society
Brexit: what the EU and UK still don't agree on Steve Peers, University of Essex Is there light at the end of the Brexit talks tunnel? Czech far right scores big in elections, but struggles to form a government Jan Culik, University of Glasgow A lurch to the right in central Europe runs into a familiar obstacle: the tricky maths of coalition.

Health + Medicine
NHS staff are burning out – here's how to make it stop Sarah Parry, Manchester Metropolitan University People working in caring professions are not superhuman. Newly-identified third type of diabetes is being wrongly diagnosed as type 2 Andrew McGovern, University of Surrey Type 3c diabetes is quite common, but most doctors are missing it.

Business + Economy
Kuwait's economic interest in mediating the Qatar-Gulf crisis Nicolai Due-Gundersen, Kingston University Kuwait has first-hand experience of how financial and political shocks can stifle investor confidence in the entire region.

Science + Technology
Could the Charge of the Light Brigade have worked? Michael J. Armstrong, Brock University The Charge of the Light Brigade was brave but fruitless. Could it have worked if the feuding British leaders had interpreted their orders differently?