The Syrian civil war is balanced on a diplomatic knife-edge once more, following a US strike against the Syrian air base from which it is believed the devastating chemical attack on rebel-held areas was launched. President Trump's promise to reset US-Russia relations now seems as distant as ever, and Alexander Titov argues that the knock-on effects could prolong, not shorten, the war. As is so often the case, writes Aidan Hehir, actions taken abroad speak more to events taking place at home.

Aside from foreign affairs, read how the shape-shifting, colour-changing octopus can edit its own DNA, how to write female comic book characters as something other than unconvincing leads or bit-parts, and why, in China, where your parents were born can drastically affect your marriage potential.

It was Apicius, the Roman gourmand, who said that “the first taste is with the eyes”. Charles Spence explains the latest research which shows that in fact all five senses play their part: how much we enjoy our food is affected by everything from the weight or texture of the cutlery to the background sounds while we dine.

That's plenty of food for thought, even if it's not the kind that can be tasted.

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