One of the (very) few pleasures of life in lockdown where I live has been the extraordinary surge in wildlife activity. The sound of birdsong is everywhere and the foxes are firmly in charge in the neighbourhood these days. Our drastically reduced use of outside space is good news for some types of wildlife, particularly the hedgehog, an at-risk creature that will benefit from quieter roads.

However, there are hazards too. Some species might be getting a false sense of what constitutes a safe place to breed or set up a nest while there aren’t any people around. So you might get lucky and see a prickly friend during your daily exercise. But be careful not to tread on any eggs.

European leaders are holding a series of very tense Zoom meetings as they try to agree on a joint response to the financial havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The worst hit nations want to see the kind of “whatever it takes” rescue package that was thrown at saving the euro when crisis hit while others are more reticent. A look at how talks are going so far explains why they are struggling to make progress.

Why are curries hot and why are mints cold – and why does beetroot taste “earthy”? It seems there’s some fascinating chemistry in your kitchen cupboards if you know which shelf to look on for it.

This week we’ve also been looking at the psychology behind the emotional power of clapping for carers, urging drug companies to play nicely when developing coronavirus vaccines and reading detective novels to pass the time.

Contact us here to have your event listed.

For sponsorship opportunities, email us here