At the end of a dispiriting few weeks for the women of the world, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sent out a powerful message by awarding this year’s Peace prize to two people who have dedicated their recent lives fighting against gendered violence in conflict. Nadia Murad, herself a survivor of Islamic State, and Denis Mukwege, a medic who has devoted his career to helping victims of war, are to be commended for their courage, writes John Brewer.

The Brett Kavanaugh nomination process has made a lot of people feel frankly, quite helpless. But a sense of rage at the current US administration seems to be driving a surge in female candidates standing in the midterm elections. The same appears to be true in Brazil, where a record 1,237 black women will be on the ballot in tomorrow’s general election.

Do you ever smell things that people around you don’t smell? Like chemicals or something really disgusting? You may be experiencing phantosmia, a curious olfactory disorder that makes us susceptible to phantom pongs. A nose specialist digs deep to find an explanation.

Reading saucy literature is about more than titillation – and in fact, thinking as much can lead us to misunderstand obscene works. From Lady Chatterley’s Lover to the poems of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, writing about sex is a powerful way to help us understand class, gender and the human condition.

This week our colleagues from around the world helped us understand the new NAFTA trade deal and suggested that if we’re feeling down about the state of humanity, we should read up on the history of smallpox. It shows us what we can achieve when we work together.

Have a lovely weekend.

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