Having written about finance for nearly 20 years, I’m used to people switching off as soon as I tell them what kind of journalist I am. Everyone wants to talk to the war correspondent at a party but chit-chat about central banks and interest rates doesn’t tend to draw a large crowd.

In recent months, however, financial market volatility and rapidly rising interest rates have piqued people’s interest in this topic. Everyone wants to find out how to cut costs or hear about what might happen to mortgage rates. Worryingly though, a survey has shown many people expect mortgage rates to fall back to recent lows again by 2027, even though this is unlikely. In case you don’t run into a financial journalist any time soon, go one better by reading this article to understand the real outlook for rates, especially if you’re going to be getting a new mortgage any time soon.

And while even I can admit that interest rates are definitely not a good conversation starter at a party, the volcanic hotspots across our solar system seem like a better bet. Brush up on your knowledge with this article from a space science researcher at the University of Birmingham.

Face blindness is a more common condition than you might think, and is often not treated seriously enough by doctors, according to a psychologist from Edge Hill University. Here’s an explainer on the condition and how treatment can be improved.

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