Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, reports are flying in of jellyfish sightings off British beaches. Your reward for staying home this summer instead of going abroad is the chance of a close encounter with a wall of malicious tendrils should you make it into the sea. Have we, you may ask, not been through enough already?

From Essex to west Scotland, a visitation of wobbly beasts is the nasty surprise of the season for staycationers. Ecologist Martin Attrill shares his thoughts on why so many of these fiends are lurking around the UK this year. He finds them rather beautiful and we can talk about that later, but he also shares some useful tips on what to do should you be caught in their poisonous embrace.

Did you know that a third of the food we produce goes to waste? Some countries even throw away more than others can grow. And as the global population increases, the problem could get worse. It’s time to think about making changes, both big and small. From deploying smart tech in farming to learning how to make a single carrot last a bit longer, there’s a lot we can do to send fewer leftovers to landfill.

Meanwhile, the UK has announced the first food to be granted protected status under a post-Brexit scheme. Gower lamb has a unique flavour because it feeds on the samphire and sorrel that grows in salt marshes around a particular Welsh peninsula. Now the farmers who rear it will be able to use a mark of exclusivity to prove its provenance. A report from the region shows why this is such an exciting step for the local economy.

Throughout this week The Conversation network has been bringing you analysis of the troubling events in Afghanistan. And we plan to continue as the situation develops. See our coverage here.

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