Elections have a terribly disruptive effect on my sleep patterns. I barely slept at all in November last year while the US was making something of a meal of its democratic process (and again in January, phew!). The huge number of votes in the UK had the same effect this week. The word “election” had spread its poison through my circadian system and, true to form, I was awake pretty much on the hour, every hour, checking my phone for updates.

The first result to come in was a huge victory for the Conservatives in a by-election taking place in Hartlepool – a constituency in northern England. It’s a body blow for the Labour party, which has always held the seat, and part of a fundamental realignment of the political map that has been developing for decades. More results will flow in over the next 48 hours and you can expect on-the-spot analysis from experts as the picture develops in England, Scotland and Wales.

But if the cares of the world point you in the direction of more timeless stories, this intriguing piece about the “Dutch parlour” at Littlecote in Wiltshire will capture your attention. The room’s magnificent wood panels and ceiling were thought to be painted by captive Dutch sailors, but one academic has uncovered evidence they may be the lost work of 17th century English painter William Hogarth. Meanwhile France marked the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte this week, but not without some misgivings. Read about his controversial legacy here.

This week we also considered the thorny question of whether the term “apartheid” can be applied to Israel, looked into whether IQ tests show humans are getting smarter, and offered four ways to make sure your digital passwords are safe and easy to remember.

Our colleagues around the world brought us the story of German spies in South Africa during the second world war, the growing tensions between Australia and China and the future of space tourism. And please make time to listen to this week’s Conversation Weekly podcast about Cuba’s race to produce its own COVID vaccines.

If you like what you read and hear, please consider becoming a supporter of The Conversation. We’re proud to have brought you the expertise of more than 90,000 academics over the past decade since The Conversation network began. With donations from readers like you, as a monthly donation or one-off gift, we will be match-fit to bring you the interesting and insightful for years to come.

 Donate now 

Contact us here to have your event listed.

For sponsorship opportunities, email us here