Germany, long seen as synonymous with efficiency and stability, is currently beset by an assortment of political and economic woes. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition collapsed earlier this month, and this week he set the wheels in motion for an election in February. Our thorough explainer will help you understand who the key players are, and where the current turmoil might leave Europe’s largest economy in a few months.

Germany’s industry is also in trouble. Volkswagen, one of the continent’s largest industrial enterprises, faces growing financial difficulties in the wake of emissions scandals, mounting debt, soaring costs and plummeting international sales. Frédéric Fréry of ESCP Business School takes a long, hard look at why this titan of industry has fallen on hard times, and whether it can recover.

All this uncertainty will undoubtedly make the average German feel anxious and unhappy, and this could push them into the waiting arms of populists. Experts at the University of East Anglia have confirmed this link, analysing reams of electoral and survey data from across Europe to find that the more dissatisfied people are, the more likely they are to vote for a populist party instead of a mainstream one.

Looking further east, we have some good news for amphibians. Researchers have found that frogs in Chernobyl’s nuclear exclusion zone are in fine health. They’re living just as long as other frogs, ageing well, and aren’t even particularly stressed. Must be nice.

And if you’ve ever been grossed out or offended by an advert, it was no accident. Research has shown that disgust or shock make you more likely to part with cash, though we still don’t fully understand how this works.