When we think about cancer research, we often imagine scientists searching for new treatments or ways to detect diseases earlier. However, some researchers are looking at a different question: could something as common as poor sleep be linked to cancer?

Now I know most of us have been victim to blush blindness, using one dot of Rare Beauty blush and appearing sort of tomato like, but what exactly gives our blush its creamy formula and extreme pigment?

Before now, I confess to having not spent a great deal of time thinking about the ‘death of intellectualism’.

However, having previously heard of the concept, its relevance dawned on me when I learned of the Department of Education’s ‘National Year of Reading’ campaign. Over the course of this year, I have seen a staggering number of initiatives encouraging reading both in school and the wider community. This includes attending school discussions about how to increase reading enthusiasm, assemblies promoting literacy, as well as the aforementioned campaign.

The human immune system. Many of us who take or took Biology have a somewhat good understanding of what it is for: protecting the body from infections. It is often referred to as one of biology’s greatest defence mechanisms – attacking viruses, bacteria, pathogens before they can cause harm (kind of sounds like superheroes if you ask me). It is precise, complex, and effectively efficient. Yet in autoimmune diseases, this system makes an immense mistake: the body begins attacking itself.

A runny nose in winter. Itchy eyes during spring. A sudden reaction to food that was harmless just moments before. Allergies are often treated as minor inconveniences – seasonal, manageable, even predictable. Yet behind these everyday reactions lies a complex biological system that, while designed to protect the body, can quietly come at a cost.