High-fat oil and low-paid farmers: the cost of our coconut craze

The health implications of coconut oil have been much discussed – but supermarket shelves still groan with coconut products. Meanwhile, many growers earn less than $1 a day. Should we turn our back on this runaway trend?

Blood contamination has killed 2,400. Why was this disaster ignored for so long?

Diana Johnson has long been calling for justice over the NHS’s worst treatment disaster. She writes about the announcement of an inquiry

From Viagra to Valium, the drugs that were discovered by accident

From Alexander Fleming onwards, the lives of millions have been transformed and saved by treatments that scientists were not even looking for

Meningitis vaccine may also cut risk of ‘untreatable’ gonorrhoea, study says

Bacteria causing two different illnesses belong to the same family and share much of the same genetic code providing unexpected cross protection

Poor quality sleep could increase Alzheimer’s risk, research suggests

Findings raise possibility repeated disruption of slow wave sleep could lead to a buildup of proteins linked to disease

What does super-gonorrhoea mean for oral sex?

Sex and relationship broadcaster Nichi Hodgson says that education and honesty can go a long way towards defeating this new pernicious strain

How to support a depressed partner while maintaining your own mental health

Looking after someone with chronic depression can be hard, as Poorna Bell discovered when her husband became ill. The first rule, she says, is to look after yourself

Does having sex when you are older help you stay mentally sharp?

Sex doesn’t stop when you hit 50, and it has been shown to have many health benefits for older people. But could it also stave off cognitive decline?

Coconut oil: are the health benefits a big fat lie?

It’s the latest ‘superfood’, endorsed by wellness bloggers and celebrities, yet it contains more saturated fat than lard

David Mitchell: what my son’s autism has taught me

‘Hurry!’ came the advice following diagnosis. ‘Save your child from autism before it’s too late!’ But how do you save your child from something when you don’t know what that something is?