Royal Institution’s new director Sarah Harper: we must show gold standard for science

Second woman to be appointed in RI’s 218-year history identifies role, in era of fake news, to supply trusted data across many issues from health to climate change and robotics

‘As addictive as gardening’: how dangerous is video gaming?

Snooker player Neil Robertson blamed a recent drop in form on video game addiction. But was he right to? We speak to the researchers trying to find out

Turn off notifications and break free of your online chains

We fret about distraction, yet choose to allow a device in our pocket to beep or buzz whenever someone else decides it should

The vision thing: how babies colour in the world

We know that babies don’t just see in black and white. But what colours can they see – and how key is it to their development?

Friends’ pictures on social media have biggest impact on body image

Women are more likely to compare themselves with their peers than with celebrities

‘I’ll go to school on two and a half hours’ sleep’: why British children aren’t sleeping

Doctors are reporting a dramatic increase in children with sleep disorders, which affect their physical and mental health. Why? Plus expert tips on a good night’s rest

Get real: why analogue refuses to die

In all sorts of industries, analogue products are making a comeback

The app that aims to tackle the chronic NHS midwife shortage

Ask the Midwife provides fully qualified advice on pregnancy and baby health, and taps into a trend for women to consult apps during pregnancy

Health apps could be doing more harm than good, warn scientists

App development likened to the ‘wild west’ as researchers raise concerns over one-size-fits-all targets and absence of sound science

How local accents have replaced Stephen Hawking-style voiceboxes

The physicist and cosmologist may be attached to his robotic-sounding synthesiser, but people more recently diagnosed with motor neurone disease are finding new ways to be heard