University students say procrastination is biggest threat to their academic performance

More than half of US students surveyed said the problem damaged their ability to do academic work, study finds

The generation raised on sugar rations – and what their health reveals 70 years later

From blood pressure to ageing, research suggests the first 1,000 days of sugar exposure could leave a decades-long mark on health

After 20 years of my school dinners campaign, I’m a happy man. At last, we’re going to feed kids properly

This week’s government announcement on school food standards is huge. It’s based on common sense and science. Beautiful, says chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver

Phone coverage across the London tube? That’s sent me hurtling down a tunnel of despair

Going deep underground used to offer a refuge from the pressure to be constantly connected. That’s soon to change – and I’m not happy, says Guardian assistant Opinion editor Lucy Pasha-Robinson

The September reset is real. I’m about to become a better person, flaxseed by flaxseed

Small changes are what I’m aiming for – 10-minute workouts, cleaning out my handbag. Then I’m less likely to have failed come October, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes

Smelling test: children need education in sniffing aromas, scientist says

Exclusive: Dr Will Tullett says better understanding of scents can improve wellbeing and perception of the world

Walking the Peak District, I discovered a wonderful rejection of the right’s monotone vision of England

The landscape was striking, but so was the diversity of the hikers. We can make this the new normal – and we should, says Guardian columnist John Harris

I stand to defend vertical drinking. Is a pub that doesn’t allow it a real pub at all?

The time-honoured tradition of standing up with a drink, gossiping and putting the world to rights is under threat. If councillors ban it, we’ll all lose out, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

Open waters pose risk of drowning, injury and illness for dogs, UK campaigners warn

Dogs Trust points to hundreds of incidents over recent years, some involving deaths of pets or owners trying to rescue them

Struggling to get through summer? Treat yourself like a beloved dog – and six other survival tips

August usually sends me into an anxious funk, but I think I’ve worked out how to handle 2026’s terrifying heat and apocalyptic images, writes Emma Beddington