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Firstof all ... 0
elcome to the July/August issue of IQ! It's a busy summer at British Mensa, starting with the election of four members to our Board of Directors. This is a valuable opportunity to help shape our future, so please take a moment to select the nominees you believe are best equipped to guide our strategic direction then cast your vote. The deadline is noon on Monday 21 July. To learn more about the nominees and how to vote, visit mensa. org.uk/ 2025-director-elections
The Governance Advisory Committee is also looking for a new member. You can find out more about this important committee and how to apply on p39.
As usual, the magazine includes a tremendous roll call of Mensans. On ppl0-11, fitness enthusiast Lyn Taylor offers advice to anyone considering a major change to their eating habits. While on p41, Chris Spriggs reflects on more than 30 years of running the Health & Fitness Special Interest Group.
Talking Point has become a popular feature, with each instalment followed by a free online talk for members. This issue, technology expert Karl Havard explores the ethical implications of embracing AI (pp36-37), and you're invited to join the live event on 17 July. Meanwhile, Dr Sonja Falck's Intelligent Relationships column (p40) celebrates the differences between us all as individuals.
In 5 Minutes with ... (pSl), Mark Chatterton reflects on a writing career inspired by his love of music and transport. On pp42-43, lead organiser of this year's European Mensas Annual Gathering (EMAG),Ann Rootkin, shares her Mensa journey and excitement ahead of EMAGin Cardiff on 6 August. And, as ever, the Puzzle Panel provides some fiendish challenges in Mind Games (pp44-47).
Finally, don't miss the advert for the 2025 British Mensa Annual Gathering (BMAG)taking place this October in Stirling, Scotland. Always a highlight of our calendar, visit mensa.org.uk/BMAG2025 to view the programme and book your place. A preview of what our fantastic volunteer team has in store will feature in the next issue.
And email editor@mensa.org.uk with any feedback!
JENNYGILL Chairman, BritishMensa
CONTENTS 07\08
IQ UPDATE
Contestants everywhere eagerly await the next Mind Sports Olympiad.
THE GREATSTINK
The last straw for Londoners that led to a marvel of engineering.
WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?
Don't turn a blind eye to this idiom.
HOWTO ...CHANGETHEWAYYOU EAT
Mensa member Lyn Taylor shares her tips for embracing a healthy diet.
FEATURES
How lV legend Maggie Philbin is inspiring the next tech generation.
Are our memories and attention spans under attack from Al?
Taking stock of a volatile planet and the need to prepare for future shocks.
THINK TANK
31 THE BESTTV SCIENCESHOWS EVER?
We take a nostalgic look at five classics.
32 OPEN WHEN ...
Dr Julie Smith's essential guide to combating uncomfortable feelings.
34 DID YOU SEE?
The latest in the world of research, from zombie ants to pet therapists.
36 TALKING POINT
Mensan Karl Havard raises the alarm about our growing reliance on Al.
38 BRICKBATS& BOUQUETS
News and views from the IQ mailbag. 40 ONE-MILLIONTH PART DISSIMILARITY
Intelligent relationships with Mensa member Dr Sonja Falck.
SIG Sec Chris Spriggs shares her love of fitness ...and wild garlic.
42 SCALING NEW HEIGHTS
Mensan and EMAG organiser Ann Rootkin on what makes EMAG special.
44 MIND GAMES
Your puzzle pages and a seasonal quiz.
51 5 MINUTES WITH ...
Writer and music fan Mark Chatterton.
Tackle four pages of brainteasers from the Mensa Puzzle Panel, then dip your toes in our seaside quiz
PAGE 44
QUESTION TIME
One of the soundsof summer, honeybeesare complexlittle beings.Their front and rear wingscan hook together for flight mode, and their bodieshave millionsof hairsfor collectingall that pollen. But how many eyesdoesa honeybeehave?ANSWERPAGE51
HORSING AROUND
0EveryJuly and August, since 1633, the Piazza del Campo in the medieval heart of Siena comes alive with horses and their colourfully attired riders as they compete in the Palio di Siena.
Horses are chosen, and blessed, for each of the city's 17 contrade, or districts. These contrade, with names such as Aquila (Eagle), Lupa (She-Wolf) and Bruco (Caterpillar), each have their own history, colours and flags. It makes for a breathtaking spectacle that recreates a moment from the city's past.
Visit on 2July and, if you're lucky enough to bag a ticket, you'll witness the Palio della Madonna di Provenzano, while on 16 August you'll catch the Palio della Assunta. Each event lasts four days, topped and tailed with a historic procession, an early-morning mass for the jockeys -the Messa del Fantino -and open-air celebratory dinners in each contrada.
IQ Update
A WORLD OF INTRIGUING STORIES
Out there!
Mind games
Foralmostthree decades,gaming enthusiastshave battledit out in one of the world'smostcerebralsporting events.Calledthe Mind Sports Olympiad, it'sbackagainthisAugust!
WORDS: KATIECUTFORTH
0maginean international sporting competition with no tracks, fields or stadia. Where physical ability counts for nothing. Where you could win a gold medal for your country without moving from your seat. This is the reality at the Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO),an annual event bringing together the world's most logical and strategic thinkers. Forget speed, stamina and physical strength -this competition is all about fortitude of the mind.
While Olympic athletes gather every four years, the MSO takes place every summer, most often in London. It hosts tournaments of more than 100 different board games from ancient classics,
such as chess and backgammon, to modem favourites like Scrabble, Monopoly and Carcassonne. Card games also feature, including poker, bridge and even Pokemon and Yu-GiOh!, a trading card game.
At its inception in 1997, the MSOwas the biggest competition of board games ever held in the UK -possibly worldwide. It was devised by International Master of chess David Levy,who created the event alongside author Tony Buzan and chess grandmaster Raymond Keene. The inaugural Olympiad was held at London's Royal Festival Hall with a staggering £100,000 prize fund. Cash prizes are less common nowadays and usually provided by sponsors for a specific game.
Prestigious medals and trophies are instead awarded for gold, silver and bronze positions in each competition in both the adult and junior categories.
The MSO was forced to move online when the pandemic hit in 2020. This initial blow actually allowed the event to expand to a worldwide audience and made competition even fiercer, with more than 6,000 participants from over 100 countries joining in -the event's largest ever pool of players. While the in-person London event returned in 2022, MSO took note of the online game's popularity and created the Grand Prix -a virtual tournament of over 60 games taking place every winter, in tandem with the summer event.
MAKING THE EARLIEST MOVES
The MSO might only be such as knucklebones and Pigs'. Games were in its third decade, but or other natural popular in Ancient humanity's love of materials. Board Greece, including dice board games stretches games are thought to games, tic-tac-toe and back over 5,000 years. have originated in the a game similar to Games are one of the ancient Near East -checkers. 'Petteia' oldest known forms a collection of played on a board with of human social 5,000-year-old small pieces or 'men' was interaction, and are carved and painted described by both hugely significant in figures found in south-Plato and Homer. A every culture around eastern Turkey is the world. Dutch thought to be cultural historian Johan the earliest Huizinga went as far as example of saying that games game were a precursor for pieces, used human activities such to play a as language, law, war, game which philosophy and art. researchers
The earliest known named 'Dogs board games involved The ancients at precursors to dice,
WHAT'S ON AT MSO 2025?
At MSO,you can expect one of the widest selections of games imaginable. Ever heard of Twilight Struggle? It's a board game where you play as either the US or the Soviet Union, spreading influence around the globe during the Cold War years. Then there's Entropy, an abstract strategy game based on the eternal conflict in the Universe between order and chaos. As well as physical games, there are also tournaments in computer programming and
Slake your thirst for strategising with everything from old favourites, such as Go and Monopoly, pictured, to more unusual games and activities while keeping your eye on the prestigious prize
"THINGS GO FROM THE RARE TO THE TRULY BIZARRE WITH DIVING CHESS'
depiction of Achilles and Ajax playing Petteia, left, is found on more than 150 pieces of Ancient Greek pottery dating to 540-530 BC. It also appears on the Mind Sports Olympiad's logo.
quizzing, and even speaking competitions, such as debating and auctioneering. Things go from the rare to the truly bizarre with diving chess, with the world championship taking place at the MSO. Played in a swimming pool with a magnetic chess board, competitors dive underwater and must make their move before resurfacing to take a breath. It's an intense battle between managing oxygen levels and making intelligent moves.
The MSO includes a tournament created just for the event, which is the most prestigious accolade to win. The Pentamind World Championship uses a special formula to fmd the best all-round player at that year's Olympiad, with players amassing points from at least five different games across the event.
This year's Grand Prix has passed, but the in-person 2025 Mind Sports Olympiad will take place from 17 to 25 August in London's JW3. All events are free and open to anyone, with details available on MSO's website, mindsportsolympiad.com.
play on amphora
Time Machine Summer 1858
Thegreat stink
Howa summerheatwaveand an unbearable stenchwasthe catalystfor London'ssewersystem
WORDS: KATIECUTFORTH
®ost of us welcome the warmer weather of summer but for the residents of London in the summer of 1858, it triggered one of the most disgusting crises in the city's history. Dubbed "the Great Stink", this event was more than just a bad smell -it forced London to rethink how it handled a basic business that most of us take for granted: managing the city's sewage.
London's population rocketed during the 19th century, rising from one million to almost three million in the first half aloneand more people meant more waste to dispose of. That, combined with the recent introduction of flushing toilets, meant more sewage than ever was filling the outdated sewers -some 40 million tonnes a year by the 1850s -and much of it was overflowing, or poured directly, into the Thames.
THE TOXIC THAMES
"Through the heart of the town a deadly sewer ebbed and flowed, in the place of a fine fresh river", Charles Dickens wrote in the 1850s. Untreated waste, dead animals and industrial effluent all ended up in the river that had once been the pride of London.
The propensity of the Thames to make citizens retch
had been a depressing reality for the city's inhabitants for years but, in 1858, an unusually hot summer made conditions unbearable from June through to August. Soaring temperatures and dry weather caused the water level to drop significantly, exposing centuries of waste to the baking sun. The result was a stink the likes of which London's poor residents had never experienced.
Foul smell, or 'miasma', was believed to carry disease, so catching a whiff of it was not only foul but terrifying, too. The smell had already been blamed for three outbreaks of cholera that preceded the Great Stinkthough we now know that 'drinking water' taken from the Thames was responsible.
The Great Stink gave ample ammunition to satirical publications, such as Punch magazine, which depicted 'Father Thames' and his diseased children who represented diphtheria, scrofula and cholera. During Parliament's proceedings staff clutched handkerchiefs to their faces, and curtains were soaked in chloride of lime in an attempt to mask the smell.
FROM MALODOUR TO A MARVEL OF ENGINEERING
As the anger of Londoners and concern for public health grew,
'CIVIL ENGINEER OSEPH BAZALGETTE LED THE DESIGN OF A NEW SEWER SYSTEM'
politicians had no choice but to act. The then Chancellor Benjamin Disraeli (who would later serve twice as Prime Minister) tabled a bill, which was passed within 18 days. It made the Metropolitan Board of Works responsible for cleaning up the Thames and proposed the construction of a new sewer system that would prevent waste from entering the river within the boundaries of London.
Civil engineer Joseph Bazalgette led the design of a new interconnecting sewer system, which captured London's waste and piped it out to pumping stations on the fringes of London. Waste still entered the river but far enough
One of Punch magazine's cartoons of the time showed Death paddling down the Thames, depicted as the River Styx
away from the urban centre to be deemed acceptable.
Completed over the following decades,the massive network of sewers not only cleared the pollution in the Thames but also helped to prevent deadly cholera outbreaks.
This marvel of Victorian engineering is still in use today. However, water companies in London and beyond are now coming under fire for the pollution caused by leaks and sewage spills, in part because of outdated infrastructure.
The Great Stink has perhaps persisted, and continues to play out in the media.
0It was four hours of bloody chaos off the coast of Copenhagen. The air was filled with the smell of burning wood, the pounding of drums, the yelling of sailors and the relentless firing of cannons.
Britain had decided to attack Denmark's naval fleet because it feared a Danish alliance with France, and the possibility that Britain's access to its profitable trade routes in the Baltic Sea could be cut off. And so, on 2 April 1801, a British fleet led by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson bombarded the Danish fleet and Copenhagen Harbour. But Danish resistance was stronga fierce response met the British from the ships under fire and from Trekroner Fort at the mouth of the harbour.
Concerned at mounting losses, Parker signalled to the British fleet to retreat but Nelson disagreed. Having lost sight in his right eye during the Siege of Calvi in 1794, Nelson had a trick up his sleeve (although it would have been his left sleeve as he had lost his right arm at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797).
In a rather audacious fashion, Nelson lifted his telescope to his blind eye, claiming that he could not see the signal to withdraw. This
gesture was said to raise the
spirits of the sailors around him and the British pressed on
to what was regarded as a
victory. Much of the Danish fleet was destroyed and Denmark withdrew from the Second League of Armed Neutrality -the pact of countries that Britain feared would support France. The
The Battle of Copenhagen, immortalised in art and a turn of phrase by Horatio Nelson, below, which may actually have emerged much earlier
story about Nelson's telescope -true or not -added to the folklore surrounding him, and he is now firmly associated with the phrase 'turning a blind eye'. But, as ever in the murky world of idiom origins, this connection may not be what it seems -because the phrase appeared in print long before the Battle of Copenhagen.
In a 1698 book A Discourse of Walking by Faith, the English philosopher John Norris used the words "to turn a deaf ear and blind eye" in relation to shunning the "pomps and vanities of the world". There are earlier references to the phrase, too. Yet the history of war heroes suggests truth is rarely allowed to ruin a good story. So when we remember the Battle of Copenhagen, it's heartening to celebrate Nelson's humour and leadership in the heat of battle. As for the fact that Britain had launched an unprovoked attack on a neutral country, we may prefer to turn a blind eye to that.
How to ... Changethe way you eat
Mensamember and nutritionenthusiastLyn Taylor sharesher formulafor embracinga healthierdiet -and stickingto it
®aving been interested in food and nutrition for many years, Mensa member Lyn Taylor decided to expand her knowledge by taking several online courses on the subject. Lyn is a big fan of the ketogenic (or 'keto') diet, which she has been following for more than a decade.
The keto diet is a very lowcarbohydrate regime designed to trigger a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body primarily burns fat for fuel instead of sugar. But there are many other diets and healthyeating plans out there. There are also many different motivations for changing the way you choose to eat -from health reasons, shedding a few pounds or supporting an exercise programme to ethical concerns or keeping the cost of the weekly shop in check.
The challenging part for anyone driven by these motivations or others is developing a change of diet that is sustainable. So whether you simply want to make sure you consume five portions of veg and fruit a day, cut out heavily processed food, become vegan/ vegetarian, adapt to developing health issues or explore lower calorie or low-carb options, are there any tips that can help you to stick to the plan? After a decade of following her plan, Lyn certainly believes so -and she's happy to share them!
IUNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE COMMITTING TO
Before changing the way you eat, it's important to do your research and make sure that any plan you want to follow is safe, and will deliver the promised benefits. If you're like me, you're going to find the science part really interesting and motivating! And please do consult a doctor if you have any medical concerns. Also think carefully about why you're doing this. What changes are you hoping to achieve? How will you have to adapt on a daily and weekly basis in terms of how you shop or eating arrangements with family members or housemates? Will you need to miss out on a few treats that were part of your usual routine?
Also think about the broader benefits you might enjoy, because they can really help with motivation. For instance, people often say that they have taken up a healthy-eating plan because they want to lose some weight but that the greatest benefit often proves to be that they become more energetic and feel happier.
2 PLAN AHEAD
As part of researching your new way of eating, it's
also a good idea to find or come up with recipes that you will enjoy eating -that will help you stick to your plan.
It's also useful to think about how you're going to keep track of your eating. Keeping a record of what you're consuming each day can be very motivating and help you to stick to the plan. You might even want to give yourself a monthly reward of some kind if you hit all your targets.
Some people just use a spreadsheet or a wallchart to keep track but there are also loads of apps you can explore and may find really useful.
3 START SLOWLY
Any dietary change should be initiated gradually, both to allow your body to adjust and because it is more likely to be sustainable. Those who lunge straight into a completely new way of eating overnight will probably find it more difficult to keep going.
Approach it the same way you would taking up an activity such as running -limber up first with a few short runs before trying to sprint at full speed. For instance, if you're looking to cut down on certain foods, start with the obvious ones and then build up gradually.
It takes time to feel the full benefit of changing the way you eat, so make sure that you give yourself time to adjust.
'YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE YOURSELF A REWARD IF YOU HIT YOUR TARGETS'
AREYOU AN EXPERT?
4
APPRECIATETHE BENEFITS
Embracing a new way of eating can feel like you're denying yourself pleasures, so be sure to appreciate the benefits as they develop. Celebrate the health gains -perhaps greater energy or a clearer complexionwhatever they may be.
Over the years, I've had a lot of people say to me: "Don't you miss all the foods you can't have anymore?" Of course I do sometimes, but I feel so good with my particular plan that I wouldn't want to change it.
At the same, it's best to do everything in moderation, so still allow yourself a well-deserved treat from time to time.
For example, when I go on holiday, I just eat whatever I want to and then get back to my plan when I return home!
5
ENJOY!
Don't forget what led you to change your eating plan in the first place -remembering those initial drivers will help to keep you motivated. Also, some people fall off an eating plan because they get stuck in a rut and are tempted to go back to old attractions. So keep things 2 fresh by looking for new recipes and foods that fit with your plan. Food should be about enjoyment as well as nourishment, so look ti al for the joy in what you eat.
MaggiePhilbin's fearless presenting style and perspicacious analysis of the latest innovations made her a household name -and the accidental icon is still inspiring the technologists of tomorrow
WORDS: LEILAJOHNSTON IMAGES:TONYFRENCH
BRIGHT TOMOR
aggie Philbin is sitting on a sofa in her elegant living room. She is leaning towards the camera, giggly and animated, unconsciously flicking her thick, pale hair as her mind races from one thought to the next. Every so often she shocks herself with a mischievous memory and her hands dart up to cover her mouth, eyes widening. When something happens out of shot, she stops mid-sentence, spinning the device around to reveal a black cat landing silently on the mantelpiece, poised to relieve it of its most fragile ornaments.
"Sorry! I should've warned you. I'm a terrible interviewee. I never know what's going to come out of my mouth." Of course, she isn't a terrible interviewee -quite
Best
for
known
her TV work, Maggie Philbin cont· • inuesto inspire innovators of the future
the opposite. But chatting to her is a thrilling contrast to the sober and exact delivery style that earned her the trust of the nation over her eight-year stint presenting the BBC'sflagship science and tech show Tomorrow's World.
Everything Maggie says is interesting, but she is ungovernable, particularly in the traditional Q&A format. Sometimes she'll circle back, other times she'll swing us down side roads while the original question fades in the rear view mirror. But wherever she goes, in interviews as in life, Tomorrow's World follows her. I ask her how she feels about this ongoing association with a show she last presented three decades ago.
"I don't mind at all," she says, immediately. "I regard Tomorrow's World as one of the highlights of my career as a broadcaster, and it became the most extraordinary springboard. And it is lovely.I cannot tell you how lovely it is. People come up to me all the time and tell me they're working in science or tech because of me -though I never saw myself as a role model, ever.
"There were lots of things that came together to make it very special. It was an extraordinary time, and I feel massively privileged to have worked on that show with the people I worked with, and during that particular time frame. But it was all a fluke."
She underplays her agency, but there's no denying that Maggie's career has a fairytale air to it; she has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Some readers will recall her presenting debut, Multi-Coloured Swap Shop. Alongside Noel Edmonds, Keith Chegwin and John Craven in 1978, she helped shape that particular brand of lawless and vibrant Saturday morning children's television that would reign for decades. But her life would have taken a very different course had she not chanced upon a classified ad in the paper calling for future TV stars -for the job that turned out to be Swap Shop.
"I happened to respond to that advert, which I had thought was bogus anyway. Then while I was presenting on Swap Shop, a producer saw me talking about the cotton mills in Halifax. He thought, 'Oh, she's good at explaining things'. He was about to do a new programme in the summer, called The Show Me Show. Originally it was going to be for children
but after we'd recorded the first one the controller said: 'Why don't we try this in the 10-week slot in the summer, when Tomorrow's World isn't on?"'
TALENT SPOTTED
There's a clip of The Show Me Show on YouTube.After being fitted with a heart rate monitor, a young Maggie Philbin whips around a rollercoaster before studiously examining the output graphs with a decidedly 1980s' boffin. The seeds of an adventurous career in tech communication were sown.
"The Tomorrow's World producers saw it and were like," -she folds her arms and frowns in mock affrontage'"What the hell's this, then?!"'
Maggiewas set to marry her fellow Swap Shop presenter, the late Keith Chegwin, in September 1982 and the day before the wedding, like a jealous
paramour, a letter from Tomorrow's World arrived on her doorstep. It was a job offer, and she very nearly talked herself out of it.
"I thought, it's all very well doing The Show Me Show, but Tomorrow's World is something else. 'But what about chemistry? I don't know anything about chemistry!' I wrote back: 'Would you mind if I just had a think about this?'"
Her hands jump to her mouth, reliving that particular rollercoaster. "For crying out loud! What was I thinking? But I was worried about what this was going to be like. I thought I was going to be a round peg in a square hole."
However, fate was not to be deterred and, when she returned from her honeymoon, the biggest TV gig of her working life was locked in.
"I never thought for a minute they would trust me with the job! I thought I might get into production, but the idea of being in front of the camera was not in my gameplan. But I was given a wonderful second chance, where an arts graduate was trusted with the BBC'slive science and tech show."
Maggie is modest, but she is a ball of utterly sincere enthusiasm, and it's easy to see how she could quickly win over a producer. "I did ask the lovely woman who hired me why she gave me the job. She said: 'Well, I asked you one question: 'Where did you get your boots from?' And you talked for 45 minutes.'"
Like a well-loved pair of boots, the show moulded around her, growing more and more comfortable with time. "For me it felt like coming home," she says. "I'd always been interested in science and tech, but for a number of complicated reasons, I did English and drama at university. That experience gave me insight into what goes on within schools, and how valuable it is for young people to understand that, just because you embark on a particular route, it doesn't mean you have to stick to it."
A big part of her success as a broadcaster has surely been down to her ability to bridge different worlds, and this has more than made up for any lack of foundational technical knowledge.
"I was always very curious, always very interested in stuff," she agrees. "And I've remained that way -very interested in what people living completely different lives to me do.
Maggie in celebratory mood with the Tomorrow'sWorldgang, from left, James Burke.Judith Hann, Raymond Baxter, Howard Stableford and Peter Macann
From left to right, Maggie with her fellow SwapShoppresenters John Craven, Keith Chegwin and Noel Edmonds in 1981 in the guise of their band, Brown Sauce
And also, I'm doggedly determined about certain things, and very obstinate. There's nothing like someone saying 'no' to me to make me think: 'We'll see about that!' I didn't regard those things as qualities when I was a child, but they were and they've served me very well throughout my career."
Having engaging presenters was a big factor in Tomorrow's World's popularity but it also benefited from astute timing. "It was because people had very little choice," Maggie stresses. "There were only three TV channels when I first started. So you could reach an audience who were not necessarily at all interested in science and tech. Nowadays, the social media generation can find anything they're interested in. But back in the day, you'd see things by accident."
It's hard to get this picture across to younger people. Before Netflix and universal connectedness, when a mobile phone was the size of a well-fed guinea pig, it was almost impossible to avoid Tomorrow's World. It was on our screens for an astonishing 40 weeks of the year. A sizeable percentage of viewers were
waiting for Top of the Pops to come on when they found themselves unexpectedly bewitched by a glimpse of the first squarial or prototype GPS system. But, inevitably, there were some hardcore fans, too.
"It was a very mixed audience," says Maggie, diplomatically. "I've got a letter, framed in my downstairs toilet. It goes: 'Dear Maggie, I hope you are well. I like watching you on Tomorrow's World, so does Peter. Peter is my cat. He is very interested in the future.' And I thought: 'Quite right'. Because, of course, cats came to own the internet, with memes and everything. That cat was paying attention."
"ANYTHING DANGEROUS WAS GIVEN TO ME AND JUDITH. I'VE BEEN DUMPED OUT OF HELICOPTERS INTO THE NORTH SEA'
It's not surprising that viewers felt so connected to the presenters; a familial cosiness behind the scenes translated to the respectful (and occasionally cheeky) on-screen chemistry.
"It was lovely how much everyone cared," she tells me. "It was like a religion. Everyone wanted [the show] to be as good as it possibly could be. And, by the way, it wasn't an accident that so many women were inspired by it. Anything remotely dangerous was given to me and Judith. I've done all sorts of things! I've been dumped out of helicopters into the North Sea. But you had to be careful; the stakes were constantly raised. If you agreed to do one they would give all those things to you. As a new reporter I wasn't allowed to say 'no' to anything, but when Howard [Stableford] came on board he was the new boy, so we got him doing the big stunts instead."
Intrepid as she clearly is, there are only so many times a person can be hurled into the sea in the name of science before the shine wears off. Did she feel a pressure to agree to the demands of the exciting role, in case she was replaced?
She nods, quite seriously. "I always felt that there could be a tap on the shoulder
at any point: 'What on Earth are you doing here?"'
Hearing how hard she worked to keep her place on the team, I'm suddenly reminded of a rumour I heard: that Maggie Philbin never uses an autocue. "I used to be amazed at how people trusted it!" she laughs. "I used to worry what would happen if it went downwhat ifwe don't know the script? So, there would be rehearsals in the morning then the team would go down to the canteen for lunch. And I never, in eight years, went for lunch. Ever. I went over things again and again, thinking: 'If this went wrong, what would I do?' I just could not trust autocue."
However well we prepare, life will test us. She confides that it was hard when she had her daughter Rose in 1988, balancing the demands of a new baby with the high-powered job. "That was pretty tough, I won't pretend it was easy. I felt torn in two directions."
It sounds like she managed to hold the line, though -after finally leaving Tomorrow's World in 1994, Maggie stayed on great terms with her TV family.
"It was a heartbreaking decision to leave the show, but I did. And it was the right decision. But I didn't break any connections with who was there. I just needed a bit of control over my life."
THE POWER OF LISTENING
Maggie has continued to fly the flag for science and tech education since leaving Tomorrow's World. In 2008, she teamed up with Chris Dodson to found TeenTech, a charity supporting teenagers in their first steps towards science and tech careers. The University of Roehampton has also played a key part, hosting innovation days, the TeenTech City of Tomorrow event and the TeenTech Roehampton Festival.
The events look like great fun, with young people creating paper prototypes and enjoying enriching pow-wows with inspirational industry professionals. Some of the youngsters who first showed promise at the competitions and events 15 years ago are now blossoming in positions of industry influence. The interpersonal focus of this charity is refreshing; in a world where education increasingly takes place on a screen, Maggie's charity is doubling down on a type of 'interactivity' that really works.
"There's something about just being in the same room with people," she agrees. "When it comes to TeenTech, we do a lot of online as well as in-person events. But we've thought very carefully about what constitutes good interaction and want the students to feel they're having a very personal experience." Maggie has seen
Maggie's TeenTech charity provides a safe space for young people to interact, explore science and technology and, importantly, learn the importance of making mistakes
interactivity evolve, first hand, through her work over the last few decades. Wave after wave of exciting innovations have failed to land: interactive TV hasn't caught on; VR is slow to take hold. Many years after these kinds of ideas were first mooted on Tomorrow's World, we largely eschew them in favour of text chats and WhatsApp. If there is one big learning to take from the last few decades, could it be that people, in fact, just want to talk to one another?
"What interactivity is really about is power," Maggie says. "What we do at TeenTech is try to make sure people feel listened to." She looks steadily down the camera. "It's a very powerful thing, to feel as though someone is listening. It's not about: 'I know so much and I'm going to share it with you'. It's rather: 'What really matters to you?' We spin it so that the young people think: 'What do I really care about?"'
At a time when we're bombarded with messages telling us what is and is not important, and offered a raft of spurious solutions via social media and AI, real power lies in the autonomy to identify and solve one's own problems. However, problem-solving goes hand-in-hand with the ability to fail and, in fierce contrast to the current targets-driven educational landscape, Maggie wants to create a safe comer for young people to mess up.
"I don't think there's enough space in education for young people to get things wrong," she says. "Because of the way we teach, there's a right answer, and a right way to reach that answer. In the real world, sometimes things don't go to plan and you have to learn how to deal with that. Young people need to learn that getting it wrong isn't the end of the world, and take criticism, ideas and input without bristling."
In other words, very gently, Maggie wants to toughen young people up. She worries that they leave school unable to give or receive feedback, untrusting or untrusted, defensively clutching their ideas close.
"It's ill-suited to the society we're in," she tells me. "But it is the system, not the teachers, who are to blame. I get frustrated with the glacial change."
If you can't change the system in one gesture, perhaps you can reach enough individuals within it so that the system
eventually shifts through internal momentum. I wonder if this is an approach she's honed over years of getting the best out of people in TV interviews. She gives it some thought.
"I guess so, you always do want people to shine," she says. "There's a slightly different driver there, because I want them to be the best they possibly can be, but I also want the audience to relate to what's being said. I want the audience to care."
It's a masterful balancing act, interviewing people live on TY.You're not just listening for yourself, you're listening on behalf of the nation, and in many ways you're also a translator and an amplifier. With Teentech, as with Tomorrow's World, Maggie leverages this ability to infect others with her excitement, and she can sustain that energy for as long as it takes.
"I've realised that you don't change anything with a one-off experience," she tells me. "The thing that made Tomorrow's World so powerful was that it was always there. It wasn't just a oneoff or a short series. So with Teentech, we always think: 'What are the kids
coming to this festival going to do next?' I describe it as a bit like a train -you can get on and get off, we are always there."
I am reminded of the autocue anecdote and skipping lunch for eight years. Is this 'belt-and-braces' resilience an important part of her character?
"I like to think about what could go wrong," she says. "Maybe in a slightly superstitious way, because I feel like, as long as I've thought about it, it won't happen. I'll think carefully about what I'm going to do and why, and how I'll get out of it if certain things go wrong."
Her eyes skip around, shuffling her thoughts into order.
"There are two strands to my
'IN THE REAL WORLD, SOMETIMES THINGS DON'T GO TO PLAN AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT'
Maggie's involvement in TeenTech has now taken centre stage
character: the strand that really prepares, and a strand where I never quite know what I'm going to say."
Considering the demands of her work, it is a useful combination. When you're plunging a presenter into the choppy waters of live broadcasting, it helps if they enjoy the freefall -but if they come with a built -in parachute, all the better. Does she ever miss presenting TV?
"The level of involvement you have is so different now, the timeframes and the budgets. But where I have been doing things, I've noticed I've been fitting them around Teentech, rather than the other way round. I started to realise that Teentech means more; I'm achieving more with it than I would with television appearances."
The black cat suddenly appears at her side in a display of feline solidarity, and Maggie smiles that famous smile. "Lifeis too short."
Readers interested in finding out more about TeenTech, and perhaps even getting involved with the initiative, will find lots of info at TeenTech.com
"Memory is not an instrument for surveying the past but its theatre. It is the medium of past experience, just as the earth is the medium in which dead cities lie buried. He who seeks to approach his own buried past must conduct himself like a man digging."
WALTERBENJAMIN
here's a sense in which our memorycollectively and individually -is all we have. The trouble is, it's an unreliable narrator. It is less like a time machine than a stage for performing or interpreting the past, as Walter Benjamin says, and excavating nuggets of truth from our action replays is a complicated business. To muddy matters further, there are types of memories that dwell outside the head, as Dr Craig Smith from the University of Glasgow's interdisciplinary research hub, the 'Memory Lab', explains:
"When generations inherit 'traditions', or are prompted to 'remember' or honour something such as the collective efforts and losses suffered in war, there can be a stark emotional disconnect. Collective and cultural memories often depart at the point of the new generation superseding the current one, often resulting in the loss, or at least dulling, of emotional empathy."
Memories are stories, prone to losing and gaining details with each retelling, and this seems to be true both collectively and individually. Like the wreaths brought out every Remembrance Sunday, they occur each time as a fresh event; the same, yet different. This idea of memory as rewritable 'performance' is, intriguingly, backed up by science.
Dr Miranda Robbins is a molecular neuroscientist at Cambridge University. Miranda studies memory formation and how different learning styles affect memory. She is exploring the notion that memories may be rewritten -like
'WHEN
a library book that gains a new stamp every time it's taken out. Miranda reveals that, astonishingly, scientists appear to have identified something approaching the physical essence of memory in the form of 'engrams', or traces on the brain that occur as a result of learning. They can be modified and retrieved.
"We study what's going on with the trace, what molecules are involved, and
GENERATIONS INHERIT 'TRADITIONS', THERE CAN BE A STARK EMOTIONAL DISCONNECT'
DR CRAIG SMITH
the storage, and later retrieval," she tells me. "We've found that how and what we learn activates specific neurons. For example, spatial context activates neurons in the hippocampus; emotion activates other neurons, and the idea is that these are incorporated into the memory trace. We still don't know exactly how that's stored, whether it's in all of the cells or a specific few, or on a synaptic level, or whether there's a genomic base."
Miranda runs me through several different patterns of memorisation, including 'massed' (the temporary type we might create when cramming for exams) and 'spaced'. For habitual
learners and determined self-improvers, such as members of Mensa, 'spaced' memory patterns are particularly useful.
"These help form long-term memories," Miranda explains. "Youneed to leave at least 10 minutes between repeat learning. This is one of the most robust findings from experimental psychology -the 'spacing effect'. It has shown to be effective in every animal that's been studied."
Memory research is still at the stage of intense discovery, but several intriguing near-certainties like this are emerging from the mist. Miranda tells me that scientists are currently zoning in on proteins.
"We know specific genes are required at specific times," she says. "If these proteins are removed, certain parts of memory cannot be formed or retrieved."
Miranda explains that scientists also know that synaptic activity is required for encoding memory. Less clear is whether synapses are storing the memory or are just needed for forming and retrieving it. Clearly,there are many more questions than answers, and research is multi-pronged, but we can all agree on some common goals. Everyone wants to find a way to keep minds vibrant and stave off the effects of time, illness or injury.
Miranda shares an intriguing idea from the world of Alzheimer's research: that missing memories may still exist, but cannot be retrieved because the synapses are too damaged. However, Alzheimer's is a complex picture, with a major social element.
"Eyeprescriptions and hearing aids are hugely preventative for dementia and protective against progression," she says. "Social withdrawal is a big part of the problem, but our work shows that it's to do with inputs, too. If you're not able to receive light or sound, you're not going to form those memories, and it's a catalyst, because if you socially withdraw you have fewer and fewer opportunities to form new memories, too."
SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Miranda emphasises the power of broadly achievable preventative measures. "Alot of it is behavioural: exercise and continuing to learn. Learning is so protective, maybe because you form more useful synapses, so it
takes longer for memories to be degraded or blocked from access."
place." Sleep is particularly
For more guidance on staving off decline, Miranda directs me to Barbara Sahakian, helpful if you're trying to learn something new. Miranda talks about this, too: she even practises presentations for work professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University in her dreams. Conversely,most of of Cambridge. "Memories are made when we're awake, transformed into stable representations and transferred into long-term memory," Barbara says, adding that the real magic happens in our sleep. "We know that during deep sleep, several important mechanisms associated with synaptic plasticity take
us can attest to suffering intense forgetfulness and lapses of attention after a poor night's sleep. And it's a vicious cycle: if we're not paying attention in the first place, memories won't get a chance to bed in.
Barbara points to an increase in ADHD diagnoses in recent years and suggests that screen culture may be the culprit.
UNLEASHING GENIUS
How a study of clever dogs could lead the way to defining talent in humans
The internet has a lot to answer for. Anyone who has even occasionally engaged with social media will have the impression that the world is stuffed with superintelligent canines.
Ethologist Dr Claudia Fugazza is building a database of gifted dogs for research purposes, but one surprising discovery is just how rare these four-legged geniuses actually are.
"My current line of research is what we call 'gifted word learner' dogs," she explains. "We discovered a very small minority of rare dogs that have the capacity to learn a vast vocabulary of object names -for example, 100 to 200 toys."
Claudia's research has revealed extraordinary discoveries about canine memory, which also has implications for humans.
'We don't really know where human language comes from; we're not
really sure what its role is in shaping our cognition. The studies with other species shed light on this," she says.
"Studies teaching sign language to apes and teaching animals to use keyboards have been criticised and haven't been replicated; they've relied on intensive training in artificial conditions. The nice thing about our dog researchisthatthey learn in a completely natural context.
"The way they learn is like how children learn -it's playful. It's the most similar to how we learn language. We remember words naturally without constant repetition."
Claudia's research may help us to study talent in humans, a field usually mired in ethical issues. "Talent is very specific. Just because someone's brilliant at mathematics, it doesn't follow that they'll be
brilliant at foreign languages," she says.
"Having a non-human model for studying talent would open up rea Ily good pathways to discovering the origins of talent."
Reckon you have a super-smart pooch?
You can get involved in Claudia's research at youtube.com/c/ geniusdogchallenge
Dr Claudia Fugazza is a canine talent spotter
Memory
This isn't just an instinct; she has conducted extensive research into it. One of her findings has been the importance of learning to read early -a virtually free habit, which seems to protect our brains well into adulthood.
MIND MAP
Other memory experts are concerned about the influence of technology, too. Josh Cohen runs the staggeringly comprehensive memory website, ArtofMemory.com, which should be the first stopping point of any curious traveller exploring the realms of recall.
Josh tells me: "I'm cautious about what parts of my thinking I offload to devices and Al." He points me to a study from Microsoft titled 'The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: SelfReported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers'.
The study asserts that GenAI is: "the latest in a long line of technologies that raises questions about their impact on the quality of human thought, a line that includes writing (objected to by Socrates), printing (objected to by Trithemius), calculators (objected to by teachers of arithmetic) and the internet."
This shouldn't necessarily reassure us, as the writer continues: "Such consternation is not unfounded. Used improperly, technologies can and do result in the deterioration of cognitive faculties that ought to be preserved."
Outsourcing knowledge to search engines and AI might impact our recall of trivial everyday things, like that fella's name. You know! Him, off that thing we watched on Netflix. And why bother to remember the difference between a solstice and an equinox when you can look it up in two seconds?
There are losses here, of course, but of greater concern is the possibility that we may be subtly forfeiting some rather useful skills.
Some comments on Josh's site express these concerns. One post points out that, thanks to GPS technologies, we no longer habitually create mental maps. Spatial memory is key to some of the popular mnemonic devices that memory
hobbyists recommend for optimising day-to-day life. Of course, it's also quite handy for the rest of us.
There is much discussion on the Art of Memory forums about 'digital amnesia': the way devices can snuff out our spark and slow us down. Research, linked to from the site, suggests that even cameras on phones seem to negatively impact our ability to remember a moment. And one doesn't have to spend long online to discover that the entire internet is awash with evidence that it makes us stupid.
Once again, though, are we becoming more forgetful, or simply not effectively committing information to memory?
You can't forget where you put your keys if you never bothered to remember where they were in the first place.
Miranda tells me: "Youneed to be paying attention for new memories to form. You need to be attending to the stimuli. At the moment, with short videos and so on, everyone's attention spans are decreasing. Ideally, ChatGPT would allow us to re-allocate our brains to other things. The question is: will we? People were worried about calculators but you could argue these technologies have allowed us to do higher -level processing."
Indeed, the demands of the present can be great and one can see how occasionally offloading some of them to devices might mitigate overwhelm.
Barbara says: "There are advantages and disadvantages to the technology. With working memory. you just want to keep information in your mind temporarily, so there are benefits to not storing stuff. But you won't have as much 'semantic knowledge' -learning facts -if you know you can just look up facts whenever you need to."
THINKING AHEAD
So, what's the cure? Just like Miranda, Barbara has some encouraging news for Mensa members. It's possible to shore up our abilities, and a high IQ is one of the linchpins of this 'cognitive reserve'. "Cognitive reserve is usually a combination of formal and informal education, plus IQ," she tells me. "It has been shown to be protective against Alzheimer's or brain injury; the higher your cognitive reserve, the better the outcome. If you have good education, a high IQ and good cognitive reserve, you can carry on at a very high level for a long time. Strategic mechanisms can compensate for even evident neuropathology. It even protects against schizophrenia and the depression that can follow head injuries."
Get ready to flick to the puzzle pages of this magazine because Barbara reiterates the value of learning new skills and information.
She explains: "Education is so important because you can build your cognitive reserve throughout your life. You should drive neural circuitry in the brain through engaging in challenging activities such as learning a musical instrument, learning to play chess or taking a course on a topic that interests you."
And we should never ignore the fact that we are social creatures. "Ensure you stay socially connected and do not get isolated," says Barbara. "My co-authors and I published a study in the journal Neurology showing that those older people who were socially isolated had a 26% increased risk of dementia."
She describes exercise as "a great allrounder", proven to benefit brain health, physical health and overall wellbeing.
"It is important to keep active, and if you can do it with others, even better, so join a cycle or tennis club or running group. Be sure to choose an activity that you enjoy so you will stay motivated to continue the exercise." And for more
"IDEALLY, CHATGPT WOULD ALLOW US TO RE-ALLOCATE OUR BRAINS TO OTHER THINGS. BUT WILL WE?'
DR MIRANDA ROBBINS
tips, check out Barbara's new book, Brain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Life, which she has co-written with Christene Langley (Cambridge University Press, 2025).
TOTAL RECALL
To experience the full visceral surprise of an unexpected happy memory, we must also be allowed to forget. Miranda tells me there are people with extraordinary powers of recall -people who, however much they may want to, simply cannot forget. These individuals are prone to depression, "perhaps because you often try to forget things that are not useful or not pleasant". However, the implications are profound: if some people can remember everything, maybe huge amounts of data are stored in the brain and most ofus just have our recall button set to 'off' by default.
Clearly, strategic forgetting has its uses but resurfacing pleasant, shared memories has a unique power to bring people together. Gillian Paterson is the Museum Engagement Officer at the Museum on the Mound, an Aladdin's cave of historic personal finance based in the old Bank of Scotland Head Office in Edinburgh. The museum offers a lending service for 'memory boxes'assorted artefacts designed to spark conversation with older people and those with dementia.
Gillian explains: "The boxes contain a range of things, from items with a curated narrative -such as a handbag with a purse full of coins, bus tickets, makeup and photos -to random things that are simply there to spark interest or a memory. We have football programmes, 1970s' copies of Good Housekeeping magazine, Scouting and Guiding memorabilia. You name it, it's in our memory boxes." The sensory experience
The contents of one memory box, which has triggered strong recollections
seems to be key. "The olfactory objects seem to create a reaction," she says.
"I've seen the smell of Brylcreem trigger a tsunami of stories, from dancehalls and first loves to stains on soft furnishings that would never come out. Carbolic soap is another item that
everyone has an opinion on. It's not just people with dementia who find memories being stimulated by the boxes, there are things that we can all relate to and interact with."
This might be an interesting way of understanding the role of museums in general -they're not forcing a single truth so much as acting as a bridge between personal and communal memories. There is pleasure to be had in this kind of sharing, even (or especially) in the quasi-memory of things we didn't experience the first time round.
In this sense, maybe it doesn't matter if memory is an unreliable narrator. If we can find a little empathy, we can coax events back onto the stage and attempt to make sense of things, together.
CREATE A MEMORY PEG LIST
Josh Cohen shares a classic technique for mastering your memory
Most people can improve their memorisation skills with a little training and practice. Memory palaces and peg lists even work for people who think they have a bad memory.
To create a peg list, picture each letter of the alphabet as an object:
A=~ axe
B=. ball
C =, " cling film i d.
D=_, 1g
E = v eat
F = (f:9-fire
G = d golf club
H = a hair
I=~ iron etc.
Once you've created all 26 pegs, try using them with a random sequence of images, such as playing cards. When you see the first image, picture an axe in it (the peg associated with the letter 'A'). For the second image, imagine a ball bouncing on it ('B'). For the third image, think of cling film
being used ('C'), and so on. As you already know the alphabet, you can then recite it to recall each peg and then try to remember what that peg was doing.
The peg list technique can be used for memorising anything that is in list form, such as a shopping list, the order of topics for a speech, a list of concepts from a textbook, and more.
You can create additional peg lists by using, say, animals or objects:
A= alligator
B = fl bear
C= • cat
D= dog etc.
Or fruit:
A= 9 apple
B=
C=~
D=. etc.
Good luck! banana cherry damson
t the time of writing, the world was still reeling from US President Donald Trump's announcement of heavy trade tariffs. For weeks, journalists and analysts filled column after column in an effort to unravel a long-term strategy behind actions that have disrupted markets and upended a period of relative global trade stability. In just a matter of weeks, UK manufacturing slowed, carmakers began laying off workers in anticipation of declining US sales and the Bank of England downgraded its economic outlook while cutting interest rates. And all this unfolded before a trade deal was finally struck in early May,ushering in a measure of calm -at least for now. There is little doubt about it: we are living through a remarkable period of global disruption. The current trade crisis is just one more shockwave in a growing series of unresolved global challenges -among them, the ongoing
wars in Ukraine and Gaza, rising instability in the Middle East and wavering tensions between India and Pakistan. The UK, like much of the world, continues to feel the cumulative weight of these mounting pressures.
Some economists, including Adam Tooze, have described the current era as a 'polycrisis', a term often used to describe the post -2008 world, which has been plagued by a series of cascading and overlapping shocks -from economic turmoil and the COVID-19pandemic to the energy crisis, climate change and deglobalisation. For historians and analysts, it's a way of understanding how these crises don't just occur side by side but often intensify each other -creating a situation where the whole is more dangerous than the sum of its parts.
As a relatively small player on the global stage -especially when compared to superpowers, such as the US and China, which are vying for dominancethe UK is inevitably exposed to the shifting tides of geopolitics and economic upheaval. But what can policymakers and economists do to shield citizens from the worst effects of these disruptive, often life-altering shocks, which threaten livelihoods, food security, household incomes and national stability? The question is no longer whether we'll be hit but how hard, and whether the UK has the resilience to stand its ground.
The UK's open economy-reliant on external flows of imports, labour, raw materials and data -is especially exposed to external shocks. While that's hardly unusual in today's globalised world, the
·THIS FRAGILE WEB OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERPINS VIRTUALLY EVERY ASPECT OF MODERN LIFE'
UK, according to Professor John Bryson, chair in enterprise and economic geography at the University of Birmingham, remains alarmingly ill-equipped to handle risk and future shocks. For a start, Bryson prefers the term 'polyrisk' over the more commonly used polycrisis. The distinction, he argues, matters: polyrisk shifts the focus from passive diagnosis to proactive planning -anticipating disruption and building systems that can help communities absorb the impact.
According to John, one particularly concerning cluster of interconnected 'risks' deserves our urgent attention. He calls it the "cyber-energy-production plexus" -a thrillingly sci-fl-like termwhich refers to deep interdependencies between telecommunications, energy systems and production networks. This fragile web of critical infrastructure underpins virtually every aspect of modem life, and it stands as one of the UK's most vulnerable pressure points. "Allthe critical infrastructure systems
that support everyday living are wrapped into this plexus," he explains. "Adisturbance anywhere in it can result in domino impacts." Current political approaches, says John, lack any kind of long-term strategy for safeguarding this infrastructure -an area that requires a coherent and sustained vision. He describes the UK's approach as fragmented with no framework for anticipating and managing diverse crises.
"One could argue that the UK government moves from crisis to crisis with little learning or planning in between," he says. As an example, he points to the politicisation of the COVID-19pandemic, which was at times used by opposition parties for pointscoring. In John's view, this approach must change: crises of such magnitude demand depoliticised discourse and a coordinated, cross-party response.
For Professor David Alexander, an expert in emergency planning and management at University College London, the issue is equally clear-cut: the UK urgently needs a dedicated disaster management agency, one that is entirely depoliticised. "This is in everyone's interests," he says. Such an agency, he argues, would serve as the backbone of a national emergency response system, linking with essential local services, including emergency responders and volunteer organisations.
David points to Italy as a model of what this could look like in practice. Italy has 1.3 million volunteers fully integrated into the country's emergency response infrastructure. In Florence, where David lives, a consortium of 29 civil protection organisations can deploy 1,000 trained and equipped operatives within 10 minutes -and 5,000 within two hours.
The UK remains far from capable of delivering this kind of swift, coordinated emergency response. A well-functioning civil protection system, says David -an expert adviser to the UK Coronavirus Inquiry in 2023 -starts at local level, where most emergency response capacity is based. But in the UK, this area is chronically underfunded, leaving communities dangerously exposed to the effects of major climate events and pandemics. As David bluntly states, "the local level is starved of resources".
This situation is made worse by unclear lines of responsibility between
devolved authorities, leading to serious gaps in coordination. While the voluntary sector has a central role in emergency systems elsewhere, in the UK it is sidelined. Climate change brings its own problems exacerbated by a global failure to take meaningful action. Swenja Surminski, professor in practice at the Grantham Research Institute at LSEand a member of the UK's Climate Change Committee (CCC),has been outspoken about the urgent need for society to adapt to our changing climate. Through her work at Marsh McLennan, a global firm that offers expertise in risk management, she focuses on developing adaptation solutions.
Swenja points to the CCC'slatest Adaptation Progress Report, which delivers a stark warning: the UK is dangerously unprepared for the mounting impacts of climate change. The report exposes serious and growing risks across core parts of society, from hospitals and care homes to schools. Over half of England's top-quality agricultural land and more than a third of its railways and roads are at flood risk, with both figures expected to rise by 2050. Meanwhile, 6.3 million properties are already at risk of flooding, a number projected to reach 8 million, or 25% of all homes, by 2050. New developments, she says, must take these looming statistics into account and be designed with climate risks front and centre.
Extreme weather is already taking a toll on the UK's food security. The cold and wet conditions of early 2024 led to one of the worst harvests on record, hitting key crops, such as wheat and oats. Around 60% of the UK's food is still produced domestically, with most staple crops grown at home. The rest comes from abroad, including fruit, vegetables, rice and tea. For some, this level of reliance on imports is a red flag, especially as global supply chains face growing disruption.
Yet according to Dr Lotanna Emediegwu, senior lecturer in economics at Manchester Metropolitan University, striking the right balance between domestic production and
Homegrown industries, such as Tata steelworks in Wales, have been hit by multiple challenges, including soaring energy costs
international supply is essential for long-term resilience. Leaning too far in either direction carries risks: imports are vulnerable to global shocks such as those caused by the war in Ukraine, while relying too heavily on homegrown produce risks placing too much faith in increasingly volatile local conditionsputting all our eggs in one basket at a time when extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.
Lotanna warns that the situation at a household level is increasingly troubling. Household food security is in decline, according to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, driven by rising inflation -fuelled by
'EXTREME WEATHER IS ALREADY TAKING A TOLL ON THE UK'S FOOD SECURITY'
soaring energy and fertiliser costs exacerbated by the war in Ukraine -climate shocks, post-Brexit labour and trade disruptions and fears of a trade conflict with the US, narrowly avoided by the recent UK-US trade deal. While this new deal has been hailed as a success, concerns remain that it could increase competition for UK farmers by opening the market to cheaper American imports, such as beef and ethanol. Although consumers may benefit from lower prices, Lotanna warns that local producers could come under further pressure. Many are already struggling following the loss of EU subsidies postBrexit and are now facing the added burden of inheritance tax reform set to take effect next year. This could force some farming families to sell land to cover tax bills, threatening generational continuity and potentially reducing
domestic production. Meanwhile, longterm risks from climate change, biodiversity loss and policy shifts may increase our exposure to future shocks.
As Lotanna says: "the UK is still well-fed but less resilient than it used to be".
To shore up our food security, he calls for a twin-track approach: strengthening domestic production and diversifying imports. Ultimately, the UK needs an integrated resilience strategy that treats food security as a long-term national priority, not just a crisis response, with contingency plans for food stockpiling, rationing and emergency distribution. Decisions must be insulated from the pressures of the election cycle, requiring long-term, cross-party commitment. If ever there were a time to get serious about planning for risk mitigation, it's now. While the UK may not be on the brink of war, it is closer than at any point in recent decades. And if a major conflict is even a remote possibility, we'd do well to get our house in order before it arrives.
As Duncan Weldon, economist and author of Blood and Treasure: The Economics of Conflict from the Vikings
"WHILE REBUILDING THE ARMED FORCES IS NECESSARY, IT MUST BE DONE AT A SUSTAINABLE PACE' DUNCAN WELDON
to Ukraine, notes, the period from 1992 to 2008 can seem in hindsight like an economic golden age for Britain. The economy grew without recession for 16 straight years and geopolitical stability held firm. Such was our complacency under the unipolar umbrella of US hegemony that some commentators declared 'the end of history'. That now feels like a distant memory. Since 2008, a relentless series of shocks -from the financial crisis and Brexit to COVID-19 and escalating trade tensions -has rocked that sense of security. Duncan argues that Britain must now seriously consider raising defence spending to 3-4% of national income, up from the 2% norm of the 1990s and 2000s. This could be a powerful deterrent -far cheaper than the cost of war itself. During the Second World War, for instance, UK defence spending peaked at over 50% of
WHEN SYSTEMS FAIL
Many of the major crises of recent history were the result of known vulnerabilities
GDP."The key," says. Duncan, "as British policymakers understood in the 1930s and 1940s, is that economic strength and stability are essential in any major conflict." He adds that, while rebuilding the armed forces is necessary, it must be done at a managed, sustainable pace.
Compounding everything is the growing realisation that US dominanceso central to global stability since the Second World War -can no longer be taken for granted. Trump's presidency has undeniably accelerated the shift toward a more multipolar world, with China and Russia emerging in potentially stronger positions. A return to the old order is increasingly unlikely. As a new world order takes shape, the UK must prepare for a more turbulent global landscape. If the future is unstable, then we must ensure our systems are resilient enough to withstand whatever it brings.
THE SUEZ CRISIS (1956)
When Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal, Britain, France and Israel launched a military intervention to regain control. It collapsed under international pressure, triggering a sharp loss of confidence in the pound and forcing Britain to seek International Monetary Fund support. It revealed the UK's reliance on a single trade route and showed what can happen when shifting geopolitical realities are ignored.
THE 1973 OIL CRISIS
Caused by an Opec embargo in response to Western support for Israel during the Yorn Kippur War, the crisis caused petrol prices to quadruple from around $3 to nearly $12 per barrel. In the UK petrol stations ran dry and rationing was brought in. The crisis showed how a seemingly distant geopolitical conflict could grind domestic economies to a halt, and it changed energy policy for decades.
HURRICANE KATRINA (2005)
When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, it wasn't just the weather that devastated the city. Levees failed due to decades of underinvestment and ignored engineering concerns. The emergency response was slow and poorly coordinated. The disaster revealed racial and economic inequalities and exposed how reactive rather than proactive disaster planning costs lives.
FUKUSHIMA (2011)
Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster began with a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami but it escalated due to poor foresight and too much faith in technology. Back-up power systems failed, cooling mechanisms were overwhelmed and containment procedures collapsed. The incident forced countries around the world to re-evaluate the risk assumptions underpinning their critical infrastructures.
Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August, Cardiff
Don't miss EMAG2025!
It's your final chance to join hundreds of Mensans from across Europe at this year's European Mensas Annual Gathering (EMAG)
0You'll have to be quick if you want to attend this year's EMAG as standard registration bookings will close on Wednesday 9 July. Taking place in Cardiff, Wales, this will be the first time that EMAG has visited our shores, and it provides a wonderful
opportunity to spend five fun-filled days with other Mensans from Europe and further afield.
Standard registration tickets include access to talks and workshops, the bar, the Icebreaker, the Gala Dinner and a choice of activities.
Highlights from the programme include:
• Tours of iconic landmarks including Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Bay.
• Cultural trips to Llandaff Cathedral, the St Fagans National Museum of History, the Big Pit National Coal Museum and more.
• Varied events including food tasting, white water rafting and a Doctor Whowalking tour.
• Entertaining social activities such as murder mystery nights, gin and whisky distillery visits, and pub crawls.
Dr Julie Smith's practical guide to dealing with life's challenges
Mensa member Karl Havard on threats posed by the rise of Al
EMAG organiser Ann Rootkin reflects on this special event
RESEARCH,INSIGHTS, MENSA NEWS AND EVENTS
TV'sfive best science showsever
Our interview with Maggie Philbin (pp12-17) led us to a nostalgic review of great TV science shows. Here's our top five -but which shows did you love most, and why? Tell us by dropping us an email at editor@mensa.org.uk
WORLD
IPLAN ET EARTH
Running from 1965 to 2003, First broadcast in 2006, which is astonishing in itself, Planet Earth was the the show provided an most expensive science entertaining glimpse of the documentary commissioned future with everything from by the BBCand the first to CDs to barcode readers. be filmed in high definition. Meanwhile, prototypes of More importantly, a nation a flying car and personal was gripped by the stunning jetpacks proved less viable. footage of extraordinary As well as Maggie, the long locations, plantlife and roll call of presenters included creatures, all beautifully James Burke, Raymond narrated by David Baxter, Michael Rodd andAttenborough. The first five the longest serving of them episodes averaged 11.4 million all -Judith Hann. viewers, and two further series then followed.
3
THE SKY AT NIGHT
Another BBCrecord-
2TOMORROW'S breaker, The Sky at WORLD Night ran from 1957 to 2013, Maggie Philbin told us hosted throughout by Patrick that many viewers tuning Moore. In all that time, he into Tomorrow's World were missed just one episode due simply waiting to watch Top to illness. He also led many to of the Pops. We disagree! look upwards. "Do some
reading, learn the basic facts and then take a star-map and go outdoors on the first clear night so that you can begin learning the various stars and constellation patterns," Moore once wrote. "The old cliche that 'an ounce of practice is worth a tonne of theory' is true in astronomy, as it is in everything else."
4 EQUINOX
The BBChas dominated the big-budget TV science space but Channel 4 made a decent dent with Equinox, which ran for 20 years from 1986. Covering big topics in depth -from nuclear weapons to alternative energy -the show pulled in a wide range of experts. It even blended drama with documentary
in specials, such as 1998's 'King of Chaos'. Set in far -off 2012, this episode imagined what might happen if technology were to take over the world. Sound familiar?
5THE HITCHHIKERS' GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
The TV strand of Douglas Adams's multimedia science-fiction comedy revealed the adventures of Arthur Dent following the demolition of Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Much of the fun came from the way that Adams poked fun at the arrogance of humanity. For instance, when Dent looks up 'Planet Earth' in the Hitchhikers' Guide, all it has to say about our home planet is "mostly harmless".
Ford Prefect, the eccentric alien friend of Earthling Arthur Dent
Open When... by DR JULIESMITH
is a book that anyone can turn to when experiencinganxiety,fear, regret or other uncomfortablefeelings. In this extract,Julieoffers advice for overcominga senseof awkwardnessin socialsituations.
0hen a social interaction suddenly feels awkward, it's usually because you get distracted with concern for how you are coming across to the other person -a concern that prevents you from fully absorbing yourself in the conversation.
The more that feeling arises, the more we start to see social interactions as something to be endured rather than enjoyed. The main aim becomes simply to escape without humiliation. Then, after the interactions, even the ones that went well, the rumination begins as you replay the conversations in your mind.
But shyness and a few awkward moments don't have to stop two people from developing a deep and fulfilling relationship. As you enter interactions with people, spend less time worrying about what you might say and how to appear confident. Instead, make it your new mission to bring out positive things in the people around you. In the moments that you would previously have worried
DRJULIESMITH
about whether you fit in, turn your attention to making sure that the people around you feel welcome, feel interesting and a part of things. See if you can create an interaction that ends in the other person walking away feeling 10ft tall, feeling that someone was genuinely interested in knowing them. When you manage to get even close to that, they will remember how you made them feel. Such interactions lead to much richer connections than if you focus on simply impressing them with social confidence. lfit's about them, you don't need to be a social butterfly. You can show up exactly as you are.
Their response to feeling safe with you will undoubtedly be to do the same for you and consequently create a deeper connection between you both. Here are seven tools you can use to help with this (more details in the book):
I SPOT YOUR OWN COVERT AVOIDANCE
When we feel anxious or awkward in a social setting, it's only natural to want to snatch small moments of recovery. Maybe we avoid the fear of
Shift the focus from your inner world and search for ways to connect with others, suggestsJulie
starting a conversation by heading off to the bathroom or looking down at our phone to avoid an awkward moment. The next time you find yourself in a social situation, see if you can resist the temptation to covertly avoid chances to interact.
2 PRACTISE
The more you can give yourself practice at social situations and resist the urge to seek safety through avoidance then the more your brain will calm the stress response.
3 LEARN, DON'T COMPARE
Watching others who interact well is a valuable exercise but only if you are doing so with the clear aim of learning from them.
4 FOCUS ON FEELINGS, NOT ON WORDS
When we feel shy or a little anxious, we get caught up in what to say and how to fill silences. But the solution to shyness or those awkward moments is not having a script to lean on. Creating connection with another
"WHEN WE FEEL SHY OR A LITTLE ANXIOUS, WE GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO FILL SILENCES'
person lies in the feelings we bring up in them. Concentrate on the ways in which you can contribute to creating an environment that helps others to feel wanted, accepted, cared for and interesting.
5 PUT A STOP TO THE POST-SOCIAL RUMINATION
Even when a social interaction goes well, the shy or anxious have a tendency to engage in a little post-social rumination. We replay moments of the conversation and try to
imagine what the other person was thinking and how they might have been judging us. But this offers nothing positive. The moment is over, so move on.
6 CHALLENGE THE SPOTLIGHT EFFECT
Something we all do is overestimate how much others are noticing us and scrutinising or judging us negatively. Because we are the centre of our own world, we wrongly assume we are close to the centre of everyone
else's. The reality is that most people are cross-examining their own social performance rather than ours.
7 SEARCH FOR SMILES, NOT SCOWLS
As you enter a social situation, telling yourself the water is full of sharks and then scanning for them will make the slightest flutter of the smallest fish look like a threat. So, as you look outward towards others, and as you listen to them, search their words not for coldness but for connectedness. This is where small talk paves the way -finding common ground, however small at first, can give you both a boost that sets a conversation in motion.
we have five copies of OpenWhen... to give away. For a chance to win one, simply answer the following question:
Which phrase best describes someone who enjoys interacting with others?
A. Cheeky monkey
B. Social butterfly
C. Busy bee
Email your answer to editor@mensa.org.uk or post it to IQ, Think, 65 Riding House Street, London W1W 7EH by 5pm on 15 August 2025.
Didyou see?
Our regularround-upof research breakthroughsspottedby the IQteam
I Tiny lifesavers
New pacemaker is the size of a grain of rice Scientists at Northwestern University in the US have unveiled the world's smallest pacemaker. At just 3.5mm in length, it's the size of a grain of rice.
Designed for temporary use, this biodegradable device can be injected into the body and activated by light, offering a less invasive option for patients requiring short-term cardiac pacing.
3 Mummy's boy
Resting place of the Royal Scribe
A joint Egyptian-American team has discovered the tomb of Prince Waser-If-Re, son of King Userkaf of Egypt's 5th Dynasty, providing a glimpse into the life of royal Egyptians more than 4,000 years ago.
The widely reported find includes a huge false door made of pink granite, carved with the prince's titles, such as 'Vizier' and 'Royal Scribe'.
There are also 13 pink granite figures, which may depict Waser-If-Re's wives. Other discoveries in the tomb show that it was reused for burials several centuries later.
4 Zombie ants
Australians make a creepy discovery
An expedition organised by Australia's Bush Blitz nature discovery programme has made a strange discovery in a remote savanna of the Northern Territory: zombie ants. The ants were spotted by Dr Franc;:oisBrassard of the University of Western Australia. "I found this thriving colony of spiny savanna ants but there were also many creepy-looking dead ants around it, clamped to grass stalks," he told Australian Geographic."And I thought I recognised what it was -a type of parasitic fungus."
Brassard says the ants are parasitised, possessed and eventually consumed from within by a funguspossibly a species that has not yet been recorded by modern science.
5 We're doomed
But it's not the end of the world -yet There's good news and bad news. The bad news is that scientists from Radboud University in the Netherlands have calculated that the universe is likely to die "much sooner than expected". The good news is that they believe it should still be around for 10 to the power of 78 years (i.e. a one followed by 78 zeros).
Not that humanity will be able to experience much of that unimaginable lifespan -unless we escape our planet. Within a billion years or so, the sun is expected to grow so hot that our oceans will boil dry, all lifeforms will be destroyed and our world will be gobbled up by the star that once nurtured us. In the meantime, don't forget to get the washing in.
6 Rooftop energy
Raindrops keep falling on my LED Research published in ACSCentral Science reveals a method to generate electricity from falling rainwater using 'plug flow' in vertical tubes. This system converts more than 10% of the water's energy into electricity-and four tubes could power 12 LEDscontinuously for 20 seconds.
The research team from the National University of Singapore believes that plug flow energy could be easier to implement than traditional hydroelectric power plants, making it suitable for urban environments, such as rooftops.
7 Give usa cuddle, Fido
Are pets better company than humans?
58% of pet owners like to spend time with their pets when they feel stressed, preferring their company over partners, children, family or friends.
The survey of 30,000 pet owners worldwide was carried out by petcare brand Mars and mental health company Calm.
78% of owners also said that their pet reminds them to take a break, and 73% say their pet helps to soothe their worries. Until the vet's bill arrives.
Talking point
We (really) need to talk about Al
Techexpert and MensanKarl Havard believesEVERYONE needsto get involvedin discussingthe divisive,ethicaland energy-guzzlingimplicationsof our growingrelianceon Al
0rtificial intelligence, or AI, rapidly continues its advancement into virtually every facet of our lives. Most of the world's population is unaware of the significant ecosystem required to deliver popular applications, such as AI SnapChat filters, ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, Google's Gemini and Apple's Apple Intelligence, to name a few. However, those of us in the industry who are aware, and those of us who consciously use AI every day, find ourselves at a critical juncture; and it should pull on our personal values.
The promises of AI are extraordinary. However, what may not be common knowledge are the significant economic, environmental, ethical and societal implications of the infrastructure that is required to build and maintain these AI applications.
THE ECONOMIC DIVIDE ...
You may have heard the acronym 'GPUs' (graphical processing units). These units are the processing power behind AI as it is known today and how it is advancing. Most applications require a massive physical infrastructure for training and inference, which typically means thousands of GPUsall interconnected and operating at hyper speed.
One example is xAI's Colossus supercomputer, which currently has 100,000 GPUs, located in a single data centre in the US. The capital cost required to build such a competitive AI infrastructure is significant.
For instance, 100,000 HlO0 GPUs cost around $3 billion to purchase as an asset -an investment that only a few of the largest enterprises and technology companies on the planet can make. Therefore, we may be creating an economic divide that only
DON'T MISS KARL'S EXCLUSIVEMENSA TALK
Karl Havard has spent most of his career in the technology, cloud and data industries. He is currently Chief Commercial Officer for Nscale, a UK and EU cloud service provider.Join Karl for an exclusive online event What's behind the Al curtain?' at 7.30pm on Thursday 17 July. Find out more at mensa.org.uk/mensa-events
the wealthiest corporations and nations can cross -as well as an unwanted equation of wealth being proportional to access to intelligence.
...AND THE SOCIAL DIVIDE
We're witnessing the emergence of what some call "AIhaves and have-nots"organisations and individuals who can harness Al's power versus those who cannot. Tristan Harris, who is co-founder of The Center for Humane Technology, gave a recent TED Talk discussing this situation as humanity's greatest test, and explains the polar opposites that could emerge between chaos and dystopia. Neither outcome is pretty. There is a need (call it a duty) for those fortunate enough to have access to AI technology, such as enterprises and governments, to create awareness, to educate and to provide AI accessibility. Likewise, there is also an individual requirement for people to be curious and to want to learn more about AL Being consciously ignorant of AI is not an option, but it is a likely choice for many, and hence we will begin to witness the start of digital Darwinism. This is probably the biggest, and most challenging, chasm we have to cross.
THE ENERGY EQUATION
Training a single large language model (LLM)can generate carbon emissions equivalent to the lifetime emissions of five cars (according to research from MIT). Once deployed, AI systems continue to consume significant energy through continual prompt requests (inference). As we enter prompts into any form of GenAI platform, there are machines somewhere in the world whirring away to provide us with the answers we seek, create a document or produce an enhanced selfie. These machines also run very hot and require
cooling, either by fans or by liquid, usually both. To make this more relatable, a data centre with 100,000 GPUs is the same power draw as running 30,000 standard washing machines on full load, continuously And the constant cooling requirement is millions of gallons of water per day (an average-sized swimming pool takes approximately 20,000 gallons to fill). The good news is that technology is also advancing in these areas and there are now closed-loop cooling systems starting to be deployed as well as renewable and clean energy being made directly available to data
centres. Plus, as you would expect, AI is being used to make the power usage more efficient too.
ETHICAL GUARDRAILS
Not everyone who can gain access to AI will use it for the right purposes. There are a minority of bad actors out there. As AI systems become more capable, their potential for misuse grows proportionally, which can
range from annoying to catastrophic and everything in between. Examples include fake news and deepfakes that undermine trust; surveillance systems that erode privacy and civil liberties; and autonomous weapons that lower the threshold for conflict, including cyber attacks. There are many more, amplified by the dual-use nature of many AI technologies, but validating
'THERE ARE MACHINES SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD WHIRRING AWAY TO PROVIDE US WITH THE ANSWERS WE SEEK'
THINK TANK
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC?
If so, pleasesharethem with usvia editor@mensa.org.uk. Also,do contactus if you have a topicyou're interested in writing about for Talking Pointin a future issueof IQ.
access to people with the right ethics and motives should always beat the size of the cheque being waved in front of AI providers.
STANDARDS TO UPHOLD
Whatever level of involvement you have with AI, it's on us to ensure its development is aligned with humankind flourishing and we navigate the right path. We need to promote robust standards across the four poles of the AI compass. This is to protect us and the planet while also not stifling innovation. I'll be exploring all this in my Mensa talk in July Please do join me for this important discussion.
Brickbats &bouquets
MORE RABBIT
I cannot agree with Trevor Precious's 'Unlucky Rabbit' post (March/April, p39). The solutions are not all right, there is only one correct solution. Anticipating the rabbit's position and running in a straight line is a different problem from the one posed, and trivial by comparison. A polygonal path, as I had done earlier, is only an approximation. And the time to catch the rabbit is not exactly 13 seconds, as Trevor states. Using the formula I posted, the exact answer is 100*10/(10A25A2)= 13.33 recurring seconds.
Roger Flavell
THE HARDYARDS
Thank you for including the article on metrology, including reference to the UK's failure to complete metrication (May/June, pp30-35). But one important date was omitted -23 February 1904. That is when the House of Lords voted unanimously in favour of a Bill, which would have seen the UK switch to the metric system. Also notable in 1904, 333 MPs were prepared to add their names to a list in favour of full metrication.
Hansard (UK Parliament) provides details of the debate. The Bill was sent to a Select Committee, 'forgotten', and eventually reached the House of Commons in 1907 where, on the second reading, it was voted against, 150 to 118.The main opposition came from the textile and engineering trades.
For anyone interested in more on this topic, I recommend visiting metricviews. uk.
Philip Bladon
In this issue, our readers are pushing the case for metrication. Plus, the rabbit is back again ...
NEW COLOURDISCOVERED!
In our March/April issue (pp34-35), we included an 'April Fool' claiming that a team of Scandinavian scientists led by Dr Olaf Prilo had discovered a new colour called 'spratt'. Well, it turns out the joke may well have been on us because genuine researchers at the University of California have since claimed to have discovered a new colour, which they have called 'olo'.
Describing it as a deeply saturated 'teal' colour, the team claims to have discovered it by using lasers to stimulate photoreceptors in the iris of a human eye. The results of their research have been published in the Science Advancesjournal, but don't get excited about painting your kitchen in a brand new colour just yet - olo is impossible to view in normal conditions.
The history of metrication in the UK is a weighty subject
JOIN OUR GOVERNANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE?
We are looking for one British Mensa member to join the Governance Advisory Committee (GAC)
The GAC is the body of elected members, who are available to advise on matters concerning governance within British Mensa. This includes supporting the Board and Head Office throughout the year as requested and offering independent advice to members regarding the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Standing Orders, as well as advice on wording and legality to members who wish to submit resolutions to the Annual General Meeting.
The committee comprises four members, each elected for a three-year term, as well as a member of the Board to act as a liaison between the two.
To apply for a role on the GAC,members must submit a statement of up to 200 words in support of their application to administration@mensa.org. uk by 12 noon on Friday 1 August. Should more than one member apply, a poll of members will take place to elect the successful candidate.
The appointed candidate will take up office after the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 19 October 2025.
CAN YOU HELP WITH OUR RESEARCH STUDY ON HIGH IQ?
In the May/June issue of IQ (p37), we previewed pioneering research that we were about to embark on, exploring how it feels to be a high-IQ individual. Well, the questionnaire is now live and we would love you to get involved!
The questionnaire will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete and consists of basic tick box/Likert-style questions about personality, health and diversity as well as what prompted you to become a Mensa member. The study will be completely confidential.
GET IN TOUCH
Your participation will help the research to be thorough and genuinely valuable, contributing to a global understanding of high IQ. And the results will be made available to all Mensa members. There will also be a follow-up feature in IQ magazine and the opportunity to discuss the results at an online event.
To find out more and to take part, visit mensa.org.uk/ iq-research. You'll need to be quick, though, as the questionnaire closes on Monday 7 July.
If you have anything you'd like to share with us, email editor@ mensa.org.uk or write to us at IQ, Think Publishing. 65 Riding House Street, London W1W 7EH
Intelligent relationships
The one-millionthpart dissimilarity
Dr SonjaFalckconsiderswhether our desirefor 'relatability'and commongroundis simply a way of sugar-coatingthe bitter pillof difference
0ately, I have stumbled over the word 'relatable'.
I've heard that readers want characters in stories to be 'relatable'. Without this, apparently, a novel won't become a bestseller. And I've seen it advised that content written for platforms such as Linkedin should be 'relatable'. That's what will attract views and likes and reposts, those contemporary markers of success.
What is my problem with this? At first, I didn't even understand what the word meant. With some scrutiny, I grasped that it seems to be about similarity. I remembered the term 'homophily', which means the love of sameness. People feel comfortable and safe when they encounter someone or something that feels familiar. This draws them in. 'Relatable' is the opposite of 'alien'.
The difficulty for a high-IQ individual is that, by definition, your neurological profile is different from that of at least 98% of the general population. Youwill have had many experiences of yourself and others feeling alienated from each other rather than drawn together. And you will have developed your own style of how to cope with this. Perhaps you have coped by becoming a people-pleaser, trying to keep others happy while doing your best to hide how different your thoughts and desires truly are.
'AMIDST THESE SIMILARITIES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WHATEVER OUR IQ -HAS SOMETHING ORIGINAL TO OFFER'
Another typical reaction I see in my high-IQ clients is the defiant claiming of alienation as a cornerstone of your identity. Youproudly protect it, fighting against any suggestion that you could be similar to other people -as though such similarity would be horrific.
But neurodivergence notwithstanding, there are a million ways in which we as humans are similar to each other. Each of us needs to eat
and sleep. We all flinch at signs of being rejected. All of us thrive when we feel accepted. And even so, amidst these similarities, every single one of us -whatever our IQhas something original to offer, something that constitutes a "one-millionth part dissimilarity" from everybody else.
I've borrowed this phrase from the Czech and French author Milan Kundera, from his novel The Unbearable
Lightness of Being. He used it in a controversial context. He described how his insatiably promiscuous main character would seduce countless women, driven by a recognition that, amongst all the ways in which his conquests were similar to each other (two eyes, two legs, two breasts), there would also be, in each, something inviolably unique. He lived in pursuit of discovering, repeatedly, this one distinguishing thing. My point here is that, when in conversation people mention innocuous views or day-to-day habits, you can freely say "me too" about any number of them without threatening your status as a unique individual. And if you begin a conversation by offering and acknowledging some points of similarity then, when you introduce points of difference, these are more likely to be met with interest and acceptance.
Relatability. then, is perhaps the sugar coating on the bitter pill of difference. When we meet someone in real life or in print and we're given a first taste of sweet familiarity, we're more able to swallow whatever might follow next.
Spriggsy'slongrun
After more than three decadesrunningthe Health& FitnessSIG,ChrisSpriggswould loveto find anotherleaderof the pack.In the meantime,she'sbusyforagingfor garlic.
Asthe lead organiserof EMAGthisAugust, Ann Rootkinrevealshow shefirst got involved in Mensaand what makesthis event so special
®hen we speak to Ann Rootkin, she's in Sicily with her partner Bob, exploring volcanoes. "We went up the north side of Mount Etna yesterday and it was pouring with rain," she says. "We've got a cable car and a four-by-four booked for the south side tomorrow, so hopefully it will be sunnier."
It's this adventurous spirit that has seen Ann rise to the challenge of organising what promises to be an outstanding European Mensas Annual Gathering (EMAG)in Cardiff this summer.
"EMAGhas a different feel to Mensa events in Britain and Ireland," explains Ann. "Obviously, there's a strong international flavour, but the members who come along also tend to be much younger. There's a lot of energy and it's very exciting and refreshing to be a part of it."
Ann grew up in Kent but, after studying microbiology and virology at the University of Warwick, she stayed in the Midlands for more than three decades, building a successful career in IT and raising two children. Now living in Plymouth, she joined Mensa in the mid-1980s.
"I had no idea that I had a high IQ," she says. "I started
going out with a chap who was in Mensa. He held meetings at his house, so I started going along to them. However, I felt slightly awkward that they were all Mensa members and probably assumed I was too. So I took the test without telling anyone, and passed!"
It was several years before Ann became actively involved, however. "I'd just got divorced and was wondering what to do with the rest of my life when I decided to go to a local Mensa meeting. A change in personal circumstances is
often the catalyst for people to get more involved and, within a year, I was Regional Officer for the West Midlands.
I love organising things and held an annual weekend event for more than 20 years."
Ann was then persuaded by another Mensa member to attend a Mensa International Board of Directors meeting in Florida, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the society. That opened her eyes to the international dimension and gave her the opportunity to meet Christine Warlies, the co-founder ofEMAG.
"She's really the 'mother' of EMAGand deserves so much credit," says Ann.
Ann, pictured with partner Bob Crocker, took on the EMAG role after stepping down from the British Mensa Board in 2024
Ann bought into the concept of EMAGstraight away and attended her first event in Cologne. "It was absolutely great and I've been passionate about EMAGever since," she says.
"They'd been trying to persuade the UK to hold an EMAGfor years and, having stepped down from the Board of British Mensa last year, this was the ideal time for me to take it on as organiser.
I'm really looking forward to it. We're holding the Icebreaker in
the Students' Union in Cardiff and we're taking the whole place over!"
Ann will have her hands full for most of the time during EMAG,ensuring that everything is running to plan. However, she hopes to enjoy a little downtime in the evenings, perhaps taking part in one of the murder mystery events.
And anyone attending will, of course, have plenty of opportunities to say hello to Ann -particularly at the Icebreaker, the Gala Dinner and the Farewell Brunch.
"There will be so much going on, and we're very much looking forward to welcoming friends -old and new -from all over Europe and beyond," says Ann.
Ann hopes to join in with one of the murder mystery events at the weekend
This year's EMAGtakes place in the Welsh capital from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 August -and time is running out to book your place at what will be an exhilarating and fascinating five days!
From the Gothic drama of Cardiff Castle to the spectacular Cardiff Bay waterfront and from the sporting to the intellectual, Ann and the team have organised an extraordinary itinerary of events for every interest.
Our HQ will be Cardiff University, while the Gala Dinner will be held at Cardiff City Football Club -including a threecourse meal, a disco and transport to and from the university.
Accommodation options include budgetfriendly rooms at the university and discounted rates at hotels in the city.
For all ticket and other information, please visit emag25.eu
Mind Games
Logic,maths,wordplay and other mind benders to put your brain through its paces
1. CORNER TO CORNER
On each row there is a seven-letter word given by the first clue and an eight-letter word given by the second clue. The eight-letter word is an anagram of the seven-letter word but with one additional letter. Fit the eight-letter words into the grid (in the same order as the clues) so that the additional letters fall in the shaded squares on the grid and will, themselves, spell an eight-letter word related to the puzzle. SEVEN-LETTER
MORE DELICATE CHARMS WORN REPRODUCE OR IMITATE TO WARD OFF EVIL MUSCLE IN UPPER ARM MAKES PERFECT
TOWER OF A MOSQUE EXPAT
MADE BY HAND TOOK INTO ACCOUNT SCOWL TEUTONIC
2. TRIGONOMETRY
SINE= 315 COSINE= 1,890
3,840
In the puzzle above, the numbers 1-9 are replaced by letters, and the product of the words formed are given e.g.
SxlxNxE=315
If each letter represents a different value what is the sum of T + E + N?
Many thanks to the IQ Puzzle Panel for creating these puzzles. The panel consists of Mensa members Colin Packer, Jezz Sterling, David Hogg, Elliott Line, Carol Selwyn-Jones, Steven Goodwin, Sao Alkan, John Clarke and Pete Hooton.
3. LINKING WORDS
Solve the clues to find eight interlinking words of eight letters. Enter each solution in a circle, either clockwise or anticlockwise, around its number.
1. Confused robot men create Parisian paper clip
2. Instrument used to mix clear tin
3. Succulent plant with which to welcome DCI Stanhope (4,4)
4. Loving to tear around all the time?
5. The way to escape a spider
6. Separation method found in a cute apartment out East (3,5)
7. Loo possibly in the back yard, but definitely not indoors
8. Rehab candidate taking a trip (4,4)
4. WORD QUADS
Sort these words into four groups by identifying the shared connections.
WATER PIPE STRIKE
HOSE CLOCK COOLING
BLOW CANAL WIND
ANVIL DRUM LOBE
5. CRAZY CURRENCY
In Elbonia they only have three denominations of coins: 15 ELB,21 ELBand 35 ELB.Although each pair of these coins has a common factor, all three do not. This means that if the value is high enough, any value can be expressed exactly with no change required. But what is the highest amount that cannot be expressed exactly?
6. MENSALLY CHALLENGED
Which number completes this series? 2, 4, 6, 9,?
7. ALPHABET CROSSWORD #194
by Jezz Sterling
The 26 answers to the clues below all begin with a different letter of the alphabet (as shown). Solve the clues then fit the answers into the crossword grid. There is only one possible solution to complete this crossword. There is a link (perhaps tenuous) between the two longest answers.
A: Spliff after a wee drink? What am I? (1,6,6)
B: Double bed with gold inlay covered in gunk, perhaps (8)
C: Book event to finish at one with naked sumo (10)
D: Old Dicky pierced tip of tongue (8)
E: Give support to modern day, mail-order wife? (7)
F: Futile, perhaps, to cover river steamship in vain (9)
G: Clubs with active members are owned by Hawkins, they say (4)
H: Pointlessly promote retrospective for performing relativedoing this on stage? (8)
I: Colours fade when recycled (4)
J: The mix-up following Jamaica Inn's flood survivor (7)
K: French aperitif at school -or something a little stronger? (6)
L: Grand change not fine with inquisitive about to leave (9)
M: Setter's work on Iowa's not far-sighted (6)
N: Saint's trip to Laos and China curtailed? (8)
0: Unaware when £1 goes missing, it's clear (7)
P: Cagey girl? (5)
Q: Game vice-president played (5)
R: What to do with suitcase after crazy caper to the capital of Kyrgyzstan? (6)
S: How I look after a couple of tipples? (5,3,5)
T: Moreover, bird is seen around Britain -it comes out at night? (10)
U: Possibly liven up first half show (6)
V: Ancient text's fragment archived away (4)
W: Raw item cooked during contest? (7)
X: Star of revealing picture, surprisingly brainy (1-3, 6)
V: Yankee uniform worn by soldiers associated with solver (4)
Z: Two unknowns have second look to get the feel of being a brewer? (10)
8. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE SUMMER QUIZ
In this quiz, every question or answer features June, July, August or the word summer, or some variant of one of those.
1. Which group had a number one hit in 1970 with In The Summertime?
2. Also known as Octavian, who was the first Emperor of Rome?
3. What is the name of the fictional town in which the lV series Home and Away is set?
4. The works of which sculptor include The Thinkerand TheBurghersof Calais?
5. Who played the part of Mother in the lV sitcom AbsolutelyFabulous?
6. Which of the Marx Brothers had the real first name Julius?
7. Which British dessert is made from white bread layered in a deep bowl with fruit and fruit juice?
8. In what month does the Trooping of the Colour take place, on the UK monarch's official birthday?
9. Who recorded the album Hotter Than July, released in 1980?
10. Which one of golfs four major tournaments is always held in Augusta, Georgia?
11. Which sign of the Zodiac straddles July and August?
12. On what date in July do the French celebrate Bastille Day?
13. According to the saying, one what does not make a summer?
14. Which singer's only UK number one single, from 1977, was I Feel Love?
15. Which long-running lV series was inspired by a series of novels written by Caroline Graham?
16. Which saint's day falls on 15 July?
17. Which country singer was married to Johnny Cash from 1968 until her death in 2003?
18. Who was appointed Minister for Drought towards the end of Britain's exceptionally hot and dry summer of 1976?
19. Who wrote the poem that begins: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"?
20. Which of our three featured months does NOT appear at the start of the name of a US State Capital?
9. CRYPTICCROSSWORD CLARSACH#17
by Val Hinkins
Across
1. Fruit producer ignoring meadow for "Ben Lear" ruby variety during financial crisis (9,4)
10. Position of 4WD vehicle which failed to follow the SatNav? (3-4)
11. Law to cover representation of Tesla in bronze? (7)
12. Traders ready as bus of pensioners go wild (4,3,8)
13. Oscar needing terminals from staff intranet before dawn on many occasions (5)
14. Triad insiders to observe Chengdu meeting for creation of national park (9)
17. Clarsach upset over bad meat pate (9)
21. Giant's recruitment by Cincinnati Tigers rejected (5)
23. Voucher, etc. doubled if tiger act bombs (4,11)
25. Capital northern tune has charm (7)
26. Neat papers worker assembled for agent? (7)
27. Swiss compound handles furniture (13)
Down
2. Consider throw back (7)
3. Nothing personal as Foreign Office brought up dividing public land? (2,7)
4. Bears object preceding river bend, perhaps (7)
5. Penitent to welcome key delivery man? (7)
6. Report on boatman's onion dish (5)
7. Boyfriend in tight spot? (7)
8. After knock out, unsettled mood reaches college staff holding newspaper monitors (6,7)
9. Tenor joins Mensa singers preparing for new engagements? (13)
10. BARKING MAD
A Dachshund and a Dalmatian are barking at each other. A transcript of their conversation is written below. Where, exactly, are they barking?
WOOF WOOF BARK
WOOF BARK BARK WOOF
BARK
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF
WOOF
WOOF BARK BARK
WOOF BARK WOOF
BARK BARK BARK
BARKWOOF
BARK BARK WOOF
BARK
WOOF BARK WOOF
WOOF
WOOF
15. First lady never unrestricted (3)
16. Fanatic leads four into ceremony offering relief to the hungry (9)
18. Progressive drift towards port? (7)
19. Spinner to reject dry wine unopened (7)
20. Cherry pick the best medical officer entering small boat (4,3)
22. How debutante was dressed ascending Treasure Island (7)
24. Fliers provoke disagreement in Civil Service (5)
11. 4X4X4 CUBE
We want to take a 4cm x 4cm x 4cm cube and cut it into 641 cm cubes. lfwe aren't allowed to rearrange the pieces, it will take nine cuts as shown below.
The question is: with how few cuts can we slice it into 64 cm cubes if we AREallowed to rearrange the pieces between cuts?
with under 31 days, noting that mensal means monthly).
You cannot make 139ELB from those coins. Anything higher than that can be made exactly. See Mensa Community for a detailed explanation.
HITORI
Let'sgo to the beach
Grab your sun hat and your bucket and spade -we're heading to the traditional seaside resorts of the UK and Ireland to test your knowledge of piers, whelks and strangely flavoured ice cream
QUIZ SETTER: FRASERALLEN
1. GROTTO LOTTO
Which seaside town is home to a mysterious grotto decorated with millions of seashells?
A Margate
B Whitby
C Hove
2. SING-SONG
In the music-hall song I Do Like
To Be Beside The Seaside what does Timothy do in Blackpool?
A Fall off a donkey
B Build a sandcastle
C Get drunk
3. PEERLESSPIER
Where would you find Britain's oldest pleasure pier?
A The Isle of Man
B The Isle of Wight
C The Isle of Dogs
4. WHAT A CARD
Which English cartoonist was
Where did someone shell out big time for a grotto? Top, right, can you place this pier? Below, giving voice to a very pleased Punch
famous for his 'saucy' postcards?
A Reginald Cleaver
B Donald McGill
C Grange Calveley
5. PARK LIFE
The seaside resort of Portrush in Northern Ireland was famous for Barry's Amusements, launched in
1925. The park was co-founded by Evelyn Chipperfield (of the famous circus family) and her husband -but who was he?
A Hungarian clown lmre Bernath
B German lion-tamer
Carl Hagenbeck
C Italian trapeze artist Francesco Trufelli
6. SEASIDE SURPRISE
Earlier this year, a fish and chip shop in Anstruther, Scotland, hit the headlines for launching an unusual ice cream flavour. What was it?
A Donkey
B Haddock
C Seagull poo
7. BANGOR BANGER
In 1978, the hit single Day Trip
To Bangor celebrated a visit to the Welsh coast. Which band recorded this one-hit wonder?
A Fiddler's Dram
B Toby's Jug
C Whistler's Nip
8. BATTLE LINES
Who was involved in a 1964 seaside confrontation dubbed by the media as "the second battle of Hastings'?
A Mods and rockers
B Squatters and the police
C Seagulls and sunbathers
9. SAND REELS
Which beach was used as a film location for SavingPrivate Ryan due to its similarities to the Normandy coast?
A Sandwood Bay, Scotland
B Barafundle Bay, Wales
C Curracloe Beach, Ireland
10. MOUTHING OFF
What device does a Punch and Judy puppeteer place in their mouth to create Punch's highpitched, squawking voice?
A Diggle
B Fobble
C Swazzle
11. SNAIL TRAIL
The whelk was once a staple
From whelk trading and inspired swimwear to ice cream humour and beach doubles -are you a seaside star or did you get sand in your sandwiches?
seafront snack, enjoyed with a sprinkling of vinegar and winkled out using a pin. But the majority of these marine snails landed in the UK are now sold overseas. Which country is our leading export market?
A Germany
B South Korea
C South Africa
12. BEACH HOLIDAY
The Bank Holidays Act of 1871 gave workers a welcome opportunity to enjoy a handful of long weekends, perhaps including a trip to the seaside. What nickname was given to the new public holidays, honouring the politician who pushed the legislation through?
A St Lubbock's Days
B Lord Grimley's Days
C Mr Buckley's Days
13. BOND CHASER
In Ian Fleming's novel Goldfinger,JamesBond visits his private club Blades and orders a vodka martini together with which classic seaside snack?
A Dressed crab
B Jellied eels
C Potted shrimps
14. NAME GAME
What inspired the choice of the word 'bikini' for a type of women's swimwear?
A A fleet of oil tankers
BA nuclear weapon testing site
CA fish-processing plant
15. FISHY FANS
Supporters from which seaside football club have established a tradition of waving inflatable haddock in the air?
A Grimsby
B Arbroath
C Peterhead
Joinus in Stirling for BMAG2025
Thursday16 to Monday20 October,The GoldenLionHotel,Stirling
OWe're heading to Stirling in Central Scotland for this year's British Mensa Annual Gathering (BMAG), the biggest event in the British Mensa calendar. Around 300 members will take part from across the UK and Ireland. The programme is packed with activities for all ages and interests, including visits to Stirling Castle, the Old Town Jail, a local whisky distillery and the famous Kelpies. Or why not try your hand at curling, knitting a hat or making your own gin? There will plenty opportunity to participate in BMAG favourites: walks, talks, eats and meets.
BOOK YOUR ROOM
Our base is the Golden Lion Hotel in the heart of Stirling, where bedrooms can be reserved at a special BMAG rate of £100 per night for a double room, including breakfast. There are also twin/double rooms available at the Stirling Highland Hotel for £125 per night for double occupancy or £104 per night for single occupancy, including breakfast.
GRAB YOURBMAG MERCHANDISE
You can pre-order your BMAG merchandise so that it's waiting for you at the hotel. Choose from a T-shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie or tote bag. Or perhaps treat yourself to one of each!
'' Write about something you genuinely care about
MARKCHATTERTON
0After studying theology at Oxford University, Mark moved into teaching before discovering his true passion for writing books about music and transport.
Where did your life start?
I was born in Liverpool in the late 1950s. My mum used to say that Paul McCartney once pushed me around the block in a pram as he was dating our babysitter at the time! Growing up in Ellesmere Port and later Chester, I was lucky to have the kind of freedom kids don't often get now. I'd be out all day on my own, just exploring.
What were your early ambitions?
At 11or 12, I was mad about trainspotting and that's where my lifelong interest in transport started. I wanted to be a train driver as a boy but went on to study theology at university as I was very religious then. By the time I left, that had changed. Teaching then came along as a good option, partly thanks to my sister and grandfather, both of whom were in the profession. I joined Mensa back in 1981 after sitting a formal test in London. I remember being pretty chuffed when I found out I'd scored more than 140.
How did the writing career begin?
My first stab at writing was a children's novel about sea creatures called The Throoples. It never got published but I wrote to Roald Dahl and he kindly replied with advice. While I was still teaching, I created and self-published educational materials, such as 11+ practice papers. It was the late 1990s, just before the internet really took off, and for a while it did surprisingly well. My first published book was Blowin' Free: Thirty
Years of Wishbone Ash (a collaboration with Gary Carter). I'd written for Record Collector magazine and got to know members of the band, of which I was a big fan. Writing sleeve notes for CD reissues was also a big thing back then. I ended up doing them for around 20 different artists. And my wife and I took over the U2 fanzine Silver and Gold and ran it for years. We had contributors and readers from all over the world -it was like a little global community.
And you moved into promoting live performances?
After graduating in 1979, little did Mark know that he'd end up writing about transport history and being human among other subjects, including music; left, with Torquay United's gull mascot
was hectic, juggling that while doing part -time teaching.
What came next?
Since retiring from teaching, I've shifted my focus to transport history. Amberley Publishing has released several of my books on road tunnels, motorways, coastal bridges and railways. It's niche, but I love it. If you're going to write non-fiction, it's got to be about
MATE BOOKOF something you genuinely care about. Otherwise, it just becomes a slog.
I did! I put on gigs -mostly tribute bands in Southend and Basildon. But I did work with Carl Palmer and John Wetton. It E sis; PHRASES& IDIOMS
• Mark's latest book is The Ultimate Bookof English Sayings, Phrases & Idioms, published by Hadleigh Books
Always performs A,, P~
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