CATEGORIES
“WE CAN BE AMAZING IF WE WANT TO BE”
Turner takes us behind the scenes of his docuseries Among the Stars, available now on Disney+
MEDIEVAL DUELS
In 1386, two Frenchmen fought a duel in a field outside Paris, each seeking to bury his blade in the other's body. One combatant had been accused of raping the other's wife, a charge he denied vehemently. After an initial verdict of innocence was returned, the accuser demanded a trial by combat. The judgment was now God's alone... ...who would be chosen to die?
ROYAL The duke of duplicity
SARAH GRISTWOOD on a new profile of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson that casts them in a distinctly unflattering light
FIVE BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT...Going to church in the Middle Ages
From social interaction to confessing your sins, Nicholas Orme reveals why the church HistoryExtra played such a central role in medieval life PODCAST INTERVIEW BY DAVID MUSGROVE
Dark forces
MARION GIBSON praises a retelling of a 17th-century witchcraft trial that never loses sight of the women at its heart, nor the social and economic factors that contributed to their plight
The worlds first superhero
When Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, his transformation into multicultural icon was only just beginning. Edmund Richardson chronicles the Macedonian king’s remarkable afterlife as the original global A-lister
America's Fall Guy
King George III has long been cast as the crazed despot who squandered America. Yet, argues Andrew Roberts, this grim characterisation is the result not of hard facts but a historical stitch-up
“IT IS STARTLINGLY CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO PLANET B”
The ESA’s first British astronaut reveals how space travel will develop, what life is like on board the ISS and why we need to protect our planet
WHAT LIT UP THE SKY IN 1054?
The Crab Nebula was formed by a supernova, and astronomers now think they know which type caused it
Water Vapour Detected On Huge Jupiter Moon Ganymede For The First Time
This could be a trend for icy bodies throughout the Solar System and beyond
Could We Hunt For Gravitational Waves From The Moon?
Such an observatory could unlock the cosmos’ secrets
The end of empires
RICHARD J EVANS lauds an innovative work that re-examines the Second World War in the context of global imperial ambitions
Let's cherish this shining light of the great Bronze Age civilisations
THE TAMILS’ GLITTERING CULTURAL UNIVERSE
War between friends
CORMAC O GRADA commends an ambitious attempt to objectively examine the conflict that pitted Irish people against each other in the wake of the bloody War of Independence
Prejudice on the pitch
The racist abuse experienced by some of England’s black footballers after the team’s defeat in the Euro 2020 championship final in July thrust the issue of racism in the sport back into the spotlight. MATTHEW TAYLOR charts the causes and consequences of more than a century of discrimination
HIDDEN HISTORIES
EMMA DABIRI explores lesser-known stories from our past
INTERVIEW: HELEN CARR & SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB
A new book edited by Helen Carr and Suzannah Lipscomb marks the 60th anniversary of EH Carr's What Is History? by asking that question a new for the 21st century
How George V won the war
The First World War ushered many European monarchies to extinction. But not in Britain. Heather Jones reveals how – through canny PR and genuine compassion for the troops – the royal family emerged from the conflict stronger than ever.
Golden girls
SIAN EVANS recommends an entertaining introduction to the adventures of independently wealthy women in Britain over the past four centuries
The Kings And Queens Of Hearts
Sarah Gristwood reveals how the Tudor monarchs exploited the medieval obsession with courtly love – a romantic creed inspired by the idea of valiant knights risking their lives to woo fair ladies – to further their own agendas
The (Surprisingly) Modern Middle Ages
From devastating climate change to deadly pandemics, the challenges that kept our medieval ancestors awake at night weren’t so different from those preoccupying us today, says Dan Jones
NEWLY FOUND MEGA COMET MAY BE THE LARGEST SEEN IN RECORDED HISTORY
The comet is truly a behemoth, beating other known comets thousandfold
Bigger and Bigger
The scale of the universe is so vast that it can be hard to grasp. One of the best ways to comprehend it is by starting on a relatively small scale with our home planet, Earth, and working outwards
Planet Profile Jupiter
The largest planet has a lot to tell us
STEVEN FREELAND: “WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS WHEN IT COMES TO SPACE”
Steven Freeland speaks to All About Space about the importance of space law, the future of space travel and who is liable when something goes wrong
OTHER-WORLD GREENHOUSES
To settle on another planet we will need to grow plants there, but how?
This month's planets
Track down the ringed giant in the evening sky throughout the warmer months – you’ll be glad that you did
NASA Wants To Change The Way It Protects Astronauts From Radiation
With long-term missions in the pipeline, safety is paramount
In the shops
The latest books, apps, software, tech and accessories for space and astronomy fans alike
Félicette: THE INSIDE STORY OF A SPACE CAT
What happened when a feline was blasted off into space?