Stories

Our words and pictures explore the connections between science, medicine, life and art. Dive into one no matter where in the world you are.

1-20
Colourful illustration showing a person with shoulder length brown hair climbing up a stack of rocks. They are wearing glasses, a polka dot top and a green dungaree dress. Each rock has text on it, reading from bottom to top 'Friends. Best friends. Date. Partner. Spouse'. Inset to the main illustration is a panel showing a hand placing a small rock on top of the pile. Text above reads '... with sex at the very top'.
  • Comic

The mountain

What happens if we put all our relationships in a hierarchy?

Part of Ace Joy

Mixed media digital artwork combining found imagery from vintage magazines and books with painted and textured elements. The overall hues are blues, yellows and reds. The illustration is split in two by a red and yellow line running vertically through the image at a slight angle. On the left side of this line is the black and white archive image od the head and upper body of a man with a white beard wearing a suit from the Victorian era. The top half of his head from his nose up has been replaced with strips of newspapers arranged in a step formation to resemble a Mayan temple. The first level of newspaper has the word 'Revelations' in all caps. As the levels rise the words, 'calendar', December 21st', 'Maya' and '2012' appear in newspaper print. At the top of the temple structure is a bright light and an explosion of red and yellow wedges shooting up into the blue background. A large crack runs down through the temple. On the right side of the vertical lines, the image of this temple structure is duplicated and enlarged to reveal it in more detail and crop out the man's lower head. A small figure can now be seen flying through the air, propelled by the force of the explosion.

Deciding a date for the end of the world

When will the world end? Charlotte Sleigh explores how our obsession with dates and dramatic imaginings of the end can distract us from the dangers slowly creeping up on us.

Part of Apocalypse How?

Photograph showing a notebook, stethoscope and prescriptions lying on a wooden desk. The prescriptions read 'Recover' and '1 week'. On top of the notebook is an 17th century oil painting which shows a doctor writing a prescription for an unwell woman.
  • Book extract

Permission to recover

When it comes to illness, sometimes the end is just the beginning. Gavin Francis argues why being given permission to recover is so important.

Part of Inside Our Books

18th century Mezzotint showing three women gathered around a medicine bottle. Text along the bottom reads 'The Female Consultation on the Blessed Medicine'.
  • In pictures

Herbal medicines and the early modern menopause

Held responsible for their own “rebellious distempers” – or menopausal symptoms – women had no choice but to keep quiet and resort to unpalatable concoctions in the hope of relief, as Julia Nurse explains.

Part of Inside Our Collections

Colourful three panel illustration. The first panel shows an illustration of two people hugging, they are both smiling. There is a speech bubble reading 'Ace people can still love'. The second panel shows two people naked in bed, smiling at each other. There is a speech bubble reading 'Ace people can still have sex'. The third panel shows a person with a child on their back with their arms around their neck. They are smiling at each other. A speech bubble reads 'Ace people can still have children'.
  • Comic

Shortcoming

Why “Asexual people can still...” is my least favourite phrase.

Part of Ace Joy

  • Article

Divining the world through an artist’s almanac

Amanda Couch's artists book, 'Huwawa in the Everyday: an almanac' is inspired by the entrail like folds of a medieval folding and its function as a guide for astrological divinations linking the body, health and the heavens. Like the original almanac her work is designed to be carried out into the wider world.

Part of Modern Encounters With a Medieval Almanac

Photographic detail of a fragile folding almanac from the 15th century. The almanac is open on a illuminated illustration showing a figure of a man whose arms are outstretched to the side. Surrounding him are various figures including a ram, 2 small children on his arms, a crab and a bull. He is surrounded by a house-like shape the outline of which is gilded. Outside of this shape is handwritten latin script.
  • Article

An animated almanac for the modern world

Discover why Thomas Coleman wanted to make a medieval folding almanac relevant to the modern world and see the film for yourself.

Part of Modern Encounters With a Medieval Almanac

Photographic detail of a fragile folding almanac from the 15th century. The almanac is spotlit on a black background. It is photographed extremely close up so that the threads which make up its intricate woven green and pink fabric cover can be clearly seen.
  • In pictures

Following the maker’s path into the lost art of medieval embroidery

Textile maker Jacqui Carey unravels the mysteries of medieval embroidery by recreating the materials and techniques for herself, with the help of clues left by the original makers.

Part of Modern Encounters With a Medieval Almanac

Photograph of a fragile folding almanac from the 15th century. The almanac is spotlit on a black background. It has an intricate woven green and pink fabric cover and folded internal pages. It is rectangular in shape, but with a triangular taper on the left short end.
  • Article

The enigma of the medieval folding almanac

With its combination of rich, portable data and high-end style, this folding almanac could have been the medieval equivalent of the latest iPhone.

Part of Modern Encounters With a Medieval Almanac

Colourful four panel illustration. Panel 1 shows a person with shoulder length brown hair wearing glasses, a polka dot top and green dungarees standing in a field. There is a speech bubble coming from them which reads 'How do I explain that an orientation defined by a lack...' Panel 2 is a square, showing a cloudy sky with two birds. Panel 3 is a square, showing a field with two sheep mating and a third sheep standing on their own. Panel 4 is a square, showing a snail on a rock and a grassy field.
  • Comic

Lacking

I’m asexual, not broken.

Part of Ace Joy

Colourful papercut artwork with many separate elements on different levels creating a scene with depth, perspective and shadows. The scene shows a green grass horizon line with a tree growing up into a blue sky. The roots of the tree are visible in cross section as they extend into the earth beneath the grass. Nestled within the branches and roots are black and white drawings of human cell structures. Seated under the tree is a small white figure who is holding a cup and string to their ear. The string curls away into a distant hilltop where another small figure is standing speaking into the cup at the other end. Behind them is a golden doily shaped sun in the sky.
  • Article

The poetic language of health

When his doctors could only offer phone consultations, James Morland turned to poetry to make sense of the medical terms describing his symptoms and test results.

Photograph of a young child with blonde hair holding up a colourful camera. The camera obscures their face and they are wearing a camouflage jumper and tracksuit bottoms. There are some mountains behind them and the sky is blue and cloudy.
  • Article

Nurturing my autistic, gender-questioning child

As mother of an autistic child who questions her gender, Jude Lax describes cherishing her growing daughter as she explores her identity.

A colour illustration resting on a grey concrete textured background. The illustration shows three men in high spirits and leaping about. Two are holding bottles of beer, one is drinking from a glass. In the background, a man puts fuel on an open fire, while another pins up a poster.
  • In pictures

An emotional journey through drink

David Jesudason’s relationship with alcohol is complicated. Here he explores how booze can shape our behaviour, describing how he’s matured from underage drinker to cask-ale connoisseur.

Part of Inside Our Collections

Detail from a larger artwork. Painted illustration of brown and orange leaves on a yellow background. Text overlays the leaves and reads 'Uncomfortable, complex, grief-joy, layered rage-joy, but joy'.
  • Comic

Not pure joy

Rob Bidder finds unexpected joy in the possibility of another way of being in the world.

Part of Aspects of joy

Colourful digital artwork showing a woman lying on her back in a green grassy field with large daisy like flowers. She is wearing a maroon dress and has her eyes closed. Her mouth is curved into a contented smile. Above her is a mottled blue sky. There is a sense of peace and harmony.
  • Article

Spiritual joy

Spiritual joy can be a source of strength. Like the optimistic Pollyanna, there’s a lot to be said for finding reasons to rejoice, even in adversity.

Part of Aspects of joy

Colourful digital artwork made up of a mottled, paint splattered background containing mauves, greens, pinks, yellow and oranges. On top of the background are 13 black outlined figures of all ages, genders, abilities and ethnicities. Everyone is pictured in the middle of a dance move. They are all dressed in bright coloured clothing.
  • Article

Dancing for joy

Dancing is a mood enhancer, it increases social bonding and it improves creativity. Maybe you really can dance all your troubles away.

Part of Aspects of joy

Colourful digital artwork made up of a mottled, paint splattered background. On top of the background is a grid of square line sketches, 8 columns wide and 4 rows high. Each of these line sketches has a different brightly coloured background on top of which is a close-up sketch of different individuals faces showing them in various stages of expressing joy. The close-ups include sections of eyes and mouths.
  • In pictures

Expressions of joy

Does everyone express joy in the same way and can you always recognise it? Find out the conclusions drawn by artists, philosophers and scientists who have studied the way humans express emotion.

Part of Aspects of joy

Colourful digital artwork made up of a mottled, paint splattered background containing blues, whites, reds, pinks, yellow and oranges. On top of the background are 6 brown rats standing one on top of the other forming a tower. The rat at the top is holding a watering can with the word 'joy' written on the side. Out of the watering can is streaming a flow of rainbow rays which fall down onto a line drawing of a brain.
  • Article

The joy of playing hide-and-seek with rats

Playing hide-and-seek with lab rats has shown scientists that joy can be a great motivator for learning and social interaction – and not just for rats.

Part of Aspects of joy

Title - “The Island of Tranquillity” Image - an island surrounded by water. On the island are drawn - from top left - - Arrow pointing to “Social media blackout zone” - mountains “Mountains of Faith” - trees “Bay of Nature” - tents shaped like books “Camp o’ Hobbies” - river “river of dreams” - lake with monster swimming in it “Loch Mindful-ness” - arrow pointing to “self reflection pool” - Cat head shape “Pet town” - “movement beach” - “family cove” - “nap land” - “happy valley” - small ship “Friend ship building yard” - 3 small islands “arty-pelago” - the islands are labeled “music” “dance” and “art” - small ship “ocean of serenity”
  • Comic

The island of tranquillity

What would your island of tranquillity look like?

Part of How to be human

Black and white photographic portrait of a close-up of a man's face looking straight to camra. His chin is resting on his left hand. Around his wrist is a circular device attached to a wide leather strap, it is not a watch. The man's face and hand are spotlit in a small circle of light. He is pictured against a black background which means he is surrounded by darkness.

Navigating in a connected world

Alex Lee ponders the promising ideas, stalled projects and pricey gadgets that aim to help visually impaired people get out and about. But it seems that an actual human could be the essential ingredient.

Part of A History of Assistive Vision