A new study of thousands of bank advisory meetings found that women were more often offered expensive investment products, with advisors treating gender as a shortcut for lower financial knowledge.

Europeans have a bit of a stereotype: don't try to work with them in August – they'll all be out of office. The French head for the coast, Scandinavians retreat to their summer cabins, and the British flock to the Spanish Costa del Sol.

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Choosing a partner may feel deeply personal, but research suggests it is also shaped by education, class, and the structure of the dating market. Across Europe, people are increasingly likely to partner with someone who has a similar level of education.

Green roofs, from moss and wildflowers to shrubs and small trees, can cool buildings, improve insulation, absorb heavy rainfall and support urban biodiversity. They also help reduce the urban heat island effect, making cities more liveable during extreme summer heat. A data story by Julia Knabe.

Ocean data may be invisible, but it underpins much of daily life, from weather forecasts and storm warnings to shipping routes, food prices, and climate science. Yet the systems that collect this data are vulnerable to political decisions, shrinking budgets, and shifting priorities.

In the South Caucasus, drag is more than performance. Across Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, queer artists are building visibility in places where LGBTQ+ rights remain under pressure and public expression can carry real risk.

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We looked into all 3,500 couches featured in IKEA catalogues from 1960 to 2021: European interiors became increasingly muted, and noticeably greyer, in the 2010s. But design trends rarely last forever.

Europe’s most visited cities keep trying to “fight” overtourism, but the numbers keep rising. Amsterdam and Barcelona have restricted hotels, cracked down on short-term rentals, raised tourist taxes, and limited cruise ships.

What do members of the European Parliament do during the summer break? Ahead of Parliament’s recess until 21 August, all 718 MEPs were asked about their plans. Of the 124 who responded, 93 shared how they will spend the break. Read the full piece by Toyah Höher on our website!

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Europeans are living longer, and governments are using that fact to justify raising retirement ages. But average life expectancy hides deep inequalities.

Millions of contraceptives meant for women in sub-Saharan Africa have been sitting in a warehouse in Belgium for more than a year.

Europe's energy independence depends on electricity storage. Read the full piece on why renewable energy needs a battery on our website: buff.ly/ogqIVYN

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Stuck on how to feel about European defence and rearmament? Find some useful lessons from the Nordics in the piece by Julius E. O. Fintelmann on our website: buff.ly/CstJGuR

A shorter Arctic shipping route between Asia and Europe is gaining attention as global trade routes face new disruptions.

Europe appears to be facing a growing mental health crisis, but the numbers tell a more complicated story. Nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide were living with a mental disorder in 2023, while Western Europe recorded some of the highest levels of disability linked to mental health.

On 9 July, large wildfires swept across the province of Almería, Spain. Aided by strong winds and dry vegetation, the fires spread through an area the size of around 10,000 football fields. At the same time, a forest fire raged through the forest of Fontainebleau, just south of Paris.

Delayed train, cancelled ferry, grounded flight: travel disruption is part of the summer season for many Europeans. The EU now wants to make passenger rights easier to use, with clearer refund rules, a standard compensation form, and stronger protections for travellers with reduced mobility.

In 2025, mishandled baggage cost airlines around the world over €5.5 billion. A single lost, damaged, or delayed bag costs an average of €228 in compensation payouts or extra operational activities – in Europe it reaches €259.

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Arctic sea ice has shrunk dramatically since the 1970s, weakening one of the planet’s most important cooling systems. Now, researchers and start-ups are testing ways to artificially thicken ice by pumping seawater onto the surface so it freezes.

The Netherlands has apologised to the Moluccan community for decades of neglect after thousands of former colonial soldiers and their families were brought to the country in 1951.

Europeans are worried about the future, but many still see the EU as a source of stability. The latest Eurobarometer shows strong support for EU membership, growing demand for unity on global challenges, and a clear focus on peace, security, and the cost of living.

Albania’s largest anti-establishment movement in decades began with a development project on Sazan island and has grown into a wider challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government.

Generative AI may feel immaterial, but its growth depends on a physical infrastructure of data centres, electricity grids, cooling systems, water, and land. The full environmental cost remains hard to measure because major AI companies disclose little.

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Far-right groups across Europe are increasingly using the language of women’s safety, motherhood, and family to push anti-immigration politics.