Inside the Vatican’s secret saint-making process
Canonisation has long been a way for the Catholic church to shape its image. The Vatican is preparing to anoint its first millennial saint, but how does it decide who is worthy? By Linda Kinstler. Hel...
17 Jan 202534min
From the archive: ‘A deranged pyroscape’: how fires across the world have grown weirder
We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: Despite the rise of headline-grabbing me...
15 Jan 202540min
The inspiring scientists who saved the world’s first seed bank
During the siege of Leningrad, botanists in charge of an irreplaceable seed collection had to protect it from fire, rodents – and hunger. By Simon Parkin. Help support our independent journalism at th...
13 Jan 202535min
The ‘mad egghead’ who built a mouse utopia
John Calhoun designed an apartment complex for mice to examine the effects of overcrowding. It was hailed as a groundbreaking study of social breakdown, but is largely forgotten. So what happened? By ...
10 Jan 202526min
From the archive: Cold comfort: how cold water swimming cured my broken heart
We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: After a painful breakup and the death of...
8 Jan 202535min
Teeth as time capsules: Soviet secrets and my dentist grandmother
In postwar Warsaw, my grandmother Zosia fixed the teeth of prisoners and spies. In doing so, she came into contact with the hidden history of her times in a way few others could. By Jacob Mikanowski. ...
6 Jan 202530min
The brain collector: the scientist unravelling the mysteries of grey matter
Using cutting-edge methods, Alexandra Morton-Hayward is cracking the secrets of ancient brains – even as hers betrays her. By Kermit Pattison. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.co...
3 Jan 202534min
From the archive: The invisible addiction: is it time to give up caffeine?
We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Caffeine makes us more energetic, effici...
1 Jan 202533min
