Society

The traditional view of Vitamin D is that it is essential for bone health. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to rickets in children; and osteomalacia in adults. These two conditions can lead to bone deformities with an increased risk of fractures. Beyond the focus on bone health the evidence for other health effects of Vitamin D has been inconsistent and controversial. Claims have been made about the possible benefits of Vitamin D supplementation in reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes. Enhancements to the immune system have also been postulated with potential impacts on infections and conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Research from the University of California published

I’ve been cheering for the Dutch as a sort of thank-you for them humiliating Spain. But there was something thoroughly unpleasant about the way they dispatched Mexico, the world’s great footballing under-achievers. The fairly horrible, if undoubtedly talented, Arjen Robben dived for the penalty which won the game. It may have been a foul, of a sort – although I don’t think so, and mere contact should never be enough to warrant a foul – but whatever, the bald Dutchman dived, and should have been booked. Previously, toothless Uruguay had deservedly lost to Colombia: we are beginning to understand just how utterly shite England were, no? England bottom of a

The most recent competition invited you to incorporate the following seven words (real geological terms) into a piece of plausible and entertaining prose so that they acquire a new meaning in the context of your narrative: corallian, permian, lias, kimmeridge, oolite, cornbrash, ampthill. The inspiration for this challenge came from a bit in Robert Macfarlane’s wonderful The Old Ways where he muses on the names of the surface rock formations in the British Isles: ‘It’s tempting to lend them hypothetical definitions. Great Oolite (the honorific of the panjandrum of a non-existent kingdom). Cornbrash (a Midwest American home-baked foodstuff)….’ There was a great deal of wit and ingenuity on show this

The new issue of The Spectator is now out, chock-full of the best writing in the English language. Here are a few of my highlights. Damian Thompson argues that religion is the new politics – the forces tearing up the Middle East, Africa and even Asia are to do with God rather than country. But, he asks, can Britain’s secular leaders now recognise—far less shape—the world around them? This is, insha’Allah, the first of many features you’ll read from Damian who is, I’m delighted to say, joining The Spectator’s family. So if you like his piece, there will be plenty more. Melissa Kite asks if British humour is dying. We

Chess, unlike football, appears to confer little or no home advantage. In a recent article for Kensington & Chelsea Today, my esteemed colleague Barry Martin, who enjoys more space than any other chess columnist in the UK, and possibly even the world, inveighed against the psychological pressures which seem to afflict great players operating on their home turf. Barry drew attention in particular to the setbacks suffered by Topalov against Anand in Sofia, and the humiliation of Anand himself in Chennai last year, in his match defence against Carlsen. Carlsen has shown signs of this syndrome when he twice failed to capture first prize in the annual elite Norway tournament