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Katie Hickman reflects on the remarkable life of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an 18th-century pioneer and writer. Examining her journey from privileged aristocrat to smallpox vaccination advocate and acclaimed travel writer, she explores how one woman’s determination to challenge convention helped shape medical history, despite the era's fierce resistance to female intellectuals.

Peter Lawlor reflects on the dangers of unquestioning acceptance of authority in modern thought. He re-examines our relationship with expertise, internet-based information and economic models, he explores how rigid belief systems threaten intellectual growth and why the ability to change our minds remains crucial for societal progress.

Elizabeth Sharkey reflects on the enduring allure of gothic culture in British life. Tracing its evolution from medieval architecture to post-punk music, she explores how this genre has shaped everything from literature and art to her own teenage obsession with Joy Division, revealing the dark undercurrents that continue to captivate our imagination.