Comment & Opinion

Agromenes: 'Why does a Conservative Government think it’s wrong for the market to drive change? '

Country Life's columnist Agromenes ponders why the Government isn't doing more to encourage a market-based drive towards regenerative farming.

Jonathan Self: 'Our early potatoes aren’t going to be that early'

Between a late start and back-breaking work, Jonathan Self tries his hand at growing the humble spud.

Curious Question: Why does our tax year start on April 6th?

The tax-year calendar is not as arbitrary as it seems, with a history that dates back to the ancient Roman and is connected to major calendar reforms across Europe.

'Cities have lost their crippling hold on the workforce': How the race for space has changed Britain

Has the past year seen families fleeing the cities or is it more complex than that, asks James Fisher.

Jason Goodwin: 'This is what it might be like if we weren’t so persistently restless and noisy and greedy and exploitative'

Nature's recovery over the last year, as lockdown changed life as we know it, has been startling. Jason Goodwin wonders if we can keep it going.

Curious Question: Could the world’s smelliest fruit soon charge your phone?

Martin Fone dives into the world of pongy fruits and discovers why durian could be at the charging end of your mobile's battery.

Curious Question: Do dogs go through a stroppy teenage stage?

Martin Fone investigates the behaviour of dogs as they grow up and reminds prospective owners that a dog is a lifetime commitment.

Joe Gibbs: 'He's clearly convinced the laird that, if he is vaccinated, he will be controlled like a drone via a remote console by lizards in tailcoats from somewhere near Middle Earth'

Joe Gibbs' dispatches from his farm in Scotland take in vaccinations, conspiracy theories and pulling teeth.

Lucy Baring: 'Her dressing gown is covered in ketchup, but she can barely take it off to wash it. This is someone I think of as a party animal'

If we are in the last days of lockdown, worries Lucy Baring, there will be a lot of getting used to what was once 'normal'.

Curious Question: When was the first census held?

As the UK prepares to compile this decade's census, Martin Fone retraces its history.

Jason Goodwin: 'I kept heading south, choosing turnings at random, with a deepening sense of time suspended'

Following his nose sees Jason Goodwin end up in the quirkily-named village of Pendomer, a place with a distinctly English tale to tell.

How pineapple mania gripped Britain

From the Americas to the roof of country-house follies, Matthew Dennison traces the journey of the pineapple, one of Georgian Britain’s most coveted fruits.

Curious questions: Who administered the first vaccination?

If you thought it was Edward Jenner, think again: Martin Fone discovers that the practice of inoculating against the smallpox disease has much older origins than you'd have believed possible.

The true story of St Valentine, his legend and legacy of love

Whatever the truth of the real St Valentine, the middle of February has been a favourite time for lovers since records began. We take a look at the curious history of St Valentine, and how an ancient martyr came to be remembered as a champion of romantic love.

Curious Questions: Did Mark Twain really invent the bra strap?

Samuel Clemens Leghorn — better known as Mark Twain — was a man of many trades besides writing, and one of his inventions is still with us today. Martin Fone explains more.

How the Lifebook autobiography service is keeping memories alive for generations to come

Many of us have ageing family members who have lived truly extraordinary lives, but have never had a chance to record them properly. Lifebook seeks to put that right by helping people write autobiographies and preserve their tales forever.

Curious Questions: Why can’t we resist puppy dog eyes?

It's no accident that your heart melts when dogs gaze into your eyes — it's simply a fact of thousands of years of evolution and selection, as Martin Fone explains.

Simon Jenkins: The new planning white paper is a domesday for development

The white paper on planning promises to license untold damage to the British landscape, argues Simon Jenkins.

How do starlings form murmurations?

Murmurations of starlings — the vast clouds of thousands of birds, flocking and swooping through the sky — are one of nature's great displays. But how do the birds do it? Martin Fone investigates.

Jason Goodwin: 'What gets lost will be forever lost, whereas pylons, cars and trains may be rendered obsolete'

Jason Goodwin muses on economics, Stonehenge and social media.