This week’s searing weather coincided with the 50th anniversary of another legendary heatwave. In 1976, parts of the UK experienced 15 consecutive days of temperatures above 32°C, triggering water shortages, wildfires and then flash floods. Researchers decided to model what would happen in today’s climate were modern heatwaves to last that long, and the findings were concerning. With average temperatures higher than back then, the prospect of sustained scorchio is daunting. One key reason probably resonates with readers quite hard right now – British society and infrastructure are simply not suited to hot days. Our buildings, transport and way of life all mean a week of weather like we’ve just had hits different in the UK – and not in a good way.

Even before the mercury soared, the country’s political class were sweating. We’ve looked at the mistakes made by Keir Starmer that ultimately cornered him into his resignation on Monday. And since British politics is a brutally brisk business these days, we’re already thinking about what we might expect from Andy Burnham if, as predicted, he becomes the next resident of 10 Downing Street.

A major new study of 154,000 adults around the world suggests calcium and vitamin D supplements are not effective at protecting us against bone fractures. While the findings don’t mean these additions to your diet are useless, they do show that there is no reduced risk of falling and breaking bones if you take them. These new conclusions also raise questions about whether prescription trends need to be reconsidered.

And as a new film about Robin Hood is released, a medieval historian reveals that everyone’s favourite midlands outlaw was quite a lot more horrible than we generally give him credit for. While stories about the prince of thieves did involve robbing the rich, his “giving” to the poor was often more of a payday loan.

Also this week, a quantum computer hits a new global milestone, season five of The Bear hits new peaks of brutality and why people calling themselves “cockroaches” are protesting in India.