+ How fatigue affects footballers ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

UK Edition - Today's top story: Don't change lanes – the maths of holiday traffic jams View in browser

15 July 2026

UK Edition

The Conversation
 

At this time of year, when so many people are heading off on holiday, there’s a higher chance you’ll face one of life’s greatest conundrums: should you switch lanes in a traffic jam if you’re gridlocked but others are starting to move?

A mathematician explains here why you’re almost always better off staying put.

The disturbing news that recent heatwaves killed 2,700 people in England and Wales had us looking at what went wrong. A large part of the problem is housing inequality.

And ahead of England’s match against Argentina this evening, we’re looking at how fatigue affects a player’s ability to intercept passes.

 

Mike Herd

Senior Science + Technology Editor

 
ClimbWhenReady/Shutterstock.com

Don’t change lanes – the maths of holiday traffic jams

Randa Herzallah, University of Warwick

Mathematics is helping us move away from reacting to congestion, towards preventing it.

Marharyta44/Shutterstock.com

Heat deaths are a public health crisis rooted in housing inequality

Philip Broadbent, University of Glasgow

This summer’s heat deaths weren’t random. Poor, badly insulated homes are a public health hazard in summer as well as winter.

Dayot Upamecano (France) celebrates victory after the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter final match between France and Morocco at Boston Stadium, Boston, US on July 9, 2026. Lui Siu Wai/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

How fatigue shapes World Cup interceptions

John Oyewole, Lancaster University

World Cup interceptions reveal how the brain predicts movement, how the body responds and what changes when fatigue sets in.

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