Have you noticed that something you find absolutely delicious might taste disgusting to someone else? Well nine-year-old Leo from Wigan in the UK wanted to know why that is – and why our taste for certain foods changes?

Leo joined our host Eloise to put his question to taste researcher Linda Bartoshuk on The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast.

In each episode of The Conversation’s Curious Kids, a child joins host Eloise to ask a top researcher their burning question. If you’d like to join in with the experiment in this episode, make sure you have packet of jelly beans or jelly babies to hand!

To listen to season two, follow us wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on the Yoto Player via the Discover section on the Yoto interactive audio platform for kids.

You can also listen back to season one and read lots of answers to questions sent in by children around the world in our Curious Kids series.

Got a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com.

This season of The Conversation’s Curious Kids is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi.

Disclosure statement

Linda Bartoshuk has received funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Credits

This episode of The Conversation’s Curious Kids was hosted and mixed by Eloise Stevens. The producer was Katie Flood and the executive producer was Gemma Ware.

Ian Mitchell, 67, died at his home on Garden Vale in Leigh on Sunday (July 5).

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said there are believed to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Officers are now asking for the public’s help in locating Mr Mitchell’s next of kin so they can be informed.

A spokesperson said: “Ian Mitchell, 67, sadly passed away at home on Garden Vale, Leigh on 5 July 2026.

“There are believed to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. ”

Anyone with information that could help is asked to contact the Police Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 4687.

Next-of-kin, while not fully defined under UK law, is usually understood to refer to the closest living relative, be that a parent, child or sibling.

When Pixar introduced Toy Story audiences to Bonnie, she was simply the little girl who inherited Woody, Buzz and the gang from Andy at the end of Toy Story 3 (2010). But for many autistic families, Bonnie has become something more: a character whose experiences feel surprisingly familiar.

Pixar has never described Bonnie as autistic. She was created to represent the challenges many children face as they grow up and encounter new social situations. But her difficulties with change, her anxiety around friendships and her deep attachment to her toys make her feel distinctly familiar to many autistic people, including myself.

I watched Toy Story 5 with my autistic children and found myself seeing Bonnie through that lens more strongly than ever.

Of course, nobody can diagnose a fictional character. But audiences often recognise traits and experiences that reflect their own lives. When people describe a character as “autistic-coded”, they mean that the character displays behaviour or ways of relating to the world that many autistic people identify with, even if the creators never intended them to be autistic.

Bonnie first appears in Toy Story 3 as a shy preschooler. She stays close to her mother and seems hesitant in unfamiliar situations. This behaviour is common among many young children. But it can also feel familiar to parents of autistic children, who often see their children struggling to navigate social expectations that come naturally to others.

It is in Toy Story 4 (2019) that Bonnie’s story began to resonate with me more deeply. Starting school is a major transition for any child. For autistic children, it can be especially overwhelming. New routines, unfamiliar people, noise, uncertainty and a maze of unwritten social rules can all make the experience feel daunting.

On her first day at kindergarten, Bonnie finds herself sitting alone. She struggles to connect with her classmates and becomes distressed when another child takes some of her craft materials. In response, she creates Forky, a toy made from a plastic spork, pipe cleaners and scraps from the classroom craft box.

Forky quickly becomes far more than a craft project. Bonnie writes her name on him and takes him everywhere. To her, he is a source of comfort and security.

Many autistic children form strong emotional attachments to particular objects, toys or characters. These attachments can provide predictability and reassurance in situations that otherwise feel confusing or stressful.

The scene is also difficult to watch as a parent. My own five-year-old often chooses to sit away from other children when a classroom becomes too noisy or overwhelming. Like many autistic children, he is not only processing the activity itself but also trying to decode countless social cues that others seem to understand instinctively.

Those experiences stayed with me while watching Toy Story 5. Bonnie is now a little older and trying to navigate the increasingly complicated social world of middle childhood. This time, technology plays a central role. Through a new tablet device, she communicates with three girls from her dance class online.

For many neurodivergent children, digital communication can feel safer and easier than face-to-face interaction. Without the pressure of reading facial expressions, managing eye contact or responding immediately, friendships can sometimes feel more accessible.

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But Bonnie’s attempts to connect do not go as planned. After being mocked for her beloved Jessie doll, her anxiety deepens. The fear of rejection becomes impossible to ignore.

Again, this is not an experience unique to autistic children. But it is one that many autistic viewers may recognise. Studies show that autistic young people are more likely to experience loneliness and social exclusion than their non-autistic peers.

Austistic special interest

The film also introduces Blaze, a girl whose passion for horses borders on all-consuming. Her room is filled with horse figurines and horse-themed possessions. To autistic audiences, this may feel reminiscent of what is known as a “special interest”, which is an intense, highly focused enthusiasm for a particular subject.

When Blaze temporarily comes into possession of Bonnie’s Jessie and Bullseye dolls, she throws herself into imaginative play. Watching from a distance, Bonnie recognises something in her. The friendship that develops between the two girls became one of the most moving parts of the film for me.

Autism researchers often talk about the “double empathy problem”. This is the idea that communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic people are not simply caused by autistic people failing to understand others. Instead, both groups can struggle to understand each other because they experience and interpret the world differently.

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Whether Pixar intended it or not, Bonnie and Blaze seemed to embody that idea to me. They connect not by changing who they are, but by recognising something familiar in one another.

Of course, Bonnie is not officially autistic. Nor does she need to be.

Representation is not only about labels. Sometimes it is about recognition. For autistic children, seeing aspects of their own experiences reflected on screen can be deeply validating.

The world often asks neurodivergent children to adapt themselves to fit in. Stories like Bonnie’s offer a different message: that meaningful friendships are often built not on conformity, but on understanding.

Pixar may have intended Toy Story 5 as a story about childhood, friendship and the growing influence of technology. But sitting beside my autistic children, I saw something else as well. It was a reminder that children who feel different often find each other eventually. And when they do, there is a particular kind of joy in being understood exactly as you are.

Royal fans have praised the sweet handmade gift Princess Charlotte made for her mother ahead of her gruelling Three Peaks Challenge last week.

Charlotte, 11, has previously shown a passion for making thoughtful bracelets for members of her family – from her grandfather King Charles to the Prince of Wales.

Now, the considerate princess has extended her gift giving passion to the Princess of Wales – with Kate, 44, seen proudly wearing a turquoise bracelet over the last few days that was a special gift from her daughter. 

The meaningful jewellery item was crafted by Charlotte ahead of her mother’s gruelling endurance event in which she scaled three of the highest peaks in the UK within 24 hours to spread her message about life during and after cancer.

Heartwarming images shared as Kate crossed the finish line in Snowdon, Wales, showed the Princess wearing a delicate string bracelet as she warmly embraced her three children and Prince William, alongside her brother, James Middleton.

And the Princess of Wales has seemingly not taken the bracelet off since the Three Peaks challenge – having been spotted wearing the item at Wimbledon on Thursday and during a visit to the Evelina London children’s hospital on Monday.

Now, royal fans have praised ‘loving and caring’ Charlotte for making her mother such a thoughtful gift, adding that the sentimental value of the item makes it ‘more precious than any jeweled bracelet she could wear’.

‘Such a lovely and thoughtful child, you can tell she is absolutely adored by her parents,’ wrote one X user, while another added: ‘Charlotte’s behaviour touched my heart. An adorable child, well loved by all’.

Others spoke fondly of the ‘precious’ young princess’s love of making ‘power and protection bracelets’ and noted the similar items she has previously made for other Royal Family members.

Kate, 44 (pictured at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital on Monday) has been seen proudly wearing a turquoise bracelet over the last few days that was a special gift from her daughter

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During Trooping the Colour in June, King Charles was spotted wearing two braided friendship bracelets which were reportedly made by Charlotte and were a sentimental nod to his formal Grenadier Guards uniform.

Indicative of their close bond and Charlotte’s love for making bracelets for her family, the monarch picked out a beaded bag charm for Charlotte from jewellery brand Rachel Rose Accessories during a visit to Belfast the month prior.

After picking up the gift at W5 LIFE at Odyssey Place, People reported that Charles told the business’s owner Rachel Rose: ‘Thank you, she will love that.’

Rose later took to Instagram to marvel over her encounter with the King, writing: ‘I’ll genuinely never get over this moment.’

The King was also spotted wearing what appears to be a friendship bracelet during some engagements in the summer of 2024, including for his visit to Guernsey in July with Queen Camilla. 

Made up of yellow and red thread, the band seemed to be similar to versions sported by Charlotte when she attended the Wimbledon final with her mother in July.

Dressed in a navy polka dot frock, Charlotte wore two of the threaded bracelets, one featuring various shades of pink and another boasting green, blue and pink fabric.

Later that year, the young princess made her father a blue and white Taylor Swift-inspired friendship bracelet that spells out ‘Papa’ ahead of his visit to South Africa. 

Charlotte is known to be a keen fan of arts and crafts – and of singer Taylor Swift who encourages fans to swap home-made friendship bracelets with names or words on.

Just months later, the Prince of Wales revealed that Charlotte ‘loves friendship bracelets’.

The Princess of Wales has seemingly not taken the bracelet off since the Three Peaks challenge – having been spotted wearing the item at Wimbledon on Thursday

Charlotte is known to be a keen fan of arts and crafts – and of singer Taylor Swift who encourages fans to swap home-made friendship bracelets with names or words on

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The young princess has been spotted wearing friendship bracelets ever since she attended the first night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in June 2024 with her father William and brother Prince George. 

Weeks later at Wimbledon, Charlotte was spotted wearing two threaded bracelets, one featuring various shades of pink and another boasting green, blue and pink fabric.

When Charlotte cheered on the Lionesses at the Euro final last summer, the princess appeared to don three new bracelets on her wrists as she joined her father to cheer England’s Squad to a nail-biting 3-1 victory over Spain.

Charlotte, who is known to follow in her mother’s footsteps in the fashion stakes, wore a purple string bracelet, as well as a green and white bracelet and a light pink one.

The princess’s thoughtful gift for her mother will no doubt have been highly valued by the future Queen ahead of the Three Peaks Challenge – which saw the princess walk a total distance of 23 miles, an ascent of 10,05ft of vertical climbing and a driving distance between the peaks of approximately 462 miles.

Charlotte, 11, was captured beaming as she embraced her mother Catherine, 44, in a heartwarming post uploaded to Instagram as she crossed the finish line in Snowdon, Wales.

The future queen was also supported by Prince George, 12, and eight-year-old Prince Louis, alongside James Middleton, Kate’s younger brother, who issued an emotional message about their shared ‘promise’ and the ‘healing power of nature’.

However, it was young Charlotte who drew the greatest attention among the sweet photographs, with several fans suggesting that her stylish outfit was inspired by Prince William’s 90s wardrobe.

Pairing a navy J Crew crew-neck knit ‘Teddie’ jumper with a pair of flared blue Ralph Lauren jeans and Adidas blue Gazelle trainers, the relaxed look proved reminiscent of her father’s go-to attire in his younger years.

During Trooping the Colour in June, Charles was spotted wearing two braided friendship bracelets which were reportedly made by Charlotte and were a sentimental nod to his formal Grenadier Guards uniform

In 2024, the young princess made her father a blue and white Taylor Swift-inspired friendship bracelet that spells out ‘Papa’ ahead of his visit to South Africa

Taking to X to share the remarkable likeness between Charlotte and William, one royal fan wrote: ‘Omg I just realised who Charlotte’s style icon is.’

Another described the young royal as a ‘mini William’ due to their resembling attires – with the Prince of Wales known for being a dedicated fan of smart-casual denim looks and an accompanying navy jumper.

Other avid royal onlookers also noted how Charlotte had grown in height, as the stylish young royal was pictured standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder with her mother in several of the heartwarming images.

For the marked occasion, The Princess of Wales opted for £65 North Face Summit Series Pacesetter shorts in the colour Iron Clay, which she paired with a casual black top and Scarpa World hiking shoes.

In contrast to the typically smart looks George and Louis wear to royal engagements, the two young princes also embraced the more relaxed dress code by selecting trendy brown Adidas trainers and blue denim jeans.

Taking to Instagram to share the candid images from the day, Catherine captioned the post: ‘This time last week, completing the National Three Peaks Challenge. A huge thank you to everybody who has supported The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.’

Meanwhile, her brother James also took to the social media platform to reveal how he was ‘so incredibly proud’ of his ‘darling sister’.

He added: ‘Two years ago, I told you we’d climb this mountain together. We talked about climbing mountains while you were in hospital, and about the incredible healing power that nature can have for both the body and the mind. So it was such an honour to join you for your Three Peaks Challenge for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

‘Seeing how far you’ve come is nothing short of inspiring. Your strength, resilience, and determination, all while being the most amazing mother, wife, daughter, and sister, inspire me and so many others every single day.

‘Keep being exactly who you are.’

In one touching image uploaded by Kate, the princess could be seen warmly embracing her daughter who snuggled up close to her while she leaned her cheek against her head.

In another, Charlotte reached towards her mother’s hand – meanwhile, the royal’s youngest child, Louis, was captured in the background playing with a dog belonging to James.

The Three Peaks Challenge sees participants attempt to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours: Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland and the UK, standing at 4,413ft; Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, standing at 3,209ft and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest peak in Wales, standing at 3,560ft.

The princess was driven between the peaks – Scotland, then England and finally Wales – by her team. 

It is not believed that any other member of the Royal Family has completed the Three Peaks Challenge, also making the princess’s triumph a royal first.

1. You’ve stopped finding joy in things you used to enjoy

2. You’re constantly snappy

3. You’re functioning but feel disconnected

How to manage it

A man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving

A man has died in a crash involving a crop sprayer. Cambridgeshire Police were called to a crash on the B1050 Earith Road in Willingham at around 8pm on Thursday, July 2.

The crash involved a yellow and black crop sprayer and an orange Triumph motorbike. The motorcyclist, a man in his 40s from Over, near Willingham, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crop sprayer driver, a man in his 30s from Willingham, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has been bailed until October 1.

Sergeant Mark Atkins said: “I am appealing to anyone who might have seen the collision or the vehicles in the moments before to get in touch. I would also like to hear from anyone with dashcam footage. Thank you to the local community for their patience while the road was closed.”

Police are appealing for information. Anyone with information or footage should call police on 101 or report it online and quote reference 35/49548/26.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The death toll in Sri Lanka’s prison clash rose Tuesday to 26, including seven prison officials and 19 inmates, while the government announced that three separate investigations into the incident are underway.

The unrest at the prison in Negombo, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the capital, Colombo, started between inmatse on Sunday and turned violent on Monday after the inmates attacked the guards who intervened. Officials said the inmates even tried to break through the main gate, but were stopped.

On Tuesday, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara called it a “tragic incident” and added that another 77 persons — 23 prison officials and 54 inmates — are still being treated in hospitals.

The Minister did not specify the cause of the deaths and the nature of the injuries.

Three different probes are underway into the incident, Nanayakkara told parliament, adding that a committee led by a retired judge is being set up in addition to the police probe and an internal investigation by the prison department.

He said the investigations will look into what led to the clashes, “whether there were any security lapses or the congestion in the prisons caused this, and our responsibility is to prevent such incidents happening again.”

The first clash erupted between two rival gangs connected to the illegal drug trade, Nanayakkara said. Once order was restored on Monday evening, the inmates who led the violence were transferred to other prisons, he said.

On Tuesday, local television channel Hiru showed hundreds of relatives gathered outside the prison and hospital, seeking information about their loved ones. The relatives were crying and pleading for information.

Security around the prison has been heightened with additional army troops and armed tanks also being deployed.

Sri Lankan prisons are highly congested, with more than 39,000 inmates crowded into a system with a total capacity of just 10,000.

The 29-year-old is on the move after his contract with Fulham expired last month

Harry Wilson’s move to Leeds United is set to finally be confirmed, nearly two weeks after a deal was agreed to bring the Wales star to Elland Road.

The 29-year-old saw his contract with Fulham expire at the end of June, following a fine campaign that saw him score 10 Premier League goals, grab seven assists and be named the Craven Cottage side’s official Player of the Season. While his form won him several admirers, including Everton and Aston Villa, it was Leeds who won the race for his signature.

It was announced last month that Daniel Farke’s side had secured a deal to bring Wilson in as a free agent, with the attacker reportedly agreeing a four-year contract with a higher salary.

But fans have been made to wait to officially welcome the Welshman to the club, with his unveiling as Leeds’ first summer signing yet to take place.

However, that looks set to change very soon, with Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth revealing that the club are set to officially announce Wilson’s arrival within the next couple of days.

Asked by a fan on Monday whether the deal would be announced that day, Smyth wrote on X: “Not today. Middle of the week I think.”

He added the deal was all but done, with the contract agreed and other formalities completed, as he added: “It’s over the line.

“It’s basically just media duties and announcement now. Which happens this week.”

The anxious wait comes after Leeds saw a deal to sign Wilson collapse on the final day of last summer’s transfer window, when a deal sheet was not completed before the 7pm deadline.

However, there isn’t believed to be any cause for concern this time around, with the 69-cap Wales international set to join Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon and Daniel James as the latest member of the club’s Welsh contingent.

He could also join goalkeeper Karl Darlow at the club, if the goalkeeper agrees a new deal to stay with Farke’s side having seen out his own contract.

Manchester United and Everton are believed to be interested in Darlow, with the uncertainty over his future affecting Leeds’ pursuit of Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who is reported to have turned down offers to move to Elland Road.

The Yorkshire club are also pursuing a deal for midfielder Julian Brandt after his departure from Borussia Dortmund, while Juventus centre-back Lloyd Kelly is also a transfer target.

Farke’s side were also in negotiations with Southampton over a potential move for midfielder Shea Charles, but that pursuit looks to have ended.

Instead, Leeds are now believed to be in talks with Parma over a possible deal to sign midfielder Mandela Keita.

Bradley Belhomme’s distraught family are desperate for answers

The family of a 20-year-old man left fighting for his life following a quad bike crash have issued a desperate plea for help.

Bradley Belhomme, from Salford, Greater Manchester, suffered catastrophic head injuries during a lads’ holiday to Zante, in Greece, after a collision with a coach last Friday (July 3), his loved ones said.

Bradley had flown out to the party hotspot with a group of friends on Thursday (July 2).

The party had rented quads to ride on on the Greek island when disaster struck and he was involved in the serious crash while riding with another friend, who was also hospitalised, reports the M.E.N..

The 20-year-old, who is ‘loved by everyone,’ is now in intensive care and in a coma after being transported to a hospital in Attica, in Athens, mainland Greece, his family has said.

His mum Leanne Rabbetts said: “He went on the holiday on Thursday and everything was fine. I spoke to him when he arrived, but then on the Friday afternoon I got the call saying there had been a crash.

“I was thinking ‘what the hell happened?’. I had to ring the hospital in Zante at the time, but they couldn’t give me much information.

“Then I got another call that night saying he was being moved to Athens because of the condition he was in.

“He has serious head trauma so he’s getting better care there. I flew out on Sunday as soon as I could and have been here every day. We can only spend half an hour with him.

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“The doctors tried to bring him out of a coma yesterday but he wasn’t responding. Then they tried again to wake him up today [Monday] and he had two fits.

“They don’t know if it’s a bleed on the brain, so he has to have an MRI scan to see what has happened and the damage to his brain, but he isn’t responding at all at the moment.”

Leanne said they believe that Bradley had travel insurance for the trip, but that they have not yet been able to confirm details about this and do not have access to his phone. They say have also been in touch with the British Embassy for support.

“All I really know is that he’s been on a quad bike with his friends, and they’ve all rented them.

“As he’s turned around a corner, I’ve been told there’s been a crash with a coach. We didn’t know how serious it was until we got here.

“His friend he was sharing a room with stayed with him in hospital in Zante and came to Athens when he got transferred, but obviously they couldn’t stay with him.”

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Appeals have since been shared across social media from friends, with fundraising events and walks also organised by members of the local community and friends to help raise money to pay for hospital bills in the interim.

“Because of the head trauma, we don’t even know when he will be able to come home or the situation,” Bradley’s uncle Adam said.

“We can’t do anything. We are just waiting for the scan and trying to make sure everything is covered at the moment, because if the insurance is invalid it’s a big bill.

“At the moment the main thing is Bradley and making sure he is okay and eventually getting him up and home.

“The local community and friends have all donated and have been brilliant. Bradley is a loveable lad who has gone away to have a lads’ holiday and enjoy himself. He’s a hardworking boy and unfortunately, being young, you often make the wrong choices.

“It’s all questions and no answers at the moment. And out here there’s a huge language barrier.

“He’s in intensive care and we have to wear full PPE to see him for just half an hour. We are like a fish out of water.”

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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Explosions rocked Damascus on Tuesday as France’s president met with his Syrian counterpart in a landmark visit.

Emmanuel Macron had entered the presidential palace to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa when the explosions happened near the Four Seasons Hotel. Syrian authorities did not immediately comment on the incident.

Syrian media reported that Macron was staying at the Four Seasons. The French president’s office said he was safe and that his meeting with al-Sharaa was continuing. Macron is the first major Western leader to visit Syria since al-Sharaa came to power and his visit comes before he heads to a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

Macron played a major role in pushing Europe and the United States to drop most sanctions on Syria. He arrived in the country Monday night with an economic delegation, and is scheduled to sign memorandums of understanding with his counterpart as the battered country tries to lure investors to help it rebuild after 14 years of war.

State media, citing an unnamed security official, reported that the two blasts in the heart of the capital were caused by explosive devices. A large plume of smoke could be seen from the site. The area is on a busy street in Damascus and is near the headquarters of the Tourism Ministry and the Damascus National Museum.

Footage widely circulated on social media showed a van and a motorcycle on fire and blood stains on the street.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

The incident comes days after an explosive device was detonated in a cafe near the Justice Palace in Damascus, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 20.

The explosions are a blow for al-Sharaa, who came to power after leading an insurgency that ousted Bashar Assad in 2024.

He has since pushed to assert full control and bring stability in war-torn Syria, appeal to minorities skeptical of his Islamist-led rule, and win the support of Western governments who were skeptical of his past leadership of the former al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. His government has promised political and economic reform after decades of autocratic rule.

While Syria’s new rulers have wrestled with violence involving different groups in the country as they work to assert control, the capital has largely been peaceful during the turbulent period.