You’ve probably sent and opened thousands of PDFs over the years. But if someone asked you right now what PDF actually stands for, would you know the answer?

You’re not alone if you don’t. The word has become so embedded in everyday language that most people use it the way they use terms like “Wi-Fi” and “pm” ― automatically and without any particular thought about what the letters mean.

But it’s never too late to learn the answer to that mystery, as well as the interesting history behind those three letters. (And no, it doesn’t stand for “Please Download Fast” or “Pretty Delightful File.”)

“PDF stands for ‘portable document format,’ though I’m not sure anyone knows or cares anymore,” said Lisa Gitelman, a media historian and professor at New York University. “’PDF’ stands as the name of a digital file format on its own.”

She has written extensively about the PDF as a cultural and technological artifact, including in her book Paper Knowledge: Toward a Media History of Documents.

“The keyword is ‘portable’ because the format was designed to keep a document looking exactly the same, no matter which computer, operating system or device it was opened on,” said Madeline Enos, a language trends expert at the language learning app Preply.

“Before PDFs became widespread, sharing documents could be frustrating because fonts, images and layouts often changed depending on the software being used. The PDF solved that problem by preserving the original formatting, which is why it’s still one of the most trusted file formats over 30 years later.”

The origins of the PDF go back to 1991, when Adobe Systems co-founder John Warnock proposed a project called “Camelot” with the goal of developing a simplified way to view and print any document across devices and platforms, regardless of the software or hardware used to create it.

“At the time, the web was far less standardised than it is today, so creating a document that looked identical everywhere was revolutionary,” Enos noted.

Warnock’s Camelot project culminated two years after his original proposal, with the release of PDF 1.0, bundled with the first version of Adobe Acrobat.

“PDF first appeared in the marketplace in 1993,” said Duff Johnson, CEO of the PDF Association. “Adobe, which invented PDF, continued its development until 2007, at which point the specification for PDF was handed to ISO for international standardization as a vendor-neutral technology.”

As the online environment has evolved significantly since the ’90s, so too has the PDF, Gitelman noted. Still, the file format remains an important standard.

“I once wrote an essay laying out four reasons for its enormous success,” Gitelman said. “First, PDFs offer page images – like facsimiles, like xeroxes, like microfilm, unlike word processing files or most proprietary eBook formats. This means they feel stable. They retain layout as well as content. Second, as page images, they are handy in publication workflows. Every book, every analog publication, has been a PDF somewhere in its life history. Third, they are easily transmissible across digital networks, even in low-bandwidth environments.”

The fourth and final reason: PDFs are searchable, she added.

Today, people still use the term PDF in everyday conversation, particularly in the context of work.

“We’ve certainly noticed that ‘PDF’ is used synonymously with ‘document’ and ‘file,’ as in ‘I sent him a PDF’ and ‘The email includes three PDFs,’” Johnson noted. “But the industry accepts such usage as the price of ubiquity.”

Many people also say “PDF file,” which is not quite redundant, as in the case of “PIN number” or “ATM machine.” But the term PDF does stand alone.

“Most people don’t stop to mentally unpack what the letters stand for, so adding ‘file’ simply makes the meaning clearer,” Enos said.

Still, the meaning is quite clear to most people these days.

“Most acronyms stay within specialist industries, but PDF made the rare jump into everyday language. Today, people don’t just recognise the letters – they also use ‘PDF’ as a verb,” Enos said. “It’s increasingly common to hear someone say ‘Can you PDF it?’ or ‘Just PDF that document,’ showing how technical abbreviations can become everyday words over time.”

This is a process known as lexicalisation, as the abbreviation became so familiar that it was accepted as a normal standalone word in the English language.

“While countless digital buzzwords have come and gone over the past three decades, ‘PDF’ has remained relevant because it describes a format rather than a trend,” Enos said.

The meaning of PDF has hardly changed over time, and it has gone international as well.

“PDF is one of the few digital abbreviations that has become almost completely language-independent,” Enos said. “Whether you’re in the UK, Japan, Brazil or Germany, the acronym ‘PDF’ is almost always recognised and rarely translated.”

Thus, PDF has essentially become a universal language in some ways.

“It’s a good example of how technology creates a shared international vocabulary,” Enos said. “Even people who don’t speak the same language often understand terms like PDF, Wi-Fi, USB and GPS, making them some of the closest things we have to truly global words.”

Labour’s Bev Craig has won the Greater Manchester mayoral race in a significant moment for the party.

After none of the candidates secured over 50% of the votes in the first round – though Craig came close with 47.1% – the second-preference votes were added.

Once all the other candidates had been knocked out, Craig beat Reform’s Sian Astley by 309,525 to 157,178.

In her victory speech, Craig said: “I will defend this city region with every bone in my body and I will fight for a better life for all of us.”

Craig’s victory means Labour has managed to hold onto the seat ever since it was established in 2017, though this contest marked the first time Andy Burnham’s name was not on the ballot paper.

He resigned as Greater Manchester mayor after winning the Makerfield by-election earlier this month.

The so-called “King of the North” was serving his third consecutive term as the regional mayor but was looking to win a seat in the Commons which would give him the chance to oust Keir Starmer.

Burnham’s success in the by-election meant he became an MP again after a nine-year absence from Westminster.

Within a month he had been chosen as the leader of the Labour Party and de facto prime minister.

The mayoral by-election was his first electoral test as prime minister.

It coincided with a boost in the polls driven by Burnham’s policy-blitz during his first fortnight in No.10.

However, turnout for the contest was surprisingly low as only one in four voters went to the polls.

Returning officer Andrew Lightfoot revealed there was a turnout of just 25.14% across the 10 boroughs, which is the third lowest recorded in a regional mayoral election.

The lowest was recorded in 2017, when Tory Ben Houchen was elected as mayor of Tees Valley.

Burnham’s friend Steve Rotherham takes second place when it comes to low turnout with 24% when he was re-elected as the Liverpool City Region mayor.

When Burnham was re-elected in 2024, turnout was 31.8%. In 2021 it was 34.7% and in 2017 it was 28.9%.

It’s the third time Greater Manchester has asked constituents to go to the polls this year.

The Gorton and Denton by-election in February saw Green MP Hannah Spencer secure a seat while Burnham won the Makerfield contest in June.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

There are two types of people in the world: type A and type B. Or so common wisdom says, anyway – of course, as with anything human, we’re all much more complex than that.

Still, sorting people into type A and type B categories can sometimes serve as useful shorthand for understanding ourselves and others. This is especially true in romantic relationships.

You might think that a partnership between a type A person and a type B person could never work, or would be fraught with tension, but this isn’t completely accurate.

Firstly, type A/type B relationships are all around us – opposites attract, after all. In fact, these relationships can be super successful. All it takes is a little communication.

We spoke to two relationship experts to find out what type A/type B relationships tend to look like, and how to navigate some of the issues that can crop up in these pairings.

People often use the terms “type A” and “type B” in everyday conversation, but few know their slightly odd origins.

According to Medical News Today, the terms were first invented in 1959 by two cardiologists whose research suggested that a type A personality may be linked to higher instances of coronary heart disease – but their research has been widely questioned because the scientists received funding from the tobacco industry.

Still, the categorisations themselves do hold water as a starting point to understanding how different people work.

Anyway, “type A is typically characterised by high drive, urgency, competitiveness, and a need for control. The person who has a colour-coded calendar and gets twitchy when plans change,” Sabrina Zohar, a dating coach and podcaster, told HuffPost. “Type B tends to be more laid-back, flexible, go-with-the-flow, and less reactive to external pressure.”

With that in mind, there’s a LOT of nuance to these categories, and it’s important to take them with a grain of salt. After all, there’s even been a type C personality discussed lately.

“Awareness of one’s personality is helpful when it comes to matters like job placement and relationships; however, only focusing on one’s designated personality type may cause one to underestimate their ability to adapt to circumstances,” Michele Leno, a licensed psychologist, relationship expert and host of the talk show Mind Matters with Dr. Michele, told HuffPost.

“If you place them in a box, you may not notice the type A behaving calmly under pressure or how well the type B pursues and accomplishes goals.”

Also, there’s a difference between innate personality traits and those brought on by environmental necessity. “Type A may be dealing with anxiety that causes more hyper-vigilance,” said Dr. Leno. “Type B has perhaps learned to home in on their emotions and effectively manage underlying distress so that it is less obvious.”

And another thing: nobody is just type A or just type B. “We exist on a spectrum and can shift depending on context. Someone might be extremely type A at work but more relaxed in relationships, or vice versa,” said Zohar.

“The labels can help us understand general tendencies, but I’d caution against using them to box people in or excuse behaviour. We contain multitudes, and ‘that’s just how I am’ isn’t a free pass.”

It’s called a partnership for a reason. When we have different strengths and weaknesses in a relationship, we can fill in the gaps for each other – making the ride easier for both people involved.

In a type A/type B relationship, “the type A partner brings structure, planning, and forward momentum,” said Zohar. “The type B partner brings flexibility, calm, and the reminder that not everything needs to be optimised. Type A helps type B stay on track; type B helps type A actually enjoy the ride.”

When someone close to us does things really differently from us, many of us find it difficult, and we may turn to judging them rather than seeking to understand how they work.

“Type A can perceive type B as lazy, unmotivated, or not taking things seriously,” Zohar said.

“Type B can experience type A as controlling, critical, or exhausting. Type A wants a plan; type B wants to see how they feel. Type A gets frustrated when things aren’t efficient; type B gets frustrated when everything has to be a production.”

But differences aren’t bad in themselves – the problem lies in how the type A and type B partners respond to those differences.

“They can clash when one tries to change the other,” Dr. Leno said. “While early dating can be exciting, as the relationship progresses, so will expectations. Requiring one to deviate from their natural way of being will induce conflict and possibly a breakup.”

Or as Zohar put it, problems arise “when each person starts interpreting the other’s wiring as a personal flaw rather than a different operating system.”

Short answer? Type A/type B couples are super common. “Opposites do attract, especially early on when differences feel exciting and complementary rather than irritating,” Zohar said.

“Type A might be drawn to type B’s ease and chill energy, thinking ‘I need more of that in my life.’ Type B might admire type A’s ambition and ability to get shit done. We often seek out what we feel we lack.”

You probably know where this is going: Those differences may not always feel as good as they did when you started dating. “What attracts you in the beginning can become what annoys you later if you’re not intentional about appreciating those differences rather than trying to change them,” Zohar said.

It doesn’t matter who you are, ALL romantic relationships include major differences between partners – and a learning curve to navigate them effectively.

In the case of a type A/type B relationship, “First, recognise you’re speaking different languages. Type A communicates to solve, fix, plan. Type B communicates to process, connect, explore,” Zohar said. “Neither is wrong, but if you don’t understand what your partner actually needs from a conversation, you’ll keep missing each other.”

Both partners can work on how they approach discussions. “Type A needs to practice patience and resist the urge to immediately turn everything into an action item,” Zohar said. “Type B needs to recognise that their partner isn’t being controlling. They’re trying to create security in the way they know how.”

Again, as in every relationship, it’s important to be clear about what you’re looking for from your partner. “Get explicit about what you need: ‘I’m venting, I don’t need solutions’ or ‘I need us to make a decision on this, can we focus?’” Zohar said. “Don’t expect your partner to just know. Mind reading isn’t intimacy.”

The key to relational harmony is to really lean into what you’re both good at and feel grateful for what your partner brings to the table that doesn’t come as naturally to you.

“Divide and conquer based on strengths instead of fighting over whose approach is ‘right,’” Zohar said. “Let the type A partner take the lead on things that require planning and logistics. Let the type B partner take the lead on spontaneity and making sure you’re actually having fun together.”

In terms of expectations, you should both commit to understanding each other by explicitly communicating how you work and what you need AND by paying attention to your partner’s habits. “Type A: your partner’s relaxed approach isn’t a sign they don’t care,” Zohar said. “Type B: your partner’s need for structure isn’t them being uptight. It’s how they feel safe.”

In terms of boundaries, it’s “about protecting the relationship from your own worst tendencies,” Zohar said. “Type A might need to agree not to criticize how their partner loads the dishwasher. Type B might need to commit to showing up on time when it matters to their partner.”

More than anything, type A partners shouldn’t try to make their partner more like them, and vice-versa – that’s the surest way to strangle the relationship.

“You didn’t fall in love with this person so you could turn them into you,” Zohar said. “The goal isn’t to make your type B partner more ambitious or your type A partner more chill. It’s to build a relationship where both ways of being are respected.”

“People were just exhausted,” Nolan shared in a The Daily Show interview, explaining that his cast and crew stopped shooting a week earlier than expected.

“They’d been through it… it took the right time to make the film. We had enough time to make it,” he added.

So what did it really take to finish the monumental blockbuster on time and under budget?

Here are just a few of our favourite behind-the-scenes stories from the cast:

Speaking to the British Film Institute (BFI), Matt Damon (who plays Odysseus) said: “The first day I shot was Essaouira in Morocco, walking over the dunes on that beach and seeing thousands of people, because obviously Chris doesn’t put people in by computer.

“If [the script] says ‘thousands of people’, there are going to be thousands of people. The scale of it was immediately jaw-dropping.”

In the same interview, Anne Hathaway (Penelope) shared: “For all of my scenes I was in a cast of several hundred people every day, and we would come in and go through the works and everybody would be in full costume.”

Damon also told Andy Cohen that the film’s footwear affected some of its cast members.

“Running through Troy, it’s all stone, and you’re in these sandals, and they’re very real. And yeah, they’d come off, our feet were all scuffed up.

“But more than the little scratches and cuts on your feet, it was the back pain for us… It was a heavy Advil movie in those weeks we were doing that action stuff,” he joked.

Samantha Morton (Circe)’s standout scene, in which she gruesomely turns Odysseus’ men into pigs, wasn’t CGI, stars Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland (Telemachus) told IMDb.

“When they turned the people into pigs? That’s all real… it’s all animatronics” Tom said.

Anne agreed: “All of that sculpting that she’s doing? That’s not CGI.”

“It’s an animatronic head, and she… like pulls their jaws apart and stuff. That’s real,” Tom continued.

“They worked with an artist to create something that Samantha could sculpt with live on camera,” clarified Anne.

In an interview with TODAY, Matt Damon said he made an accidental faux pas early in his time on the set.

The castle in the film is real, and involved a gruelling hike.

“Everyone started coming up, and everyone was wearing their armour. And then I saw Corey, the guy who was handling my wardrobe, carrying my armour, and I felt so horrible,” he recalled.

Damon said he quickly apologised – “That never happened again. That was embarrassing.”

Anne Hathaway said that the director ran a tight ship (sorry) – “no Uggs, standing on your mark at 7am.”

Nolan has since confirmed the fluffy “signifier[s] of modernity” were banned because they took actors out of the ancient story.

Samantha Morton said she’d never read the Ancient Greek poem before being cast in the movie.

“I didn’t know that I was going to be reading The Odyssey. I hadn’t read the book at school. I didn’t study the classics. So for me, it was just a character in a script, and my interpretation of this character was what it was,” she told Vanity Fair.

“Once I was given the role, I did a bit of a deep dive into Circe and found it quite extraordinary. I very, very quickly pulled away because I didn’t want to be burdened by that responsibility. It’s there, but forget about it because I’m there to make this movie.”

She added, “I don’t overanalyse. I don’t put my characters in psych therapy ever.”

Robert Pattinson (Antinous) told MTV he thought his on-screen enemy, Matt Damon, was a “complete psycho” on set.

“There’s a thing which Matt did when we were shooting something and he was in the trailer next to me and he was making these noises in the trailer,” he told the publication.

“I thought he was on the phone and I’m like, ‘He’s a complete psycho’… He’s just like, screaming and screaming and screaming. And I’m like, ‘Either you’re having a really bad toilet experience or like…’”

As it turns out, the actor was trying to wear out his voice to sound older.

According to Himesh Patel (Eurylochus), filming on a boat in mizzling Italy wasn’t “brutal” enough for Nolan.

“They did also add some sideways rain,” he told BFI.

“There were some days we’re on the boat just off Favignana in Italy where it would be raining a little bit and grey, and then this other boat would just pull up alongside, and it was [special effects supervisor Scott R. Fisher]. He had a massive hose, and it was, ‘We’re going to just spray this hose all over you if that’s okay?’”

Nolan’s Trojan horse is not the one you might have been left to imagine in school – it’s sweaty, scary, soaked in salt water, blood, and piss.

So perhaps it’s no surprise Damon said, “It wasn’t comfortable in there.”

And speaking to Polygon, Jon Berthnal (Menelaus) added: “When the horse was still in the water, and the water was coming in, that water was freezing cold.

“It’s no joke. There’s no frills. There’s zero. Nothing. And I really love that. I call it ‘No acting acting.’ [Nolan] just puts you in it.”

John Leguizamo, who played blind swineherd Eumaeus in the movie, said he was forced to go method – whether he wanted to or not.

“My guy Eumaeus is sight-impaired, so they gave me contacts that were opaque, so I couldn’t actually see,” he told BFI.

“I had to be guided to eat, go to the bathroom, whatever. I have a friend who’s legally blind, and I studied her, and that’s what I incorporated into this character to help me be as real as possible.”

Tom Holland and Zendaya (Athena) are husband and wife in real life. And on his partner’s first day on the set of The Odyssey – a part he broke to her that she’d gotten – he “went to set” on “her first day of work because I just wanted to be there”, Tom told GQ.

Zendaya has expressed how reassuring his presence was at the time.

“You know, some locations he wasn’t at, but he was on my first day, which I was very grateful for,” she shared with Extra.

“Because as you can imagine, something like this is quite a daunting task. It’s the scale, the scope, it’s absolutely extraordinary. So, walking onto a Chris Nolan set for the first time is no small feat, so I was happy to have some support.”

When my phone buzzes me awake in the middle of the night, I know it is going to be bad news. The drunk dials of my 20s have been replaced by frantic revelations of cheating spouses, sick children, and new cancer diagnoses.

In middle age, nothing good happens after midnight.

Yawning, I shuffle to our kitchen, leaving my sleeping husband behind. By the time I fill a glass with water, I am alert, awake and oriented. I reread Chrissy’s words. There it is: acute myeloid leukaemia.

“Got any tricks to cure acute leukaemia, Dr. Wentworth?” my friend jokes.

Instead of responding to her humour, I demand her hospital room number. I’ll stop by on my way to work.

Immediately after hitting send, I sense my overreach and text again, apologising.

“I love that you didn’t ask,” Chrissy replies immediately. “I would have told you no.”

Professionally speaking, I know that a patient with AML has a less than a one in four chance of surviving. As a radiation oncologist, I am wary of early optimism. As her friend, I cannot consider anything else.

The medical centre is still sleeping as I turn into the visitor’s parking deck. An ambulance’s red lights sweep silently across the wet pavement in front of the Emergency Department. A man wearing a white coat leans against the wall next to the trauma bay, a glowing cigarette clutched between two of his fingers.

I run by the cafeteria to pick up black coffee for me, and breakfast for Chrissy’s husband, Robert. The elevator doors open on the sixth floor, and I swipe my employee badge to enter the bone marrow transplant unit. It’s a slight breach of protocol, but I’m OK with that.

I am a doctor here to see a patient. I am a visitor here to see my loved one.

At the nursing station, a weary coordinator directs me to Chrissy’s room. I pause in the antechamber to don a sticky, blue plastic gown. I press an N-95 mask tightly against the bridge of my nose. I struggle to put on gloves before the squirt of antibacterial gel has time to dry.

The positive pressure ventilation emits a soft whoosh as I enter. Chrissy teases me for bringing food for Robert when she knows my own house is probably out of milk. Robert rubs his eyes and reaches for the brown bag, thanking me for this small kindness. He returns to his makeshift bed under the window and opens a fruit cup.

A terrible story tumbles out of my friend’s mouth, the bones of which I have heard a thousand times before: The doctors thought her fatigue and shortness of breath were caused by one thing (Covid-19 infection), but it turns out the cause was another, more frightening thing (anaemia caused by leukaemia).

When her true diagnosis is uncovered, Chrissy is transferred to the large medical centre where I work. The group email that I read earlier contained these details followed by Chrissy’s violent optimism: “Don’t worry! Please pray! More updates soon!”

Chrissy finishes her narrative, picks up a pen and looks at me expectantly. Our eyes meet over her notebook. My brain sizzles trying to decide what, of my limited knowledge, I should share. My heart thumps in the in-between space of love for my friend and the boundary defined by the white coat that I left in the car. Death moves through the room like a fog.

“Thank God she got Covid,” Robert offers, breaking the tension.

“As everyone ALWAYS says,” I reply. “Thank God for Covid.” And we laugh.

This banter is easy. If I close my eyes and turn around now, maybe I can forget the reason I came. Instead, I scoot the large pink visitor’s chair closer to Chrissy’s bed and sit down.

My mind wanders as Chrissy continues talking. Over her shoulder, the NICU’s bright windows cut through the darkness. Chrissy and Robert’s oldest daughter spent almost a year there after she was born with her intestines where her lung should have been.

Chrissy now debates whether that daughter, who is about to turn 12, should get a phone.

“What do you think,” Chrissy looks up from her computer.

“About what?” I reply, coming back to the moment.

Should Clara have a phone? Or will Chrissy be alive to enforce the rules she is considering?

A cellphone pings. Chrissy turns away to answer.

How will she tell her girls? I wonder as I remove my PPE outside her room and exit the unit.

My boss recently instructed all employees to treat our patients using “the loved one standard”. Similar to “The Golden Rule,” in medicine, the loved one standard calls us to treat patients and families the way that we would want our loved ones to be treated in similar circumstances. The loved one standard, our leader said, should drive every decision we make. I’d nodded my head in fierce agreement.

At the time, this aspirational goal seemed possible. The doctor-patient boundary seemed clear. Confronted with Chrissy, it blurs. Cancer has become incarnate and entered my life. I am not sure where I belong. The gap between the loved one standard, and MY loved one has become infinitesimally small. My ingrained objectivity battles a rising panic that my friend will die.

Exiting the parking garage, I consider how my patients’ diagnoses arrive in their loved ones’ phones. I don’t know who sat beside them as they contemplated a future minus one parent or if a physician friend dashed out of bed to be by their side.

In my clinic, farmers with prostate cancer wearing John Deere trucker hats remind me of my uncles; a young artist with lymphoma could be my stepdaughter; a busy mother who deftly manages her metastatic breast cancer wears the same exhausted smile that I’ve seen on Chrissy’s face. I’ve tried, sometimes desperately, to provide the loved one standard to each of them.

And yet, I know that they are not my loved ones. I do not rub their backs as they vomit or wait anxiously with them for the results of a test. I do not wonder how they will tell their daughters that mom might die.

I’ve broken so many promises to return patient phone calls “as soon as I hear something” – these earnest pledges forgotten when the chaos of home greets me at the back door. I have forsaken shattered families, rushing out of a room to my child’s softball game.

Am I even capable of providing the loved one standard? I wonder.

Dr. Erik Fromme suggested that physician–family members ask themselves, “What could I do in this situation if I did not have a medical degree?” and consider avoiding acts that require a medical license. I like Fromme’s well-demarcated approach, but is this really the time to abandon the most relevant skill that I bring to my friend’s deadly diagnosis?

After an hour on the road, I arrive at my own clinic parking lot and pull into a space marked for physicians. I switch off the ignition and pause, resting my head on the steering wheel. The “loved one standard” is what I pray for as Chrissy’s doctors choose the difficult treatment which must save her life.

I want her doctors to push away fatigue, burnout and their personal concerns to focus on my friend. I want them to wake up in the morning thinking of her girls, and go to bed at night worrying about a new bruise on her arm. I want Chrissy to be their loved one.

My cellphone chirps, summoning me back to the morning.

The text is from my nurse.

“ES in Exam Room #3.”

I grab my white coat from the back seat. Please take care of MY loved one, I beg God, as I close the car door and walk toward my waiting patient. And I promise to try and do the same.

I visit Chrissy several more times over the next two weeks. Then, one night, I am digging through my pillows, trying to find my phone. I am once again awake in the dark. I miss the call, but a text soon appears:

Transferred to the ICU. Doctors suspect intracranial haemorrhage. Low platelets. Robert on his way. Pray.

The intensive care unit where Chrissy dies has one of the best views of our city. I have stared out its windows many times. Below and far removed from its heartbreaking jurisdiction, oblivious drivers hurl down a grey ribbon of highway.

Near the park, friends share good news and glasses of wine outside cozy cafés. Downtown, low clouds wrap around the tops of a respectable number of tall office buildings. In the distance, the white spire of a chapel pierces the grey sky.

I lie in bed summoning this landscape while my husband’s chest slowly rises and falls next to me. A few miles away, Robert embraces his intubated wife and nods his head to a waiting nurse. The beeping monitors slowly fade to silence.

Chrissy’s heart stops beating while I cry silently, still desperately praying that my loved one will beat the odds and live.

Stacy Wentworth, M.D., is a board-certified radiation oncologist and internationally recognized cancer survivorship expert. Her two time Webby-nominated podcast, ”Less Radical,” covered the forgotten history of breast cancer treatment. Dr. Wentworth’s Substack newsletter, Cancer Culture, explores past, present and future approaches to cancer care.

Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com.

If you’re an avid reader, 2026’s film schedule has been pretty great so far.

Between Wuthering Heights, The Odyssey, H Is For Hawk, and Project Hail Mary, we’ve seen some major titles transformed into big-screen projects – with more yet to come.

So how do the movies stack up to the books?

Well, obviously, the answer to that question is subjective. But review aggregation sites like RottenTomatoes and Goodreads do, at least, provide an average score from ordinary viewers and readers.

Here, we compared the book and film site fan ratings to one another. We used the audience-generated Popcornmeter rather than the professional-critic-led Tomatometer results, so that both metrics came from the general public.

And we translated Goodreads’ five-star system into percentages, so it was easier to compare book scores to the film reviews.

Claire Foy stars in the adaptation of Helen McDonald’s 2014 memoir. Both focus on a woman’s moving experience with a goshawk following the death of her father.

Goodreads score: 74.6% (3.73/5 on the site)

RottenTomatoes Popcornmeter score: 76%

Verdict: fans liked the movie better, but only just.

The director knew she wasn’t creating a like-for-like remake from the beginning, though, saying she made “something that was my response and interpretation to that book and to the feeling of it.”

Goodreads score: 77.8% (3.89/5)

RottenTomatoes Popcornmeter score: 74%

Verdict: the readers have it, but not by as broad a margin as you might expect (critics gave the film a 57% score on average).

Andy Weir’s 2021 sci-fi novel, which focuses on teacher Ryland Grace’s unexpected sci-fi mission, was turned into a blockbuster hit starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, and, if you listen close enough, Meryl Streep.

Goodreads score: 90.2% (4.51/5)

RottenTomatoes Popcornmeter score: 95%

Verdict: Wow! Readers and viewers loved both – but the movie just won out.

Christopher Nolan’s record-breaking The Odyssey isn’t an exact replica of the 12,000-plus-line Homeric poem, but it captures an impressive amount of the story.

The original text is “an epic, an adventure story… a Greek audience roots for the destruction of evil characters in the same way that we root for the destruction of the villains in film noir, Westerns, or the [Marvel Comic Universe],” Jeffrey Carnes, an Associate Professor of Classics and Classical Civilisations at Syracuse University, told HuffPost UK previously.

Goodreads score: 77% (3.82/5)

RottenTomatoes Popcornmeter score: 97%

Verdict: OK, Goodreads’ database is missing a couple thousand years of readers’ opinions here. Still, with that substantial caveat, the film’s got the lead in 2026.

The Netflix adaptation is based on Emily Henry’s slow-burn, friends-to-lovers novel. It stars Emily Bader and Tom Blyth as its romantic leads.

Goodreads score: 76.8% (3.84/5)

RottenTomatoes Popcornmeter score: 68%

Verdict: The book’s proven a greater hit in this case!

It’s not affairs or volatile arguments that send most couples to counselling, according to relationship therapist Steven Buchwald.

Rather, it’s a series of minor issues that can build up over time, leading to couples slowly turning away from one another – resentment builds, intimacy dwindles and communication breaks down.

With research suggesting the average relationship seeks support two years after issues begin, Buchwald, of Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, shares some of the unexpected reasons couples enter counselling – and how to navigate them if these resonate in your own relationship.

Without realising it, you might express joy and offer congratulatory statements in response to the achievements of friends, colleagues, and those outside your immediate family, whilst remaining indifferent to your partner’s successes.

If this issue persists, it can start to harm a relationship.

The expert acknowledged that actively celebrating a partner’s wins builds intimacy, whereas dismissive action diminishes it.

“A person should feel that their partner is their biggest supporter,” he said. “If this isn’t the case, resentment can build, and validation is sought elsewhere. It often isn’t about wanting superficial praise but knowing that your success matters.”

His advice: if your partner shares good news or something they’re proud of, stop what you are doing and mirror their excitement. Ensure that you ask a minimum of three questions and ensure that they’re aware you’re proud of them, too.

Life admin is important and communication around it is equally vital; however, it shouldn’t be the only thing you discuss.

“Logistical conversations can easily take over a relationship,” said Buchwald. “We’re time poor, and everyone needs to plan; however, conversations between a couple shouldn’t solely consist of who is picking up the children, booking the holiday or working late.

“Constant logistical conversations see a person’s relationship become administrative rather than emotional. This pattern sparks feelings of loneliness in a relationship despite time spent together.”

His advice: carve out 10 minutes a day where you and your partner talk about something other than life admin. This, he said, is a “great way to reinstate subjects that you have in common and safeguard yourselves against feelings of loneliness”.

One conversation rarely ends a relationship, but hundreds of tiny, missed ones can lead to a breakdown.

Research from Dr John Gottman found that stable relationships capture ‘bids for connection’ – aka small attempts to engage a partner, which can be anything from sharing a TikTok video to expressing a worry – whereas those that are less secure frequently miss them.

Missed bids can look like failing to acknowledge your partner, doomscrolling when they’re in the room or not continuing a conversation because you’re distracted by your phone or the TV.

His advice: adopt a ‘five-second rule’ for a minimum of a week where, when your partner engages with you, you put your phone down, ensure that you look at them and respond for a minimum of five seconds.

Many couples claim that they rarely argue – but that doesn’t mean criticism isn’t rife in the relationship. They might be commenting on how their spouse loads the dishwasher wrong, criticising their wording in a text or commenting on their cleaning.

The intention may be to help, but it gets to the point where, instead of feeling accepted, one partner begins anticipating criticism before they speak.

Studies from the Gottman Institute found couples’ critiquing each other is one of the strongest predictors of long-term relationship distress.

His advice: before you make a remark that could be deemed negative, ask yourself if your partner asked you to solve the issue, or simply share it.

“Couples often feel that they’re helping a relationship by hiding stressors such as financial anxiety, work stress or family issues,” said Buchwald.

“This can hinder a relationship as the other partner often senses an emotional disconnect with no explanation. The intention may be out of kindness, but it leads to a sense of rejection.”

His advice: implement a weekly ritual where you share what has been on your mind that week. Ensure that you actively listen rather than jump to try and fix the problem.

Christopher Nolan’s take on The Odyssey has generated plenty of buzz in recent weeks, with critics hailing it as a ‘masterpiece’ and his ‘best film to date’.

And while the classics expert whose translation inspired the director’s take wasn’t overly impressed by it, it’s fair to say that such a huge pop culture moment is sure to make an impact more widely – especially when it comes to what people name their babies in years to come.

Mythology has a long history of influencing parents’ naming choices – but experts predict The Odyssey might just spark a resurgence in Greek classics.

The team at JoJo Maman Bébé have analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby names data to reveal which Greek mythology-inspired names are already climbing the ranks – and may prove even more popular in 2027.

Who is she? She’s the wife of Odysseus (played by Anne Hathaway in the new Nolan movie).

How popular? 1,174 girls were given this name in 2025, according to the ONS.

Who is she? Goddess of wisdom, courage, and warfare (played by Zendaya in The Odyssey film).

How popular? There were 519 girls called this in 2025.

Who is she? Titaness, mother of the original Olympian gods and goddess of female fertility.

How popular? 109 girls were called this in 2025.

Who is she? Queen of the Underworld and goddess of spring growth.

How popular? 77 girls were called this in 2025.

Who is she? Goddess of the Earth.

How popular? Again, 77 girls were given this name last year.

Who is she? Helen of Troy (played by Lupita Nyong’o in The Odyssey) was the most beautiful woman in Greece and became an indirect cause of the Trojan War.

Who is she? A sorceress and goddess of magic (played by Samantha Norton in Nolan’s The Odyssey).

Who is she? A sea nymph (played by Charlize Theron in the film).

Who is he? The Titan condemned to carry the weight of the sky for eternity.

How popular? 355 boys were given this moniker in 2025.

Who is he? The god of war and courage.

How popular? Just 56 boys were given this name last year.

Who is he? God of prophecy, music, light, truth and healing.

How popular? 39 boys received this name.

Who is he? The goddess of hunting, the wilderness and wild animals.

How popular? Only 17 boys received this name.

Who is he? The demigod who defeated Medusa.

How popular? Eight boys were given this name last year.

Who is he? He’s the king of Ithaca and star of The Odyssey (played by Matt Damon) who is known for his intelligence, cunning and bravery.

Who is he? An agent of chaos and disorder (played by Robert Pattinson), he plots to take control of Ithaca while Odysseus is away fighting the Trojan War.

Who is he? One of the soldiers (played by Elliot Page) instrumental in the Trojan horse plot.