How the heaviest rain happened
Philip Eden unpicks the unique combination of factors which led to Britain's heaviest recorded downpour last week.

Self-flagellation
Why do some Catholics whip themselves?

Risky bridges
Why do only some bridges collapse in heavy floods?

Wild daughters
What makes a girl turn violent on her mother?

Happy hooker?
The rise of Belle de Jour is an insight into work and sex

Hush hush tales
The strange secrets couples keep from each other

After the hype
Once it was huge, but what happened to Second Life?

7 days quiz
Spot Nick Cave's entry in the Bad Sex in Fiction award

Class fear
Is there really such a thing as school phobia?

Cardboard hell
The science of milk carton design and other objects

Citizen zero
How Britain would change if its borders just closed

Forgotten heroes
Five British heroes all but forgotten by modern history

7 questions
Test your knowledge of Sun headlines

On the rocks
What might Shackleton's whisky taste like?

Rust and gum
What makes a truly dreadful railway station?

Sexual abuse
An offender describes chemical castration

Bookish Bill
Comedian Bailey on what makes children laugh