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Letters: On the anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe, JK Forster-Walmsley says a weariness seems to have set in about current conflicts, especially Gaza. Plus letters from Adrian Hackford, Bill McMellon, Anne Maclennan and Nizam Uddin

Tin was the critical mineral of the ancient world. It was essential to alloy with copper to make bronze, which for many centuries was the preferred metal for tools and weapons. Yet sources of tin are very scarce – and were especially so for the rapidly growing bronze age towns,…

From street parties to flypasts, the myriad events of VE Day – which this year commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe – take place against the backdrop of grand wartime narratives. These include accounts of military strategy, major battles and political decisions made by global leaders. Central to…

What could be a better memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, than a pod of faintly psychedelic giant lily pads