It’s that time of the year again. You probably think I mean Christmas, but as a virologist the sight of glitter, fairy lights and moulting pine trees immediately makes me think of the flu season. And if there’s one thing that can ruin your family’s Christmas, it’s the arrival of that particular unwanted guest.

But there are lots of myths around about flu. Here’s a quick guide to some common knowledge that actually turns out to be wrong.

By Mark Maslin,University College London

There are many complex reasons why people decide not to accept the science of climate change.

The doubters range from the conspiracy theorist to the skeptical scientist, or from the paid lobbyist to the raving lunatic.

By Tim Trudgian, Australian National University

Imagine you are captain of the national cricket team. With 20 minutes left in day one of a test match, your top-order batsman is dismissed. Do you employ a nightwatchman? That is, do you send in a tail-end batsman to see out the bowling until the end of the day’s play and protect your top-order?

Well, a little bit of math can show you that you shouldn't.

By Andrew King, University of Melbourne; David Karoly, University of Melbourne and Sophie Lewis, Australian National University

It’s clear: 2014 has been a scorcher. As well as probably being the hottest year on record globally, regional and local climate records have tumbled too.

By Jonathan Garlick, Tufts University.