Every day the media calls York looking for experts to talk on a variety of topics or answer difficult questions. Herewith: a partial list of some of their more unusual requests:

• "gaydar" or gay radar ­ the ability of one gay person to spot another
• the psychology of serial killers
• the class significance of protests in Britain over government ban on fox hunting
• taming down stag parties in the '90s
• was Richard III unfairly depicted by Shakespeare as a brute?
• commentary on Mars probe landing
• request for facts on history of the Canadian flag
• what are people paranoid about these days?