| Read time: 11 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Could a pop star defeat Trump?The weird Swift theory driving America crazy

Two ‘T’s are on everyone’s lips: Taylor and Trump. Some think a showdown between them might be brewing — and that Joe Biden will come out on top. Millions of fans hang on her every word. Embassies release statements about her.Scholars hold conferences to discuss her work in hushed, reverent tones.An alien visitor might be […]

| Read time: 4 minute(s)

The mystical power of a white bear dreaming.

Is it a sign? This picture has won a top photography prize — but it owes its effect as much to its symbolism as it does to a good eye and technical expertise. An amateur photographer from the UK has won a prestigious Wildlife Photographer Of The Year award with this emotive shot of a […]

| Read time: 8 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Are humans the best healers?

Can robots save the day? Maybe. Technologically, robots may never be as good at caregiving as humans can be, but—given the huge demand and low supply—they may be good enough. Demand for existing consumer robots—not just Roomba, the robot vacuum cleaner, and its kind, but also some caregiving robots—is already skyrocketing. According to an industry […]

| Read time: 6 minute(s)

How do you avoid imparting your child with  a sense of entitlement?

Life is not always fair. No one owes you anything. Goals can only be attained through hard work. The biography of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller,Sr. by Ron Chernow, is highly instructive in this regard.  We quote as follows: Convinced that struggle was the crucible of character, Rockefeller faced […]

| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Do we need lessons in small talk?

THE NEWS: How do you gain the social know-how, cultural and linguistic skills to hold a good conversation? Teenagers around the world are turning up to higher education and the world of work without the basic conversation and listening skills they need to succeed. Professors say the simultaneous rise of tech and a global pandemic […]

| Read time: 12 minute(s)

The good news that nobody wants to read

Are we missing the truth? The headlines are full of horror, doom and gloom. Some experts say there is plenty of positive news, but we’re hardwired to focus on the bad. When you read the news, sometimes it can feel like the only things reported are terrible, depressing events. Why does the media concentrate on […]

| Read time: 5 minute(s)

Australia offers climate refuge to Tuvalu citizens

Australia has offered refuge to citizens of Tuvalu because of the catastrophic impacts of climate change, in a landmark new pact. Tuvalu – a series of low-lying atolls in the Pacific – is among the nations most at risk from rising seas. It is home to 11,200 people and has repeatedly called for greater action […]

| Read time: 6 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE WEEK:Are his ideas hurting men?

IN THE NEWS: Andrew Tate portrays himself as the saviour of lost young men. But experts think he is really just milking them for all they are worth.  Cults tend to arise at times of insecurity. During the decline of the Roman Empire, many joined the secretive cult of Mithras. As the Industrial Revolution turned […]

| Read time: 5 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE WEEK: Should we change the way we live?

THE NEWS: The population has exploded in the last 200 years. Now it is going into reverse. Experts worry this could be one shock too many.  Rapid population growth is a very new phenomenon. After 300,000 years on the planet, we only hit one billion people in 1804. That doubled 123 years later. Since 1974 […]

| Read time: 11 minute(s)

Easy Science Experiments for Kids

Imagine blowing the biggest bubbles imaginable — or even making bubbles within bubbles. Or sending vessels — rockets, tea bags, airplanes — soaring through the sky for impossible distances. Now imagine making things explode, or change colors, or reveal hidden messages with just a few simple mixtures. None of this is magic. It’s all science […]