| 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: 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: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Do monsters keep us sane?

THE NEWS: This month, volunteers from across the world will flock to Loch Ness to try to spot an ancient beast. Some think they might just be on to something.   In 565 AD, a monk named Saint Columba, travelling through Scotland, came across some locals burying a man by the River Ness.The man, they explained, […]

| Read time: 6 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE Week: WILL AMERICAN DEMOCRACY SURVIVE?

To slightly misquote Oscar Wilde: one indictment may be regarded as a misfortune; two looks like carelessness. And what about three? Last week, former and would-be future president Donald Trump was indicted for the third time this year, this time on federal charges related to an attempt to subvert the 2020 election. Another indictment? It […]

| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week- Should she be allowed to race?

THE NEWS: A top European court has ruled that star athlete Caster Semenya’s human rights were violated after she was banned from competing in elite events in 2018.  She was only 18 when she first charged across the finish line at the 2009 world track and field championships, winning first place. But for Olympian Caster […]