| Read time: 8 minute(s)

Meet the house that diapers built

Researchers have designed and erected a house that has shredded, disposable diapers mixed into its concrete and mortar. A single-story home of about 36 square meters can pack nearly 2 cubic meters of used diapers into its floors, columns and walls. Using recycled diapers as composite building materials would not only shrink landfill waste but […]
| Read time: 7 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Have we missed our chance to stop global warming?

IN THE NEWS: A new report has warned that the world is on track to hit a 1.5C temperature increase by 2027. Wildfires spread across Canada. Floods deluge Italy. Droughts cause havoc in France and Spain. And it all takes place in the same week. This may be only the start. Extreme weather events are […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE WEEK: Could this be the start of World War Three?

Fear: Multiple ceasefires have been announced and then broken in Sudan. THE NEWS: No signs of peace as conflict enters second month. The conflict between two of Sudan’s military leaders has driven thousands from their homes and could draw in many countries including Russia, China and the USA. “I stayed calm,” said eight-year-old Leen. “I […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the WEEK: Do we need to relearn the art of hanging out?

IN THE NEWS: Loneliness is being described as the “modern leprosy”, a debilitating personal and social problem. But what is so hard to solve about being alone? Loneliness can feel like a universal, and ubiquitous, emotion. Almost 50% of adults report feeling lonely at least some of the time in the UK, with 3.3 million […]
| Read time: 8 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE WEEK: Is the tug-of-love over Taiwan threatening global peace?

IN THE NEWS: As China and the US compete for Taiwan’s attention, many fear that what they are actually flirting with is war. As one proverb popular in both Taiwan and China goes: “Water can make a boat float, but it can also sink it.” These days Taiwan is in particularly rough waters. The country, […]
| Read time: 10 minute(s)

This teenager cycled from Alaska to Argentina

He’d longed to go on a “crazy adventure” for years, and as Liam Garner’s high school graduation day grew closer, the teenager was more determined than ever to make his escape. An experienced cyclist, Garner, who is from Long Beach, California, had previously ridden from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and realized that he could […]
| Read time: 5 minute(s)

NASA teams with Canadian elementary school kids to test EpiPens in Space

We often tell our kids to shoot for the stars. Students at a Canadian elementary school did just that. They teamed up with NASA to see if a lifesaving drug would work in space. Their experiment was sent up in a rocket, and they made a big discovery. EpiPens used to deliver emergency treatment for […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the WEEK: Can you really change your character?

IN THE NEWS: An age-old psychological myth has been busted, as scientists gather increasing proof that we can change our personality at will. It can feel like a lottery. Are you an extrovert? Congratulations! You have a greater chance of being happy. Are you conscientious? Brilliant! You have a higher life expectancy. But people who […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE DAY: Is predicting the future a skill we can learn?

IN THE NEWS: Is predicting the future a skill we can learn? Another disaster has shaken some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Some think we can use science to predict and prevent them. On Friday 3 February, a Dutch researcher, Frank Hoogerbeets, tweeted out a map of southern Turkey. In the caption he wrote: […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the WEEK: Should we spend more time with our friends?

IN THE NEWS: Good relationships are the secret to happiness, say scientists. But more and more people today are spending the majority of their time alone. “Lumberjacks know the secret of happiness”. It is a bold claim. But according to a survey by the Bureau of Labour Statistics, lumberjacks are some of the happiest people […]