| Read time: 7 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Do mushrooms rule the world?

IN THE NEWS: The largest living organism on our planet lives under a forest in Oregon. It glows eerily in the dark, and scientists believe it’s about 2,500 years old. A huge organism is growing beneath your feet. Every second, it tangles further into the soil, building an extraordinary invisible web. Fungi are all around […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

End of an Era: Serena Williams and Roger Federer changed tennis forever. So will their retirement.

Williams, 40, and Federer, 41, have both announced in short succession their plans to retire, leaving the tennis world without two iconic competitors who were among the best the sport has ever seen and whose appeal eclipsed the game. Williams announced on Vogue magazine’s website that she would retire after this year’s U.S. Open, saying […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Do we all have superpowers?

IN THE NEWS: A Scottish woman who can smell Parkinson’s has inspired experts to create a new test for the disease. Now, scientists are looking for others with amazing secret talents. The mystery was finally solved. Les and Joy Milne had come to their first Parkinson’s disease support-group meeting. “I walked into the room,” says […]
| Read time: 9 minute(s)

Capitalism Redefined: Patagonia Founder gives away the company to fight climate change

A half century after founding the outdoor apparel maker Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, the eccentric rock climber who became a reluctant billionaire with his unconventional spin on capitalism, has given the company away. Rather than selling the company or taking it public, Mr. Chouinard, his wife and two adult children have transferred their ownership of Patagonia, […]
| Read time: 7 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Is it right to turn bugs into food?

Companies aiming to sell them as snacks are rapidly expanding, and claim they could end global food shortages while protecting the environment. Imagine it’s the year 2031. Ella could not believe her luck. She was celebrating her birthday at 2031’s Restaurant of the Year. There was carpaccio of caterpillar, bluebottle paté, woodlouse tempura. What should […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Is biotech getting too powerful?

THE NEWS: A new program could tackle global problems like famine and pollution, say awed scientists. But some fear the risks far outweigh the rewards. Most of the time, human knowledge advances at a glacial pace, with frequent false starts and setbacks. But every so often, there is a single moment that revolutionises what we […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Is sleep the key to health?

THE NEWS: A revolutionary new book on natural bodily rhythms reveals how the way we sleep affects our weight, our relationships and our decision-making. Tina woke up at 2am. She checked her phone for messages, then went to the kitchen and ate a large bowl of cereal. Back in bed, she picked up her tablet […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate Of the Week: Will Artificial Intelligence destroy us?

News:The Moscow Open descended into chaos when a robot attacked a child. Is this the start of the AI takeover? Or will humans remain firmly in charge? Video footage shows a robotic arm suddenly lunging at the boy and grabbing his hand. Four adults had to rescue him from its grasp. It has some wondering […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

This fashion label turns refugee life jackets into statement clothing.

For fashion label founder and former refugee Mohamed Malim, the discarded jackets are symbols of perseverance. Mohamed Malim, a former Somali refugee who went to the US when he was three, wants his fashion label to start conversations.  His Minnesota-based startup Epimonia takes life jackets from the Greek island of Lesbos that were worn by […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week

Are we losing more than words? Linguists say the world’s minority languages are going through a mass extinction event. This may make communication easier. But what else is lost? Imagine looking at someone. Both of you want to speak but are afraid to start. This is called mamihlapinatapai, in the South American language of Yamana. […]