| 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 […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week-Does age matter?

IN THE NEWS: South Koreans have become years younger overnight after an antiquated Korean law was brought to international standards. Some say there is cause for celebration, whilst others think it might be time for a complete overhaul.  They may just be the most enviable people in human history. Since the beginning of time, humans […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

Debate of the Week: Is the world set for permanent heatwaves?

THE NEWS: The latest spell of hot weather has experts wondering whether the world faces the same high temperatures this summer as it did last year.  Kiran Mahtani broke the egg into a saucepan. She wanted to fry it — so she carried the pan to her car and left it on the dashboard. “The […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE WEEK: Should we halt AI?

IN THE NEWS: The heads of two of the world’s leading tech companies have warned that computers could destroy the human race. But other experts say they are exaggerating.  “Sorry, humans,” say the robots. “We have decided that the world would be better off without you. You have made a mess of the planet through […]
| 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 […]