Article 50 vote shows Brexit is about politics, not Britain’s future
Despite pages and pages of proposed amendments, not a single one was passed.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Politics + Society
Where did the idea of an ‘Islamic bomb’ come from?
A useful avatar for threats both real and perceived, the notion of a pan-Islamic nuclear weapon has little to do with reality.
Why do MPs keep resigning?
The past year has seen more parliamentarians take the 'Chiltern Hundreds' than at any time since the 1970s.
Analysis and Comment
Robot bees vs real bees – why tiny drones can’t compete with the real thing
Collecting pollen takes a surprising amount of teamwork.
Hans Rosling was an incredibly entertaining presenter of the facts – and he made a huge impact
The world has lost a fantastic statistician at a time when the communication of facts is crucial.
This new treatment could make pancreatic cancer a manageable disease
It's early days, but hope is on the horizon when it comes to one of the deadliest cancers.
Why so many singers sound American – but British grime artists are bucking the trend
When British singers step up to the microphone many adopt an American accent. Grime is the exception.
Brain scanners allow scientists to ‘read minds’ – could they now enable a ‘Big Brother’ future?
fMRI brain scans are coming frighteningly close to opening a window into our thoughts.
The campaign to eradicate Zika has trampled over women’s rights
Zika is not gender neutral: women’s rights are at stake.
North Korea’s deep sense of national identity is the main obstacle to nuclear negotiations
The country plays by different rules.
Student debt sale gives new generation a first taste of economic slavery
Financially illogical and fuelled by irrational dogma, the creation of a new tranche of private sector debt is a missed opportunity.
You don’t have to be male, to be a role model for men
Men are struggling to cope with the pressures of modern life – but they alone cannot solve the problem.
I, Daniel Blake reveals the rich complexity of literacy – and why it matters
Pencil by default: the digital skills demanded by the welfare system may baffle Daniel Blake, but he is resourceful, creative and willing to work.
Why call centre workers love to use your name – and why it’s really annoying
There are a range of linguistic strategies to build rapport with customers, but using their name is always the fall-back – with detrimental results.
West Africa only deserves limited credit for toppling a minnow of a dictator
The end of Yahya Jammeh should be celebrated, but his democratic neighbours had the strongest of hands to play.
How research can lead to some extraordinary (and very unlikely) discoveries
It can take decades, but investigating one thing can revolutionise our understanding of another.
Kristen Stewart co-wrote a paper about AI in filmmaking – here’s what an academic expert thought
The Twilight star used a pioneering technique for turning videos into animations which resemble stylised paintings.
Why cancer rates are increasing disproportionately in women – and what we can do about it
Obesity is one of the factors behind a large rise in cancer rates among women.
From the dungeon to the multiplex – how bondage has gripped the nation
There is a growing mainstream appetite for things that would previously be considered “deviant” pursuits – and businesses are catching on.
Wired-up roads will soon charge your electric car – while you’re driving
Wireless charging means these cars could run off much smaller and cheaper batteries.
Donald Trump could be about to end net neutrality
The US is set to rollback the rules that keep internet companies on a level playing-field. It could make services slower and more expensive.
The US$100 trillion case for open borders
Opening borders is the easiest way to tackle global poverty and it would make already wealthy countries richer, too.
Britain’s response to WWII child refugees puts modern society to shame
Post-WWII Britain welcomed child refugees with open arms. Now they are put in camps and treated with contempt.
Women were to blame for the South Sea Bubble (according to men)
Reports of the time gave the financial scandal what were considered to be female attributes.
How computer hacking is becoming Russia’s weapon of choice
Information warfare is a clear and present danger.
Architecture of the apocalypse: is it time to bring back nuclear bunkers?
Nuclear bunkers are familiar Cold War artefacts, but many have been re-purposed or lie derelict.
What universities are doing to help Syria’s lost generation
Among the Syrian refugee population it is estimated that there are 2,000 university professionals and 100,000 university qualified students.
Five protest poets all demonstrators should read
When the pen is mightier than the sword.
A brief history of Polari: the curious after-life of the dead language for gay men
While few people use the language today, many cherish its history.
Resettling refugees in Asia and Latin America would let Europe abstain from its responsibility
The plan is part of a wider trend to outsource and offshore immigration controls.
The secret to happiness in later life is simple to discover, but hard to achieve
It's not all about health and wealth.
A disappointing start to democracy: Myanmar’s winners and losers
Why you should care about the rise of fake journals and the bad science they publish
Artificially inflating the threat from Russia does nobody any good
Critics hated the forgotten ‘mondo’ genre, but their influence can be seen in Oscar-winning films today
Podcasts
The Anthill
We unearth some of the best and brightest research from the world of academia.
Listen to the podcast
Donald Trump
Everything you wanted to know about @realdonaldtrump’s Twitter habit
Is there method behind the US president's seeming social media incontinence?
Accepting only religious minority refugees divides, rather than protects, those in need
Prioritising groups of refugees, such as Syrian Christians, over others will only create further polarisation.
Trump’s travel ban is nothing to do with national security
In a crisis, governments often act just to be seen to be doing something. The difference with what Trump's doing is that there is no crisis.
Films you should watch to counter American anti-migrant rhetoric
Filmmakers sympathetic to the plight of Mexican and Central American migrants are using their films to counter the fug of misinformation.
Brexit
Not long ago, there was a British European identity – so what happened?
Children in the 1940s were brought up believing that European identity was the way forward – so what went wrong?
Brexatom: the UK will now leave Europe’s nuclear energy authority
Euratom is responsible for nuclear non-proliferation, safety, and research.
Why the next British by-election poses such a serious challenge for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour
Copeland has been Labour for more than 30 years, but these are not normal times and this is no ordinary by-election.
Four ‘green lines’ for Brexit negotiators looking to protect the environment
Why a ‘soft Brexit’ is in the interest of both London and Brussels
Ivan Rogers resignation: in febrile Brexit Britain, it seems even public servants are fair game
What will happen to arms exports under Brexit?
How Eastern Europe is best placed to hit the ground running after a hard Brexit
Never mind Article 50, here’s why Article 127 could be crucial to keeping Britain in the single market
Why Britain’s public finances will suffer if Brexit reduces migration
Europe has never liked borders – and it won’t be confined by them now
UK is heading for ‘soft’ Brexit – support for new EU patent court proves it
Could an end to corporate tax help Britain’s Brexit-burdened finances?
After Brexit, what does democracy mean?
Britain is becoming more diverse, not more segregated
A Brexit strategy that could unite UK’s parliaments – and keep Britain in the single market
Why the media got it so wrong on Trump and Brexit
What happened to integrating immigrants in Britain?
Hard, soft, smooth, rough – we need better words if Brexit is going to work
A hard Brexit and reduced migration won’t benefit UK workers
Food Security
Food security looks very different depending on where you are sitting
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to global food insecurity except that the West needs to learn to consume, and waste, less.
From flask to field: How tiny microbes are revolutionizing big agriculture
Researchers are developing biological tools that can boost crop yields to feed a growing world population without harming human health or the environment.
Research shows how to grow more cassava, one of the world’s key food crops
Cassava is a key food source in tropical countries, but yields have been flat for decades. New genetic research is identifying many options for boosting production of this valuable staple crop.
Famine doesn’t just ‘happen’ – and those who cause it must be held to account
International law should include an offence of 'creating a famine'.
How GM crops can help us to feed a fast-growing world
Many people are suspicious of GM crops, but new techniques could massively increase food production.
Podcast
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
Childhood
We created a song that makes babies happy
Researchers teamed up with artist Imogen Heap to discover what music makes babies laugh.
Freedom
To what extent are you truly free?
Self-determination, freedom of thought, choice of risk arguably have freed society, but then there's inequality, ill-health and narcissism.
Protest
Five protest poets all demonstrators should read
When the pen is mightier than the sword.
Space
NASA sent a twin to space to study nature versus nurture – and we’re starting to get results
A twin experiment in space can help us prevent diseases on Earth.
Film
Films you should watch to counter American anti-migrant rhetoric
Filmmakers sympathetic to the plight of Mexican and Central American migrants are using their films to counter the fug of misinformation.
NHS
Video: older people don’t choose to take up hospital beds
Our research suggests older people aren't being admitted inappropriately.
Events
-
Crunching the Numbers: Introducing Analytics in Your Organisation — Cambridge Judge Business School
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The Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Lecture: Sir Keir Starmer MP, on Human Rights — UCL
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Breaking out of the straight jacket: Mental health and the LGBT community — University of York
How we are different
10 reasons
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