Briefings
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The battle of Brexit
All the main parties presented their answers to the great Brexit riddle yesterday. The media was filled with claims and counterclaims. Today, there are still dozens of possible outcomes.
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The health debate
The NHS is set to become a key battleground during the campaign. But health service bosses have said parties should not use the NHS as “a political weapon” and should stick to the facts.
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The big issues
Brexit. The NHS. Crime. Education. Poverty. What are the main topics that will decide this election? Regular opinion polls take the pulse of the nation. But why do issues rise and fall?
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How the parties stand
As the starting gun fires on the UK election campaign, how are the main political parties doing in the polls? And how much can we predict about the winners and losers on 12 December?
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General elections
The UK is heading to the polls on 12 December for what is set to be one of the most divisive and fiercely fought elections in the country’s history. How exactly does a general election work?
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The religion of Star Wars
What can Star Wars teach us about religion? Behind the explosions and high-speed chases, there is a fascinating mythology…
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The English language
English has long been known as the language of the world. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people around the world speak some English. But new translation technology might threaten its...
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Black holes
Stephen Hawking’s research covered many areas, from the Big Bang to quantum gravity. But his biggest obsession, and his most important work, surrounded the mystery and power of black holes…
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Fear of flying
Fear of flying is common — and often exacerbated by news stories about rare, but dramatic, plane crashes. However, you are far more likely to die in a car accident. Is fear of flying rational?
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The quantum space race
An incredible experiment by Chinese physicists has been hailed as a breakthrough moment in the search for a “quantum internet”. It could mean that super-secure communication is on the way.
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Tolerance
Britain is a nation of 65 million people, dozens of religions and countless other beliefs. Without mutual respect and tolerance, this could spell conflict. But should we tolerate all views?
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Rule of law
Laws dictate what we can and cannot do. But they change all the time, they vary from country to country, and are not always applied consistently. So, how does the rule of law actually work?
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Individual liberty
Britain, like other Western nations, values its citizens’ abilities to make their own choices. Yet Britons cannot do exactly as they like. What is liberty, and how much of it do we have?
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Democracy
Winston Churchill called it “the worst form of government except for all those other forms”. People who don’t have it, want it. People who do, complain about it. What is democracy, really?
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The next extinctions
The death of the world’s last male, northern white rhino has highlighted Earth’s huge extinction crisis. Just how many species are at risk — and what can be done to save them?