TOK: The Human Sciences
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Whale escapes from crocodile infested river
But is this really news? The story of the whale and the crocodiles made headlines yesterday all around the world. Why? Wasn’t this just a non-event? Or does it have a deeper significance?
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The post-pandemic city: China bets on the new normal
Has the pandemic killed the city as we know it? In the Chinese “new area” of Xiong’an the state is backing an ambitious plan for a more self-contained way of living. Will others follow?
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Celebrities boycott social media for a day
Are celebrities right to boycott social media? Some big names turned off Facebook and Instagram yesterday to protest against fake news, but many say they are hitting the wrong target.
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Row over Google zero carbon footprint claim
Can corporations solve the climate crisis? Google yesterday claimed to have compensated for all the carbon it has ever created. But critics say business cannot be trusted to save the planet.
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England’s uncivil war over the ‘rule of six’
Is the "rule of six" wrong? Critics say that people should be free to go out and take risks with their own health. But others insist that we cannot put personal freedoms ahead of saving lives.
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‘It doesn’t matter about your sexuality’
Is Strictly Come Dancing a force for good? Some see its same-sex announcement as profit-driven publicity-seeking, while others celebrate it as a positive step towards social change.
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Thousands of wildfires devastate California
Are California’s wildfires a warning to all of us? As the state fights some of the worst infernos in its history, experts argue that global warming makes them an ever greater threat.
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Meritocracy is bad for us, says top academic
Is society too focused on the idea of self-improvement? For years, politicians have promised that hard work equals success. Now one leading philosopher says the idea of merit is a myth.
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UK newspaper hires new journalist: a robot
Has the human race peaked? Artificial intelligence is replacing people on a greater scale than ever before. Yet some scientists say robots may not be the only cause of humankind’s imminent...
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Sceptics haunted by spectre of second lockdown
Do lockdowns cause more harm than good? Without a vaccine, they might be our most effective tool for tackling Covid-19 – but some argue that shutting down society comes at too high a cost.
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The Disney film whipping up a desert storm
Should entertainers steer clear of politics? The makers of Mulan hope it will draw audiences back to cinemas. But critics say that it and its star are endorsing a brutal Chinese regime.
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The scientist myth-busting foodie fibs
Could everything we’ve been taught about food be wrong? Recent research by leading geneticist Tim Spector looks set to overturn some of our most cherished beliefs about healthy eating.
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When buzzwords start to become fuzzwords
Does jargon stop us thinking clearly? Some people love using technical or fashionable language, but others complain that buzzwords simply clutter our minds and hamper communication.
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The doctor who put medicine before magic
Was Hippocrates the first modern doctor? A controversial new book argues that the ancient Greek physician established the principles of medicine as we know it as long ago as 470 BC.
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Black Panther’s legacy will ‘live on forever’
Is the future African? Black Panther fans are grieving the death of the actor who brought the superhero to life. For some, Wakanda was just a fantasy, but for others, it is the future.