Learner profile: Reflective
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Social life cancelled in coronavirus lockdown
Is it morally wrong to socialise? Boris Johnson has followed other countries in recommending strict social distancing to lessen the impact of Covid-19 – but will people put it into practice?
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Coronavirus: the maths behind the panic
How worried should we be? The headlines shout: “killer virus”, “crisis”, and “confusion”. Italy accuses misleading media of creating an “infodemic”. But what do the numbers say?
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Row explodes over Amazon Nazi-hunter show
Is it wrong to tell fictional stories about the Holocaust? A new TV show about vigilante justice has been accused of sensationalising the genocide of millions for entertainment purposes.
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Goodbye to tasty treats as Lent begins
Is giving things up a good idea? Today is the start of Lent, when Christians traditionally deprive themselves of something they enjoy. But the practice is common to other religions too.
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China, Covid-19 and the future of communism
Could Covid-19 be the death of communism? Demands for freedom of speech and anger at the government’s handling of the epidemic are plunging China into its biggest crisis in 30 years.
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Revealed: the machine that spied for America
Was this the greatest intelligence coup ever? A coding device that was used for decades by scores of countries has been exposed as an American trick to read all their top secret messages.
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Outrage over top author’s support for genocide
Can you separate a writer’s work from their political views? A furious attack just published in the Washington Post lambasts a Nobel Prize-winning author for defending war crimes in Bosnia.
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One woman’s fight to capture whiff of the past
Should there be museums for smells? As our lives move online and artificial intelligence takes over, some think it has never been more important to preserve culturally important aromas.
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Trust is dying across the world, says survey
Whatever happened to good faith? People no longer believe that it is possible for institutions to do the right thing AND be competent. This is creating an unprecedented wave of cynicism.
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Controversial film Joker set for bumper Baftas
Is Joker immoral? Now poised for ample awards, the deeply troubling 2019 film immediately inflamed debate over its depiction of extreme violence and worries about copycat behaviour.
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500 million animals dead in Australian fires
Is the crisis in Australia due to climate change? Some claim the bushfires are part of natural cycles that have occurred for millennia; others say they are caused by man-made global warming.
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Science shows resolutions NOT a waste of time
Are New Year resolutions worth it? Around one-quarter of people give up their resolutions after just one week, while fewer than one in 10 will maintain their goal to the end of the year.
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Don’t lie about Christmas, warn psychologists
Should we stop telling children the Christmas myth is true? Santa Claus, the chimney and the reindeer: it is the story we all grew up with. But some experts argue these lies can be harmful.
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‘Women make better leaders than men’
Are women better leaders than men? Finland is about to have a new female prime minister — the world’s youngest. Around the globe, female leaders are being praised for their inspiring work.
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Sugar named the world’s most popular drug
Should sugar be treated like a drug? A new study shows that seasonal lattes and hot chocolates being sold by some high street coffee chains can contain up to 23 spoonfuls of sugar per cup.