TOK: Emotion
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New robot ‘on the path to self-awareness’
Will robots ever be self-aware? Scientists at Colombia University have built a machine that learns about itself in the same way as a baby. Could it become more intelligent than a human?
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UK player makes history with £170m jackpot win
Does money bring happiness? Or is it a curse? Next week, a record fortune will land in a person’s bank account and their life will be turned upside down. Past winners have an ominous record.
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‘I created Labradoodles and spawned a monster’
Are Labradoodles really a “Frankenstein’s monster”? That’s what their creator, 90-year-old Wally Conron, says. He believes the “unhealthy” dogs set a dangerous trend.
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Angry and alone, ‘Mad King’ Trump reigns
Is Donald Trump having a meltdown? After the US president unleashed his fury on Twitter, one Washington Post columnist argues that Trump’s demented rage echoes Shakespeare’s mad King Lear.
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Iran’s #BlueGirl and the shaming of football
Does world football have any purpose beyond profit? This is the question raised by the abject failure of the highest-governing body of the sport, FIFA, after the death of Sahar Khodayari.
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Archie makes his debut on royal Africa tour
Should a baby be a public figure? Meghan and Harry’s firstborn had a protected first four months, cocooned from the public eye, with no press at his christening. This week, all that changed.
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The plumber who restored our faith in humanity
Does giving make us happier than getting? James Anderson’s simple act of charity has touched a deep chord all over the world. Evidence proves that we are wired to be good, say scientists.
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Cancer survivor swims Channel FOUR times
Could you have done it? Sarah Thomas swam 134 miles without stopping for 54 hours, fighting strong currents, hurting from salt water in her throat, and stung in the face by jelly fish.
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Woman in a hurry, chasing the keys to No.10
Could Jo Swinson ever be PM? Educated at comprehensive school, mother of two small boys, humanist, feminist and now chief anti-Brexiteer — is she the breath of fresh air UK politics needs?
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‘The abuse and bullying that nearly killed me’
Is fame a curse? In a candid BBC documentary, Jesy Nelson reveals how cyberbullying ruined her life after she won The X Factor. Her mother wishes the singer was still a barmaid in Dagenham.
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Seals, dolphins, porpoises thriving in Thames
Does nature always bounce back? The Thames, declared dead, devoid of oxygen in the 1950s, has been brought back to life by its new marine life — including sharks and the odd, visiting whale.
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The father who gave birth to his own son
What if all men could give birth? Freddy McConnell is legally male, but was born female and is biologically able to carry children. His mother says it is an experience all men should have.
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Emergency plan to deflect giant asteroid
Are asteroids our biggest threat? Scientists are now working on a plan to protect Earth from Didymos, a giant rock the size of Egypt’s great pyramid — one of 20,000 known near-Earth objects.
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Teenager goes blind after living off chips
Has modern society forgotten how to eat? We know that, despite hardships, many of our Stone Age ancestors enjoyed a great diet. Today, we live in luxury but lose touch with necessities.
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Massive study reveals there is no gay gene
Are experiments like this harmful? Human sexuality is far more complex than previously thought, say scientists. But some in the LGBT community say the research should never have taken place.