Latest Stories
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Record migrant numbers risk lives to reach UK
Should rich countries take in more refugees? Illegal crossings of the English Channel have risen to an all-time high, reigniting an agonising debate on the West’s responsibilities.
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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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The super-cow v the old-fashioned plough
Was farming better 1,000 years ago? Scientists believe they have discovered how to breed “super-cows”. But others argue that agriculture was far more sustainable in medieval times.
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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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Scientists find possible life on Venus
Is there life on our neighbouring planet? A gas detected floating in the clouds above Venus could hold the key to extra-terrestrial life quite unlike anything we have ever imagined.
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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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The not-so-slow death of Earth’s wildlife
Should we blame humanity for the coming age of extinction? A new report surveying the decline of global biodiversity offers a stark reminder of how people have changed the world.
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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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Hidden secrets of the Doomsday glacier
Does our survival depend on the Thwaites Glacier? Scientists monitoring the immense sheet of Antarctic ice warn that if it melts, the effect on global sea level could be catastrophic.
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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.