Latest Stories
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Dicing with death on the Grand Prix circuit
Are Formula One drivers the gladiators of our day? Roman Grosjean’s great escape has been hailed as a triumph for safety technology. But horrific accidents may also be a crowd-puller.
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Lockdown could be destroying your memory
Is memory a muscle? Lockdown could be causing forgetfulness, but humans have developed a number of ingenious methods to counter it, from memory palaces to mystical theatres to “chunking”.
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The people seeking the company of wolves
Is it time for the return of the wolf? For centuries, these fierce animals have been seen as a menace. But some now believe they have a vital part to play in rebalancing the environment.
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Historians launch encyclopaedia of smells
Are smells the key to history? The EU is to spend £2.5m capturing ancient aromas. They hope this will help bring the past alive. Others say we will never know what it felt like at the time.
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Prince Charles blistering attack on The Crown
Has Netflix gone too far? The new series of The Crown, depicting the Prince of Wales’s troubled first marriage, has been widely criticised, and he himself is said to be furious about it.
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Bitter row over naked statue of feminist icon
Is the new statue for Mary Wollstonecraft offensive? The women’s rights activist is finally being recognised more than 200 years after she died. Now critics are asking: why is she naked?
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Dark rumours of Trump coup plot grip USA
Is Donald Trump staging a coup? Many believe the outgoing president is attempting an illegal power grab. Others, such as Joe Biden, think his refusal to admit defeat is just “embarrassing”.
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‘Historically she is more important than Joe’
Will Kamala Harris become president? She is set to be the first female vice-president and first black person in the post. And at 56, she is number two to a man who is 78 in just eleven days.
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The dark night when terror came to Vienna
Is ISIS back? Monday night’s murderous attacks in the Austrian capital have increased fears that the Islamic terror group is starting to regroup after the crushing defeat of its caliphate.
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Threats and anger as US election day looms
Should the world be ready for a contested US election? Tomorrow, the most powerful nation on Earth will vote for its next president – but both candidates may end up claiming they have won.
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The stubborn roots of modern anti-Semitism
Will the world ever be free of it? A new report into anti-Semitism in the British Labour Party has led to the suspension of its former leader – but some see a much more intractable problem.
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No fatal wounds in Trump/Biden final duel
Could it be a Biden landslide? No clear winner emerged as the candidates locked horns for a final time last night. Now, some believe anti-Trump sentiment could push Biden to a historic win.
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Millennials losing their faith in politics
Can democracy survive? As national leaders worldwide move to curb local mayors and leaders, a new survey shows that millennials are losing faith in democratic systems altogether.
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World on edge as China flexes its muscles
Is Xi Jinping echoing Hitler? China is ramping up the aggression towards its neighbours, prompting some to liken it to Nazi Germany. Others say the West is deliberately stoking tensions.
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The week science fiction became reality
Does progress make us happy? Scientific innovations can make life longer, easier and more convenient. But some say that technological progress does not guarantee happiness.