Latest Stories
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The monoliths from outer space (or maybe not)
Do we Earthlings NEED to believe in aliens? The appearance of strange monoliths in the Utah desert and Romania has fuelled speculation that creatures from another world want to make contact.
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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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‘A breathtaking, beautiful day for science’
Was it pure science that saved us? Some are eagerly taking that as the lesson of yesterday’s new vaccine announcement – but it is worth asking whether there are other heroes in this story.
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Lockdown loneliness reaches record levels
Is it the leprosy of our times? The latest statistics show that loneliness is soaring to unprecedented levels. To make matters worse there is a powerful taboo around admitting it in public.
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Playing for laughs: how humour made us human
Is laughter a matter of survival? A new theory suggests that a good sense of humour might be a sign of intelligence, making us more desirable mates and giving us an evolutionary advantage.
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The unknown soldier remembered 100 years on
Should we embrace the unknown? Memorials to unnamed soldiers affect us on a deep psychological level, but there are also philosophical reasons to accept the unknown and welcome uncertainty.
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The Average Joe who could triumph over Trump
Is ordinariness the secret of his success? He is not always suave and sophisticated. But if he wins tomorrow, Joe Biden will become the oldest first-time American president in history.
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Tabby, or not tabby: that is the question
Are cats the best philosophers? A new book argues that they have a far better attitude to life than humans, and studying their behaviour can help to dispel many of our illusions.
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Star-gazing prophet sparks astrology row
Is astrology just harmless fun? Supporters think that it can comfort people who are afraid of the future, but sceptics fear that it encourages the gullible to choose fantasy over reality.
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Boris battles the boffins over lockdown
Should we follow the science? As British politicians clash over whether to impose a corrective two-week lockdown, the role science plays in our decision-making has come under the spotlight.
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New book reveals unsolved ghost mysteries
Could ghosts really exist? A new book tells the true story of a suburban housewife in the 1930s whose extraordinary experiences obsessed the public – and baffled expert ghost-hunters.
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Society on the brink as second lockdown looms
Does loneliness threaten democracy? Charities warn of a mental health “time bomb” as lockdown drives soaring levels of alienation – leading to a surge in angry populism and social breakdown.
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Facebook flushes out conspiracy theorists
Should all conspiracy theories be banned? Facebook has just announced a ban on QAnon, a wide-ranging conspiracy theory. But some believe that this opens the door to forbidding free thought.
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‘Empty your minds. Be water, my friend.’
Should we be more like water? He is best known as an actor and martial artist. But now a new book is set to introduce the philosophy of Hollywood star Bruce Lee to the next generation.
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Man, 41, evicted in court by his own parents
Should parental responsibility end at 18? Judges all over the world are forcing young people to leave their parents’ homes. Now some argue it is time to redefine our notion of adulthood.