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How to help with school at home: don’t talk like a teacher
Prostock-studio/Shutterstock In many countries schools remain closed and the dinner table now serves as the school desk. This crisis has given us all new respect for the work that teachers do, but it has also given us an extraordinary moment to break the strictures of classroom learning. While there’s beenContinue Reading
Lockdown ‘funnelling’: how the pandemic has changed our relationships
The coronavirus lockdown has been a unique social experience that has had significant effects on our social relationships. Some have been strengthened while others have come under severe strain. Many people have found themselves confined for prolonged periods of time with other people and have come into conflict with eachContinue Reading
If health equals happiness, will coronavirus make the world an unhappier place?
fizkes/Shutterstock More and more politicians are starting to recognise that happiness rather than wealth might be a better way to measure their countries’ success. But with coronavirus causing significant disruption to people’s lives worldwide, what can we expect to happen to global happiness in the wake of the pandemic? ToContinue Reading
Why we need to know more about the UK government’s COVID-19 data project – and the companies working on it
The UK’s coronavirus contact-tracing app has been kicked into the long grass, with the government now saying it isn’t a priority and may not be ready until winter. The app – which has so far cost nearly £12 million – was supposed to be a key part of plans toContinue Reading
Curious Kids: Why is our dog so cute?
Golden Pixels LLC/Shutterstock Why is our dog Martha so cute? – Sam, aged nine, UK Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the world – and many owners regard them as an important member of the family unit. Just looking at our dogs can put a smile onContinue Reading
Women leaders and coronavirus: look beyond stereotypes to find the secret to their success
Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan and Angela Merkel of Germany have all been singled out for the way they have handled the coronavirus pandemic. They’ve been praised for demonstrating care, empathy and a collaborative approach. These skills – stereotypically described as “feminine” – have enabled themContinue Reading
How the brain builds a sense of self from the people around us – new research
Our sense of self depends on understanding how others think about the world. Barney Moss/Flickt, CC BY-SA We are highly sensitive to people around us. As infants, we observe our parents and teachers, and from them we learn how to walk, talk, read – and use smartphones. There seems toContinue Reading
Why children need to play with their friends as soon as they can
gpointstudio/Shutterstock Approximately 1.4 billion children worldwide are currently living under partial or full lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the UK, and in many other countries across the world, it has been six weeks or longer since children last played, in person, with a friend. Initial dataContinue Reading
Voice of America struggle for independence highlights issue of state role in government-backed media
Michael Pack at his confirmation hearing in Washington, September 2019. VOA Journalists, scholars, media freedom organisations and even senior Republicans have been alarmed by the appointment of Donald Trump’s nominee, Michael Pack, as chief executive of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees state-funded international media. Pack hasContinue Reading
What is methamphetamine or ‘crystal meth’?
Inside an illicit meth lab. Darwin Brandis/Shutterstock Ever been in love? You’ll know the rush. That’s chemistry at work. Our brain produces molecules such as 2-phenylethylamine, the mood enhancer also found in chocolate. But eating chocolate won’t make you fall in love – enzymes in your liver break it downContinue Reading