Why humans aren’t as egocentric as you might think – new research: fizkes/Shutterstock If you’ve read much about psychology or evolution, it’s easy to get the idea that humans are hardwired to act as if the world revolves around themselves. But my team’s new study joins a growing body of research showing that humans are …
Skin cancer: more people die from types that aren’t melanoma – surprise new finding: Bokehboo Studios/Shutterstock If you mention skin cancer, most people think of melanoma – the deadliest skin cancer. The other ones are pretty benign, right? Not so. Worldwide, more people are now dying of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) than melanoma, a new …
Climate hazards aren’t restricted by borders – African countries have taken a big step to address this: Climate risks can be complex to deal with because they don’t respect country borders. Hazards in one region can have negative repercussions in another. These are known as transboundary climate risks, and they’re a growing concern. They require …
Most people who think they are allergic to penicillin aren’t: Michael Moloney/Shutterstock About 6% of people in the UK are wrongly labelled on their medical records as being allergic to penicillin, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has warned. This figure is concerning because being labelled as allergic to this class of highly effective antibiotics is associated …
South Africa’s smallholder vegetable farmers aren’t getting the finance they need: this is what it should look like: Fresh efforts are being made to increase the share of black ownership in South Africa’s agricultural sector. This follows decades of missteps and badly designed interventions that have failed to significantly change the ownership patterns in the …
Women still feel like they aren’t listened to when they give birth – here’s what could help change things: Ratchat/Shutterstock Women often report that they are not listened to or given choices about what happens during their own labour. But studies have long shown that feeling heard and having choice during childbirth enhances women’s wellbeing. …
Hotels and employment aren’t major ‘pull factors’ for refugees – here’s what really draws people to move: The hotels housing asylum seekers have become sites of protest. JMundy/Shutterstock People make decisions about where to live, when to leave and where to move based on several complex factors. Among policymakers and people who study immigration, the …
Many GCSE students still aren’t taking modern foreign languages – how to motivate them to consider it: Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock Figures for GCSEs taken in 2023 show that entries for GCSEs in languages have increased slightly from last year. Despite this, the number of pupils taking a modern foreign language stands at less than 60% of …
A-level results 2023: what to do if your grades aren’t what you hoped: macondo/Shutterstock It’s likely that the proportion of top A-level grades awarded in England this year will go down this year. The government wants to combat “grade inflation” and align results with those handed out in 2019, before the pandemic. COVID-19 disruption, cancelled …
Bats are avoiding solar farms and scientists aren’t sure why: The common pipistrelle. Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock As our planet continues to warm, the need for renewable energy is becoming increasingly urgent. Almost half of the UK’s electricity now comes from renewable sources. And solar accounts for one-fifth of the energy capacity installed since 2019. Solar farms …
Net zero: direct costs of climate policies aren’t a major barrier to public support, research reveals: Amid headlines of wildfires raging across Europe and Africa and flooding in China, the UK government took the bewildering choice to expand fossil fuel extraction. Prime minister Rishi Sunak declared that more than 100 new oil and gas drilling …
People with dementia in care homes aren’t getting enough help with their hearing loss – new survey: wave break media/Shutterstock Most care home residents have both dementia and hearing loss, which can leave them feeling lonely and depressed. Hearing loss and dementia both cause difficulties with listening, understanding and communicating. This can lead to breakdowns …
Fungal infections in the brain aren’t just the stuff of movies – Africa grapples with a deadly epidemic: The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. This fungus can cause a number of disorders in people with compromised immune function or other lung diseases. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library/GettyImages In the 2023 American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of …
Sindiwe Magona’s new book of essays tackles issues South Africans aren’t talking about: I Write Into the Yawning Void is Magona’s new book, released in the year she turns 80. Björn Rudner Björn Rudman Sindiwe Magona – who turns 80 this year – is a celebrated South African writer, storyteller, speaker and activist. In 2022 …
Why the Bank of England’s interest rate hikes aren’t slowing inflation enough and what that means for mortgages: Consumer price inflation stuck at 8.7% in May, defying expectations of a slowdown and making a further rise in UK interest rates inevitable. The May figures came out the day before the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy …
Conspiracy theories aren’t on the rise – we need to stop panicking: Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock Several polls in the past couple of years (including from Ipsos, YouGov and most recently Savanta on behalf of Kings College Policy Institute and the BBC) have been examining the kinds of conspiratorial beliefs people have. The findings have led to …
‘Shy girl workouts’ aren’t just a great way to get fit – they may also help women gain confidence in the gym: Many young women find the gym to be intimidating. oneinchpunch/ Shutterstock Social media is full of fitness trends. While some of these are outlandish or verging on dangerous, others are actually helpful. Take …
China in Africa: Kenya railway study shows investment projects aren’t a one-way street: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images China is an important economic player in Africa. In 2021 alone, China accounted for nearly US$ 5 billion in foreign direct investment in African countries. The rapidly increasing Chinese presence across Africa has become a contentious issue …