G20 countries could produce enough renewable energy for the whole world – what needs to happen: The world’s most developed economies have also burnt the most oil and coal (fossil fuels) over the years, causing the most climate change damage. Preventing further climate change means a global fossil fuel phase-out must happen by 2050. Climate …
Nasa and Esa want to bring Martian rocks to Earth. Here’s what will happen to the samples once they get here: Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS A mission will deliver rock and soil from Mars to laboratories on Earth in the 2030s. Mars Sample Return (MSR) is led by Nasa with participation from the European Space Agency (Esa). The …
Kenya’s decision to make maths optional in high school is a bad idea – what should happen instead: Kenya’s education ministry announced in March 2025 that mathematics would be an optional subject in senior secondary school, which begins in grade 10. Most students in this grade are aged 15 years. The education minister said the …
Quantum effects make distant objects move together: new research finds this may happen with ripples in space: An illustration of two black holes orbiting each other. Eventually they will merge, producing gravitational waves. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Galaxies, planets, black holes: to most people, everything about our Universe sounds and feels enormous. But while …
Kenyan protesters are demanding President Ruto be removed – what the law says about how that could happen: In June 2024, many Kenyans took to the streets to protest what they believed were punitive taxes imposed by President William Ruto’s government. Though the president caved in and withdrew the contentious Finance Bill 2024, protesters are …
80% of premature baby deaths happen in poorer countries. Five simple measures that can help save them: Worldwide in 2020 a baby died every 40 seconds because of complications of prematurity. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children under 5 years old. The burden of preterm birth is heavier in in low- …
#JeSuisCharlie was one of the most viral hashtags in history – here’s why it wouldn’t happen today: conejota/Shutterstock It will be nine years on January 7 since a shooting at French weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killed 12 and injured 11 of its employees. The attack led to an immediate and unprecedented outpouring of solidarity …
AI could make cities autonomous, but that doesn’t mean we should let it happen: You are walking back home. Suddenly the ground seems to open and a security drone emerges, blocking your way to verify your identity. This might sound far-fetched but it is based on an existing technology – a drone system made by …
COP28: countries have pledged to cut emissions from cooling – here’s how to make it happen: Saikat Paul/Shutterstock Cast your eyes over the statistics in a new report I helped author on staying cool in a warming climate and the urgency becomes clear: 1 billion people, mostly in Africa and Asia, are at high risk …
African countries lost control to foreign mining companies – the 3 steps that allowed this to happen: Within a few years of independence, African governments asserted sovereignty over their metal and mineral resources. Prior to this, the resources were exploited by European mining corporations. Since the 1990s, transnational corporations have once again become the dominant …
Zambia’s foreign debt tragedy – what needs to happen to resolve the crisis: Three years after defaulting on its foreign debt, Zambia is still trying to reach agreement with all its creditors on how to manage this situation. This has left the southern African country in a state of development finance limbo. It is handicapped …
Compassion fatigue can happen to anyone — here’s how you can overcome it: Compassion fatigue doesn't mean you lack sympathy. Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock When tragic events happen, no matter how far away from us they are, it’s hard not to pay attention. Many of us empathise with the people in these situations and wonder how we …
British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next: On his official visit to Kenya, King Charles III acknowledged Britain’s colonial era “wrongdoings”. He also paid tribute to Kenyan soldiers who had participated in the first and second world wars on behalf of Britain. His visit coincided with Kenya’s 60th independence …
What will happen to the Greenland ice sheet if we miss our global warming targets: Bryn Hubbard It’s hard to overstate how crucial Greenland, and its kilometres-thick ice layer, is to climate change. If all that ice melted, the sea would rise by about seven metres – the height of a house. But what happens …
Lagos building collapses: we used machine learning to show where and why they happen: Building collapses have become a major menace in Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos is the business hub of the country and has its largest seaport and airport. With an estimated population of 15.4 million, it is the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa and …
Trump on trial: experts answer key legal and political questions about what could happen next: Former US president Donald Trump outside a New York court on April 4 2023. Lev Radin/Shutterstock Donald Trump has notoriously become the only former US president to face a criminal indictment — much less four. Opinions on the prosecutions, predictably, …
AU peacekeepers are leaving Somalia: what needs to happen to keep the peace: The phased withdrawal of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) began earlier this year and is scheduled to end in December 2024. The withdrawal of African Union (AU) peacekeepers poses risks for Somalia. For one, it may reduce the pressure …
How English women’s football could become a billion pound industry – and where the money comes from to make it happen: A long-awaited official review of women’s football in England sets out ten recommendations designed to transform and develop the sport at every level. The review, which was chaired by former international player Karen Carney, …