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 …
Data centres in space: they’re a brilliant idea, but a herculean challenge: Be under no illusions … Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock Data centres are the backbone of our digital infrastructure, supporting everything from social media platforms to online shopping and streaming services. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and the internet of things, …
Easing Africa’s debt burdens: a fresh approach, based on an old idea: The statistics are stark: 54 governments, of which 25 are African, are spending at least 10% of their revenues on servicing their debts; 48 countries, home to 3.3 billion people, are spending more on debt service than on health or education. Among them, …
The idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong: The 0.4% rise in US consumer prices in March didn’t look like headline news. It was the same as the February increase, and the year-on-year rise of 3.5% is still sharply down from 5% a year ago. All the same, this …
These are the latest trending searches on Google right now: The Idea of You: : Daily Search Trends Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?
Sunscreen: why wearing it even in winter could be a good idea: The Sun's radiation can still damage our skin even in winter. Stanislav Nikolov/ Shutterstock Sunscreen has taken centre stage in many skincare routines, especially among those hoping to prevent visible signs of ageing. But while it makes sense to wear sunscreen every day …
4 east African countries are going for nuclear power – why this is a bad idea: The east Africa region has the fastest growing population in Africa. Between 2013 and 2017, its growth rate was twice the African average. The region is also experiencing strong economic growth. It’s sub-Saharan share of GDP has risen from …
The vast majority of us have no idea what the padlock icon on our internet browser is – and it’s putting us at risk: The padlock icon which appears in most internet browser address bars. Robert Avgustin/Shutterstock Do you know what the padlock symbol in your internet browser’s address bar means? If not, you’re not …
Replacing frontline workers with AI can be a bad idea — here’s why: R. Classen / Shutterstock AI chatbots are already widely used by businesses to greet customers and answer their questions – either over the phone or on websites. Some companies have found that they can, to some extent, replace humans with machines in …
Do we live in a computer simulation like in The Matrix? My proposed new law of physics backs up the idea: shutterstock canbedone/Shuttestock The simulated universe theory implies that our universe, with all its galaxies, planets and life forms, is a meticulously programmed computer simulation. In this scenario, the physical laws governing our reality are …
Giving AI direct control over anything is a bad idea – here’s how it could do us real harm: NicoElNino / Shutterstock The release of the advanced chatbot ChatGPT in 2022 got everyone talking about artificial intelligence (AI). Its sophisticated capabilities amplified concerns about AI becoming so advanced that soon we would not be able …
Degrowth: slowing down rich economies to deal with climate change is a flawed idea: Degrowth will result in industrialised countries having less income for climate change mitigation GettyImages The notion of “degrowth” is gaining traction among some politicians in Europe. It was given a platform recently at the European Parliament’s “Beyond Growth” conference. Jason Hickel, …
AI: why installing ‘robot judges’ in courtrooms is a really bad idea: corgarashu / Shutterstock Science fiction’s visions of the future include many versions of artificial intelligence (AI), but relatively few examples where software replaces human judges. For once, the real world seems to be changing in ways that are not predicted in stories. In …
Replacing methane with hydrogen to heat homes is a bad idea — here’s why: Ronstik/Shutterstock Hydrogen is an energy-rich gas, which releases no carbon emissions when burned. It can be used in most equipment where fossil fuels such as natural gas (methane) or LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) are currently used. In your home, that might …
Europe outsourcing asylum to African countries is a terrible idea – there are alternatives: Nigerien police processing Emergency Travel Mechanism evacuees in Niamey, Niger in 2019. Laura Lambert For 40 years, western governments have entertained ideas of outsourcing asylum processing and refugee hosting to the global south. It is not a new idea. And neither …
Rishi Sunak’s reorganisation: history shows creating government departments in response to short-term problems is rarely a good idea: UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has announced a major reorganisation of Whitehall, creating a new department dedicated to energy and another for science and innovation as well bringing various business and trade portfolios under one roof. Reorganisations …
South African Tourism wants to sponsor football club Tottenham Hotspur – is it a good idea?: Tottenham Hotspur play Arsenal in a Premier League match in 2023, kit heavily branded. Alex Pantling/Getty Images South African Tourism (SA Tourism) is reported to be planning to spend US$ 52 million (about R900 million) to sponsor UK football …
Six reasons Britain’s impending voter ID law is a bad idea: Under new government rules, voters across Great Britain will be required to show photographic identification before being given their ballot paper at many elections. (Northern Ireland already requires voters to provide photographic ID.) But not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Two cross-party …