How we measure energy efficiency in homes isn’t working: Rawf8/Shutterstock If you’ve ever rented or bought a house, you’ve probably come across energy performance certificates (EPCs). These certificates, with their brightly coloured bar charts, adorn estate agents’ windows and tell prospective tenants and buyers how energy efficient their property is on a scale of A …
Jacob Zuma isn’t a man with a cause. Just a wily politician trying to evade the law: Jacob Zuma in 2015 when he was South African president and president of the ruling African National Congress. South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruling to imprison the country’s former president, Jacob Zuma, was unprecedented. But it wasn’t unexpected. The …
Nuclear energy isn’t a safe bet in a warming world – here’s why: The overwhelming majority of nuclear power stations active today entered service long before the science of climate change was well-established. Two in five nuclear plants operate on the coast and at least 100 have been built just a few metres above sea …
Learning about white privilege isn’t harmful to white working class children – viewpoint: A UK parliamentary inquiry arguing that white working-class pupils have been let down has been greeted with a mixture of support, confusion and outrage. Described as an attempt to “stoke the culture war” by a Labour MP on the committee, the report …
Fake news: a simple nudge isn’t enough to tackle it – here’s what to do instead: Fake news spreads rapidly. FGC/Shutterstock One high-profile theory of why people share fake news says that they aren’t paying sufficient attention. The proposed solution is therefore to nudge people in the right direction. For example, “accuracy primes” – short …
Nigeria isn’t ready to legalise marijuana: a scientist’s view: Science should guide the debate about legalising marijuana in Nigeria Kevin Cummins/Getty Images Nigeria has been debating whether to legalise marijuana. Its House of Representatives is set to discuss a bill to that effect. The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asked Olakunle Idowu, a Professor of pharmaceutical …
Bitcoin: China’s crackdown isn’t enough – only a global effort can stop crypto’s monstrous energy demand: Anucha Cheechang/Shutterstock Huge concrete data centres, permanently plugged into power plants and telephone exchanges, maintain much of online life. But the infrastructure behind internet-based cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, dogecoin and ethereum is more like a rusty travelling circus. And …
Naomi Osaka isn’t the only elite athlete to struggle with mental health – here’s how sport should move forward: After dropping out of the French Open, Osaka opened up about her mental health struggles. Leonard Zhukovsky/ Shutterstock Naomi Osaka, world number two tennis player, is the latest in a long line of elite athletes to …
Genocide in Namibia: why Germany’s bid to make amends isn’t enough: The mortal remains of some of the victims of German atrocities in Namibia that Germany handed over in 2018. Adam Berry/Getty Images) The recent “joint declaration” of the Namibian and German governments on dealing with the 1904-08 genocide marks the first time a former …
Nigeria’s National Assembly: why adding seats for women isn’t enough: Nigeria cannot afford the high cost of creating additional seats in its National Assembly. Sunday/Aghaeze/AFP via Getty Images Nigeria has very few women participating in politics. Only seven out of 109 senators and 22 of the 360 House of Representatives members are women. And only …
South Africa in the news: Sisonke study isn’t over just yet – there’s so much more to learn, say lead investigators: For three months, the Sisonke study team set about vaccinating nearly 500,000 people who worked in health facilities across SA. The study has finished the vaccinations, but there is still much more to …: …
Criminality isn’t the only way to see electricity theft in Zimbabwe. Here is why: shutterstock Electricity theft is a global challenge and Zimbabwe hasn’t been spared. The country has lost up to 1,000km of power lines due to cable theft. The official explanation is that this is driven by organised crime with some accomplices coming …
Incest isn’t a taboo in the animal kingdom – new study: Kletr/Shutterstock We humans tend to regard incest as deeply disturbing. It’s a strong social taboo, and it’s underpinned by sound biological reasoning. Mixing genes with a non-relative is beneficial because it increases genetic diversity, while genetic defects often occur in the offspring of related …
Push for COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver isn’t a panacea: but it could nudge companies to share: shutterstock A new proposal, this time from the US, on how to open up access to vaccines against COVID-19 by relaxing patent rights, has added to an already complex and fraught debate between the World Trade Organisation’s 164 members. …
Ivermectin: why a potential COVID treatment isn’t recommended for use: As the search continues for treatments for COVID-19, the results from a number of studies have led to changes in the advice on which drugs to give people who are suffering from the disease. The European Medicines Agency and the United States National Institutes of …
Pubs are reopening but research shows contact tracing still isn’t working – here’s how to fix it: Every customer must sign in when pubs reopen. View Apart/Shutterstock Contact tracing is vital to supporting public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. But rather than providing truthful information, it seems many people lie when asked to provide their …
South Africa bottom of the class for road safety? Here’s why this isn’t true: Onlookers gather on Queen Elizabeth bridge to look at a public transport bus that drove over the side of the bridge in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images In an average year, 1.35 million people die on the world’s …
Turing scheme: when it comes to studying abroad, money isn’t the only concern: Studying abroad for even a short period can lead to tangible social and economic benefits pxhere.com The Turing scheme, launched on March 12 by the UK government, is touted as a replacement for the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, to which UK students no …