Why Trump’s plans for tariffs on foreign films probably won’t have a happy ending: Bill Chizek/Shutterstock With its tariffs policies, the administration of US president Donald Trump aims to correct the country’s persistent goods trade deficit. The president has argued that the US has been “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” by other countries. Trump feels …
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 …
US election: Jewish and Muslim votes probably don’t have the power to change the outcome – despite backlash on Gaza policy: Recent polling suggests that Joe Biden’s policy of backing Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian war is hurting him in the eyes of American Muslims. An #AbandonBiden campaign was launched by Muslim voters in Minnesota in …
Five things you probably have wrong about the T rex: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock An icon from the age of dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex has featured in everything from blockbuster movies to the shape of chicken nuggets. As a creature to be feared for its bone-crushing bite or ridiculed for its inability to give a high five, T …
The climate change we caused is here for at least 50,000 years – and probably far longer: In February 2000, Paul Crutzen rose to speak at the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme in Mexico. And when he spoke, people took notice. He was then one of the world’s most cited scientists, a Nobel laureate working on huge-scale …
Israel: why the brand boycotts probably won’t make much difference: McDonald’s and Starbucks are among numerous western companies facing consumer boycotts over the Gaza conflict. McDonald’s found itself caught in the crossfire after an Israeli franchisee said it was providing thousands of free meals to the Israel Defense Forces. Similarly, Starbucks faced boycott calls after …
Emergency contraception: here’s what you probably don’t know but should: The 'morning after pill' can actually be taken up to five days after unprotected sex. Image Point Fr/ Shutterstock Things don’t always go to plan when it comes to sex. Sometimes condoms break (or are even forgotten altogether) and daily contraceptive pills can be missed. …
New research reveals that Ötzi the iceman was bald and probably from a farming family – what else can DNA uncover?: In 1991, hikers came across a body that was partially contained in ice high up in the Alpine province of South Tyrol, Italy. Initially thought to be from a recent death, the body was …
Six pregnancy terms you probably won’t hear again, including ‘high risk’ and ‘failed’: The language midwives use is an important part of the care they provide. Blue Planet Studio/Shutterstock Medical terminology evolves alongside our understanding of medicine. As time goes by, new terms are adopted while others are abandoned. In midwifery, there should always be …
Weight loss: drinking a gallon of water a day probably won’t help you lose weight: Water is important for your health, but it can't boost weight loss. Prostock-studio/ Shutterstock It’s often claimed that if you’re trying to lose weight, one of the things you should do each day is drink plenty of water – with …
The UK government does have a legal case for withholding WhatsApp messages from the COVID inquiry — but here’s why it will probably lose in court anyway: The UK government has decided to challenge, via a judicial review, a ruling on document disclosure by Baroness Hallett, the chair of the public inquiry which is looking …
What is life like as a wild animal? Probably nicer than you think: Miroslav Hlavko/Shutterstock If you know anything about the experiences of animals reared in captivity for food, fur or human amusement, you might imagine that the lives of wild animals are idyllic. If nature is conceived as a sort of Garden of Eden …
The best drugs for stopping smoking that you probably can’t have – new review: Mita Stock Images/Shutterstock When so much time and effort goes into developing the best medical treatments, we expect them to be available when we need them. The same goes for addiction treatments, so it’s worrying that two of the most effective …
Brain training probably doesn’t help ADHD – new study: r.classen/Shutterstock Drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be very effective, but they can come with a range of undesirable side-effects, such as increased anxiety, trouble sleeping and loss of appetite. It is not surprising that people have sought other treatments. Brain training – …
Having low expectations probably won’t make us happier – here’s what psychology research says: mavo/Shutterstock Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year running. A range of theories have been put forward to explain why the Nordic nation continues to rank at the top of the table for happiness, …
Five important things you should have learned in sex ed – but probably didn’t: It's important to talk about sex with your partner. SeventyFour/ Shutterstock If you grew up in the 90s and 00s, you may feel that sex education didn’t teach you much of practical value. Most sex education during this time followed a “prevention” …
ChatGPT: why it will probably remain just a tool that does inefficient work more efficiently: Jirsak/Shutterstock ChatGPT is a remarkable technological development, capable of writing compelling prose that comes across as natural, coherent and knowledgeable. But it has its limits, and can be made to say silly things. I managed to get it to say …
Why a couple of post-workout beers probably won’t stop you gaining muscle: Some believe any amount of alcohol will ruin your 'gains'. Slava Dumchev/ Shutterstock If you’re trying to build muscle, you’ve probably come across a slew of videos online by influencers and so-called experts discussing all the things you need to do outside of …