BBC’s emergency Gaza radio broadcasts show why World Service mustn’t rely on digital technology: The BBC has just announced that it will start an emergency radio service for listeners in Gaza. Daily news bulletins will be produced in London and Cairo by BBC News Arabic, the corporation’s Arabic-language television service. The radio service will broadcast …
How consciousness may rely on brain cells acting collectively – new psychedelics research on rats: Psychedelics can help uncover consciousness. agsandrew/Shutterstock Psychedelics are known for inducing altered states of consciousness in humans by fundamentally changing our normal pattern of sensory perception, thought and emotion. Research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics has increased significantly in the …
47% of South Africans rely on social grants – study reveals how they use them to generate more income: Informal trading is one way grant recipients use to supplement their income. shutterstock South Africa has one of the world’s most expansive social grant system: 47% of the population relies on a monthly grant. Of these, …
Food aid supply chains rely on a surplus – here’s what happens during a shortage: Ink Drop/Shutterstock Many households in Britain have felt the impact of recent food shortages or, at the very least, noticed sparse shelves in the fresh produce aisle of their local shop. For people whose next meal may come from food …
Climate change: why we can’t rely on regrowing coastal habitats to offset carbon emissions: Akuditaputri/Shutterstock Removing several hundred billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere is now considered necessary to avert the worst effects of climate change. Using nature to help achieve that goal, by allowing habitats to regenerate, would seem to offer a win-win …
Biodiversity depends on pollinators: a first estimate of how many plants rely on animals: The daisy Dimorphotheca pluvialis depends on insects like the pictured horsefly for its pollination. A.G. Ellis The honeybee may be the best-known pollinator of plants, but there are thousands of pollinator species, including other bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies and even …
High street brands cannot rely on history and familiarity to survive — new research: Shutterstock/J Woodhouse At a precarious time for the high street, a sense of brand heritage might be considered a great strength. The theory is that well known stores are able to boast – and attract customers with – a proud history …
Why US presidents shouldn’t rely on stock market performance to win votes: Worth shouting about? patcharapon via Shutterstock While Donald Trump’s positive test for COVID-19 provoked volatility on US stock markets, they remain only a few percentage points down from the all-time highs reached in early September. After a crash in March caused by the …
Grammars receive £50m boost, while primary and secondary schools rely on cash donations from parents: A handful of grammar schools are to receive a £50m boost to expand their pupil numbers. To qualify for the funding, schools had to submit plans on how they would try and increase the number of poorer pupils. In total, …
Why the 11 countries that rely on the Nile need to reach a river deal soon: The River Nile at Cairo, Egypt. Flickr/Emad Faied More than 300 million people rely on the waters of the River Nile. The Nile river basin contains over 10% of Africa’s landmass, in 11 countries: Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, …