Turmoil at OpenAI shows we must address whether AI developers can regulate themselves: OpenAI, developer of ChatGPT and a leading innovator in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), was recently thrown into turmoil when its chief-executive and figurehead, Sam Altman, was fired. As it was revealed that he would be joining Microsoft’s advanced AI research …
Climate crisis: what to consider if you’re questioning whether to have children: pathdoc/Shutterstock The warnings about the disastrous impact we are having on our planet are becoming more dire. The UN Environment Programme’s most recent emissions gap report, which tracks our progress in limiting global warming, revealed that the world is on course for a …
How BookTok trends are influencing what you read – whether you use TikTok or not: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock If you’ve been in a bookshop recently, you may have seen references to BookTok – whether it’s stickers on books or whole tables dedicated to “BookTok favourites”. BookTok is a community on the social media app TikTok. Creators …
No evidence to show whether autism health passports are effective – new review: Health passports were developed to help patients better communicate their needs with medical staff by allowing people to record details about their disability or health condition. They are sometimes known as a communication passport, healthcare passport or a hospital passport and can …
How your genes may determine whether you can be an endurance athlete: Endurance isn't the only type of fitness linked to genetics. Robert Kneschke/ Shutterstock For some of us, no matter how consistently we train, running never seems to get any easier – while others appear to be naturally gifted and can run for miles …
Microsoft and Activision: the big questions that will decide whether the US billion deal goes ahead: Microsoft’s proposed US$ 68 billion (£52 billion) acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard should be allowed to go ahead, according to a US federal judge. After five days of gruelling testimony, Judge Jacqueline Corley ruled the merger is …
Five ways to know if a river is polluted – and whether it’s safe to go in the water: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock England’s rivers are in a mess. Just 14% are in good ecological condition – and that’s just the ones that are regularly assessed. There are many reasons for this. They include growing pressure …
How food insecurity affects people’s rights to choose whether or not to have children, and how they parent: Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock Food insecurity – difficulties getting enough nutritious food for a healthy life – is a growing problem globally. It has been linked to many health and social problems including malnutrition, difficulties managing diabetes, impaired development …
Lie detectors: body language tells us surprisingly little about whether someone is being honest: B-D-S Piotr Marcinski/Shutterstock Do you ever wonder if you could pass a lie detection test or imagine what it would be like to read people’s body language? Reading body language may be great for adding tension to action movie interrogation scenes, …
US elections: November ballot will test whether Trump is ready to bounce back: When the US goes to the polls on November 8, it won’t just be a test for those politicians seeking re-election, but also of President Joe Biden’s popularity. The midterms take place every two years in the middle of a four-year presidential …
Fracking: the simple test for whether it should happen in the UK: The UK’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, recently announced the reversal of the 2019 ban on fracking. Facing an acute energy crisis, the government want to increase domestic energy production. According to conventional economic theory, whether or not fracking should occur is simple. …
Pregnancy in space: studying stem cells in zero gravity may determine whether it’s safe: Weightlessness affects how our cells develop and divide. MarcelClemens/Shutterstock Space is a hostile, extreme environment. It’s only a matter of time before ordinary people are exposed to this environment, either by engaging in space tourism or by joining self-sustaining colonies far …
UK energy crisis: why rationing is likely to happen this winter, whether Liz Truss likes it or not: Managed blackouts or rationing or power could be required to address the energy crisis this winter. Enrique Micaelo / Shutterstock In the 1970s, the UK government used a series of planned blackouts to manage energy shortages. The …
How to Measure Whether Your Solar System CAN function Off-Grid or Not?: “We have seen many people on social media saying that they are installing a 5 kW inverter and 12/16 solar panels so that they can say goodbye to Eskom and, in many cases, I would say that they have been misled,” says Alan …
We don’t know whether most medical treatments work, and we know even less about whether they cause harm – new study: 'I have no idea if this will work.' Josep Suria/Shutterstock Only one in 20 medical treatments have high-quality evidence to support their benefits, according to a recent study. The study also found that harms …
Whether you followed lockdown rules may have been influenced by your genetics – new research: Everyone had a different experience of the pandemic Shutterstock All over the world, people suffered the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on their wellbeing. However, the impact was not the same for everyone. We know physical health and mental health …
Heart disease risk and depression: a new study explores whether the two may be linked: Inside Creative House/Shutterstock For generations, people have been fascinated by the links between mind and body. For example, do people really die of a broken heart? Does a healthy mind indicate a healthy body? Scientists have been studying the associations …
Ukraine: the complex calculations that will decide whether Belarus enters the conflict on Russia’s side: For several days, there have been reports about Belarus committing troops to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Fears are growing that a “false-flag” operation inside Belarus could be the pretext for the country attacking Ukraine. Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko, in an …