By Carlos Gershenson, Professor of Innovation, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Many health symptoms can be caused by multiple illnesses – if AI can’t tell the difference between them, it won’t be able to operate accurately without human oversight.
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By Eben Proos, Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Event Management, Central University of Technology
Bloemfontein could become South Africa’s top astro-tourism spot, using clear skies, observatories and planetariums to draw visitors and boost local jobs.
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By Alexander M. Laskaris, Visiting Scholar, University of Florida
Olivier Walther, Associate Professor in Geography, University of Florida
Kidnapping for ransom has a long history in the west African Sahel. In 1979, a rebel group led by Chad’s future president Hissène Habré kidnapped a French archaeologist and a German medical doctor in the north of the country. The kidnappers asked for the release of political prisoners, among other demands.
Over the decades kidnapping became an industry in the Sahel. Governments were willing to pay financial and…
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By Shirley C. Strum, Professor of the Graduate Division, School of Social Sciences and Emerita, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego
Conflict between humans and baboons can tear communities apart. Shirley C. Strum has studied wild olive baboons in Kenya for more than 50 years. In that time she’s come to understand the species intimately. In this article she argues that humans have taken from nature (without asking) for too long. And that now it’s time for us to rethink this relationship.
What have you learnt about baboon behaviour and…
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By Nicolette V Roman, SARChI: Human Capabilities, Social Cohesion and the Family, University of the Western Cape
At the end of the year, many families reunite to enjoy time together. These times can be happy, yet sometimes they reveal tensions, unsatisfied needs and difficult relationships. The reality is that being together does not necessarily mean you are connected. Families can be both joyful and anguished or distressed at the same time.
These contradictions are brought into focus during festive periods. They show just how strong the ties of a family are, and remind us that family life is not just a social structure but a continuous practice of connecting and caring.
In our work…
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By Gulnaz Anjum, Assistant Professor of Climate Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Department of Psychology, University of Limerick
Mudassar Aziz, Researcher, Psychology, University of Oslo
In November 2025, Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, registered a “hazardous” air quality index of 509, according to IQAir, a global air quality monitoring organisation. The number speaks for itself. Eyes sting, throats burn and headlights blur into halos. In winter, the city feels as though it has slipped beneath a toxic sea.
Across Pakistan’s major cities, the shift into colder months no longer brings relief from heat or flooding. Winter has become smog season.
For weeks at a time, the…
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By Lorna Stevens, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Strategic Marketing, University of Bath
In the dark months of winter, the warm glow of Christmas fairy lights and flickering candles brings some welcome atmospheric respite. And that atmosphere is something many retailers try to capture as they tempt shoppers with their festive marketing campaigns.
The John Lewis Christmas advert for example, has become a seasonal staple, while rival Marks and Spencer has found success with its “Magic and Sparkle” campaign, which plays on the company’s brand name.
There are many more. Christmas is…
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By Andy Levy, Reader in Psychology, Edge Hill University
Vaping among teenagers is a growing global health problem.
In the UK, schools are reporting a surge in young people struggling with dependence, including cases of students needing medical attention after vaping in class. In the Netherlands, researchers have found that many teenagers wake up at night specifically…
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By Elisabeth Schweiger, Lecturer in International Politics, University of Stirling
The Trump administration’s push to label drug traffickers as “narcoterrorists” and kill them at sea has generated global outrage. But the controversy risks missing the larger story.
Experts, non-governmental organisations and the UN have condemned the strikes as unlawful assassinations and Washington’s claim that it is acting in self-defence does not appear to hold up to legal…
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By Emma Stafford, Professor of Greek Culture, University of Leeds
This year, fans of the tiny marmalade-loving bear from Peru can catch him on stage at London’s Savoy Theatre in the West End, in Paddington The Musical.
This is a stage adaptation of the first film in the most recent Paddington franchise, which began in 2014. While it features more than 18 new songs by Tom Fletcher (of the band McFly), it follows the film’s plot quite closely. It also shares its values of home, family and tolerance of difference – particularly relevant to current debates…
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