Politics & Society

Brazil’s highland forest has been shaped by climate change and Indigenous people for 6,000 years

Prehistoric pollen records show that forest dynamics were driven by more than just broad-scale climatic changes.

Why an EU ruling about a traffic app could have major implications for big tech companies

Big tech platforms argue they simply store and display information created by others, so should not be seen as legally responsible for it.

Can we map The Odyssey? How ancient geographers and modern researchers have traced Odysseus’s travels

Attempts to transpose the locations of The Odyssey accurately to modern maps have proved difficult.

This is what Andy Burnham’s devolution plans need to consider – expert panel

Our experts explain how devolution in the UK has worked in practice – and what needs to change.

The ball is round – and contrary to some keepers’ views, in this World Cup it has performed just fine

Is the Trionda ball being used at the tournament traveling too fast or flying unpredictably? We asked a physicist who tested the ball.

Congress set to overhaul disaster recovery, speeding up new home builds

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch Defends Institution Against White House Criticism

In an email to his staff, American educator, historian, and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III pushed back against a recent White House Domestic Policy Council report which accused the Smithsonian National Museum of American History of veering towards a mission rooted in “extreme political activism.” Bunch’s email, which was published by the Washington Post […]

Derryn Hinch was a bombastic journalist fuelled by imperfect principles and righteous outrage

Larger than life, likeable and untroubled by journalistic ethics, Hinch will be remembered for his heartfelt convictions.

Ten fathers took extended leave to care for their babies – how their family life changed

Fathers became more involved in the often invisible domestic work needed to keep family life running smoothly.

Why you are seeing bees struggling to survive this summer

Bumblebees are being affected by heat and other factors this summer.

Does it matter what children read, as long as they are reading?

Reading rarely starts with abstract arguments about its value – it often begins with subjects that already matter.

Weight-loss jabs may create a new kind of yo-yo dieting

Many people regain weight after stopping GLP-1 medicines. Long-term support may be as important as the drugs themselves.

Tropical forests can stop acting as carbon sinks during El Niño, says research

Some of South America’s tropical forests effectively stopped absorbing carbon during the 2015-2016 El Niño.

David Blunkett: police leadership needs radical reform to give people the protection they deserve

A third of police forces across England and Wales are judged by the inspectorate as “inadequate” or “requiring improvement”.

Teachers are worried about students cheating with AI, but my survey suggests the deeper issue is learning

As schools consider AI guidelines, educators are also thinking about how they can adjust their assignments to accurately measure what students are actually learning.

Even in conservative North Dakota, some socialist institutions thrive

Regardless of whether Americans think socialism is bad or good, or how they define it, most of them embrace socialist policies and programs – as long as no one calls them that.

Republicans have beef with Texas Rep. James Talarico – why does meat matter in US politics?

Two communication scholars explain how what Americans eat became shorthand for who they are.

Pittsburgh’s new romance bookstores sell more than happily-ever-afters

Two romance bookstores opened in Lawrenceville in early 2026. A psychologist explains why readers want community beyond their screens.

Israel and Lebanon have a long history of failed ceasefires – will this time be any different?

In past agreements, there appeared to be a tacit understanding between Hezbollah and Israel that conflict would eventually resume.

Why better-off cities and towns see more benefits from data centers than rural regions

Amid growing political pushback against data center development, more evidence is emerging of their impact on local economies.

Long COVID patients are told symptoms are in their head – here’s how to change the narrative

Long COVID shows why patients need assessment, respect and careful support that includes the brain-body connection.

The US can’t win with force in the Strait of Hormuz – Iran must be offered a realistic incentive to settle

Realists in the Islamic Republic know that sanctions relief and access to global markets are what Iran needs now.

World Cup history: a timeline of Africa’s greatest moments on the field

Ten pivotal moments that tell the story of how African football transformed itself.

UK politicians don’t want to talk about sportswashing

Politics and sport have a complex relationship.