- South Africa’s Freedom DayThirty years ago, South Africa held its first free elections. The event was a crowning moment after decades of struggle against apartheid, the racist system that had ruled the country until then.
- Trafalgar Square’s Fourth PlinthTrafalgar Square is full of renowned landmarks but also of some less-known elements such as the Fourth Plinth, an unfinished monument that today has become the place for exciting contemporary art installations.
- Animation and the OscarsWe take a look at the relationship between the Academy Awards and animation, from Disney’s Mickey Mouse shorts of the 1920s to this year’s Best Animated Feature Film, Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron .
- A Brief History of Italian-American CuisineItalian-American cuisine has a long history. It predates the arrival of Italian immigrants in the United States, and it has continued to evolve to this day.
- Gender gap researcher wins the Nobel Prize in EconomicsAmerican economist Claudia Goldin received the Nobel Prize in Economics 2023. Her groundbreaking research is fundamental in understanding gender inequalities in the labour market and uncovering the causes behind the gender pay gap.
- Doomscrolling and the rise of Solutions JournalismMainstream media is full of bad news and consuming it can become addictive. This habit, called doomscrolling, makes us anxious and passive, but there is a world of positive journalism that can inspire us to engage actively with the world.
- Celebrating non-violence and kindnessThe International Day of Non-violence is celebrated every year on 2 October. This United Nations observance was inspired by the work of Indian political activist Mahatma Gandhi who championed non-violence as the best way to fight against oppression and injustice.
- The allure and perils of social mediaThe allure of social media has become so strong that a third of young Americans want to become influencers. But social media has its dangers, and a few young people are exploring a different way to stay connected.
- The rise of A.I. art and text-making toolsA.I. tools can now produce exceptional artwork and human-like texts of all kinds using very little human input. Is this something to celebrate or to be concerned about?
- Birds Aren’t Real and conspiracy theoriesAccording to the Birds Aren’t Real Movement, the US government killed all American birds and substituted them with robot replicas. Is this Movement serious, or is it trying to tell us something about conspiracy theories and fake news?
- The mystery of the Mary CelesteThis December, 150 years ago, an American-registered brigantine called Mary Celeste was found adrift and eerily deserted in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The unexplained disappearance of the crew of this ghost ship has become one of the most intriguing and famous sea mysteries of all time.
- The BBC celebrates a century of broadcastingThe BBC began transmitting on 14 November 1922. First through radio, then television, it set out ‘to inform, educate and entertain’, a mission that has successfully shaped its 100 years of broadcasting.
- Population decline, social justice, and the environmentBirth rates are declining in high-income countries such as the US and the UK. It is an alarming trend which has several causes, some positive such as the emancipation of women, and some negative such as social, economic and environmental insecurity.
- The Coachella Valley Music and Arts FestivalThe 21 st edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held this April in the Colorado Desert. Coachella is considered one of the most successful and influential music festivals in the world.
- New US coins celebrate American womenThis year the United States Mint began releasing special new coins featuring twenty women who contributed positively to American history in fields such as civil rights, politics, science, space, and the arts.
- 2021 – A good year for renewablesMore new green energy was produced in 2021 than ever before. From giant offshore wind farms to fields that grow vegetables under solar panels, renewables are a driving force in the transition to a more sustainable world.
- Star Trek, space tourism, and the Overview EffectThis summer three private enterprises flew civilians to outer space. Among the first ‘space tourists’ were actor William Shatner and aviation pioneer Wally Funk. But is space tourism just an amusement for a select few, or can it also bring new understanding to life here on Earth?
- The British world heritage sitesEvery year, UNESCO selects several places of outstanding cultural and natural importance from around the world and includes them in a prestigious World Heritage List. This year a new, unusual British site was selected, one that highlights the importance of Britain as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution that transformed the world.
- The Ig Nobel PrizesThe Ig Nobel Prize, a spoof on the name of the more famous Nobel, is given annually to scientists and researchers who investigate the most unusual issues in various fields. It’s both a light-hearted and a serious prize, as it aims to reward research that “first makes people laugh and then makes them think.”
- Harvesting metals from plantsAny material that cannot be grown must be mined… until now. Scientists from Australia and other countries are experimenting with amazing plants capable of ‘mining’ metals and minerals. Soon we might farm plants that not only grow fruit and vegetables, but also produce metals such as manganese and nickel.