- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- The America's cupThis March, the 36th America’s Cup was held in New Zealand between the boats Te Rehutai of New Zealand and Luna Rossa of Italy. The America’s Cup is the most prestigious sailing trophy, and the oldest sporting competition in the world, with a rich 170-year-long history.
- Water on the moonNASA’s latest discovery might change the future of space exploration: its telescope SOFIA found water on the moon. We look at what this means for the astronauts that will go to the Moon in the near future, and we reflect on what astronomy in general means to humanity.
- Electing a new presidentSince 1788, every four years Americans have voted to elect their president. We look at this age-old tradition and at this year’s election campaign, fought between incumbent president Donald Trump and the Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
- Celebrating 100 years of women's suffrage in the USIn 1920, women obtained the right to vote in the United States. It was the outcome of a long and hard struggle that involved overcoming many obstacles and prejudices. Some of these can still be seen today in important aspects of our societies and even in our language.
- Cabin fever and its remediesLethargy, irritability, frustration, impatience: during the current lockdown, millions of people around the world are experiencing the effects of a strange condition called ‘cabin fever’. Luckily it can be ‘cured’ and turned into an opportunity for self-improvement and for re-connecting with others in a meaningful way.
- Social distancing and the handshakeWe live in a time when we have to limit our social interactions. Among other things, we are advised to avoid a very common and very ancient gesture: the handshake. What is the story and meaning of the handshake and can we find a valid alternative?
- Coronavirus: a global emergency?It’s all over the news everywhere: the Coronavirus epidemic is spreading around the world. Is it a true, global threat, or are we all overreacting? Let’s look at some facts.
- Royal painsLast January Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, decided to “step back” from their roles as senior royals. It was an unexpected decision that rocked the Royal Family and sent the press into a frenzy.