How to live with bears
Bear-man conflicts have made news in the Alps but history tells a story of a possible cohabitation.
Beyond Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico, Latin America’s innovation potential is largely untapped
The 2017 Global Innovation Index shows that most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean could do much more to tap their innovation potential
Cold War kids: This time it’s youth, not ideology, igniting unrest
A war of words among Cuba, Venezuela and the United States sounds a lot like a Cold War revival. A closer look at the conflict reveals a new generation of contradictions.
Is freelancing the future of employment?
Freelancing is hardly the glamorous, coffee-fueled industry shown on TV. In OECD countries, most gig workers are in the service sector.
The hidden secrets of insect poop
Bugs use their own defecation to defend their young, locate their homes and increase mating opportunities. For humans, insect faeces may even have untapped medicinal properties.
How ‘temporary urbanism’ can transform struggling industrial towns
Pop-up parks and tiny houses are just a few of the innovative solutions that can help post-industrial cities across Europe and North America adapt to the future.
Minority histories of the Indian national flag
As India celebrates its independence, the flag is on full display, but few people know about the complex origins of this ubiquitous national symbol.
Governors gone wild: Mexico faces a “lost generation” of corrupt leaders
Three Mexican governors have been arrested in 2017 abroad after fleeing justice, and nearly 90% of the country's citizens see the government as deeply corrupt.
North Korea missile crisis echoes Israel’s anti-rocket strategy
There is much debate over how to react to North Korean missile threats. What can we learn from Israel’s responses to actual rocket attacks?
How much longer will Maduro’s grip on power last? Look to the military
The loyalty of Venezuela’s soldiers is getting shaky. History shows from the Arab Spring to Latin American coups, when the military withdraws support for a leader, a fall from power is imminent.
Study finds women in gender-equal countries have better cognitive skills – here’s how to understand it
Even short-term exposure to negative stereotypes has detrimental effects on cognitive functioning.
Can tourism alleviate global poverty?
International tourism is a booming business, with tourists spending US$1.4 trillion each year. Who's benefiting from this outlay of cash?
Wildfires are raging in the Mediterranean. What can we learn?
Italy, Portugal and Spain have all gone up in flames in recent weeks, highlighting the need to rethink how Mediterranean countries protect people and save ecosystems.
Heroin trafficking through South Africa: why here and why now?
South Africa is only one piece in a larger puzzle of the heroin trade along the continents east coast.
Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ is already a disaster – but it could get worse
Oxygen-free areas will continue to grow until we stop pumping excess nutrients into the oceans.
Legal weed: An accidental solution to the opioid crisis?
As Canada moves towards legalization of cannabis in 2018, there is growing evidence of the drug's potential to treat opioid addiction itself, as well as the chronic pain that often drives it.
Affirmative action around the world
'Positive discrimination' policies around the world are on the rise. What might other countries teach the U.S. about attaining racial, economic and gender equality in higher education?
We frown on voters’ ambivalence about democracy, but they might just save it
Ambivalence among voters is reason to think about how democracy is working for us as a community. To keep democracy alive we need to be sceptical about the exercise of power and keep it in check.
How the humble potato fuelled the rise of liberal capitalism
When Enlightenment thinkers were looking for a way to build a healthy and productive society, they hit upon the tuber.
Fences are an increasing threat to Africa’s migratory wildlife
Many mammals depend on large areas and trans-boundary conservation for their survival. When this is obstructed it can have a catastrophic impact on animal populations.