Most of us have little trouble working out how many millilitres are in 2.4 litres of water (it’s 2,400). But the same can’t be said when we’re asked how many minutes are in 2.4 hours (it’s 144). That’s because the Indo-Arabic numerals we often use to represent numbers are base-10, while the system we often […] … learn more→

There have been at least three watershed moments in how humans access information. One came with the invention of the printing press in 1440, which revolutionised the spread of knowledge. Another came in 1998, when the launch of Google changed how we search for and retrieve information. The third happened in late 2022, with the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI). […] … learn more→

Since ChatGPT and other large language models burst into public consciousness, school boards are drafting policies, universities are hosting symposiums and tech companies are relentlessly promoting their latest AI-powered learning tools. In the race to modernize education, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the new darling of policy innovation. While AI promises efficiency and personalization, it also introduces […] … learn more→

A ten-week online brain training programme helped older adults’ brains act as though they were a decade younger, a recent study has found. Much like exercise for the body, regular mental workouts can help keep the brain in shape. As we age, brain processes that support memory, attention and decision-making can become less efficient. Keeping the mind […] … learn more→

People often take walking for granted. We just move, one step after another, without ever thinking about what it takes to make that happen. Yet every single step is an extraordinary act of coordination, driven by precise timing between spinal cord, brain, nerves, muscles and joints. Historically, people have used stopwatches, cameras or trained eyes […] … learn more→

One of the things that separates just OK academic writing from really good academic writing is how smoothly it flows. You’ve probably read papers where every paragraph feels like a fresh start, you’re constantly working to figure out how ideas connect. And then you’ve read papers where the argument just unfolds naturally, carrying you along […] … learn more→

Sofia is in the park with her five-year-old daughter. She has her phone in one hand and is rummaging through her bag with the other for work papers. She’s tense. Her voice sounds halting when she answers her little girl, who runs to show her something in the sandbox. “I can’t right now, Emma,” she […] … learn more→

Deciding where to send your child to kindergarten has become one of the most high-stakes moments in many American families’ lives. A few factors have made selecting an elementary school particularly challenging in recent years. For one, there are simply more schools for parents to pick from over the past few decades, ranging from traditional public and private […] … learn more→

Differences between men and women in intelligence and behaviour have been proposed and disputed for decades. Now, a growing body of scientific evidence shows hundreds of genes act differently in the brains of biologically male or female humans. What this means isn’t yet clear, though some of the genes may be linked to sex-biased brain disorders […] … learn more→

Oklahoma has become a testing ground for reshaping public school curriculum to reflect conservative viewpoints, Make America Great Again priorities and a push for Christian nationalism in the classroom. Oklahoma’s former state education Superintendent Ryan Walters oversaw several controversial education policies in recent years, including mandating in 2024 that all Oklahoma public teachers incorporate the Bible into their lesson plans. Walters resigned from his […] … learn more→