We live in the age of free things. Free social media, free email, free search engines, free maps, free news, free artificial intelligence. Capitalism, that system we so often accuse of greed, seems to have become generous. But there’s a small, uncomfortable detail: nothing in this world is self-generating. As Karl Marx reminded us , all value […] … learn more→

People often refer to writing as thinking without necessarily knowing where and how this idea developed. It is in part from Linda Flower and John Hayes who published a paper in 1981 offering a cognitive process theory of writing. And reading their paper again, now, shows that their observations are still pretty apt descriptions of the work that goes […] … learn more→

The higher education sector is more aware of disability than it was a few years ago. Universities are more willing to provide support, and attitudes have improved. What students describe day to day, however, tells a different story. A recent report on accessibility for disabled students in UK universities, produced by Disabled Students UK in partnership with charity […] … learn more→

As countries around the world look to follow Australia’s lead and implement a social media ban for kids, many are also considering fines as an enforcement mechanism. This is part of the playbook when it comes to regulating big tech. For example, last month the United Kingdom’s data watchdog fined Reddit £14 million (A$26 million) for unlawfully using children’s […] … learn more→

Life has a way of getting in the way. Maybe you started college and had to stop. Maybe you went straight into the workforce and never looked back. Or maybe you always meant to go but never quite got there. Whatever your story, one thing is clear: it’s not too late. Earning a bachelor’s degree […] … learn more→

Each March, many of the country’s most selective colleges and universities release their admissions decisions, reviving debates over the roles of race, wealth and privilege – and putting Americans’ cultural obsession with rankings back in the spotlight. Meanwhile, a more personal set of questions will emerge in many homes and schools. Who got into a “better” school, and why? And […] … learn more→

K-12 teachers and students across the country are increasingly using AI in and out of classrooms, whether it is teachers turning to AI to refine lesson plans or students asking AI to help them research a particular topic. An estimated 85% of K-12 public school teachers recently reported that they used AI during the 2024-2025 school year – often […] … learn more→

It’s called the infinite scroll – a design feature on social media, shopping, video and many other apps that continuously loads content as you reach the bottom of the page. Handy? Yes. Clever? Also yes. Devious? Very much so. The infinite scroll is likely the main reason you find it so hard to stop scrolling once you […] … learn more→

It’s a familiar feeling: You start a text message, and your phone’s auto-complete function suggests several choices for the next word, ranging from banal to hilarious. “I love…” you, or coffee? Or you’re finishing an email, and merely typing the word “Let” prompts your app to suggest “Let me know if you have any questions” […] … learn more→

Jürgen Habermas died on Saturday 14 March, 2026 in Starnberg, near Munich. He was 96. The news has been moving through academic social media in the way these things do, with people sharing half-remembered seminars and dog-eared copies of books that changed how they thought. Let me situate Habermas for those of you who havent […] … learn more→