The phenomenon of citizen science is not new, but it has grown over the last decade. Moreover, you yourself may have contributed by observing birds from your balcony or garden during the 2020 confinement, or by using your smartphone to identify a plant or an insect during a walk in the forest. In doing so, you shared your observations […] … learn more→
Counting birds, identifying plants: does participatory science really advance research?
Why forgetting is a normal function of memory – and when to worry
Forgetting in our day to day lives may feel annoying or, as we get older, a little frightening. But it is an entirely normal part of memory – enabling us to move on or make space for new information. In fact, our memories aren’t as reliable as we may think. But what level of forgetting is actually […] … learn more→
Living with robots in harmony: the keys to social robotics
In fiction it is not strange to find the figure of the assistant robot. This is usually a fully self-aware humanoid robot, a type of sapiens robot programmed to collaborate on certain tasks with humans. Some of the best known are C-3PO, from Star Wars , and Baymax, from Big Hero 6 . In these stories there is usually […] … learn more→
Academic failure: history and invention of a concept
The French school is reputed, at least in a significant part of public and political representations, to be locked in a multifaceted crisis. Thanks to these findings, attention has focused on “academic failure”, “dropouts” and the average results of French students in international rankings (PISA). This context of increased academic competition translates, in the eyes […] … learn more→
Why banning gym selfies could do us all a lot of good
Taking selfies to document daily life is now a completely normalised activity across all ages and demographics. At the same time, however, selfies are often maligned – particularly in specific contexts such as at places of worship, sacred sites, or when animals are made unwitting participants. It’s easy to see why taking selfies could be considered inappropriate in such cases. But […] … learn more→
Why is free time still so elusive?
There have been massive gains in productivity over the past century. So why are people still working so hard for so long? Output per worker increased by almost 300% between 1950 and 2018 in the U.S. The standard American workweek, meanwhile, has remained unchanged, at about 40 hours. This paradox is especially notable in the U.S., where […] … learn more→
What are ‘multiplication facts’? Why are they essential to your child’s success in maths?
`One of the essential skills students need to master in primary school mathematics are “multiplication facts”. What are they? What are they so important? And how can you help your child master them? What are multiplication facts? Multiplication facts typically describe the answers to multiplication sums up to 10×10. Sums up to 10×10 are called […] … learn more→
University rankings are unscientific and bad for education: experts point out the flaws
We rank almost everything. The top 10 restaurants in our vicinity, the best cities to visit, the best movies to watch. To understand whether the rankings were any good you’d want know who was doing the ranking. And what it was they were looking for. These are exactly the same questions that are worth asking […] … learn more→
How to give children a taste for science
Throughout history, through its discoveries and innovations, science has been the engine of human progress. However, many people, especially young people , are unaware of much of the knowledge she brought . As teachers and researchers, we take up the challenge of bringing new generations closer to science. It is also about combating inequalities between men and women in […] … learn more→
AI is everywhere – including countless applications you’ve likely never heard of
Artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly everywhere. Right now, generative AI in particular – tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, Gemini (previously Bard) and others – is at the peak of hype. But as an academic discipline, AI has been around for much longer than just the last couple of years. When it comes to real-world applications, many have […] … learn more→