Most academic writers are regular readers. There is of course a strong connection between reading and writing. Reading and writing feed each other. But I’m not focused on the connection right now. No, I’m thinking about how hard we often find it to prioritise time for reading. And how maybe the reality is that most […] … learn more→

Lucy Christopher, a new mother, had been trying to return to her work-in-progress for several months, but could find neither time, headspace, nor validation that writing was worth the time away from her child. Why should she spend time writing when it would likely bring few financial rewards? Anyway, could she still write? Perhaps having […] … learn more→

Public battles over what schools can teach about sex, identity and relationships, often framed around “parental rights,” have become more intense in recent years. Behind the loud debate lies a quiet contradiction. Many parents who say sex education should be taught only at home don’t actually provide it there, either. As a scholar of sex education, I […] … learn more→

A painless, non-invasive brain stimulation technique can significantly improve how young adults learn maths, my colleagues and I found in a recent study. In a paper in PLOS Biology, we describe how this might be most helpful for those who are likely to struggle with mathematical learning because of how their brain areas involved in this […] … learn more→

New applications and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with wearable devices are changing the way users interact with their environments and each other. The impacts and reach of these new technologies have yet to be fully understood. Connections between technologies and bodies is not a new thing for many disabled persons. Assistive technologies — tools […] … learn more→

In the Middle Ages, the term “bastard” did not always carry a stigma. In fact, it only acquired the full force of an insult from the 19th century onward .  In the past, social experiences of illegitimate filiations were far more complex than we imagine today, as highlighted by the research program “Medieval Filiations, Identity, and Otherness.” […] … learn more→

The Supreme Court tends to save its blockbuster orders for the last day of the term – and 2025 was no exception. Among the important decisions handed down June 27, 2025, was Mahmoud v. Taylor – a case of particular interest to me, because I teach education law. Mahmoud, I believe, may become one of the court’s most consequential rulings […] … learn more→

Would you like to see your thoughts live and try to change the ones you don’t like? In general terms, that’s what neurofeedback is all about . It’s a “training technique” that allows us to observe our brain activity in real time to learn how to modulate it voluntarily, thanks to the use of electroencephalography (EEG). Let’s imagine the brain as […] … learn more→

On Tuesday, some Australian university students got access to a new payment. The Commonwealth Prac Payment is available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students. It will provide A$331.65 a week during compulsory professional placements, to help with living and study expenses. This could include travel, accommodation, uniforms and lost income from other employment. But […] … learn more→

We are consuming and depleting the planet’s resources at an ever-increasing pace . To address this problem, the need to abandon the traditional linear model based on producing, using, and throwing away has emerged in recent years, replacing it with a new production model: the circular economy, based on reducing the amount of resources used and reusing […] … learn more→