Gaining research funds is always tough, but some people are having it tougher than usual at the moment. In late 2024, the New Zealand government cut all Humanities and Social Science funding from the Marsden Fund, their main research funding program. Since coming to office in the United States, Donald Trump has cut funding in a […] … learn more→

As teachers, but also when we need to explain anything to anyone, we are interested in approaching topics in a simple and direct manner. Dialogue is a valuable tool not only for teaching, but also for inquiry, discovery, and dialogue. We call Socratic maieutics the method by which the teacher, through questions, helps the student […] … learn more→

Earlier this year, scientists discovered a peculiar term appearing in published papers: “vegetative electron microscopy”. This phrase, which sounds technical but is actually nonsense, has become a “digital fossil” – an error preserved and reinforced in artificial intelligence (AI) systems that is nearly impossible to remove from our knowledge repositories. Like biological fossils trapped in rock, these […] … learn more→

We are constantly fed a version of AI that looks, sounds and acts suspiciously like us. It speaks in polished sentences, mimics emotions, expresses curiosity, claims to feel compassion, even dabbles in what it calls creativity. But here’s the truth: it possesses none of those qualities. It is not human. And presenting it as if […] … learn more→

Professional frustration has become palpable and widespread across all organizations, sectors, geographic regions, and demographic groups. People are dissatisfied with their careers, and only 20 to 30% of employees feel engaged in their work . Studies on burnout and job turnover, along with surveys such as Deloitte’s Millennial Survey , reveal that many workers seek meaningful roles but struggle […] … learn more→

A wave of restrictions on protesting has been rippling through Australia’s top universities. Over the past year, all of Australia’s eight top research universities (the Group of Eight) have individually increased restrictions on campus protests. The changes include bans on indoor protests and restrictions on banners, posters and student announcements. At some campuses, groups need to give notice or obtain university […] … learn more→

Few realities of scientific advancement have excited our novelistic minds as much as the possibility of de-extinctating species . The option of bringing back to our present-day world the grandeur and spectacle of animals whose impressive fossils in museums give us goosebumps has been a dream many of us have had since childhood. So much so that writers have […] … learn more→

Since the Trump administration began slashing the budgets of its main scientific agencies, some university administrators in Quebec—and also in Canada—have found themselves daydreaming aloud: why not take advantage of this “crisis” to attract the “best minds” from the United States, now established as a “bulwark against authoritarian excesses”  ? These sweeping statements, however, make it appear as if […] … learn more→

United States federal agents tried to enter two Los Angeles elementary schools on April 7, 2025, and were denied entry, according to the Los Angeles Times. The agents were apparently seeking contact with five students who had allegedly entered the country without authorization. The Trump administration has been targeting foreign-born college students and professors for deportation since February 2025. This […] … learn more→

From dire wolves to woolly mammoths, the idea of resurrecting extinct species has captured the public imagination. Colossal Biosciences, the Dallas-based biotech company leading the charge, has made headlines for ambitious efforts to bring back long-lost animals using cutting edge genetic engineering. It recently announced the birth of pups with key traits of dire wolves, an iconic predator […] … learn more→