Blog Archives

How to help kids navigate fake news and misinformation online

How to help kids navigate fake news and misinformation online

Young people get a huge amount of their news from social media feeds, where false, exaggerated or sponsored content is often prevalent. With the right tools, caregivers can give kids the knowledge they need to assess credible information for themselves. Being able to identify the trustworthiness of information is an important concern for everyone. Yet […] … learn more→

“White left” as Chinese Insult

“White left” as Chinese Insult

Intelligence is a tough thing to measure. We have all sorts of tests, and all of them are subject to various criticisms, many valid. Despite this, it’s clear the tests are at least a little reliable, because one ethnic group consistently comes out on top: Asians (statistically, which means very little when addressing a specific […] … learn more→

Results from the first global brain wave measurement show power, not money, is the new religion

Results from the first global brain wave measurement show power, not money, is the new religion

Modern societies are usually defined as relatively unreligious, dominated by money and power rather than belief in gods. This idea marks them out as modern when compared to traditional societies as well as highlighting the many issues of modernity including capitalism, growth, overproduction and climate change. But why are we so sure that secularisation and […] … learn more→

Truth is a “racist myth”?

Truth is a “racist myth”?

I wrote earlier of how we’re being bombarded with false “facts” so obviously wrong that there’s little choice but for rational people to start considering what the fake media refers to as “alternative facts.” What happened to us as a people that we no longer can agree on even the most basic of concepts, like […] … learn more→

Censorship at the Evanston Public Library

Censorship at the Evanston Public Library

On Friday June 2, the Evanston Public Library held a hearing that may lead to the firing of librarian Lesley Williams this week. Her alleged crime? Posting a message on her personal Facebook page criticizing the library’s efforts at racial equity. This makes it an important case in the wake of Garcetti v. Ceballos, about […] … learn more→

Parachuting in courses from the West does African entrepreneurs no good

Parachuting in courses from the West does African entrepreneurs no good

Growing youth unemployment remains a socio-economic challenge in Africa. Several initiatives, including foreign development aid programmes, are being deployed to address this. Many come with noble intentions. But they are undermined by the flawed approach of parachuting solutions made in the West. A study focusing on a seven year old multi-million dollar programme from the […] … learn more→

What happens when scientists stand up for science

What happens when scientists stand up for science

The 2017 March for Science was a powerful political statement by scientists. The marchers opposed political interference, budget cuts and lack of support for science at a government level. More commonly, though, scientists stay in their labs and avoid the public political spotlight. CSIRO scientist John Church – who initially acted as an individual (not […] … learn more→