
Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself
If youre feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, youre not alone. But many of us cant look away and dont want to. Engaging with news can help us make sense of whats going on and, for many of us, is an...

AI won’t replace computer scientists any time soon – here are 10 reasons why
As AI systems expand their already impressive capacities, there is an increasingly common belief that the field of computer science (CS) will soon be a thing of the past. This is being communicated to todays prospective...

Feya Faku as I knew him – a tribute to the great South African jazz trumpeter
Lex Futshane, the South African bass player in the 1992 student band NU Jazz Connection, was the first to tell me that the great South African jazz trumpeter Feya Faku had died while touring Switzerland on 23 June. He was...

Invasive carp threaten the Great Lakes − and reveal a surprising twist in national politics
In his second term, President Donald Trump has not taken many actions that draw near-universal praise from across the political spectrum. But there is at least one of these political anomalies, and it illustrates the broad...

The 1925 Scopes trial, in which a Dayton, Tennessee, teacher was charged with violating state law by teaching biological evolution, was one of the earliest and most iconic conflicts in Americas ongoing culture war. Charles...

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...

Pop, soda or coke? The fizzy history behind America’s favorite linguistic debate
With burgers sizzling and classic rock thumping, many Americans revel in summer cookouts at least until that wayward cousin asks for a pop in soda country, or even worse, a coke when they actually want a Sprite. Few...