Masters of the Universe tries to manage the absurd masculinity of He-Man – it should just accept masculinity is absurd
The French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan once said that the most tragic thing about masculinity was that it had a symbol. He didn’t have He-Man in mind when he made this comment. He died in 1981, two years before the original cartoon’s debut. But he might as well have. (He was talking about the phallus, if […]
The graduate job market is grim right now – but the data says university is still worth it
fizkes/Shutterstock Spend ten minutes talking to a soon-to-be graduate about their job search and you might come away convinced that a university degree has become a confidence trick. The class of 2025 spent the better part of a year sending hundreds of applications for a handful of replies. The class of 2026 is now graduating […]
Iran war: ordinary Israelis and Lebanese remain trapped by the false promises of their leaders
When the United States and Israel began their conflict against Iran, the Islamic Republic retaliated – as it has done in the past – by launching missile strikes against Israel as well as US military basis in the region. In addition, Iran targeted military and civilian locations across several Arab Gulf states. Iran’s proxy in […]
Tonight the Music Seems So Loud: George Michael’s music, artistry and drama
Writing about the world’s biggest pop icons is often a double-edged sword. On the plus side, authors know the public is always hungry for more (just see the volume of unofficial Taylor Swift biographies released in recent years). But minus side, they need to find a new angle to avoid treading over old ground. In […]
Great apes: what we know about their cognition, cooperation and curiosity after two decades of research
A chimpanzee sits in the Pongoland enclosure at Leipzig Zoo, where a huge amount of research has been conducted since 2004. Marco Warm/Shutterstock Leipzig Zoo in central Germany is a world-leading centre of great ape research. Recent studies have seen chimpanzees there using touchscreen controls to navigate virtual forests and locate food rewards – applying […]
Why ‘psychopath’ is a dangerous label when it comes to criminal justice
Hari Sucahyo/Shutterstock A defendant stands in the dock. An expert describes them as a “psychopath”. In an instant, one word threatens to eclipse their history, circumstances and the crime itself. In Ireland, England and Wales, judges are not supposed to add years to a sentence because someone has been described as a psychopath. But the […]
Britain’s reading revival may be failing to reach those most disconnected from books
Plenty of adults think of themselves as readers. They remember the books they loved as children, the novels they stayed up late to finish, and the periods of life when reading felt natural and routine. Yet many have not finished a book in months, or even years. The National Year of Reading 2026 has placed […]
A new reuse symbol aims to be as recognisable as the recycling logo – and make more of a difference
New reuse networks will include collection points like this. Rebrand Reuse, CC BY-NC-ND A new universal symbol for reuse aims to encourage the switch from single-use to reusable packaging and the development of a more integrated reuse systems worldwide. Reuse systems reduce the use of virgin material, retain packaging materials within the economy for as […]
Pain shouldn’t be judged with a lie detector test – here’s why
Peopleimages/Shutterstock.com In 2006, Carl Koch sued his employer for damages after burn injuries during a workplace accident that left him with chronic pain. The employer accused him of malingering, so the judge admitted a neuroscientist as an expert witness, who testified that he could see Koch’s pain on a brain scan. The case was settled […]
How methane policy will make or break the climate crisis
While some countries are introducing abatement policies, key gaps remain in current policies. Quality Stock Arts/Shutterstock There’s no sign that methane emissions are declining globally. That’s according to the International Energy Agency’s latest report on methane, which revealed a worrying implementation gap in current policies. The UN has warned repeatedly that getting methane emissions under […]