How social media and human nature have spawned hoaxes and hate-mongering
Jan 12, 2017 00:13 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology
The internet held the promise of an interconnected global village that facilitated cooperation and dialogue through authentic information sharing. But the interaction between our inherent human tendencies and social media...
There is no silver bullet to stop fraudsters
Jan 12, 2017 00:11 am UTC| Insights & Views Law
A common stereotype of fraudsters is that they are psychopaths. That fraudsters are considered manipulative, callous and remorseless is understandable, considering the consequences of fraud. But these traits are not...
Syria is on the brink of partition – here's how it got there
Jan 12, 2017 00:09 am UTC| Insights & Views
After nearly six years of uprising, conflict and chaos, the partition of Syria is imminent. President Bashar al-Assad will of course rail against it; his crucial ally Iran will probably resist too, and the marginalised US...
Exxon's Rex Tillerson and the rise of Big Oil in American politics
Jan 11, 2017 18:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
How Big Oil Bought the White House and Tried to Steal the Country is the subtitle of a book that tells the story of a presidential election in which a candidate allowed money from big oil companies to help him win office...
Threats of violent extremism in Bangladesh are a symptom of deeper social and political problems
Jan 11, 2017 18:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Since gaining independence in 1971, Bangladesh - the worlds third-largest Muslim majority country has made remarkable social and economic progress. Once branded a basket case, the rate of the countrys social progress is...
Getting a scientific message across means taking human nature into account
Jan 11, 2017 18:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
We humans have collectively accumulated a lot of science knowledge. Weve developed vaccines that can eradicate some of the most devastating diseases. Weve engineered bridges and cities and the internet. Weve created...
The unintended consequences of UNESCO world heritage listing
Jan 11, 2017 18:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life
The principle of world heritage promoted by UNESCO is of crucial importance at a time when tourism has become a global phenomenon, involving more than a billion people and generating an annual revenue of nearly US$1245...
Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility
Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget
Biden administration tells employers to stop shackling workers with ‘noncompete agreements’
IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects