Swear Like A Champ

Swearing is found in every language, and even chimps do it. But why do we swear, and is it a good thing? We chat to Emma Byrne, author of a new book on the subject

Hallucinogenic Drug Brewed By Amazonians Could Be Used To Treat Alcoholism And Depression

A psychedelic drug traditionally used in South American shamanic ceremonies could be used to treat alcoholism and depression, new research from the University of Exeter and University College London suggests.

Can Likes Become Votes?

Marketing firm Cambridge Analytica convinced its customers that they could use data mined from Facebook to influence people’s votes. With South Africa’s elections on 8 May, we wonder: do their psychological profiling techniques really work?

The Height Of Innovation

Could virtual reality be useful in treating anxiety disorders? Psychologists led by Prof Daniel Freeman of Oxford University are using VR to help people overcome their fear of heights.

Sperm-Stoppers - The Search For A Male Contraceptive Pill

For over half a century, women have been able to take control of their bodies to prevent pregnancies. But many men now want to share this responsibility with their partners. So how long will they be waiting for a male pill?

No More Heart Attacks

Can cutting-edge new treatments and therapies put an end to cardiovascular and circulatory disease for good?

HAWKING'S LAST HURRAH

The world-famous physicist and author of A Brief History Of Time was laid to rest alongside Newton and Darwin

Scattered In The Wind

Get your head around outdoor acoustics

Could Different Mealtimes Make You Healthier?

A touch of patience could positively impact cholesterol and blood sugar levels

So Hot Right Now

Why have heatwaves been so common in recent months?

Can We Stop Male Suicide?

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50. We want to know if current research could help us find a solution…

Why Your Brain Hates other People

It turns out that everyone’s a little bit racist. But don’t worry, we can use our biases to change our behaviour for the better

Meet The Happiest People On The Planet

How, and why, do the world’s happiest people keep smiling through the long winter months?

A Vision For The Whole Planet

James Chen is the founder of Clearly, a new global initiative to solve the largest unaddressed disability in the world – poor eyesight

Do You Have To Be Mad To Be Funny?

The way a comedian’s brain works is subtly different to the rest of us

Complete Cocoa

Why is cocoa hard to dissolve, and what’s the best way to make the perfect hot chocolate?

In Search Of Wisdom

Professor Mike Bruton – prolific author, educator, ichthyologist, historian, imaginer (his term) and much more – is an unconventional academic. For one thing, he seems to place a premium on sharing his knowledge, rather than coddling it in a corner.

Are We Becoming More Violent?

With the conflict in Syria, terrorist attacks in France and racial tensions in the USA, it’s easy to think we’re becoming more violent. But do the stats paint a different picture?

Is The Dark Web Disappearing?

TECHNOLOGY

Turned On By Teaching

Dr Tyler DeWitt, educator, scientist and creator, shares some of his views on the importance of learning about science

Sleep Deprivation Could Help Fight Depression

Large study finds that ‘wake therapy’ is as effective as antidepressants

South Africa's 40 Top Inventions

In his book What a Great Idea! Awesome South African Inventions, Mike Bruton examines the immediate and long-term impact and disruptive effect of local ingenuity

Was 'Snowball Earth' Caused By A Perfect Storm Of Fire And Ice?

If you were to hop in a time machine and travel back about 717 million years, you’d be greeted with scenes reminiscent of the ice planet Hoth in Star Wars. But exactly how the Earth came to resemble a giant snowball has long been up for debate.

Like The Wind

Yes, that is someone cycling. Down the side of a mountain.

An Impudent Effort

Author Terence Tracey drove from Johannesburg to London in a 50-year-old Hillman Imp – in order to get to a birthday party

Tiny Treatment

Folding robots controlled by magnetic fields can be used to study microscopic objects such as cells. Prof Orlin Velev of North Carolina State University explains how they work 

The First Environmentalist

Climate change is a hot topic. Take a look at the trailblazing scientist who first predicted it more than 200 years ago.

​Nanochip Could Heal Injuries With “One Touch”

Researchers at the Ohio State University have designed a tiny device that genetically re-programmes skin cells. It’s hoped it could be used to repair injured tissue, including organs, blood vessels and nerve cells. 

are you a genetic superhero?

recent research has revealed a handful of ‘superheroes’ walking among us, whose dna gifts them with resistance against serious diseases. now we just have to find them … 

are cities affecting our mental health?

according to the un, almost two-thirds of us will live in cities by 2050. the growth of cities cannot be stopped. nor, it seems, do we want to halt their expansion. but should we?