Opinion – It’s time we stopped lying about the housing crisis
Gen Z and Millennials are continuously told that buying a house is as simple as saving money. But this out-of-touch approach needs the boot. Everywhere you look, statistics about the housing market are as dire as the next. Between a cost-of-living crisis and the economic vestiges of a pandemic, the...
Current in People
Bottled water contains as many as 250,000 plastic nanoparticles
Scanning bottled water with a newly invented electron microscope, scientists have discovered an alarming number of plastic nanoparticles floating inside. These virtually invisible particles pose a risk to human health once ingested. Plastic is here, plastic is there, plastic is everywhere. Yep, even inside you. Those startled by the recent news...
EU Commission reintroduces wolf hunting following farmer pressure
A proposal to lower the conservation status of wolves in the EU has ignited questions on the equilibrium between environmental preservation and economic considerations. In mid-December, the European Union proposed to demote the wolf's status from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’ under the Berne Convention. Many criticized this decision for its...
Scientists believe they have discovered the age ceiling for humans
Though human life expectancy has risen – and some people are attempting to ‘live forever’ – Dutch scientists believe they have figured out the ultimate ‘ceiling’ of the human lifespan. Radical improvements to medical care, nutrition, and overall living conditions have all contributed to lengthening the average human lifespan. During the...
British Sign Language will now be taught as a GCSE subject
The introduction of BSL to the UK education system is a vital step towards a more inclusive society. After a 12-week consultation with the deaf and hearing communities, the Department of Education has announced that British Sign Language (BSL) will be introduced as a GCSE option from September 2025. The government’s...
Drug consumption rooms could save thousands of British lives
The world’s largest review of drug consumption rooms reveals that they are integral to harm-reduction and could slash the transmission of fatal diseases. In addition, they may help reduce pressure on ambulance callouts and the burden on UK hospitals. Data published by the Office for National Statistics shows that...
Climate change is impacting babies’ birth weight
According to a new study, exposure to cold or heat stress, particularly in the latter stages of pregnancy, leads to children being too large or too small for their gestational age. Last year was the hottest on record by an enormous margin, with the Earth 1.48°C warmer than pre-industrial levels and dangerously close to the 1.5°C limit set during the 2015 Paris Agreement. In 2023, the average...
Climate Defiance group pledge solely to fight ‘cowards’ of US politics
‘We do not do petitions. We do direct action,’ is the opening gambit of Climate Defiance’s website. The eco activist outfit’s MO is political disruption, and it has its eye on the 2024 US election. With the next US presidential election scheduled for November 2024, the nation’s eco-activists are upping the ante to ensure ecological reform is high on the agenda of candidates. One such group, which sprung to life in...
The necessity of menstrual leave policies in India
By being vocal against the notion of a period leave, the Indian Minister of Women and Child Development has started the conversation about why they are a necessity for the country’s women workforce. A storm of debate on menstrual leave erupted last week after Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, stated during the winter session of the Indian Parliament that ‘menstruation is not a disability’. Her words have sparked...
How the Red Sea crisis is threatening global economic stability
In the Red Sea, a growing crisis fueled by Houthi attacks on commercial vessels is shocking the global economy, disrupting trade routes, and raising concerns about the broader stability of the region. Since mid-November, there has been a growing trend of Houthi militants targeting commercial vessels entering the Suez Canal through its southern end. This is in response to Israel's military strikes on Gaza. The Houthis have attempted to board ships...
