Science & Technology
Why we need to change the way we teach climate change
To protect the planet's future we need to think critically about the past
The government is backing "natural" flood solutions—but they're not enough
Natural measures have their place. But throw a month’s worth of rain on a saturated catchment in one weekend and no nature-based solution is going to hold back the water
Why "sustainable" shopping is a comforting myth
We may feel better about buying clothes and goods labelled "sustainable." But not only is the actual definition of the word unclear, the truth is, none of us can buy our way out of climate change
Why is Dominic Cummings so obsessed with this 1960s American think tank?
Cummings sees the 1960s at ARPA as a roadmap for UK innovation. But is he drawing the wrong lessons from the agency's success?
The Met police’s decision to use facial recognition not only harms our right to privacy—it damages our democracy, too
Both the police and technology companies talk about public "consent" in their work. But what if express consent no longer has to be sought?
Why the new coronavirus might have come from snakes
Analysis of the virus initially showed similarities with other viruses from bats. But more detailed testing suggested it may have been snakes—which were sold in the Wuhan market the outbreak is thought to have started in
A WhatsApp group for orphans helped me finally understand my grief
It's easy to criticise modern technology. But for those of us who have lost parents, a space to share experiences is a vital comfort among the loneliness of grief
The universality of music
A new study prompts us to ask what in music deserves an evolutionary or physiological explanation, and what is better explained by the individual cultures we live in
A Cold War-era treaty has kept Antarctica safe for the past 60 years. But will it survive climate change?
On a mild December day in Washington, 1959, delegates from 12 nations gathered to sign the Antarctic Treaty, putting an end to escalating geopolitical contests
To reach net zero, correct the failures in the housing market
We will only reduce emissions if we build energy efficient homes (Prospect's housing report is kindly sponsored by RICS, Sovereign Housing, Atkins and the Building Societies Association)
How Britain beat Germany in the race for green energy
What has emerged in the UK is a fast-moving, high-tech, corporate energy transition—but the old dream of a decentralised and democratic system lives on
The NHS election: our health data is worth £9.6 billion. What happens to it after Brexit?
As the collection of health data becomes more common, the only effective pressure to keep it safe may come from patients