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Passwords and physical documents are increasingly being supplemented — or replaced — by the human body itself. Biometric systems use characteristics such as fingerprints, faces, voices or iris patterns to verify identity. They are now common in smartphones, banking apps and border control systems. The appeal is convenience. Users can unlock devices or confirm transactions quickly without remembering complex passwords. Businesses and governments also value biometrics as a way to reduce fraud and streamline access. However, biometric identity raises sensitive questions. Unlike a password, a face or fingerprint cannot easily be changed if compromised. There are also concerns about surveillance,…

Reducing emissions remains central to climate strategy, but a growing number of governments and companies are also investing in technologies designed to remove carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. Approaches include direct air capture, where machines extract carbon from ambient air, and methods that store carbon in soils, rocks or long-lived materials. Supporters argue that carbon removal could help offset emissions from sectors that are difficult to decarbonise, such as aviation or heavy industry. The field is moving from research into early commercial deployment, with pilot plants and startup investment expanding in several countries. However, major questions remain. Current systems…

Progress has often been measured through growth: higher incomes, larger economies and expanding consumption. Yet many of the most important aspects of life are not captured easily by those metrics. Economic output can rise while inequality widens, ecosystems degrade or mental health declines. This has led to growing debate about whether traditional indicators are sufficient guides to social advancement. Governments, researchers and organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have explored broader measures that include wellbeing, sustainability and quality of life. The argument is not that growth is irrelevant. Prosperity remains essential for reducing poverty and funding…

For much of modern culture, authenticity implied something original, sincere and untouched by manipulation. Today, that idea is becoming more complicated. Digital life encourages performance. On social media, people often present edited versions of themselves, while brands increasingly market carefully constructed identities designed to feel personal and genuine. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have turned visibility into a form of value, where sincerity and strategy can become difficult to separate. At the same time, artificial intelligence can generate text, images and voices that appear convincingly human, further blurring the line between real and artificial. This has cultural consequences. Audiences…

The study of history has traditionally depended on close reading, interpretation and painstaking archival work. It still does — but technology is changing the scale at which that work can be done. Millions of newspapers, census records, letters and maps are being digitised, allowing historians to search and compare sources that once required years of travel and manual research. Artificial intelligence and text-analysis tools are also helping scholars identify patterns across vast collections of documents. This does not replace traditional methods. Historians still need context, language skills and critical judgment to interpret evidence responsibly. But digital tools can reveal trends…

For much of modern history, empires were often described through the ambitions of rulers, military expansion and administrative power. Increasingly, historians are shifting attention toward the experiences of the people who lived under imperial rule. This change is reshaping how colonial and imperial history is understood. Researchers are examining local archives, oral histories and community records to recover perspectives long marginalised in official narratives. The result is a more complex picture. Empires could bring infrastructure, trade networks and institutional change, but they also involved coercion, extraction and deep inequalities. Historical debate now often focuses not only on how empires expanded,…

Vaccines have long been one of the most effective tools in public health. Now, new technologies are changing how quickly and precisely they can be developed. The success of mRNA platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that vaccines can be designed and produced faster than with many traditional methods. Researchers are now exploring how similar approaches could be used against influenza, cancer and other diseases. The potential advantage is flexibility. Once a platform is established, scientists may be able to adapt vaccines more rapidly to new variants or emerging threats. There is also growing interest in personalised cancer vaccines, designed…

Mental health was once treated primarily as a private or clinical matter. Increasingly, governments and employers are recognising it as a wider economic issue. Conditions such as anxiety, depression and burnout can affect productivity, absenteeism and long-term participation in the labour market. They also place pressure on healthcare and social support systems. Organisations including the World Health Organization have highlighted the economic costs associated with poor mental wellbeing. Modern working life can intensify these pressures. Constant connectivity, job insecurity and blurred boundaries between work and personal time are frequently cited as contributing factors. In response, some employers are investing in…

Longer life expectancy is often discussed as an issue for older people, but ageing societies are likely to reshape life for every generation. As birth rates fall and populations grow older in many countries, economies and public institutions are being forced to adapt. Workplaces may need to support longer careers, retraining and more flexible transitions into retirement. Healthcare systems face rising demand for chronic care and long-term support. At the same time, family structures are changing. More adults may find themselves supporting both children and ageing parents simultaneously. Technology companies are responding with tools for independent living, remote health monitoring…

For much of modern history, food systems were judged mainly by price, abundance and taste. Increasingly, resilience is becoming just as important. Climate change, water stress, soil degradation and geopolitical disruption are exposing the vulnerability of global food supply chains. Droughts, floods and transport shocks can quickly affect availability and prices. In response, governments and companies are investing in alternatives such as vertical farming, controlled-environment agriculture and crops bred for harsher conditions. These systems aim to reduce dependence on weather, shorten supply chains and improve reliability in urban areas. At the same time, traditional agriculture remains essential, meaning the future…