Spotlight
Issue 10
France was once Europe’s superpower, thanks above all to its enormous population. Its decline coincided with a collapse in its birth rate – now we know why.
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On the origins of empathy for other species
We’ve learnt to see the world through the eyes of our prey. All the better to eat them with.
Building back faster
Building infrastructure doesn’t need to come at the cost of the environment. But it does need smarter rules.
Every generator is a policy failure
Power outages force businesses across Africa to rely on expensive, dirty diesel generators. Price caps block improvement, but removing them isn’t easy.
The most dangerous substance known to man
We have learned to fear plutonium – one of the world’s most useful materials. But as long as you don’t eat it, you’re probably safe.
Plastic roads
Plastic is eating the roads. It might be a cleaner, quieter, ready-made alternative to asphalt for the next generation of paving.
Markets in fact-checking
Exposing misinformation online is hard to do at scale and can veer into outright censorship. The wisdom of crowds can lead us to the answers.