The last eighteen months has seen the centralisation in public conversation of the media’s profound influence on public opinion. From the Brexit referendum to the election of Donald Trump to the ‘fake news’ scandals of 2017, media outlets have been scrutinised for their partisan journalism and their ability to obscure...
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On February 10, 1996 – coincidentally, the day that I was born – a new age in the history of man’s relationship with machines began. Sadly, I was not born an unholy alliance of flesh and metal. Rather, the world’s reigning chess champion was beaten by Deep Blue, a chess-playing...
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Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has faced public criticism for its slow and stunted response to the Zika virus pandemic that is currently spreading across Central and South America. The Zika (pronounced zee-kah) virus is a mild infection which causes similar symptoms to dengue fever on a much smaller...
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In the spring of 1796, in the rural parish of Berkeley, Edward Jenner – surgeon, Royal Society zoologist, and udder-enthusiast – carried out an experiment, now recounted in primary schools across Britain. His story is well known; his legacy, brilliant; his discovery, miraculous. In Germany, in the same year, Samuel...
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