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Editor's note
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Learning a language can be difficult, learning several even more so. All those verb endings, complex rules and alphabets. Like so many problems, science fiction provided a solution – Douglas Adams’ Babel fish in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy slipped in your ear and allowed you to seamlessly travel through the universe communicating with others. Now Google is set to launch its own version – earbuds capable of translating 40 different tongues. And Ian McLoughlin explains how they work, in language that even the biggest technophobe can understand.
During the Cold War, the Soviets spent ten years fighting a gruelling war in Afghanistan only to leave in humiliating defeat. Now Russia has returned – but under very different circumstances. With grand designs in Central Asia and a hankering to challenge the US wherever it can, Moscow is now covertly supporting the Taliban. David Lewis maps out another treacherous front in Russia’s geopolitical strategy.
Most of us spend a surprising amount of time trying to influence the people around us. But are there any proven ways to successfully persuade and manipulate others? Harriet Dempsey-Jones suggests five tricks, inspired by the last 30 years of psychological research.
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Luke Salkeld
Commissioning Editor
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Top story
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Shutterstock
Ian McLoughlin, University of Kent
Time to chuck out the phrase books?
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Politics + Society
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David Lewis, University of Exeter
Russia is pursuing influence in Central Asia and competing with the US. Afghanistan offers it a chance to do both.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The same-sex marriage ballot was strongly carried in all states and territories, and won in all but 17 of the 150 electorates.
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Richard Sambrook, Cardiff University
Established media organisations are collaborating across borders and with new media to break big stories such as global tax avoidance by the rich and powerful.
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Ben Williams, University of Salford; Moritz Pieper, University of Salford
Theresa May's need to balance Brexiteers and Remainers in her cabinet means that the foreign secretary can get away with an alarming level of incompetence.
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Stephen Hutchings, University of Manchester; Vera Tolz, University of Manchester
Scotland's former first minister has sparked outrage in the UK with his latest move.
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Paul Fuller, Cardiff University
There is a battle of Buddhisms taking place on the streets of Myanmar.
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Jose Manuel Restrepo Abondano, Universidad de Rosario; Rajani Naidoo, University of Bath
Now the war is over, academia has a special role to play in securing the peace.
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Science + Technology
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Harriet Dempsey-Jones, University of Oxford
Five tricks that might help you get what you want from others.
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Amy Binns, University of Central Lancashire
Facebook's record raises serious questions about whether it can be trusted with our most intimate images.
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Richard Faragher, University of Brighton; Lizzy Ostler, University of Brighton; Lorna Harries, University of Exeter
Scientists are hoping to one day be able to turn the natural dietary compound resveratrol into medicines to slow down ageing.
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Hector Gonzalez-Jimenez, University of York
Welcome to your future.
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Health + Medicine
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Tim Hatton, University of Essex
Researchers have found a way to measure the impact of air pollution during 19th-century England on the public's health.
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Environment + Energy
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John Turner, Bangor University
It is estimated that 75% of the world's coral reefs are already threatened.
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Arts + Culture
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Catherine Wilkinson, Edge Hill University; Bernie Carter, Edge Hill University
Can fashion and make-up be utilised to help acid attack victims on the road to recovery?
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Jemma Field, Brunel University London
Anne of Denmark proved women could play a key role in the 17th-century patriarchy.
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Featured events
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University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom — University of Stirling
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University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom — University of Stirling
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