Poverty and politics cause wars – not climate change

Editor's note

As the world warms, many worry that conflicts over scarce food and water will erupt into full blown “climate wars”. But climatologist Mark Maslin has investigated climate change and conflict in East Africa and found little evidence of a link between the two. Wars were more associated with poverty and population growth than any environmental changes. With good stable governance, Maslin argues, there is no reason why global warming should lead to greater conflict.

A pilot requiring some voters to show ID in the forthcoming local elections in England could become the next battleground in the Windrush scandal. Toby James plans to gather data to see if anyone misses out on exercising their democratic rights as a result of the scheme – particularly this group. This situation has of course been made so much worse by a decision at the Home Office to destroy documents that could help Windrush arrivals prove their status in the UK. It’s a timely reminder of how important archives are, writes Dora Vargha, and how we rarely realise it until something goes wrong.

In the aftermath of the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic – in which six million animals in Britain were culled – the use of all food wastes in animal feed was banned across the EU. But was this the right response? New research suggests that it’s time to reconsider using swill to feed animals – the environmental and economic potential is huge.

Will de Freitas

Environment + Energy Editor

Science + Technology

Rosalind Franklin still doesn't get the recognition she deserves for her DNA discovery

Mark Lawler, Queen's University Belfast

It's 65 years since the structure of DNA was first published, but the woman who made that possible remains unknown to many people.
The 'double edge' of pervasive personalisation

Iryna Kuksa, Nottingham Trent University; Tom Fisher, Nottingham Trent University

Personalisation has made decisions easier and quicker – but it is still large corporations, rather than individual users, who benefit most.
Driverless cars are forcing cities to become smart

Saber Fallah, University of Surrey

Cities are adapting to the needs of driverless cars. Here's how.
New research shows how brain-computer interaction is changing cinema

Polina Zioga, Staffordshire University

Interactive cinema and the arts are at the forefront of research into brain-computer interaction.

Politics + Society

Why didn't he shoot? The Toronto cop who did everything right

Glenn Hanna, University of Guelph-Humber

The Toronto cop who apprehended the van attack suspect is being lauded internationally for refraining from using deadly force as he apprehended him. Here's how everything went right for the constable.
Eyewitness: a deadly bombing in Kabul

Liza Schuster, City, University of London

An attack on a voter registration killed at least 57 people, and left scores more deciding where to go now.

Business + Economy
Starbucks’ racial bias training alone won’t fix a racist society Ornette D Clennon, Manchester Metropolitan University At Starbucks, where the staff turnover is lower than most, anti-bias training might make a small difference. Maybe.

Health + Medicine
Female doctors show more empathy, but at a cost to their mental well-being Rajvinder Samra, The Open University Being more caring could lead to more female doctors burning out.