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Editor's note
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After a very long hiatus, scientific research into psychedelics has kicked off again in recent years. And evidence is mounting for the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as magic mushrooms and LSD for a number of mental health conditions including depression, addiction, and end-of-life care. Most recently, and innovatively, new research has suggested that psychedelics may also have potential for planetary, as well as personal, healing. Could LSD help us crack climate change?
Psychologist Matthew Adams is both healthily sceptical and keenly interested by this idea. He takes a look at the claims in more detail, puts them in context, and considers whether the increase in a feeling of connection to nature that psychedelics seem to elicit could be of some help in the face of widespread inaction.
The Church of England has declared that sex is only permissible in heterosexual marriage, in a statement that will delight conservatives and shock others. But this use of the Bible could be seen as an abuse of scripture. And a high profile BBC correspondent has shared that he has suffered from PTSD for a number of years. Hopefully this will help stem the stigma around mental illness that journalists face.
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Jonathan Este
Associate Editor, Arts + Culture Editor
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Top stories
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Enase/Shutterstock.com
Matthew Adams, University of Brighton
Psychedelic drugs are creating waves as evidence mounts of their therapeutic potential. New research also suggests they might mitigate the climate crisis by unlocking a lost connection to nature.
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Documents released by Church of England reinforce their teaching that ‘homosexuality is incompatible with scripture’.
kaninw/Shutterstock
Chris Greenough, Edge Hill University
By practising double standards, Conservative Christians are missing the point of the scriptures.
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BBC Africa Editor, Fergal Keane, in a still from the 2001 film about the Rwanda genocide, Hope in Hell.
Comic Relief
Stephen Jukes, Bournemouth University; Karen Fowler-Watt, Bournemouth University
Keane is stepping back from his role as the BBC's Africa editor due to a long struggle with PTSD after years reporting from conflict zones.
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Health + Medicine
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Aubree Gordon, University of Michigan; Florian Krammer, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
One of the dangers of the new coronavirus is that there is no treatment – and no vaccine. But researchers had already been at work on vaccines for close-related viruses.
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C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW
There's no evidence you can spread the Wuhan coronavirus before showing symptoms, but one study suggests it's possible for children and young people to be infectious without ever having symptoms.
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Natalie Pearson, Loughborough University
Too many parents are on their phones when they would be better putting in quality time with their children.
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Environment + Energy
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Nick Atkinson, Nottingham Trent University
The UK's official climate advisor recommends up to 50,000 hectares of new woodland each year by 2050.
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Heather Alberro, Nottingham Trent University
Jane Goodall's comments at Davos may seem harmless, but they reflect a dangerous misreading of the climate crisis that needs to be challenged.
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Politics + Society
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Barry Richards, Bournemouth University
Different types of rule-breaking leaders can appeal to transgressive parts of ourselves.
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Daniele Albertazzi, University of Birmingham; Davide Pellegrino, Università di Torino
A tense regional election leaves food for thought on all sides.
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Business + Economy
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Alla Koblyakova, Nottingham Trent University
Will the all-time lowest rate in the world of -0.75% be enough for these alpine explorers?
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Arts + Culture
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Christopher Brown, University of Hertfordshire
Every Paralympics there's a sense that they will inspire more disabled people's sport participation. However, four years since London 2012 and very little has changed
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Education
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Claire Nance, Lancaster University
Education in Gaelic is hugely valuable in keeping the language alive in Scotland.
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Featured events
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Location: Room K/133, King's Manor, York, York, YO1 7EP, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of York
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Yorkshire Room, JB Morrell Library, Campus West, York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of York
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