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One of the sad facts of life is that people can and will use the best part of yourself, your most human needs, against you. And it’s the key to the success of cults and high-demand religious groups. Cults appeal to people’s longing for a sense of community, a life-partner, purpose and meaning, and then weaponise these needs against their members.
Which is why it’s surprising that people ever manage to leave. Suzanne Newcombe explains what research has shown about how best to support someone that might be in a cult. One of the most important things is not to shame the person and to encourage them to think critically about the things that are happening within the group. Here’s how it can be done.
Meanwhile the latest UN climate change summit (COP28) is underway in Dubai. With new headlines every day about the damage humans are doing to the planet you may be wondering how bad things are. Climate change expert Piers Forster explains why we are reaching a tipping point.
And artificial intelligence could soon be helping researchers decipher handwritten scrawls in medieval texts and Egyptian hieroglyphs, giving scholars new insights into ancient manuscripts.
Plus don’t forget it’s your last chance to get tickets for our event in London today, where a panel of experts will discuss how you can make what might be the biggest decision of your life, whether or not your should have children.
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Jenna Hutber
Commissioning Editor, Science
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Ivan Serebryannikov/Shutterstock
Suzanne Newcombe, The Open University
If you’re worried someone has joined a high-demand group, it’s important not to shame or belittle them.
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Olga Gordeeva/Shutterstock
Piers Forster, University of Leeds
Temperature records are tumbling – how much progress is really being made towards tackling climate change?
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Plato, Seneca and Aristotle in an illustration from a medieval manuscript circa 1325.
The Picture Art Collection/Alamy Stock Photo
Mark Faulkner, Trinity College Dublin
The sheer quantity of data these processes will make available has significant ramifications for scholarship.
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Environment
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Jack Marley, The Conversation
The latest round of climate negotiations are due to start in Dubai. Here’s what you need to know.
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Jen Allan, Cardiff University
A COP regular worries about a conflicted host and a lack of trust.
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Sarah Colenbrander, University of Oxford
Climate finance can help developing countries adapt to climate change and phase out their emissions.
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Business + Economy
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Pietro Galeone, Bocconi University; Daniel Gros, Bocconi University
The UK, eurozone and US inflation stories have diverged, which means each economy is now fighting a distinct battle with prices rises, which could require very different weapons.
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Arts + Culture
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Iain Borden, UCL
The desire to transfer the thrills of surfing on to dry land created the monumental culture of skateboarding, now vividly documented in a new exhibition.
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Darius Wainwright, University of Bristol
Old and new money come into conflict in this American ‘prequel’ to Downton Abbey.
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Science + Technology
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Jack Ashby, University of Cambridge
New research shows the uncomfortable and shocking truth behind a revered scientist’s reputation.
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Guido Carim Junior, Griffith University; Chris Campbell, Griffith University; Elvira Marques, Griffith University; Nnenna Ike, Griffith University; Tim Ryley, Griffith University
Takeoff and landing are among the most difficult tasks commercial pilots perform.
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Politics + Society
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Vassilis K. Fouskas, University of East London
Qatar has built goodwill – and business connections – around the world in recent decades.
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Geoff Beattie, Edge Hill University
One Dutch study found that a third of ex-hostages were still suffering from PTSD nine years after the event.
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Sadiq Bhanbhro, Sheffield Hallam University
So-called honour-based abuse thrives in secrecy and fear.
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Health
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Janosch Heller, Dublin City University
Microscopic flakes of polystyrene can enter brain cells and cause harm, a new study in mice has shown.
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Colin Michie, University of Central Lancashire
A British man is confirmed to have swine flu. The UK Health Security Agency said it is monitoring the situation closely.
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6 December 2023
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Birmingham
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6 December 2023
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Aberdeen
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11 December 2023
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Manchester
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12 December 2023
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Manchester
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