The Conversation

Everyone needs to understand the basics of science to participate fully in the democratic process. shutterstock.By Jonathan Garlick, Tufts University.

Games appear in galleries, does that make them art? blakespot, CC BYBy Ashok Ranchhod, University of Southampton and Vanissa Wanick Vieira, University of Southampton.

Neapolitans have given fishmongers and celebrities alike a place at the nativity for hundreds of years. acetosa888, CC BY-SABy Jessica Hughes, The Open UniversityThere’s a scene in the film "Love Actually" where a little girl announces that she’ll be playing “first lobster” in the school nativity play. “There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?” asks her surprised mum – causing the girl to sigh in exasperation at such profound levels of parental ignorance.

Want something a little different for Christmas this year? Caroline Yeldham, courtesy of the Leeds International Medieval CongressBy Iona McCleery, University of Leeds.With Christmas almost upon us, there will be plenty of frenzied present shopping and meal planning. Haven’t made that Christmas cake yet? Fear not. If you were preparing the festive meal 600 years ago you’d have far more on your plate.

You definitely didn't have one? Honestly? ShutterstockBy Lara Warmelink, Lancaster University

Your brain is still you. Andrew Mason, CC BYBy Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Duke UniversityImagine that Brian promises to drive you to the airport but never shows up, and you miss your flight. When you confront Brian, he tells you that he remembered his promise but decided to watch a movie instead. Would you be angry? You betcha!

"You think you're in pain now, but this is not going to look good on Facebook tomorrow." Stefano Bolognini/National Museum of DenmarkBy Arosha K Bandara, The Open University

All the better for hearing you with. Boris Roessler/EPABy Victoria Ratcliffe, University of Sussex and David Reby, University of SussexSometimes it may seem like your dog doesn’t want to listen. But in our study, however, we’ve found that he may understand more than he lets on.

Braving the eye of the bomb. Danny Lawson/PABy Edward Hanna, University of SheffieldA dramatically-named “weather bomb” exploded across the UK in the past week, bringing winds gusting up to 144 mph on outlying islands.But despite the cool name these “bombs” are more common than you might think.

How many kangaroos is too many? David Jenkins/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SABy Brett Howland, Australian National University; David Lindenmayer, Australian National University, and Iain Gordon, James Hutton Institute

Not now! Roboscribe is busy creating a masterpiece (of heuristic analysis). gastev, CC BYBy Peter McOwan, Queen Mary University of LondonThe human race has long designed and used tools to help us solve problems, from flint axes to space shuttles. They affect our lives and shape society in expected and sometimes unexpected ways. We may understand how these tools work – after all, we built them – but sometimes it’s the use they’re put to that surprises.

Past your bedtime? Mikael Damkier/ShutterstockBy Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University