Even With Unlimited Student Loans, College Is Unaffordable
In the 1980s, universities lobbied Congress to make student loans unlimited, so everyone could get a college education and have higher earnings. Now, college is more unaffordable than ever.
4 Things You Should Know About Gene Patents
A gene patent means only the patent-holder has the right to undertake research and development involving that gene.Credit: ShutterstockBy Rodney Scott, University of NewcastleThe Federal Court’s decision that gene patenting is permitted in Australia will have ramifications for all gene patents, even though the case involved only one gene associated with breast cancer.A gene patent means only the patent-holder has the right to undertake research and development involving that gene. These patents generally last for 20 years.
Debate Education Efficiency, But Don’t Rank Countries On It
Finland is the country to beat. Kimmo Brandt/EPABy Daniel Muijs, University of SouthamptonThere has been a recent explosion of interest in the effectiveness of education systems around the world, largely driven by international studies that compare the performance of large samples of students from a wide range of countries.
Before You Judge Personality Tests, Consider What They Don’t Judge
Personality tests will not judge you on how you look, the clothes you wear or where you went to school, so why are people so wary of them? Credit: ShutterstockBy Nick Haslam, University of Melbourne
AAAS Chooses Not To Advance Open Access
By Jon Tennant, Imperial College LondonAccess to research is limited worldwide by the high cost of subscription journals, which force readers to pay for their content. The use of scientific research in new studies, educational material and news is often restricted by these publishers, who require authors to sign over their rights and then control what is done with the published work. In response, a movement that would allow free access to information and no restrictions on reuse – termed open access – is growing.
4 Weird Ideas People Used To Have About Women’s Periods
By Helen King, The Open UniversityIt wasn’t that long ago that it was believed that regular periods were essential for women's health and in their absence, a loss of blood through another orifice was a fair substitute.In a classical Greek text linked to Hippocrates, the Aphorisms, it was written that “a nosebleed is a good thing if the menstrual period is suppressed”. So too was vomiting blood. And these beliefs lasted in western Europe until the middle of the 19th century.But what was the theory behind what now seems a pretty alarming set of beliefs?1. A build up of blood caused illness
Don’t Dismiss MOOCs – We Are Just Starting To Understand Their True Value
By Neil Morris, University of LeedsOver the past couple of years, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have taken the academic world by storm. Despite much debate about whether the idea of running free online courses for everyone is both a good and cost-effective idea in the long-run, MOOCs are teaching universities valuable lessons about how students want to learn.
Where Are We In The Universe?
By Tanya Hill, University of Melbourne Have you ever considered our cosmic address? It’s a fun device I’ve often used to help students get a grasp on our place in the universe.For example, I work at the Melbourne Planetarium, 2 Booker St, Spotswood, Victoria, Australia, Earth, Solar System, Orion Arm, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Cluster, Local Supercluster, the Universe.
WHO Suicide Report Shows We Must Stop Seeing Depression As A Disorder Of Developed World
By Barbara Sahakian, University of Cambridge and Muzaffer Kaser, University of Cambridge
How We Tricked E. Coli Bacteria Into Making Renewable Propane
By Patrik Jones, Imperial College LondonConverting renewable energy into electricity is one thing; converting it into fuel is quite another. The vast majority of global energy demand is for fuel, and a renewable source could help us heat our houses and travel efficiently long into the future. It might even mean we could avoid the conflicts that will arise while competing for the last remaining fossil fuels.
Misogyny Wins With Hacking Of Intimate Celebrity Pictures – But You Can Choose Not To Look
Jennifer Lawrence at the 83rd Academy Awards. CC BY-SA 2.0By Emma Rees, University of Chester
Bamboo Could Turn The World's Construction Trade On Its Head
Bamboo can also be a tasty snack. Credit: Chris Ison/PABy Dirk Hebel, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichBamboo, a common grass which can be harder to pull apart than steel, has the potential to revolutionize building construction throughout the world. But that’s not all. As a raw material found predominantly in the developing world, without a pre-existing industrial infrastructure built to skew things towards the rich world, bamboo has the potential to completely shift international economic relations.
