General Interest

The debate on cryptocurrency is still raging, as countries decide whether to embrace, regulate or ban cryptocurrencies. On top of this, the energy-intensive sector has recently come under fire from climate experts. Crypto experts share their predictions for 2022. From El Salvador adopting bitcoin as legal tender – a world …

Scientists have created a three-dimensional atlas of the oxygen-deficient zones (ODZ) in the world’s oceans. They make up less than 1% of the ocean’s total volume, but are a significant source of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas. The scientists hope to use the map to track changes in the …

With today’s high oil prices and record gas prices, it is easy to forget that the situation was reversed as recently as two years ago. At the end of 2019, an over-supply of fossil fuels had left producers concerned about low prices. Saudi Arabia and Russia fell out over the …

There are 35 nuclear reactors currently under construction in Asia. China, Japan and India are driving the dash for nuclear energy in Asia. Across Asia there are proposals for another 220 nuclear power plants. Germany and Italy are phasing out nuclear power stations. Across Europe there are 15 nuclear reactors …

Zero-emission fuels and vessels will need to be deployed at scale over the next decade to meet emissions targets by 2050. Green corridors offer a solution to scale pilots and demonstrations for sustainable shipping into industry-wide solutions. We test these hypotheses in The Next Wave: Green Corridors, by examining two potential …

Inflation is rising in a number of advanced and emerging economies. Relative to other regions, Asia has managed to keep levels relatively low. However, the persistent impact of high shipping costs could change this. New analysis shows how increases in shipping rates have a persistent impact on consumer prices. As …

Around 1,500 known languages may no longer be spoken by the end of this century. Current levels of language loss could triple in the next 40 years. Greater education and mobility marginalize some minor languages. One language per month could disappear, without intervention. There are 7,000 documented languages currently spoken across …

READER QUESTION: My understanding is that nothing comes from nothing. For something to exist, there must be material or a component available, and for them to be available, there must be something else available. Now my question: Where did the material come from that created the Big Bang, and what …

The idea that greater diversity in the workplace is good for business seems to be gaining ground. In a recent major step in December 2021, BT announced plans for 25% of its workforce to be from “non-white backgrounds” by the end of the decade. Yet taking steps to increase the …

Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is at high risk of climate impacts on food availability and affordability. Higher average global temperatures and more extreme weather events associated with climate change will reduce the reliability of food production. Here the authors explore the potential impact of a changing climate on food …

Crypto assets could impact the international monetary and financial system in profound ways, argue three IMF experts. The IMF experts identify an urgent need for cross-border collaboration and cooperation to address the technological, legal, regulatory, and supervisory challenges. It’s important The Financial Stability Board, in its coordinating role, helps to …

Inflation is pushing up the prices of essential goods such as food, transport and utilities. More than two-thirds of people around the world are feeling the squeeze, according to new research. As the cost of living rises, the poorest in society are suffering most. Ipsos surveyed over 20,000 people in …