Media, Entertainment and Information
Rewiring kids, bug burgers and other top stories of the week
Also in this week's round-up: fear over fish stocks, the world’s biggest tech companies and a blockchain ‘trilemma’.
Global Agenda
Workforce and Employment
How to come up with better ideas
A group of scientists have a new theory about how humanity came to be—and the story of how their theory came together is a lesson for the rest of us.
Cities and Urbanization
High-flyers: China is on top of the world for skyscraper construction
Asia now leads the world in the construction of tall buildings.
Youth Perspectives
Children who exercise have more brain power, finds study
Physical activity can increase the volume of grey matter and improve academic performance, say researchers.
Global Health
6 ways countries can prepare for the next infectious disease pandemic
When Johns Hopkins researchers ran a simulation of the next disease outbreak, the results were darkly informative.
Fragility, Violence and Conflict
Large parts of the world are growing more fragile. Here are 5 steps to reverse course
Contrary to popular belief, economic growth does not necessarily lead to social change and institutional development. But with smarter tools, better investment and targeted support, there is hope.
Future of Mobility
Back to the future: flying cars are becoming a reality
Decades after we first dreamed of cityscapes filled with airborne taxis, the transport innovation boom could be bringing them to a street near you.
Gender Parity
How women are transforming the Arab world's start-up scene
Because the region's tech industry is still relatively new, there is no legacy of it being male-dominated. Female entrepreneurs are working hard to keep it that way.
Digital Economy and Society
Online government services could change your life. But only if you have access to the internet
The benefits of e-government range from individual cost savings to wider economic growth. Unfortunately they're wholly dependent on an internet connection, something half the world doesn't have.
Regional Agenda
Japan
From drones to health data, how Japan can power ahead
Tokyo aims to be the first mega city in the world to allow drones to carry out deliveries.
Future of Government
What can Italy do to encourage economic growth?
Slow growth remains Italy's 'Achilles’ heel' say the authors.
China
Fox spirits and demons: China's tech giants splash out in cartoon arms race
Chinese tech firms Baidu Inc, NetEase and Tencent Holdings are racing to create the cartoons that will kick start China's animation market.
India
India’s economy is growing fast, but its poorest areas lag behind. Here’s why this could be about to change
Although India is one of the world's fastest-growing large economies, it ranks 131 out of 188 countries on the UNDP’s Human Development Index. Now it has launched a new programme to trans...
Migration
African migration: what the numbers really tell us
Africa is often depicted as a continent of mass exodus. Images of desperate Africans on overcrowded boats bound for Europe are plastered across our screens. A more balanced examination of...
Environment and Natural Resource Security
Our plastic problem is out of control. Here’s how we can fight it
From the circular economy to taxation and jute bags, here's how to mitigate plastic's harmful impacts.
Aviation, Travel and Tourism
5 ways holiday hotspots can turn the tide on too many tourists
A tourism industry worth $40 billion a year is a boon to the economy, but a high price to pay for the sanity of citizens. Just ask Italy.
Blockchain
Will GDPR block Blockchain?
Many technologists believe that blockchain will be more transformational than the internet itself. But is GDPR standing in its way?
Digital Economy and Society
GDPR and the World Cup have these 4 things in common
What does the biggest football competition in the world have in common with a data protection regulation? More than you think, and team collaboration plays a big role in both.
Industry Agenda
Bangladesh
Rural Bangladesh has already embraced renewable energy. Here’s what the rest of the world can learn
If the people in the capital of Bangladesh understood the benefits of solar the way that people do in rural areas, the country could leapfrog several stages of the energy transition.
Africa
1.1 billion people still lack electricity. This could be the solution
Mini-grids are a decentralized and renewable solution, generating and distributing power at the point of consumption.
Retail, Consumer Goods and Lifestyle
Commerce is on the cusp of radical change. Is your organization ready?
How we produce, distribute, market and consume products and services is being disrupted and transformed.
Education, Gender and Work
Debunked: 5 myths about the future of work
The new realities facing organizations as they strive to combine human talent and machines are revealed by a new survey.
Environment and Natural Resource Security
What the Prisoner's Dilemma tells us about climate change
A new class at MIT applies moral philosophy to climate change.
International Trade and Investment
These 5 technologies have the potential to change global trade forever
These are the innovations that could make global trade more efficient, more inclusive, and less costly.
Sustainable Development
We CAN build a carbon-neutral world by 2050. Here's how
Economic, social and political pressures will ensure the world becomes carbon-neutral by 2050, but strong leadership is needed to stop the transition costing the earth.
Gender Parity
Why borders could be the next battleground for gender rights
Gender is one of the globally mandated biographical markers that must be on all passports issued worldwide, along with name, date of birth and nationality. But with the proliferation of b...
Aviation, Travel and Tourism
These three technology trends will change the way you travel
More than 4 billion of us whizzed through the air in 2017. Travellers have never been so demanding.