Latest Stories
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Menace: world’s naughtiest boy set for remake
Dennis the Menace is back on TV. The boy who ignores the rules is still popular 65 years after he was first drawn. Why do many of us love a rogue more than someone who does the right thing?
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From trees to tickling: a dictionary of joy
A psychologist has created a list of words from around the world that relate to ‘well-being’. He hopes that it will make our emotions richer. Can language really influence us in this way?
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Anger as France chooses anthems — in English!
The French football team’s song for Euro 2016 and France’s entry for the Eurovision song contest are both sung in English. Should the French be angry or accept that their language is dying?
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People using fewer words as Twitter turns ten
Twitter recently celebrated its tenth birthday. Around 200 billion messages are sent on it each year. People are using fewer words than ever to express themselves – should we be worried?
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Hollywood bidding war for A Christmas Carol
In 2017, Universal Pictures will release a new film adaptation of Charles Dickens’s famous Christmas novel. What can we learn from this 170-year-old story?
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New Harry Potter play to hit London
Next summer, a new Harry Potter story will be told for the first time in a theatre in London. What made the world fall in love with the books about the young wizard?
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Exposed! Daily life in Jane Austen’s England
A new history book has revealed the dirt and filth of British life just 200 years ago. It is very far from the ballgowns and polite manners of Jane Austen.
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Ancient Latin making a major comeback
Latin is growing in popularity in schools across the UK. So what's the appeal — and the use — of a language no one speaks?
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Scientists fight to save vanishing languages
There are around 7,000 languages in the world, but many have only a few speakers and are in danger of dying out. How important is it to save them?
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Paddington Bear brought to life for new audience
The lovable, bumbling bear from Peru has had a makeover for a new film. It is one of many recent remakes of children’s classics, but will it spoil the original?
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Cornish people declared a national minority
This week, Cornwall’s special language and culture have been formally recognised by the government. Will the move encourage some people to push for Cornish independence?