Latest Stories
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Good boy! Puppy dog eyes evolved just for you
Is your dog really your best friend? A new study explains why they are so good at making “puppy dog” eyes at their owners. The expression is often irresistible to humans.
- Science
- Reading Band 8
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Boys and girls are born different says study
Is this true? A new study has found clear differences in the brains of male and female babies while they are still growing in the womb. It feeds into a debate that is hundreds of years old…
- Science
- Reading Band 14+
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Online junk food ads could be banned before 9pm
Should junk food adverts be banned? This week, the UK government published plans to stop companies promoting unhealthy food before 9pm. It is part of a mission to prevent childhood becoming...
- Health
- Reading Band 11
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New fears of flying after plane crash kills 157
Should we be afraid of flying? It is one of the safest ways to get around — and yet two recent plane crashes have shaken people’s trust in air travel. What went wrong?
- Society
- Reading Band 14+
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World marks International Day of Happiness
What makes people happy? Wednesday is the International Day of Happiness! Many people disagree about exactly what makes us feel happy. What do you think?
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Teen climate hero says Asperger’s is a ‘gift’
Is climate change a black-and-white issue? Greta Thunberg inspired teens across Europe to take action on climate change. She says her Asperger’s syndrome helps her to understand the crisis.
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ISIS bride: people should have sympathy for me
Should Shamima Begum be allowed back to Britain? The teenager was 15 when she left London to join the terrorist group ISIS in Syria. Now, the government says that she cannot return home.
- Conflict
- Reading Band 14+
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Airbrushing on Instagram ‘harms self-esteem’
Is it really harmful? More people are using apps to change how they look in selfies. Doctors say this makes us wrongly think we have to look perfect all the time.
- Society
- Reading Band 5
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New research says germs can keep you happy
Are the bacteria in your gut somehow affecting your brain? Amazingly, scientists are starting to think the answer to this question is yes. How should we feel about it?
- Health
- Reading Band 5
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£75,000 prize for Fortnite champions
Should video games count as sports? Last week, tennis players at the Australian Open shared an arena with another sporting event: a huge Fortnite competition.
- Technology
- Sport
- Reading Band 8
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Nine-year-old masters world’s hardest game
What is it like to be a child genius? Sumire Nakamura has become the youngest ever professional player of Go, the world’s hardest board game, aged just nine.
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Magicians accused of spreading fake science
Is this true? Magicians like Derren Brown claim they have the ability to “read” people’s minds. Scientists say this is impossible, and that magicians must not lie to people.
- Science
- Reading Band 5
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Grandparents know best, say experts
Do grandparents give the best advice? There is a good reason why we say people get “older and wiser”. Scientists think older people make good decisions because they have lots of experience.
- Society
- Reading Band 5
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The incredible story of triplets split at birth
Does nature or nurture decide who we are? Three triplets were separated at birth and raised by very different families. Years later, the identical strangers met for the first time.
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Schools in Finland say no to classrooms
Should schools get rid of classrooms? This is what some schools in Finland have done. Children there are taught in one big space instead. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea.
- Society
- Reading Band 5