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Society, Politics & Law
Why are synthetic drugs such a problem for the UK's prisons?
Spice, and other synthetic drugs, are spreading through UK prisons at a rate that the authorities are struggling to respond to. The OU's David Scott explains why.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Egyptian mathematics
The Egyptians are known for being ahead of their time in comparison to some civilisations that came after them. This free course, Egyptian mathematics, looks at how the Egyptians solved mathematical problems in everyday life and the technology they used. An understanding of this area has only been possible following the translation of the ...
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Nature & Environment
DIY Science: Ecosphere
Use our easy to follow guide to create a mini-version of an ecosphere, and watch what happens to the plants and creatures inside.
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Nature & Environment
More than carbon sinks: Other ways forests can fight climate change
Trees can lock carbon dioxide safely out the atmosphere. But don't forget forests can cool and dampen the planet, too.
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Nature & Environment
The struggle to save the seabirds after the Torrey Canyon disaster
Fifty years ago [March 1967] the Torrey Canyon ran aground between Cornwall and the Isles Of Scilly, splilling over 100 million litres of crude oil into the sea. To mark the anniversary, we're reproducing an article from WWT's Wildfowl magazine, where Dr J V Beer explains how the RSPCA and WWT tried to rehabilitate wildlife caught in the disaster.
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Society, Politics & Law
How can authorities plan for an unexpected terrorist tactic?
Parliament’s security is under review following the attack in Westminster. But, when pedestrians could be hit next to Big Ben, there may be more to review than the protection of the building alone. Patrick Dunleavy asks whether our approaches to security are as effective as they could be, considering the constantly shifting terrorist methods. He...
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Science, Maths & Technology
A tour of the cell
This free course, A tour of the cell, contains a blend of text and a multimedia interactive component to look at the uniformity and diversity within cells. Fundamental to understanding how cells 'work' is a knowledge of the subcellular components and how they are arranged. This is introduced through a series of in-text and self-assessment ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Are robots about to take jobs from the poor?
A new generation of robots could be expanding their career options - and that could be catastrophic news for the poorest in the world, says Aisling Irwin.
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History & The Arts
Hound hub
Love labradors? Potty about poodles? Explore the Hound hub to find out more about our furry friends.
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Money & Business
Has Donald Trump improved the US economy in fifty days?
Donald Trump is proudly acclaiming his great economic data. But is he actually enjoying a boom handed to him by President Obama? Gabriella Legrenzi considers the evidence.
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Science, Maths & Technology
The Switch tells us a lot about Nintendo
Nintendo's new console, the Switch, makes perfect sense in light of the company's history, says Brendan Cassidy.
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Science, Maths & Technology
What do we know about the seven Earth-like planets?
Yesterday, space scientists announced the discovery of a star that is being orbited by seven Earth-like planets. Here's Dave Rothery with what you need to know.