Ur-Fascism
This renowned Umberto Eco piece, written in 1995 in an attempt to define and identify the common elements of diverse fascist movements, has been given a renewed lease of life in today’s political landscape.
The Virus Hunters
A look at the challenges facing the teams based in the Democratic Republic of Congo searching for the next dangerous viruses. They are doing their work at a time when large scale outbreaks are ever more likely as humans encroach further into animal habitats.
Dmitry Medvedev: the whipping boy for Russia’s discontented
A profile of Vladimir Putin’s political foil.
A global guide to state sponsored trolling
A sobering examination of the extraordinary array of online trolling techniques conceived, promoted and deployed by states around the world to silence dissent.
The Long, Knotty, World-Spanning Story of String
The discovery of a spectacular 4,000 year old archaeological site in Egypt is the starting point for the history of the humble rope – “indispensable…for any civilization”.
Wings of Desire: Why is an Obsessive British Collector Risking Jail to Kill Rare Butterflies
A look at the past and present of lepidopterists in Britain. That collectors of butterflies can risk prison time to capture endangered species for their collections, speaks both to the enduring fascination that these creatures have inspired in us, and to their market value.
The Amazing Story of the Russian Defector Who Changed his Mind
This story of espionage and counterespionage is, as it describes itself a “John le Carré novel come to life”.