From bridge to chess, why men outperform women at ‘mindsports’ – and what to do about it

Male domination in bridge means there can be a lack of recognition of the structural barriers for women.

Samantha Punch, Professor of Sociology, University of Stirling • conversation
Feb. 19, 2024 ~7 min

Florence Bell died unrecognised for her contributions to DNA science – decades on female researchers are still being sidelined

In the academic world, researchers are rewarded for publishing frequently. Not only is this affecting research quality but it is also hindering female scientists.

Natalia I. Kucirkova, Professor Reading and Early Childhood Development, The Open University • conversation
Nov. 22, 2023 ~7 min


How stereotyping increases during economic crises

Research shows why people in more diverse communities tend to rely less on negative stereotypes.

Alexander J. Stewart, Senior lecturer, University of St Andrews • conversation
Sept. 26, 2023 ~7 min

Unravelling DNA's structure: a landmark achievement whose authors were not fairly credited

An article written for Time Magazine, but never published, could have rewritten the history of how DNA was discovered.

Mark Lorch, Professor of Science Communication and Chemistry, University of Hull • conversation
April 25, 2023 ~8 min

The retention problem: Women are going into tech but are also being driven out

Women are severely underrepresented in tech. Strength in numbers – communities for women and women mentoring women – can counter tech’s sexist culture and help retain women in the field.

Vandana Singh, Professor of Information Science, University of Tennessee • conversation
March 3, 2023 ~8 min

Nipple ban on Instagram and Facebook reveals how bizarre our attitude is towards different genders

Facebook and Instagram were recently told by their parent company, Meta, to overhaul their policy on nipple exposure. But the change may not be as radical as people hope. Here’s why.

Lorraine Green, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences, Edge Hill University • conversation
Feb. 3, 2023 ~7 min

Betting on female jockeys can bring greater rewards – but it's not all good news

Horse racing can be at thrill for punters and jockeys alike. But sex discrimination could be skewing the odds.

Vanessa Cashmore, PhD student, University of Liverpool • conversation
Dec. 26, 2022 ~6 min

How did the patriarchy start – and will evolution get rid of it?

Not all human societies throughout history have been patriarchal.

Ruth Mace, Professor of Anthropology, UCL • conversation
Sept. 20, 2022 ~17 min


Staring at an image of yourself on Zoom has serious consequences for mental health – especially for women

Mirrors, selfies and knowing other people are looking at you all cause people to think of themselves as objects. Video calls are all three in one and are likely increasing the harms of self-objectification.

Jamie Goldenberg, Professor of Psychology, University of South Florida • conversation
April 25, 2022 ~8 min

Evolution: how Victorian sexism influenced Darwin's theories – new research

Darwin thought female animals were non-strategic and uniform, making similar decisions.

Matthew Wills, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at the Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath • conversation
Jan. 20, 2022 ~8 min

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