Across the world, citizen and international election observers have been deployed to watch over polls, to improve electoral quality and transparency. Their presence is designed to reduce problems such as election-day fraud, voter suppression, and political violence. In African countries, observers have been commonly deployed since the 1990s. However, during recent elections across the continent, their role has been questioned. Some feel that their methods are flawed, while others have accused them of bias. Nevertheless, it is not clear how widespread these views are, as citizens’ perspectives are often missing from debate.

Many researchers today are dedicated to the discovery of new medicines. Over the past few decades, their tireless efforts have culminated in a database of around 100 million known drug molecules. This value may already sound vast, but by current estimates, the true number of small drug-like molecules could actually range anywhere between 1023 – already more than the number of grains of sand on Earth – and 1060 – comparable to the number of atoms in an entire galaxy. With existing approaches, researchers ultimately need to test the medical potential of these molecules individually, taking up vast amounts of time and computing power.

Hybrid warfare refers to military strategies that blend conventional warfare with practices such as insurgency, terrorism, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns. This has blurred the lines between wartime and peace in an unprecedented way. As a consequence, decision-makers in both the police force and the military are required to cooperate and accommodate each other’s differences. This makes it difficult for police and military commanders to identify the strategic context in which they are operating. Many experts are now asking the question: Are existing security concepts compatible with the challenges of today’s hybrid warfare?

Unlike virtually every other country in the world, the United States uses popular elections to select or retain many judges. This practice has long been controversial, often due to the tension between independence and accountability. However, there are many other issues that this system raises, such as informed voting. Research shows that many people who cast ballots for top-of-ticket political offices, such as president and governor, fail to vote in judicial elections – even though they are included lower down on the same ballot. This phenomenon is called ‘roll-off’.

The March of Wales refers to an area north to south along what is now the border between England and Wales. This region was first penetrated by Norman barons after 1066. Although the Welsh fought to hold their ancient kingdoms, the Normans were securely established by the mid-1200s. When, in 1282, Edward I killed the most powerful Welsh ruler, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, independent Wales was conquered. Some areas became Crown possessions, while others were distributed to Marcher lords. This created a Marcher aristocracy that shaped the culture of the region for the next three centuries.

Humans experience internal sensations in response to the external world: we don’t just think or process – we experience. These sensations range from emotions, such as love, anxiety, embarrassment; to more subtle experiences, known as ‘qualia’. Qualia include the pain of a headache, the response to a sunset, or to stroking pets. Humans’ inner mental life poses the hard problem of consciousness: understanding how and why we have such internal sensations. Neuroscience explores how brains process sensory information to make inferences and analyse external situations. This is called cognition, and it may result in actions. Consciousness refers to our inner sensations.