World View in 2018

With millions now using direct-to-consumer ancestry DNA tests, action is needed to deal responsibly with unexpected paternity issues, argues Maarten H. D. Larmuseau.

There is a widespread misconception that drug use is rife in the US–Mexico border area, particularly in Mexican states. But with a dirth of available epidemiological data, we have to be careful about the conclusions we draw, argues Guilherme Borges.

Learning analytics is a novel educational research approach that uses data to help us understand and improve the learning process. Xavier Ochoa explains how Latin America is the perfect showcase for all that learning analytics has to offer in the arena of education.

Although global spending in response to humanitarian crises is growing, humanitarian assistance is under threat from political, economic and security sources. To protect the principles of humanitarian assistance, we must ensure that it remains neutral, impartial and independent, argues Johan von Schreeb.

People who have abortions have been silenced in a way that impoverishes our abortion debate, says Katie Watson.

New research shows that historical notions of scientific inferiority still underlie contemporary beliefs about scientific talent, or lack of it, in women and minority groups. If we do not address these biases, we are upholding an unhealthy system, argues Heather Metcalf.

Revelations of sexual harassment, sexism and unequal pay in film and broadcasting have called ‘time’s up’ on the myths of egalitarianism that circulate about the creative sector, argues Rosalind Gill.

Social innovation can be a powerful tool for positive change, but we need to rethink scaling as an integral part of the innovation process, explains Johanna Mair.

Immigrant employment is not the cause but rather the consequence of growing inequality and deterioration in workers’ pay and working conditions. In fact, immigrants have revitalized labour-organizing efforts in recent decades, argues Ruth Milkman.

National elections are an essential component of a democratic society. But, cautions Mareike Kleine, elections can divert attention away from ongoing international negotiations, so their timing should be carefully considered.

Online extremism has changed, and censorship by content removal or account suspension alone cannot counteract it. We need a radical new response, argues Louis Reynolds.

Public mistrust of vaccines is heightening, fuelled by new communication environments such as social media. Using the recent case of the Dengvaxia vaccine, Heidi Larson explores public and political reactions to vaccine risks.

Obesity prevention has emphasized the individual person and created a narrative of blame. But by treating obesity as a socially transmitted disease, we can start to turn the tide of the obesity epidemic, says Tim Lobstein.

Science makes a substantial contribution to the economy of developing countries such as Vietnam and its costs must be put into perspective, argues Quan-Hoang Vuong.