Film review: Cowboys & Aliens
In which High Noon meets high-concept sci-fi carnage - and shoots blanks, says Duncan Wu

In which High Noon meets high-concept sci-fi carnage - and shoots blanks, says Duncan Wu

Glimpses of gothicism and a sense of deja vu entertain Will Brooker

Whether it was decrying "Mickey Mouse" degrees or rubbishing the oil industry's estimates on remaining petroleum reserves, Richard Pike was not afraid to speak his mind as chief executive of the...

Weekly transmissions from the blogosphere
Imperial College LondonBypassing the burgersGastric bypass surgery makes people want to eat healthier food, according to a new study. Scientists at Imperial College London found that patients who...

Gladys Aylward, the English missionary pictured with two of her adopted children (see image, right), became a household name when her heroic exploits escorting 100 orphans to safety through war-torn...
A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

Children’s hour - The obsession with contact time is infantilising our students
A project to increase the number of students doing languages at university has been awarded an extra £1.2 million.

The oft-repeated claim that the riots that have broken out in London and other cities in recent days are “mindless” and “meaningless” is mistaken, an academic expert has said.

Phil Baty welcomes a number of fresh faces to this year’s ranking exercise, but offers a caveat, too
Universities should toughen up their demands for mathematical qualifications, including in non-science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, a taskforce has said.

By Scott Jaschik, for Inside Higher Ed
Five institutions inspected by the quality watchdog over their partnerships with providers in Singapore have been advised to take action to ensure their written agreements are “fit for purpose”.
Further education colleges will be able to offer their own foundation degrees for the first time in a landmark step towards institutions obtaining full degree-awarding powers.