Questions

997 questions in the encyclopedia.

What are the pros and cons of vaping?

The inhalation of vapor via an electronic cigarette is known as vaping. It is advertised as an alternative for cigarette smokers by delivering nicotine without tobacco. Health concerns from vaping are mostly uncertain, but according to reports by health experts, vaping can affect lungs, memory, and in some cases, result in death.

What are the pros and cons of vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism has been adopted by different people and cultures since the beginning of human history. However, up until recently, vegetarianism has primarily been a lifestyle resulting from religion or distaste towards meat. With the rise of interest in a vegetarian lifestyle, what are the pros and cons of vegetarianism?

What are the responses to the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh?

Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court nomination, Brett Kavanaugh, has been accused of attempted rape by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. The incident allegedly took place at a party when Kavanaugh was 17-years-old.

What are the solutions to the Israel Palestine conflict?

What started as intercommunal violence between Israelis and Arabs in the 1920s evolved over the course of the twentieth century into a full-blown civil war and open conflict. After much bloodshed and the dawn of a new century, what would a solution to the Israel-Palestine situation look like? Is peace even a possibility for one of the world's longest-running conflicts?

What are the solutions to the Syrian crisis?

The Syrian crisis is part of a wider conflict the origins of which can be traced back to the Arab Spring of 2011. The dissatisfaction of some of the countries in the Arab world with their corresponding governments had led to many anti-government protests demanding a better standard of living in countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Some of these countries were successful in creating significant regime change. However, and 9 years later with over 6.5 million nationals displaced and over half a million deaths; what solutions are there to a crisis happening in a country which has become a political playground for many belligerents?

What are the themes in Of Mice and Men?

John Steinbeck's timeless novel, Of Mice and Men, is a piece of literature that many teens encounter in high school. It explores the story of two migrant workers during the Great Depression. What are the central themes of the novel?

What are the themes of The Catcher in the Rye?

J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye is a well-known coming of age story. It has also caused controversy because of its sexual content and use of profanity. What are the themes of The Catcher in the Rye, and how does the main character, Holden Caulfield, react to the world around him?

What are the themes of The Great Gatsby?

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a set in New York City during the 1920s: a time of youth, wealth, and prohibition. There are several timeless themes such as love, wealth, and death. Other themes are more specific to the era like the materialism of the Roaring Twenties and social class.

What are the theories about multiple universes?

Could ours be just one of many universes? This entry maps the leading multiverse theories — infinite universes, parallel universes, bubble universes, daughter universes, and the mathematical universe hypothesis.

What are the theories around aviator Amelia Earhart's disappearance?

What became of the aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished over the Pacific in 1937? This entry maps the theories — that she crashed near Howland Island, was captured by the Japanese, lived on under another name, was marooned as a castaway, or lies in the Buka Island wreck.

What are the theories of emotion?

Emotions are a central part of the experience of being human. People's feelings and moods affect their behavior, choices, and perspectives in myriad ways. The physical and psychological mechanisms behind emotions are correspondingly complex, and many different theories of emotion have been proposed to explain them. What are these theories, and are they supported by biology, psychology, physiology, or even common sense?

What are the views on the legalization of gay marriage?

To be denied the opportunity to marry is to be locked out of one of life’s main identity-defining rituals. Marriage is both an expressive and legal act but for many same-sex couples around the world, it is not an option. Should our legal definition of marriage be expanded to include same-sex couples?

What are the views on the US - China trade war?

Donald Trump's protectionist economic policies led to the introduction of tariffs on $550 billion worth of imports from China. President Xi Jinping responded with tariffs of his own, affecting some $185 billion worth of US-made products. As the two global economic behemoths enter a trade war, what are the implications for both economies and the rest of the world?

What are theories of deviance and crime?

The reasons that crime and delinquent behavior exists in society has always perplexed sociologists and psychologists alike. The theories for why this behavior exists ranges from placing the blame on society, to the individual.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

This age-old question was first asked by Aristotle back in the 4th century BCE. Since then, the question has been seen throughout society and has become one of today's most iconic paradoxes. So which one actually came first?

What caused Henry VIII's erratic behaviour later in life?

What turned Henry VIII from a vigorous young king into an erratic, tyrannical ruler? This entry maps the explanations — a jousting head injury, mental illness, syphilis, and the chronic pain of his leg ulcers.

What caused the American Civil War?

The American Civil War (1861-1865) officially began with the battle of Fort Sumter on April 12th-13th, 1861 and fundamentally shifted the trajectory of American history. Arguably the first instance of modern total war for the United States, the war impacted virtually every facet of American society. However, different perceptions of its origins and legacy persist across regions and demographics in the United States. One of the most contentious differences in opinion is around what the primary cause of the Civil War is.

What caused the French Revolution?

The French Revolution lasted 10 years, from 1789 to 1799. The Ancien Regime was overthrown in favor of a constitutional monarchy, and King Louis XVI's was executed. It eventually became the First French Republic.

What constitutes Modernism in literature?

In the 19th to early 20th century, Modernism heralded a radical transformation of culture. With its renewed outlook of a post-industrial, post-WW1 society, past beliefs and styles were rejected in favor of the ‘new’. Literary Modernism is characterized by innovative literary techniques such as stream of consciousness, interior monologue, and multiple viewpoints, which reflect an interest in psychology and human nature. Despite its prominence, the movement is notoriously hard to define. So, what elements make up Modernist literature?

What did Snape mean by 'Always' when speaking to Dumbledor in 'Harry Potter and the Deathy Hallows'?

When Dumbldore tells Snape to give Harry the sword of Gryffindor, he tells Snape to make sure he is not seen doing this, so Snape uses his Patrollum, a silver doe, to guide Harry to the sword in the frozen lake. Exchange: "What I'm saying is I have lied for you, I have spied for you, I have put my self in mortal danger to protect the boy! And now you tell me you've been raising him like a pig for slaughter -" Said Snape. "Have you come to care for the boy after all?" said Dumbledore. "Expecto Patronum!" Said Snape waving his wand in the air and a silver doe leaped around the room then out the window. "All this time?" said Dumbledore looking at Snape. Snape had tears in his eyes. "Always." said Snape. --- What he meant by 'Always'...What did he always do? Was he always watching over him or something? What does this mean?

What do Christians believe?

Of the world’s population of 7.8 billion, Christianity is the most widely practised religion in the world, with more than 2 billion followers. Next in popularity are 1.5 billion followers of Islam and 900 million Hindu. There are many beliefs that Christians have in common. There are however, not unsurprisingly, also many differences in the more than 21,000 Christian denominations.

What do early voting and vote-by-mail controversies mean for democracy in the US?

Record numbers of Americans have cast their vote early before election day on 3rd November in person and by mail. Long queues outside polling stations and fears of voter fraud are the subject of great controversy. What do these controversies tell us about the state of democracy in the US?

What do we know about Sigmund Freud's theories?

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), commonly referred to as "the father of psychoanalysis" was an Austrian neurologist and is generally recognized as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century. He remains a well-recognised figure and he and his ideas are still frequently referenced in pop culture. Freud has been influential in two related but distinct ways. He simultaneously developed a theory of the human mind and human behaviour, as well as clinical techniques for attempting to help neurotics. He popularised the ideas of the unconscious, defense mechanisms, Freudian slips and dream symbolism, while also making a long-lasting impact on fields as diverse as literature, film, Marxist and feminist theories, literary criticism, philosophy and psychology.

What does Eminem's popularity say about racism in the US?

Eminem has cultivated and earned a reputation for his controversial lyrics. They have been called out for being sexist, violent, homophobic and racist. However, he remains an extremely popular artist. Why is Eminem's racism given a 'pass' by his listeners? And how does this relate to societal attitudes to racism?

What does the popularity of The Simpsons say about American culture?

What does the enduring popularity of The Simpsons reveal about American culture? This entry maps the readings — that its characters satirise American life, and that its vast audience made its jokes part of shared cultural knowledge.

What does the response to COVID-19 tell us about our ability to cope with climate change?

The global shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have tested every part of our society, from healthcare, to employment, finance, supply chains, global trade, nationalism, governance, emergency response, and so on. How our governments have responded to the pandemic is revealing a lot about how the world works, and makes us ask what it reveals about potential responses to future disasters, such as the climate change crisis. Is the COVID-19 pandemic a stress test for future climate shock? How prepared are we?

What does the White Whale symbolize in Moby-Dick?

As one of the most famous symbols in literature, one would expect "Moby-Dick's" White Whale to have a single and exact meaning. Although known by most as a symbol of Ahab's monomaniac obsession, the White Whale actually could represent a multitude of different things. What does the White Whale truly symbolize?

What events led to the American Revolution?

What lit the fuse of the American Revolution? This entry maps the events that fed colonial anger, setting out the roles of the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts in driving the thirteen colonies toward rebellion.

What explains why humans evolved high intelligence while other animals did not?

Why did humans evolve such high intelligence when other animals did not? This entry maps the explanations — brain size, the number of brain neurons, the brain's energy consumption, and the number of distinct brain regions.

What happened at Chernobyl?

On April 26, 1986, one of the most devastating nuclear disasters in history occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine. An explosion at Chernobyl's reactor number 4 destroyed the facility's protections against nuclear radiation and sent massive quantities of radioactive fallout into the atmosphere. Was the catastrophe simply a tragic failure of nuclear safety systems? Or did something more than a mere accident happen at Chernobyl?

What happened to Breonna Taylor?

This entry maps how the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor, shot by police during a raid on her home, is characterised — setting out the positions that she was murdered by the police, and that she was accidentally killed during the raid.

What happened to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein?

What happened to Korean Airlines flight 007?

In 1983 a Soviet fighter shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007, killing all aboard. This entry maps the dispute over what the plane was — an innocent passenger jet that strayed off course, and a deliberate spy-surveillance flight.

What happened to Malaysia Airlines flight 370?

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014 remains aviation's great mystery. This entry maps the leading theories — a power interruption, crew hypoxia, and the possible involvement of passengers, crew, cargo or a suicidal pilot.

What happened to MH17?

On July 17, 2014, a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane crashed in the war-torn region of eastern Ukraine. All 298 passengers were killed in the crash. Although a Dutch investigation found Russia responsible for shooting down the plane, theories as to what truly happened to MH17 continue to circulate in the media.

What happened to the lost colony of Roanoke?

Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina, was colonized in May of 1587. John White, in charge of the colony, left that August to retrieve more supplies from England, leaving behind roughly 115 colonists on the island. White’s timing was poor and was unable to return to Roanoke until 1590. When he arrived, he found the entire colony had vanished, the only clue to their disappearance was the word “Croatoan” carved into a tree. Since then, what has happened to the colonist at Roanoke has plagued history and mystery buffs alike.

What happened to the two princes in the Tower of London?

In 1483, the sudden death of King Edward IV left the throne of England in the hands of his 12 year old son. Edward IV's son, Edward V, and his brother were taken into custody by their uncle at the Tower of London, and disappeared shortly after. Although there has been much speculation as to what happened to them over the years, no one truly knows the fate of the two princes.

What happened with the Deepwater Horizon explosion?

This entry maps the explanations offered for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil-rig disaster — from BP's documented mismanagement to a string of conspiracy theories blaming submarines, eco-saboteurs, the US government, big business and divine retribution.

What has coronavirus revealed about human psychology?

Studies since the COVID-19 outbreak have uncovered interesting revelations about human psychology. How is quarantine affecting mental health? Which groups are the most psychologically affected? Is the virus changing how our brains are wired?

What if Mary was abducted by aliens amd left pregnant

Creative question

What if Mary was abducted by aliens and left pregnant

What is "race"?

Race is one way humans classify one another. Yet, views of how humans are classified differ between person-to-person and even country-to-country. The debate of "what race is" has important - and dangerous - implications across society and between individuals.

What is a black hole?

Black holes are one of the most mysterious objects in the Universe. They consist of an immense amount of matter packed into a tiny volume, giving them enormous density and gravity. The gravitational pull is so high that not even light can escape, so they are invisible. These objects have puzzled astronomers and physicists for decades - what is a black hole and what do we know about them?

What is a conspiracy theory?

What exactly makes something a conspiracy theory? This entry maps the defining features set out across positions — an alleged secret plot, a group of conspirators, cherry-picked 'evidence', the denial of coincidence, a good-versus-evil worldview, and the scapegoating of groups.

What is a Nation?

Are nations ancient or modern? Are they natural or artificial? Are they a tool of liberation or coercion? Despite many predicting globalisation would make them obsolete, nations are now back in fashion in a world where leaders tout America First, the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese People, and Hindutva. Understanding the nation now seems more important than ever.

What is a revolution?

What is a revolution, and what drives one? This entry maps the elements set out across positions — upheaval and the overthrow of an old order, accumulated grievances, a triggering crisis, the power of ideas, and the divisions that follow victory.

What is an autocratic government?

What defines an autocratic government? This entry maps the hallmarks set out across positions — expanding executive power, repressing dissent, controlling information, stoking populism, crippling opposition, manipulating elections, and invoking emergencies.