Botanists name a beautiful new species of ‘lipstick vine’ discovered in the Philippine rainforest

Suddenly we spotted a luminous white, purple-spotted flower dangling above our heads. We suspected immediately that it was new to science. It’s so exciting that beautiful species like this are still there waiting to be described.Dr Chris Thorogood, Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum and Department of BiologyThe group made the discovery during an expedition to the remote Barangay Balbalasang rainforest on the island of Luzon in 2022. This almost impenetrable…

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The genetic basis of fertility, family and longevity

Led by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the University of Iceland, the review explores how genetic variations can explain differences in reproductive health and longevity.The study provides the most comprehensive review of male and female genetic discoveries of reproductive traits to date, and provides new insights into how our DNA affects when we have children, the timing of menopause, and even how that…

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Supercharge your 2025

Tips to get your team future-fit for 2025 Chris Parsons, Q5’s founding partner, highlights the importance of becoming ‘future fit’ for 2025. By setting a clear direction, simplifying processes, embracing technology, and fostering a culture of optimism, leaders can drive efficiency and performance. The actions taken now will shape next year’s success—start planning for a thriving 2025 today. Reading Time: 3 minutes Being ‘future fit’ for 2025 should be on…

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Construction Chronicles: OFCCP Issues Guidance on Combatting Harassment in the Construction Industry

Quick Hits On November 21, 2024, OFCCP released “A Guide to Combatting Harassment in the Construction Industry,” providing information and resources for federal construction contractors and subcontractors. OFCCP’s guide is prepared in a Q&A chart format detailing the agency’s responsibilities, generally, and discussing harassment examples, obligations related to combatting harassment in the construction industry, worker rights, and best practices for maintaining harassment-free workplaces. OFCCP’s guide follows similar guidance from the…

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A Look Back and Look Forward: Where Are You Headed with Culture?

Culture can make or break a workplace. If that sounds dramatic, but consider this: 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a strong workplace culture is critical to business success, yet 69% of employees say their organizations lack a culture where feedback is valued and encouraged. The gap between what’s desired and what’s delivered is glaring—and you’re often caught in the crossfire. You’ve felt the tension of juggling employee…

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Can Your Organization Weather the Storm? Wage and Hour Concerns for Employers During Inclement Weather

Quick Hits Generally, under the FLSA, employers must pay exempt employees their guaranteed salary during business closures caused by inclement weather, as deductions for employer-caused absences are not permitted. Employers are typically required to pay nonexempt employees for all hours worked, but if they cannot work remotely due to the nature of their jobs during a weather-related closure, employers are not required to pay them. Connectivity problems during inclement weather…

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Reflections post COP29: The landscape has shifted—are you adapting fast enough?

A topic that matters more than ever, and yet is debated more than ever Sustainability matters now more than ever—the increasing need for an urgent step-up in action to meet key climate goals was a common refrain around COP29. Three illustrative facts were often cited: This is the first year we are on track to exceed 1.5 degrees. The costs of climate change are already piling up, global insurance losses…

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Who Is Responsible When AI Breaks the Law?‌‌

Q: You are co-authors of “Is Your Use of AI Violating the Law?” published in the Journal of Legislation and Public Policy. What is the aim of the paper?‌ Chertoff: The idea was to survey various ways in which artificial intelligence is impacting the legal landscape. What are the responsibilities of those developing AI technologies? What are the rights of those at the receiving end of decisions made or assisted…

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The Courage to Listen

Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share It takes a truly confident leader to admit what they don’t know — and a brave one to ask their subordinates what they really think. A telling anecdote about the kind of leader Bob Stiller wanted to be comes early in his recent book about how…

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Arbitration Agreement Enforceable By Non-Signatory Alleged Joint-Employers

Seyfarth Synopsis: Employees who sign an arbitration agreement with one company cannot avoid arbitration with related defendant-companies by arguing they were not parties to the agreement. The California Court of Appeal held that claims against related defendant-companies that are closely tied to the arbitration agreement cannot not be separated for litigation. Edgar Gonzalez v. Nowhere Beverly Hills LLC, B328959. The Facts Edgar Gonzalez worked at a grocery store (Erewhon) operated…

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In Layoffs, Focus on the Human Element

Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch once said: “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” To remain competitive, companies must adapt quickly to an ever-evolving business landscape. In times of growth, they may expand rapidly and hire aggressively. But when conditions shift, so must their strategies. This often requires realigning roles, streamlining processes, or improving operational efficiency to…

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Following his failed power grab, South Korean President Yoon escapes impeachment

In the midst of negotiations over the budget bill, part of which had already been rejected by the centre-left opposition, which holds a parliamentary majority, President Yoon Suk Yeol decreed martial law, prohibiting all political activity and rallies and putting the press under the control of the army. This extremely surprising and inordinate power grab – a tactic widely used by the authoritarian military regimes that ruled the country from…

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True customer-centricity: An operating model for competitive advantage

The emergence of new technologies and geopolitical changes are disrupting industries around the world. Corporations are rethinking how to create value for their customers—whether they are serving other businesses (B2B), consumers (B2C), or both (B2B2C)—and how to rewire their business operations to focus on customer needs. Legacy automotive companies are having to find ways to compete with electric-vehicle disruptors, banks are competing with fintech companies, and consumer goods companies are…

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Our Guide to the Winter 2025 Issue

subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Design Work to Prevent Burnout Sharon K. Parker and Caroline Knight Key Insight: Managers can apply a new model for work design to enhance their teams’ well-being and engagement by improving key job characteristics. Top Takeaways: Maintaining employee morale and keeping productivity high are just two of managers’ myriad responsibilities. But reducing burnout and improving worker well-being in order to meet those challenges is a struggle for…

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Ohio Governor Signs ‘Bathroom Bill’ Into Law, Impacting K–12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions in the State

Quick Hits Ohio has enacted into law SB 104, legislation restricting transgender access to certain school facilities: On November 27, 2024, Governor Mike DeWine signed into law the “Protect All Students Act,” which mandates that Ohio schools designate multi-occupancy restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and shower rooms for exclusive use by male or female students based on their biological sex. Provisions of and exceptions to the new law: The law…

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Corporate commitments to nature have evolved since 2022

The world’s largest companies increasingly recognize the risks and opportunities presented by nature and natural capital. This awareness is driving more businesses to set specific targets to address their impact on water, biodiversity, forests, and other dimensions of nature. The unprecedented decline of nature and biodiversity underscores the urgency of these commitments. Of the nine planetary boundaries proposed by scientists in 2009 to define a “safe operating space for humanity,”…

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Analysis of butchered bones suggests violent ‘othering’ of enemies in Bronze Age Britain

Charterhouse Warren is one of those rare archaeological sites that challenges the way we think about the past. It is a stark reminder that people in prehistory could match more recent atrocities and shines a light on a dark side of human behaviour. That it is unlikely to have been a one-off event makes it even more important that its story is told.Professor Rick Schulting (School of Archaeology, University of…

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Oxford and partners lead on two new MRC Centres to create cutting-edge gene therapies

The Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UKRI, is launching its first two Centres of Research Excellence (CoRE), which will develop transformative new advanced therapeutics for currently untreatable diseases. Oxford is leading one of these Centres and co-leading the other. Together, these international collaborations will receive up to £50 million each over 14 years.The Centres will build on the huge progress that has been made in genomics - allowing the…

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New framework shows the challenges involved with establishing a biodiversity credit market

We can't avoid all impacts of human activity on nature, so we need to be able to compensate for the damage that we cause to nature. Our review demonstrates how challenging it is to do this via a tradeable ‘unit of nature’ and provides guidance on how to ensure biodiversity credits are appropriately designed and used, so that they can support genuine biodiversity recovery.Study senior author Professor EJ Milner-Gulland (Department…

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Portola Valley approves new Stanford housing

On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Portola Valley Town Council voted unanimously to approve Stanford’s Portola Terrace residential project. Portola Terrace will provide 27 single-family homes for faculty and 12 affordable housing units for members of the Portola Valley community on a portion of “the Wedge” property along Alpine Road, near Westridge Drive.Intentionally configured as a cluster development, Portola Terrace will occupy only 10.8 acres of the 75-acre property, including nearly 5…

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Engaging Employees in Growth and Innovation

Topics Radar Brief insights on emerging trends in management from the opening pages of MIT Sloan Management Review’s quarterly print magazine. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Courtesy of Bob Stiller Bob Stiller founded Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Waterbury, Vermont, in 1981, serving as CEO and president until 2007 and chairman until 2012. Nasdaq named the company’s stock its top performer of the decade in 2009 even as…

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Cambridge to trial cutting-edge semiconductor technologies for wider use in major European project

Photonic chips transmit and manipulate light instead of electricity, and offer significantly faster performance with lower power consumption than traditional electronic chips. The Cambridge Graphene Centre and Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Centre at the University of Southampton will partner with members from across Europe to host a pilot line, coordinated by the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain, combining state-of-the-art equipment and expertise from 20 research organisations. The PIXEurope consortium has been…

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Wrong trees in the wrong place can make cities hotter at night, study reveals

Temperatures in cities are rising across the globe and urban heat stress is already a major problem causing illness, death, a surge in energy use to cool buildings down, heat-related social inequality issues and problems with urban infrastructure.Some cities have already started implementing mitigation strategies, with tree planting prominent among them. But a University of Cambridge-led study now warns that planting the wrong species or the wrong combination of trees…

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All about teams: A new approach to organizational transformation

In today’s business landscape, organizations face unprecedented levels of change and complexity. Markets shift overnight, new technologies emerge daily, and customer expectations evolve rapidly. This volatile environment demands that organizations adapt quickly, innovate continuously, and respond decisively to new challenges and opportunities. Companies aiming for significant performance improvements may have tried top-down or bottom-up approaches to transformation—either relying on senior management alone or on programs that seek to change employee mindsets.…

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Redefining success: A new playbook for African fintech leaders

Africa’s fintech landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, characterized by rapid growth and innovation. Despite significant headwinds, the market remains one of the most dynamic and promising in the world, with notable optimism among fintech leaders and investors. Key fintech players we interviewed indicated they were excited about opportunities across Africa, as reflected by our optimism survey, on which they returned an average score of 4.5, where…

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Three Things to Know About Incentivizing CEOs

Radar These research-based tips can help boards better align chief executives’ contract terms with corporate objectives. Kaushik Viswanath December 09, 2024 Reading Time: 1 min  Topics Radar Brief insights on emerging trends in management from the opening pages of MIT Sloan Management Review’s quarterly print magazine. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Getty Images When boards are hiring a new chief executive, they have tough choices to make as…

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Maximising employee talents and managing your workforce

Unlocking workforce potential through culture, motivation, and innovative talent strategies Explore how to unlock your workforce’s full potential by building a culture of engagement, motivation, and development. In this article, we unpack strategies for fostering ownership, spotting talent, and implementing innovative, cost-effective rewards in today’s evolving workplace. Listen to the podcast below. Reading time: 3 minutes On November 21, we hosted a compelling panel discussion, “Maximising employee talents and managing…

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Data Brokers Face Slew of Lawsuits Under New Jersey Privacy Law

Quick Hits Daniel’s Law in New Jersey allows judges, prosecutors, police officers, correctional officers, and their immediate family members to request in writing that any company or entity not disclose their home addresses or unpublished telephone numbers. On November 26, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey rejected constitutional challenges to the law. On December 2, 2024, the court allowed the defendants whose constitutional challenge was…

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A Very Un-American Response to the Murder of Brian Thompson

In the aftermath of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder in Midtown Manhattan, the most popular posts on social media are ones which express support if not ecstasy over the brazen assassination. In fact, UnitedHealthcare’s own bereavement message online was cruelly mocked by 77,000 laughing response posts, SNL ran into massive viewer blowback after they ran a skit mocking the response to the murder, and the etchings on the cold-blooded murderer’s…

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Investing in the future of tech: Lessons from winning companies

As the suite of technology tools at companies’ fingertips continues its exponential growth, so does the demand for technology’s role in business. Tech transformations are not singular events but rather a constant reality of corporate life. According to our latest McKinsey Global Survey of technology and business leaders, most companies are investing in tech with future growth in mind, and they’re seeing positive results from the transformation work they’ve already done. At…

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Building Human Connection in a Technical World: The Weaviate Approach to Marketing

The best part of my job is that I get to meet so many wonderful people, but I don’t always remember the exact moment we met. But I definitely remember meeting Bob van Luijt, CEO of Weaviate.* When I introduced myself to Bob, he reacted with contagious enthusiasm. He was warm and engaged in our conversation. At one point, he pulled out his phone to show me pictures of Weaviate’s…

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Green Digits

Another global problem has been the growth of waste associated with the digital transformation. In the second decade of the 21st century, the volume of screen and monitors waste, as well as discarded telecommunications equipment, increased worldwide by 30% - from 8.1 million to 10.5 million tons. Moreover, digitalisation affects the overall growth of waste not only directly, but also indirectly - stimulating additional consumption through recommendation algorithms. UNCTAD experts…

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Expert comment: Why are people in the UK leaving it so late to have children?

Dr Paula Sheppard. The UK has a fertility gap of around 0.3 children meaning that for every three children wanted only two are born. This phenomenon is largely driven by people starting families later in life. For instance, in 2016, approximately 22% of births were to mothers over age 35 compared with just 6% in 1980.The picture is very similar across Europe. In 2022 the fertility rate for the EU was…

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How Businesses Can Survive the AI ‘Black Hole’

It’s the conversation that’s dominating board rooms and strategy meetings. How are firms preparing for, or already harnessing, the potential of AI for their organisation? A KPMG survey found that 65 percent of executives anticipate a significant impact from generative AI (GenAI) within the next few years, even as many firms are still in the early stages of implementation. My own survey of INSEAD alumni found that 68 percent of business…

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Transforming mindsets: Nathan Bostock on banking transformations

Throughout his 40-year career, Nathan Bostock has seen the financial services industry change in big ways—and has used these changes to his advantage to usher in the next era of banking. He has led multiple full-scale transformations across several companies, including during his tenure as CFO and CEO of Santander UK and during his time as chief risk officer and CFO of the Royal Bank of Scotland. In this episode…

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Who gets to cross cultural boundaries without permission?

Elvis Presley may have been the king of rock ’n’ roll, but he didn’t invent it. His influences included country music and pop crooners as well as Black artists like Arthur Crudup, B.B. King, Fats Domino, and Little Richard, and the gospel music he loved as a kid in rural Mississippi.Years later, critics would lambaste Presley for “stealing” Black music and profiting from it in ways not open to the…

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The FCA concludes PMPRB decision re Differin® exceeded the Board’s jurisdiction

The Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) recently issued its decision in the appeal of Galderma’s second judicial review of the decision of the Patented Medicines Price Review Board (the PMPRB) that it had jurisdiction over Galderma’s Differin® product. In a strongly worded decision, the FCA granted Galderma’s appeal and set aside the PMPRB’s decision, holding that the PMPRB does not have jurisdiction over the price of the unpatented Differin® product.…

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The U.K.-Switzerland financial services mutual recognition agreement: A model for a future U.K.-EU relationship?

The United Kingdom and Switzerland announced, in December 2023, the signing of a ground-breaking mutual recognition agreement in the financial services sector. The Berne Financial Services Agreement, its proponents promise, opens doors hitherto closed, vistas so far unexplored, and markets yet unexploited. This kind of an agreement — or something like it, or something in the ballpark, or something notionally similar — had eluded U.K. officials in the course of…

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Capex excellence in oil and gas: Innovations for market challenges

Like many industries, the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry is facing challenges on several fronts: volatile commodity markets driving higher cost inflation, geopolitical instability causing supply chain disruptions, competition for construction talent and labor in certain geographies such as North America, and increasing pressure to accelerate bringing new production online. Capital expenditure (capex) is rising as a result, calling for cost optimization and innovation in capital deployment…

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New Center for Poetics ‘supports and encourages the vitality of the field’

A longstanding poetics workshop credited with fostering the academic success of many of its past and current members has given rise to a new center dedicated to poetry scholarship.The Stanford Center for Poetics was launched this quarter under the leadership of faculty director Marisa Galvez, professor of French and Italian. Situated within the School of Humanities and Sciences and administered by the Department of English, the center “provides a home…

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