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February 27, 2026

There aren’t enough geriatricians – here’s how older adults can still get the right care

Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Jerry Gurwitz, Professor of Geriatrics, UMass Chan Medical School

Geriatricians are trained to look beyond individual illnesses that older adults may face, and instead to look at the bigger picture of aging. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images

More than 70 million baby boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 – are alive today. In 2026, the oldest of them are turning 80.

With longer lives often comes more complicated health needs: multiple chronic conditions, long lists of medications, balance problems that can increase the risk of falls, and changes in memory. Many older adults also begin relying more on spouses, children or other family members to help manage medical decisions.

Ideally, health care in later life should go beyond just treating individual diseases and medical conditions. It should aim to help older people maintain health, independence and optimal quality of life for as long as possible.

Doctors and nurse practitioners trained in geriatrics specialize in doing exactly that. As a geriatrician for nearly four decades, I’ve seen how the right care for older people can prevent falls, reduce risk of medication side effects and help patients make medical decisions that reflect their goals and wishes.

The problem? There just aren’t enough of us. Finding a health care provider with expertise in geriatrics can be extraordinarily difficult. But there’s good news: You can use a few simple strategies that geriatricians rely on to have more productive conversations with your or your family member’s doctor.

A whole-person approach to aging

Geriatricians are trained to see the bigger picture of aging. They don’t just treat individual diseases – they also focus on preserving independence, function and safety. That includes addressing memory changes, balance problems, complex medication regimens and the difficult trade-offs that often come with complicated medical decisions.

Older adult couple speaking with a doctor — New symptoms in older adults should not just be blamed on aging.
Morsa Images/E+ via Getty Images

A geriatrician can help patients and their families weigh whether a test or procedure will truly improve their patient’s life. Specialists in geriatrics know that most falls have multiple causes – and that practical steps like reviewing medications or improving home safety can prevent the next one.

They also recognize that in older adults, new symptoms should not be blamed simply on aging. Sometimes they can be due to drug side effects. For example, stopping certain sleep medications can reduce confusion and daytime drowsiness, and limiting or avoiding use of opioids for pain relief can prevent debilitating constipation.

Unfortunately, geriatrics is a specialty with a dearth of providers. Nationally, there are fewer than 12 geriatric physicians and 10 geriatric nurse practitioners per 100,000 older Americans. In many rural areas, there are none. And the shortage is unlikely to improve anytime soon. That’s because medical students and advanced practice nurses rarely choose to specialize in geriatrics, and many medical schools provide no formal training in the care of older adults.

This means most older adults will be cared for by clinicians without specialized geriatric training. But older patients and families can still steer care in the right direction by using a straightforward framework geriatricians follow called the “5Ms.”

A geriatrician’s framework

This mnemonic captures the core principles of optimal geriatric care. The letters stand for mind, mobility, medications, multicomplexity and matters most. The importance of each of these essentials of care for older adults may seem obvious, but it’s amazing how often they are overlooked when doctors without training in geriatrics take care of their older patients. Here’s how you can think about them in speaking with your doctor:

Mind: About 10% of adults age 65 and older have dementia, and another 22% have mild cognitive impairment. If you’ve noticed changes in your memory – forgetting appointments or conversations, forgetting to take medications, struggling with bills or relying more on family for help with tasks you once handled easily – bring it to your doctor’s attention. These concerns don’t always surface unless you mention them. When doctors know about memory problems, they can check for treatable causes, adjust medications or recommend further evaluation and lifestyle changes that may be of benefit.

Aging well means maintaining health, independence and optimal quality of life for as long as possible.

Mobility: Each year, about a third of older adults report at least one fall, and 1 in 10 suffer a fall-related injury. Make sure to tell your health care provider if you have fallen, feel unsteady when standing or walking, or if you worry about falling. Request advice about how you can improve strength, flexibility and balance to reduce the risk of falls and serious injury.

Medications: Four out of every 10 Americans age 65 and older take five or more different medications every day, and 1 in 10 take 10 or more. Any new symptom in an older person could be due to a drug side effect of their medication. So don’t be afraid to ask whether every medication you are taking is absolutely necessary, or whether a new symptom you are experiencing might be a side effect. If you see multiple health care providers who each prescribe medications to you, ask for a comprehensive review of your medications to make certain that nothing is being missed and all your drugs and dosages are appropriate.

Multicomplexity: About 75% of older adults live with two or more chronic medical conditions. When you are followed by several specialists – who limit their focus to a single disease – your care can become fragmented. That often means long medication lists, frequent tests and recommendations that don’t always fit together. A whole-person approach looks at how everything connects. You and your family can help by asking your primary health care provider to step back and review the full picture – all medications, all specialists and any upcoming tests – and help coordinate a clear, organized plan that is best for you.

Matters most: Asking yourself to pin down what matters most to you is a simple but powerful way to help your doctors understand what to prioritize in thinking through your care. With that information, your doctor can look beyond focusing on any one disease or condition and instead work with you to support your personal goals for a good old age. Maybe it’s being able to walk to the mailbox without falling. Or staying in your own home for as long as possible. Or avoiding medications that make you sleepy or confused. Or staying out of hospitals and emergency rooms. Whatever it is, it’s important to have your health care provider focus on your own priorities.

Aging well is not about having more doctor’s appointments or medical tests, nor is it about taking more medications. It’s about getting the kind of health care that will maintain function, independence and quality of life into old age. You may not be able to find a geriatrician, but you can definitely help your doctor better understand the care that’s right for you or your loved one.

Jerry Gurwitz receives funding from the National Institute on Aging. He serves as a paid consultant to United Healthcare.

– ref. There aren’t enough geriatricians – here’s how older adults can still get the right care – https://theconversation.com/there-arent-enough-geriatricians-heres-how-older-adults-can-still-get-the-right-care-269789

February 27, 2026

Suspension des réseaux sociaux au Gabon : pourquoi la mesure aggrave la crise au lieu de l’éteindre

Source: The Conversation – in French – By Fabrice Lollia, Docteur en sciences de l’information et de la communication, chercheur associé laboratoire DICEN Ile de France, Université Gustave Eiffel

Les autorités gabonaises ont annoncé la suspension des réseaux sociaux «jusqu’à nouvel ordre» invoquant la lutte contre les contenus diffamatoires et susceptibles de menacer la stabilité des institutions. Officiellement présentée comme une mesure de sécurité nationale et de cohésion sociale, cette décision intervient dans un contexte de tensions politiques et sociales. Pour décrypter cette situation, The Conversation Africa a interrogé Fabrice Lollia, dont les travaux portent sur les dynamiques et la gouvernance numérique en contexte de crise en Afrique. Il explique pourquoi les gouvernements recourent souvent à ce type de blackout et ses effets.

Quels sont les véritables objectifs derrière la suspension des réseaux sociaux au Gabon ?

Il y a, d’une part, un objectif officiel, et d’autre part des objectifs implicites qui apparaissent souvent dans ce type de décision. Sur le plan officiel, la Haute autorité de la communication (HAC) affirme vouloir prévenir la diffusion de contenus jugés diffamatoires, haineux ou insultants, présentés comme une menace pour la sécurité nationale et la stabilité des institutions.

Mais, dans la pratique, les objectifs implicites sont assez lisibles. Le premier consiste à réduire la capacité de mobilisation et de coordination : limiter les appels, la synchronisation des rassemblements et, plus largement, tout ce qui facilite la logistique collective en contexte de tension.

D’un point de vue info-communicationnel, il s’agit aussi de reprendre la main sur le récit. Restreindre les plateformes revient à limiter la circulation de vidéos, d’accusations, de contre-narratifs et d’éléments de preuve qui alimentent la conflictualité publique. Autrement dit, la décision traduit clairement une compréhension fine du rôle des réseaux sociaux comme infrastructure de visibilité, mais aussi comme accélérateur émotionnel en situation de crise.

Enfin, ce type de mesure permet souvent de gagner du temps. Du temps pour reconfigurer la communication publique, stabiliser une ligne officielle, et réorganiser les rapports de force.

Quoi qu’on en dise, la rationalité affichée reste principalement sécuritaire, et elle s’inscrit dans un contexte politique où certains observateurs interprètent cette décision comme un signal de durcissement sous Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, arrivé au pouvoir après l’éviction d’Ali Bongo Ondimba.

Pourquoi les gouvernements recourent-ils aux suspensions des réseaux sociaux en période de tensions ?

Parce qu’en situation de crise, les réseaux sociaux ne sont pas juste des outils de communication. Ce sont de véritables infrastructures socio-techniques qui structurent l’espace public. Ils accélèrent la circulation de l’information, mais aussi celle des émotions, des images et des interprétations. Autrement dit, ils augmentent la vitesse et l’intensité de la crise.

D’un point de vue info-communicationnel, on peut dire qu’ils agissent comme un dispositif de mobilisation (synchronisation des actions) ; un dispositif de mise en visibilité (preuves en temps réel, témoignages) et aussi comme un dispositif de viralité (amplification algorithmique, polarisation, contagion émotionnelle).

Les gouvernements recourent alors aux suspensions pour plusieurs raisons tout aussi tactiques que stratégiques. Ce que confirment d’ailleurs les recherches notamment en sciences de l’information et de la communication.

Les gouvernements cherchent à couper l’oxygène de la mobilisation en réduisant la capacité d’organisation collective et la synchronisation des actions. Aussi à limiter la viralité en freinant la diffusion des rumeurs, des appels à la violence, mais aussi de contenus politiquement sensibles ou embarrassants. N’oublions pas que réaffirmer le contrôle symbolique par le biais d’une coupure est aussi un acte performatif de pouvoir.

Cela veut dire que l’État peut fermer l’espace public numérique et reprendre la main sur l’agenda. Enfin, cette logique s’inscrit dans une tendance continentale. La réalité est montrée par des organisations spécialisées qui ont documenté une banalisation des restrictions en Afrique, avec un record en 2024 soit 21 coupures d’internet dans 15 pays africains selon Access Now et #KeepItOn.

Ces mesures apaisent-elles ces tensions, ou risquent-elles de les aggraver ?

Il faut distinguer effets immédiats et effets systémiques. Les suspensions peuvent produire un effet de ralentissement à très court terme (moins de coordination publique visible, moindre amplification instantanée), c’est d’ailleurs la pensée populaire. Mais, en sciences de l’information et de la communication, on observe que ce type de mesure génère souvent des effets collatéraux qui peuvent déplacer, voire intensifier la crise.

Ce que la suspension peut gagner à court terme c’est une réduction de la synchronisation. Car en perturbant les canaux de coordination, on peut diminuer la capacité à organiser rapidement des actions collectives. Mais aussi une baisse de la visibilité car bien évidemment il y a moins de diffusion en temps réel de contenus émotionnels ou polarisants. C’est aussi comme cela qu’on s’éloigne de l’impact algorithmique des réseaux sociaux.

Ces effets restent malgré tout fragiles, car ils reposent sur l’hypothèse que la circulation informationnelle dépend exclusivement des plateformes “grand public”. Or, en contexte de tension, les publics s’adaptent et participent à ce phénomène.

A moyen terme, il y a un risque d’aggravation. Tout d’abord, il y a l’effet vide informationnel. La coupure ne supprime pas seulement des contenus problématiques ; elle supprime aussi des mécanismes de régulation sociale : vérification, contradiction, contextualisation, journalisme, médiations. Ce vide favorise une montée de l’incertitude, et l’incertitude est un carburant classique de la rumeur. Les échanges basculent vers des espaces moins publics (groupes fermés, relais interpersonnels), où la correction est plus difficile.

Ensuite, on assiste à un déplacement de la conflictualité. La circulation ne s’arrête pas : elle se reconfigure. Il n’y a qu’à constater les contournements (VPN), l’usage de plateformes alternatives, et surtout la migration vers des canaux privés qui rendent la dynamique moins visible mais pas forcément moins active. On assiste alors à une crise plus « souterraine », donc forcément plus compliquée à comprendre et à piloter.

Aussi, si on se penche sur l’effet de légitimité et de confiance, il faut comprendre qu’une suspension est rarement perçue comme neutre. Elle peut être interprétée comme une censure ou une preuve de fragilité du pouvoir, ce qui dégrade la confiance institutionnelle. Or, en communication de crise, quand la confiance baisse, la capacité des messages officiels à stabiliser la situation diminue et la polarisation augmente.

Si on regarde les coûts socio-économiques et les effets de cascade. Les plateformes sont devenues des infrastructures de travail et d’échange (PME, services, relation client, créateurs, paiements informels). Les restrictions produisent un choc économique et social, qui peut lui-même alimenter du mécontentement, donc ajouter une couche à la crise initiale. Le Gabon c’est 850 000 utilisateurs des réseaux sociaux, des pertes quotidiennes similaires à la Tanzanie (13,8 millions de dollars US/jour en 2024) sont plausibles si la coupure est prolongée.

Enfin, sur le plan des droits, la Commission africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples rappelle régulièrement que les coupures et restrictions disproportionnées portent atteinte à la liberté d’expression et au droit à l’information (article 9 de la Charte). Cela renforce l’idée que la réponse type shutdown est non seulement contestable en efficacité, mais aussi risquée en termes de légitimité.

En bref, à court terme, on peut ralentir la crise. À moyen terme, on risque surtout de la rendre moins visible, plus incertaine, et donc plus difficile à apaiser avec un coût élevé en confiance et en économie.

Quelles alternatives existent pour gérer les contenus problématiques sans suspendre l’accès aux plateformes ?

Il faudrait déjà passer d’une logique du tout couper à une réponse proportionnée et traçable. Et pour ce faire, il y a plusieurs alternatives :

Celle de la communication de crise intensive par exemple avec des points de situation fréquents, des données vérifiables, des réponses rapides aux rumeurs, avec des canaux redondants (radio, TV, SMS, site miroir).
Des mesures ciblées avec le retrait des contenus manifestement illégaux et des injonctions motivées, limitées dans le temps et le périmètre.
Une coopération encadrée avec les plateformes notamment avec la création d’une cellule de liaison en crise et une priorité aux contenus réellement dangereux (incitation à la violence), plutôt qu’à l’opinion.

Pour la résilience informationnelle, on pourrait également effectuer des partenariats médias/fact-checkers et éducation numérique.

Et tout cela pourrait même être encadré par une cellule dédiée comme cela se fait ailleurs.

Pour dire les choses d’une façon très simple : on garde l’accès ouvert, et on traite le risque de manière ciblée par le biais d’une veille sécuritaire pour éviter le vide informationnel et la défiance qui alimente la rumeur et la désinformation.

Fabrice Lollia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Suspension des réseaux sociaux au Gabon : pourquoi la mesure aggrave la crise au lieu de l’éteindre – https://theconversation.com/suspension-des-reseaux-sociaux-au-gabon-pourquoi-la-mesure-aggrave-la-crise-au-lieu-de-leteindre-276899

February 27, 2026

I’m a linguist with Tourette’s – here’s what I want people to understand after Baftas controversy

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amanda Cole, Associate Professor in Sociolinguistics, University of Cambridge

I am a sociolinguist who specialises in how language is understood and interpreted in society. I also have Tourette syndrome. Tourette’s is a genetically determined neurological condition in which a person produces both motor and vocal tics (movements and sounds), and in most cases occurs with conditions such as autism, OCD, ADHD and sensory processing difficulties.

I am typically very private about my condition, but I feel compelled to write about it following events at the 2026 Baftas ceremony, where Tourette’s advocate John Davidson produced several offensive tics, including the N-word which was aired in error in the BBC coverage. I do not pretend for one moment to be able to fully understand how traumatising and deeply upsetting hearing such language must be for black people.

But the misinformed views circulating online suggesting that Davidson must be a racist deep down, or that his tic was akin to a Freudian slip are fundamental misunderstandings about Tourette’s that need to be addressed.

Davidson has coprolalia, a particularly distressing type of Tourette’s that affects between 10% and 20% people with the condition. Coprolalic tics are when a person says offensive or obscene things. They are deeply upsetting for the person who produces them and they are not intentional. Often, the tic is the very worst thing that they could possibly say in any given situation, and the opposite of what they truly believe.

Davidson has said that his tics “have always been so aggressive that I have no idea when they are coming or what they will be”.

Many people do not know that I have Tourette’s. I can often suppress my tics, or they are subtle enough to fly under the radar. But suppressing tics requires a great deal of concentration, and I often feel itchy and uncomfortable. Tic suppression is not always possible and women tend to be able to mask their tics to a greater degree than men.

Even when a person can suppress a tic, they can only be held off for so long. The length of time differs from person to person and moment to moment. Whenever I get home after being around people other than my family, I am often overwhelmed by tics.

Meaning and intention

When we hear speech, our brains work quickly to make sense of its meaning. This includes both the literal meaning and the intention behind it. This is referred to as Gricean implicatures. A classic example is if a person says, “the window is open”, they might not just be stating a fact: they may be telling you that they are cold and would like you to shut the window.

Tics are very different to language. Vocal tics can have literal meaning, but there is typically no intention behind them. The words and phrases that a person produces are no more meaningful than grunts, coughs, sniffs or whistles which are also very common vocal tics. They are a neurological event.

In my own household – the only place I really feel safe to tic – we continually (and quite successfully and often tacitly) discriminate between the things I say which I mean, and those which are a tic and should be entirely disregarded. Sometimes this is straightforward, such as when I say “good night” at seven in the morning. Other times it is more complicated. My tics include saying my husband’s or my son’s names aloud, but I am not addressing them and they do not need to respond.

However, words can still be hurtful even if they are not said with an intent to hurt. I am in no way suggesting that it is wrong to feel deeply upset or offended by coprolalic tics. It has been well established that the way the Baftas and BBC managed Davidson’s tics let down both black people and people with Tourette’s. But I hope that a greater understanding of Tourette’s and that tics do not reflect a person’s beliefs or character can inform discussions about how we view offensive tics.

Tourette’s can be an incredibly difficult condition to live with. A reported 87% of adults living with Tourette’s experience physical pain because of their tics, 72% have considered suicide at some point in their lives and 60% believe their tics have prevented them from fulfilling their fullest potential.

I thought that vocal tics would ruin my life and any potential future career. The first tics I developed as a teenager were motor tics. I was terrified that I would develop vocal tics – which I did.

I have since established myself in a career I love, and yet I ask myself: would I have got here if I could not suppress my tics as successfully as I can? Or if what I said was vulgar or offensive rather than harmless and sometimes humorous? Sadly, I think the answer is no.

We have a duty as society to support people with Tourette’s to realise their potential. People with Tourette’s may need specific adaptions, but we also have a lot to offer. A range of research has found some extraordinary skills in people with Tourette’s such as being creative, articulate, quick-thinking, empathetic and having exceptional focus and problem solving.

I wish I could tell my younger self – sick with worry and feeling that Tourette’s was a curse I couldn’t escape – that sometimes Tourette’s is my greatest strength.

Amanda Cole does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. I’m a linguist with Tourette’s – here’s what I want people to understand after Baftas controversy – https://theconversation.com/im-a-linguist-with-tourettes-heres-what-i-want-people-to-understand-after-baftas-controversy-276915

February 27, 2026

Victory in Gorton and Denton is historic for the Greens – and cataclysmic for Britain’s two-party politics

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Tonge, Professor of Politics, University of Liverpool

The Green party’s dramatic capture of Gorton and Denton, supposedly one of Labour’s safest parliamentary constituencies, offers yet more evidence of the fragmentation of British politics.

The Green candidate, 34-year-old plumber Hannah Spencer, won 40.69% of the vote, a notable 12 points ahead of Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin (28.73%). Labour candidate Angeliki Stogia came third, with 25.44% of the vote.

In terms of size of majority toppled, this was the sixth-worst byelection defeat ever for Labour. Gorton had been Labour for more than 90 years. In what is now Greater Manchester, Labour has had to defend 20 seats at byelections since the second world war, and has been successful in 16 cases.

Although Labour might dismiss a byelection defeat as a mid-term blip, this is a government which has failed to enjoy a honeymoon period, led by a prime minister who has plumbed new depths in popularity ratings. It is also worth noting that turnout on Thursday was identical to that at the general election.

For Keir Starmer, it was a truly awful result. But Labour really lost this byelection over a month ago, when its national executive committee (NEC) blocked the candidature of Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and believed by many to be the one person who might have held the seat for the party.

Starmer spoke against Burnham standing and his view held sway at that NEC meeting by eight votes to one. The one vote in favour of Burnham standing came from a Manchester MP, Lucy Powell, who was elected Labour’s deputy leader last year after being mysteriously sacked from the cabinet by Starmer.

The prime minister had good reasons for his stance. An early exit by Burnham from the mayoralty would trigger a difficult byelection across the region. But the overarching reason for blockage appeared to be Starmer’s personal political security.

Popular among Labour members and perhaps the one rival to Starmer around which the parliamentary party could coalesce, Burnham might have offered a potential leadership challenge. He is also highly popular in Greater Manchester, averaging two-thirds of the vote in the three mayoralty contests he has fought. The newly elected Green MP Spencer trailed Burnham by a huge 375,000 votes in the most recent mayoral election in 2024.

Clearly, this poor result increases the pressure on the prime minister, but two things remain in his favour. First, Labour MPs may find it difficult to unite behind a clear challenger. Entry barriers are high; 80 MPs need to support the person prepared to raise their head above the parapet. Second, the economy is showing signs of improvement, which might eventually stem the flow to the Greens on the left. On the right, the exodus towards Reform may be slowed by the decline in net migration.

Yet things will get worse before they might get better for Labour. The Scottish parliament, Welsh senedd and English local elections are a mere 69 days away, and offer a bleak vista of large seat losses. Labour’s control of the senedd seems sure to end and the party has to defend the bulk of council seats being contested.

The end of two-party politics?

The Gorton and Denton result confirmed the death of old loyalties in British politics. Given the existence of four-party politics in Scotland and Wales and the electoral significance of the Liberal Democrats in England, the two-party duopoly has long been gone, perhaps never to return. Politics has never been as fragmented across parties.

For the first time in England, Labour finds itself challenged by a significant party of the left, while Reform on the right challenges both Labour and the Conservatives.

That the right vote is splintered offers some succour to Labour. An even split between Reform and the Conservatives could allow Labour to win again at the next general election, with an even more pitifully low percentage share of the vote than the one in 2024 which nonetheless yielded two-thirds of the Westminster seats.

This fragmentation may widen voter choice, but not all is healthy. This was at times a toxic byelection. The Greens argued it was possible to be jointly concerned with Gaza and Gorton. They were, however, accused of sectarianism, for example by by issuing Urdu-language leaflets and a campaign video showing Starmer greeting the Indian prime minister, Hindu nationalist Modi, to appeal to Muslim voters.

Reform, on the other hand, has been accused of racism in targeting the white vote and showing scant regard for the large Muslim minority within the constituency. Its candidate, former academic Matt Goodwin, was already controversial for his views questioning whether non-white people born in the UK could be classed as British.

Meanwhile, the first-past-the-post voting system struggles to deal with the reality of modern multiparty politics, with abject disproportionality between vote shares and levels of representation. But that fragmentation increasingly seems permanent.

Jonathan Tonge does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Victory in Gorton and Denton is historic for the Greens – and cataclysmic for Britain’s two-party politics – https://theconversation.com/victory-in-gorton-and-denton-is-historic-for-the-greens-and-cataclysmic-for-britains-two-party-politics-277001

February 27, 2026

Tracey Emin: A Second Life – Tate Modern’s must-see retrospective explores trauma and transcendence

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy, University of Westminster

The most powerful art speaks of and to the emotions. It tackles trauma and cathartically helps us to cope with it. It acknowledges pain, suffering and betrayal. It goes beyond an aestheticised veneer to raw emotion. It seeks to touch not just the eyes, but the soul.

The major retrospective of Tracey Emin’s career at London’s Tate Modern does just that, and features her most significant surviving works. It also reflects her characteristic subjects, techniques, materials and approaches.

The monumental bronze I Followed You to the End (2024), displayed on the approach to the Tate, is a foretaste of the anguished bodies in the statues within. These and the agonised black lines, floods of blood-red and bleak white backgrounds of paintings like Rape (2018) graphically engage with such traumatic experiences.

Emin made her name in the 1990s through dramatic installations and art that unflinchingly confronted the visceral realities of women’s bodies. These used her own body and experiences to create artworks that connected emotionally as raw cries of anguish. Or of lost innocence.

The latter comes out particularly in her short film Why I Never Became a Dancer (1995), deliberately placed near the start of the exhibition. In this, affectionate shots of Emin’s childhood hometown of Margate jarringly contrast with her narration of sexual abuse and misogyny.

This voiceover reflects Emin’s talent for pithy, poignant and allusive language. Appliqued into quilts such as Mad Tracey from Margate. Everyone’s Been There (1997), or expressed in the emotionally charged titles of artworks and neon signs, Emin’s words – as well as her body – confront her trauma.

Some of these works do so by foregrounding love, desire, longing, betrayal and abuse. Others resist the silence and stigma that have for so long shrouded women’s bodily functions.

The exploration of the soul

Throughout the exhibition, Emin’s work is deeply personal. Yet, by centring her own experience, Emin also humanises and universalises it. You don’t have to have had an abortion, or even be a woman, to respond emotionally to a work like The Last of the Gold (2002), publicly exhibited here for the first time.

Similarly, her textual contributions universalise the experiences of victimhood. Her handwritten memoir, Exploration of the Soul (1994), for example, movingly conveys a child’s attempt to understand the cruelty of unspoken racism.

Despite the trauma, throughout there’s an indomitable sense of defiance. Sewn into the quilt No Chance (WHAT A YEAR) (1999) a small text responds to her rapists pointing abusively at her: “I was only 13 and even then I knew they were pointing the wrong way.” In the same way, Why I Never Became a Dancer ends with Emin defiantly showing us her moves.

This combination of vulnerability and strength gives Emin’s work its emotional richness. This also comes out in her determination to document the trauma of her cancer. In works that take on the taboos around this disease, Emin depicts the procedures that our society squeamishly hides away in hospitals and the impact that these have had upon her body.

Of course, one of the most celebrated of her works does not directly feature her body but its absence. Yet My Bed (1998) is still a self-portrait of the traces of her life. Alongside the dishevelled bed and assorted detritus on and around it, what really struck me, seeing it for the first time, were the adjacent suitcases, packed and ready and the layered stories wordlessly conveyed in this installation. My Bed may on one level be an extended metaphor for struggling with depression, but the suitcases also speak of the will to escape.

Exorcism of the Last Painting I Ever Made (1996) is another even larger installation dealing with depression. It takes up an entire room in this exhibition. During pregnancy and in the aftermath of her abortions, Emin found it impossible to paint. The text behind the box containing this installation states: “I hated my body … I was suffering from guilt and punishing myself so I threw myself in a box and gave myself three and a half weeks to sort it out. And I did.”

The result is an insight into the artist’s studio as well as their body and mind. It reminded me of the installation of Francis Bacon’s studio in Dublin. Emin has cited the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch as a major influence, even holding an exhibition of her own work alongside that of Munch entitled The Loneliness of the Soul at the Royal Academy in 2021. Yet, to me, the comparisons with Bacon are more striking, both in the subject matters of sex and trauma and in the solemnity of their larger canvases.

This was particularly marked in the final room. Throughout the exhibition the walls are painted a petrol blue, the same shade that Bacon used for oppressive interiors such as Man at a Washbasin (1954). This, combined with subdued lighting, produces a womb-like atmosphere. The intimacy this creates both heightens the emotional connection and impact on the viewer and shows Emin’s work to best effect.

It might seem odd to create such an ambience when so many of the artworks deal with trauma. Yet, although Emin observes what is happening to her body, literally in the case of I Watched Myself Die and Come Alive (2023) that fills the final wall of the final room, her art also has a detached, transcendent quality.

The spiritual atmosphere of that final room, with identically sized canvasses hung along it like altarpieces – including one of The Crucifixion (2022) – speaks through the spectral traces of bodies in the artworks more of the soul than the body, less of trauma than of the transcendence of pain.

Tracey Emin: A Second Life is at the Tate Modern from February 27 2026 to August 31 2026.

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Pippa Catterall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Tracey Emin: A Second Life – Tate Modern’s must-see retrospective explores trauma and transcendence – https://theconversation.com/tracey-emin-a-second-life-tate-moderns-must-see-retrospective-explores-trauma-and-transcendence-277014

February 27, 2026

Des aliments africains contre l’inflammation pourraient aider les diabétiques

Source: The Conversation – in French – By Tendaiishe Berejena, Public Health Nutrition Researcher, University of South Africa

Les groupes d’aliments indigènes africains constituent un domaine passionnant à explorer en termes de goût et de nutrition. Ils pourraient même servir de thérapie nutritionnelle pour les personnes souffrant de problèmes de santé.

Des aliments tels que la mauve jute, le millet perlé et le millet à chandelle, le néflier sauvage, les chenilles et les noix de bambara ont tous des propriétés nutritionnelles qui pourraient être utiles dans la gestion de l’inflammation.

L’inflammation est la réponse naturelle du corps à une blessure ou à une infection. Elle nous aide à combattre les infections et déclenche le processus de guérison. Cependant, des problèmes surviennent lorsque l’inflammation persiste. Elle peut commencer à endommager les tissus sains et les vaisseaux sanguins, perturber la façon dont le corps utilise le sucre et les graisses, et affaiblir le système immunitaire. Au fil du temps, cette inflammation persistante peut entraîner des maladies telles que le diabète.

Le diabète de type 2 est une maladie chronique qui touche de nombreux adultes. Il provoque de graves problèmes de santé et un risque élevé de décès.

Le nombre de personnes atteintes de diabète dans le monde est passé de 200 millions en 1990 à 830 millions en 2022. La prévalence a augmenté plus rapidement dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire que dans les pays à revenu élevé. En 2021, le diabète et les maladies rénales liées au diabète ont causé plus de 2 millions de décès.

En tant que chercheurs en santé publique et en nutrition, nous nous intéressons particulièrement aux aliments fonctionnels, c’est-à-dire aux aliments qui présentent des bienfaits particuliers pour la santé. Notre expérience en matière de recherche sur la nutrition et la santé, ainsi que sur le métabolome végétal, nous aide à identifier les composés bioactifs présents dans les aliments qui peuvent contribuer à réduire l’impact des maladies chroniques.

Nous avons réalisé une revue de 46 articles de recherche sur le rôle des groupes alimentaires indigènes africains dans la prévention et la gestion du diabète sucré de type 2. Elle a examiné les propriétés anti-inflammatoires des groupes alimentaires africains en relation avec cette maladie.

Nous avons constaté que de nombreux groupes alimentaires africains réduisent considérablement le stress oxydatif lié au diabète de type 2. Le stress oxydatif survient lorsque l’organisme produit plus de molécules nocives liées à l’oxygène qu’il ne peut en neutraliser avec ses défenses antioxydantes naturelles. Cette surproduction d’oxydants perturbe les systèmes de contrôle cellulaires normaux. Nous avons trouvé plusieurs composés phénoliques dans ces groupes alimentaires africains qui confèrent des propriétés anti-inflammatoires.

Nos résultats fournissent des informations utiles pour concevoir des repas thérapeutiques traditionnels africains adaptés aux patients atteints de diabète de type 2 en Afrique.

Groupes alimentaires et diabète de type 2

Le régime alimentaire traditionnel africain se compose principalement de céréales, de légumineuses, de fruits, de légumes, de lait et de volaille, avec une importance particulière accordée aux insectes comestibles et une faible consommation de viande rouge.

De nombreux aliments indigènes tels que les feuilles d’okra, la morelle, l’amarante et le niébé sont sous-utilisés dans la cuisine et l’agriculture modernes. Ils sont également souvent considérés comme « la nourriture des pauvres ».

Au fil du temps, de nombreux Africains sont passés d’un régime alimentaire traditionnel africain, riche en fibres, en polyphénols et en antioxydants, à un régime occidental riche en sucre, en sel et en graisses malsaines. Ce changement a considérablement augmenté le risque de diabète de type 2.

Notre analyse a porté sur 46 études menées entre 2010 et 2023. La sélection de ces études a permis une évaluation complète de la manière dont les groupes d’aliments africains peuvent influencer l’inflammation associée au diabète sucré de type 2. Cette analyse met en évidence les mécanismes potentiels et les résultats pertinents pour la nutrition en matière de santé publique.

Nos résultats montrent que ces groupes d’aliments pourraient contribuer à atténuer l’inflammation chronique s’ils étaient inclus dans l’alimentation.

Insectes comestibles

Notre revue montre que les insectes comestibles tels que les fourmis, les chenilles, les grillons et les sauterelles libèrent des substances appelées enzyme de conversion de l’angiotensine et hydrolysats/peptides antioxydants.

Les peptides de sauterelle, en particulier, peuvent bloquer certaines enzymes impliquées dans la dégradation des sucres et des graisses. La dégradation d’une quantité excessive de sucres et de graisses peut entraîner des risques tels que la stéatose hépatique, le diabète, les maladies cardiaques et l’inflammation chronique.

Notre étude a également révélé que les composants bénéfiques communs aux insectes comprennent la chitine, les polyphénols, les antimicrobiens et les peptides/protéines. Ces composants peuvent aider à réduire le stress oxydatif chez les personnes atteintes de diabète.

Les chenilles ont une capacité antioxydante deux à cinq fois supérieure à celle du jus d’orange ou de l’huile d’olive. De même, les criquets ont des niveaux élevés d’antioxydants et de lipoxygénase. Les antioxydants sont essentiels pour protéger les cellules et la qualité des aliments. La lipoxygénase aide à produire des composés anti-inflammatoires qui favorisent la santé cellulaire et modulent l’inflammation. Ensemble, ils jouent un rôle essentiel dans le bien-être général.

Légumes

Nous avons découvert que les légumes à feuilles africains tels que le niébé, la morelle, l’amarante et les feuilles de gombo peuvent contribuer à réduire le taux de sucre dans le sang. Dans une étude, les patients atteints de diabète de type 2 qui ont consommé du blackjack (Bidens pilosa) ont vu leur glycémie à jeun baisser après le traitement. Le blackjack est un légume traditionnel en Afrique australe. Ses feuilles peuvent être cuites ou utilisées pour préparer du thé.

De même, l’amarante aide à réduire le taux de protéines totales lié aux problèmes rénaux chez les diabétiques.

Les légumes tels que les feuilles de niébé, la mauve de jute et la courge amère sauvage ont d’importantes propriétés anti-inflammatoires. La mauve de jute permet de réduire l’inflammation chez les patients diabétiques en stoppant la formation d’acide nitrique et en augmentant la production d’oxyde nitrique. La courge amère sauvage aide à réduire les niveaux de cytokines pro-inflammatoires.

Céréales/grains

Les petites céréales indigènes africaines contiennent naturellement des fibres, qui contribuent à réduire le taux de glucose.

Par exemple, le millet africain a une teneur élevée en fibres qui épaissit le contenu de l’estomac et réduit l’absorption du glucose. Une expérience sur les effets du millet africain sur des rats diabétiques a montré que les rats nourris avec du millet africain avaient un taux de glycémie à jeun plus bas que les rats diabétiques non traités. Des résultats similaires ont été observés avec le sorgho, qui améliorait la sensibilité à l’insuline et réduisait le diabète de type 2 chez les souris.

Notre étude a révélé que le sorgho contient des composés antioxydants tels que la lutéoline et la quercétine, qui peuvent contribuer à réduire l’inflammation chez les patients diabétiques. Il a été démontré que le sorgho à péricarpe rouge en Afrique réduit les niveaux d’inflammation chez les rats diabétiques. Cela suggère son rôle médical précieux.

Fruits

Notre étude a révélé que la figue de Barbarie peut permet de réguler la glycémie en bloquant certaines enzymes.

Une autre étude a montré que la poudre de fruit de baobab peut réduire la glycémie. De même, le néflier sauvage bloque l’activité enzymatique indésirable. Ces deux fruits offrent des solutions potentiellement plus abordables pour les patients diabétiques.

Racines et tubercules

Le manioc contient une substance qui empêche les amidons alimentaires d’être efficacement décomposés et absorbés dans le tractus gastro-intestinal. Ce mécanisme peut contribuer à la gestion de l’obésité et à la régulation du taux de sucre dans le sang.

Des recherches indiquent que la consommation d’ignames ou de leurs extraits peut améliorer d’importants paramètres glycémiques. Ces bienfaits comprennent la réduction du taux de glycémie à jeun et la diminution du taux d’insuline.

De plus, les ignames et leurs extraits peuvent contribuer à réduire la graisse corporelle et à diminuer le taux de lipides sanguins. Ces améliorations peuvent réduire le risque de développer un diabète. De plus, lorsqu’elles sont fermentées, les ignames peuvent être très utiles pour améliorer le système de défense antioxydant et de moduler les médiateurs inflammatoires chez les patients diabétiques.

Les pommes de terre Livingstone montrent également des effets similaires en améliorant la santé rénale et hépatique chez les patients diabétiques. Des études en laboratoire suggèrent que ces racines peuvent aider à réguler le métabolisme du glucose, à améliorer la sécrétion d’insuline, à réduire la résistance à l’insuline, à améliorer la fonction des vaisseaux sanguins et à gérer les niveaux de stress oxydatif

Légumineuses

Les légumineuses les plus courantes dans l’alimentation africaine sont le niébé, les noix de bambara, le soja et les haricots mungo.

Nous avons découvert que le niébé aide à produire de l’insuline, qui est importante pour la gestion du glucose. Les arachides et les niébés contiennent tous deux des fibres solubles et insolubles, qui contribuent à réduire les pics de glycémie et le cholestérol, ce qui les rend utiles pour gérer le diabète de type 2.

Le soja améliore également la tolérance au glucose et la production d’insuline.

Nous avons également découvert que les haricots mungo peuvent réduire le cholestérol tout en stimulant la sécrétion d’insuline. En termes d’antioxydants, de nombreuses légumineuses peuvent lutter contre les radicaux libres, qui provoquent des inflammations chez les patients diabétiques.

Plus précisément, les arachides bambara ont une capacité antioxydante supérieure à celle des écorces d’orange.

La voie à suivre

Avec l’augmentation des coûts des soins de santé, de nombreuses personnes, en particulier dans les communautés marginalisées, sont confrontées à des difficultés financières. L’intégration de groupes d’aliments indigènes africains dans des repas adaptés sur le plan médical peut réduire les coûts de santé et améliorer le bien-être.

L’utilisation des ressources agricoles locales pour cultiver ces groupes d’aliments améliore la santé de la communauté, préserve les traditions culturelles et favorise une alimentation durable.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Des aliments africains contre l’inflammation pourraient aider les diabétiques – https://theconversation.com/des-aliments-africains-contre-linflammation-pourraient-aider-les-diabetiques-276130

February 27, 2026

Atmospheric dust: the overlooked suspect in urban air pollution

Source: The Conversation – France – By Emmanouil Proestakis, National Observatory of Athens

Cities are rapidly becoming the defining residential space of human life. Over 55% of the global population lived in urban areas in 2018, a proportion projected to reach nearly 68% by 2050, according to the United Nations (UN).

While this unprecedented urban growth fuels innovation and economic activity, it simultaneously concentrates human exposure to environmental stressors and intensifies urban environmental pressures. In this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) has underlined the multifaceted challenges and severe risks that poor air quality poses to socioeconomic activities and human health. And although emissions – such as NO₂, SO₂, CO₂ and O₃ – are the usual suspects when it comes to air quality degradation, our recent study highlights that atmospheric dust that accumulates over urban areas represents an additional and considerable, yet frequently overlooked, contributor to adverse health implications.

Mineral dust’s impact on Public health deserves more attention

Among the aerosol species contributing to air quality degradation, atmospheric dust originating from natural sources and anthropogenic activities is often considered less consequential. However, this assumption overlooks a growing body of research evidence reporting on airborne dust as a health hazard and neglects several important facts.

To begin with, dust is not a marginal component of the total aerosol load. By mass, dust is the second-most abundant aerosol type globally, surpassed only by sea-salt particles, and the dominant component of the atmospheric aerosol load over large continental areas.

More specifically, it has been estimated that natural sources – mainly arid and semi-arid areas – emit around 4,680 teragrams (Tg) (1 Tg= 1 billion kilograms) of dust into the atmosphere each year. Yet, this estimate does not account for all the dust present in the atmosphere.

Globally, natural processes contribute to approximately three quarters of the total dust load, with the remaining quarter linked to human activities frequently evolving around urban and highly industrialised areas, including transportation, infrastructure development, land-use change, deforestation, grazing and agricultural practices.

To put this into perspective, this staggering airborne dust mass exceeds 615,000 times the equivalent weight of the Eiffel tower released globally into the atmosphere each year.

Furthermore, these particles composing the atmospheric dust layers are far from uniform in size. Large-scale experiments, (designed to study atmospheric pollutants in detail) focusing on mineral dust and employing airborne in situ instrumentation have revealed that particles in wind-transported atmospheric layers range widely in size, from less than 0.1 μm (roughly the size of a SARS-CoV-2 virus (coronavirus) to more than 100 μm (approximately the diameter of a human hair).

More concerning is that accumulated evidence from epidemiological studies links airborne dust to multiple adverse health outcomes. While coarse mineral dust is often considered relatively harmless, typically causing minor skin irritation or allergic reactions even over long exposure periods, it is a completely different story when it comes to fine particles. Because of their small size, these fine particles allow for deep lung penetration that potentially triggers respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, allergic reactions, even cancer. Beyond these direct effects, scientists are still exploring the role of dust as a carrier for bacteria, as suggested by meningitis outbreaks in the Sahel desert.

Fine particles, big questions

These concerns naturally raise a series of questions: to what extent have the fine-mode and coarse-mode fractions of airborne dust changed over highly industrialised and densely populated urban areas in the past two decades?

Can we detect meaningful, increasing or decreasing temporal trends in these changes? Which major cities currently experience, or are likely to experience in the near future, dust concentrations exceeding WHO air quality safety thresholds?

Megacities under the microscope: 15 years of satellite observations reveal how dust levels are changing

To gain a better understanding of how much dust urban populations are actually breathing in, our recent study examined satellite-based Earth observations spanning over 15 years. We examined the accumulation and temporal dynamics of dust in the lowest atmospheric layer above the Earth’s surface in 81 of the world’s largest cities and urban areas (with populations exceeding 5 million), where human activity and exposure are most prevalent.
The results reveal several important takeaways:

Atmospheric dust unequivocally poses a hazard to public health in a substantial number of major urban areas worldwide. Based on population data and projections provided by the UN approximately 9 out of 10 of the roughly 800 million people living in the 81 largest cities are exposed to dust levels exceeding annual-mean air quality safety thresholds. A clear geographic pattern emerges, with the most affected urban areas located in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and the Sahel.
Dust levels appear to be declining in most large cities. However, this encouraging, seemingly positive news comes with two important caveats: in many cases, the temporal declining trends are not statistically significant and frequently the overall dust burdens remain considerable. In other words, even where reductions are observed, they may not translate into meaningful reductions in health risk.
Looking ahead to the near future, the challenge is unlikely to disappear. According to estimates provided by UN, urban populations in these megacities are projected to grow, reaching more than 1 billion people in the mid-thirties.

Consequently, atmospheric dust will remain an environmental health hazard, however, of a lower degree due to the apparent declining atmospheric load compared to present-day conditions, yet potentially affecting a larger number of individuals.

From science to policy: tackling the hazard of airborne dust

In response to mounting scientific evidence that airborne dust poses a risk to human health, countries are strengthening air quality legislation and launching national and international initiatives to confront dust-related challenges.

Efforts such as the World Meteorological Organization’s SDS-WAS, DANA and CAMS NCP among others, reflect growing collaboration to improve monitoring, modelling, and the translation of science into practical solutions. At the same time, governments are moving to align regulations with WHO recommendations.

For instance, the European Union’s revised Ambient Air Quality Directive explicitly recognises natural aerosols like dust as a cumulative health hazard. Together, advancing research, coordinated policy, and improved regulation provide a stronger foundation for action.

As urbanisation accelerates, tackling air quality, including atmospheric dust, is becoming central to protecting public health, strengthening urban resilience, and ensuring a more sustainable future for the world’s rapidly growing cities.

Created in 2007 to help accelerate and share scientific knowledge on key societal issues, the Axa Research Fund – now part of the Axa Foundation for Human Progress – has supported over 750 projects around the world on key environmental, health & socioeconomic risks. To learn more, visit the website of the AXA Research Fund or follow @ AXAResearchFund on LinkedIn.

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Emmanouil Proestakis has been supported by the AXA Research Fund for postdoctoral researchers under the project entitled “Earth Observation for Air-Quality – Dust Fine-Mode (EO4AQ-DustFM).

– ref. Atmospheric dust: the overlooked suspect in urban air pollution – https://theconversation.com/atmospheric-dust-the-overlooked-suspect-in-urban-air-pollution-276422

February 27, 2026

Michael Caine’s voice is iconic. Why would he sell that to AI?

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amy Hume, Lecturer In Theatre (Voice), Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne

Few actors are imitated as often as Michael Caine. Even Michael Caine has imitated Michael Caine.

His voice has been used in birthday card greetings and been the source of jokes in various comedy sketches. It is synonymous with a certain type of Britishness.

Last week, artificial intelligence company ElevenLabs announced Caine has licensed his voice to the company. It will be available on their ElevenReader app, which allows you to listen to any text in a voice of your choosing, as well as being available on their licensing platform, Iconic Marketplace.

To understand why Caine’s voice is so iconic (and wanted by AI) we need to look deeper at what people actually hear in it.

Why do people love listening to Michael Caine?

Caine was born in London in 1933. His mother was a cook and a cleaner, and his father worked in a fish market. Caine speaks with a Cockney accent, setting him aside from most other actors of his generation.

Cockney hails from London’s East End and is often associated with London’s working class – think Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady, the Artful Dodger from Oliver!, or Bert the Chimney Sweep from Mary Poppins (although Dick van Dyke’s accent is not the most accurate, it’s still recognisably Cockney).

Traditionally, you were said to be a true Cockney if you were born within earshot of the Bow Bells – the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow church on Cheapside.

That distinctiveness matters because the accent carried heavy class meaning in mid-20th century Britain.

We don’t hear many contemporary examples of Cockney. Accents change and evolve over time and it has gradually been replaced by a new dialect called Multicultural London English (MLE).

While most actors of his age acquired a “stage accent” – known as Received Pronunciation (RP) – Caine made a conscious decision to hold onto his working-class roots and not change his accent. Instead, he built his career on it.

He once said,

I could’ve gone to voice lessons, but I always thought if I had any use […] I could fight the class system in England.

His accent became cultural capital and helped him land roles in Alfie (1966), The Italian Job (1969) and Jack Carter (1971). By the 1970s, he was a British cultural icon.

What do we hear when we hear celebrity voices?

Hearing a person’s voice is never just about acoustics. We hear social meaning: culture, identity, character and story.

Sociolinguist Asif Agha coined the term “enregisterment” to describe how a way of speaking becomes publicly recognised as signalling particular social types and values.

Over time, Caine’s voice has become enregistered as a recognisable Cockney accent associated with East London and historically linked to a working-class identity. Hearing his voice activates a socially shared register of meanings attached to Cockney.

This contrasts with, say, Queen Elizabeth II, whose accent was enregistered with royalty, prestige and wealth.

Another useful concept here is what sociolinguists sometimes call “dialectal memes”: the images and character types that circulate around particular accents. These memes are transmitted through books, television, film, and even celebrity figures themselves.

Caine has been a carrier of Cockney dialectal memes in popular culture.

When you look at it this way, AI voice licensing commodifies not just the acoustic properties of Caine’s voice, but the enregistered social meanings audiences recognise in it.

What AI licensing means for Caine

ElevenLabs describes its Iconic Marketplace platform as “the performer-first approach the entertainment industry has been calling for”. Through licensing, actors maintain ownership of their voices in a digital, AI landscape.

Caine licensing his voice theoretically ensures he receives credit and compensation, and prevents unauthorised clones appearing elsewhere.

It is possible this is exactly the direction actors want AI to go in – for use of their voice to be controlled by themselves, with clear credit and payment.

However, this model is not without risk to the actor or the listener. We should ask: do we need to hear something in Caine’s voice? Will we process information differently or hear it with more authority if it’s delivered in the voice of a cultural icon like Caine?

Giving power over to machines

People who admire Caine may want him to read to them. Some will be willing to pay for it. We need to remain conscious of the decisions we are making here.

In the 1960s, computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum, creator of the world’s first chatbot, Eliza, warned about the dangers of forming relationships with machines. He was alarmed to see users confiding in Eliza and responding to the chatbot as if it actually understood them, even when they knew it did not.

What happens if an AI voice is not actually generic, but recognisably tied to a real human?

An actor’s likeness and voice may be protected with licensing, but their human self is not. That creates a pathway to attachment or even infatuation.

Caine is not just licensing his voice, but also the Cockney persona audiences recognise in it. Suddenly, a machine speaks with the authority of a real human behind it.

Amy Hume does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Michael Caine’s voice is iconic. Why would he sell that to AI? – https://theconversation.com/michael-caines-voice-is-iconic-why-would-he-sell-that-to-ai-276506

February 27, 2026

How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Nicholas Morieson, Research Fellow, Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University

Artificial intelligence (AI) is at a very Chinese time in its life. Recent moves from Chinese AI labs are throwing the dominance of American “frontier labs” such as Google and OpenAI into question.

Last week ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, released an AI video-generating tool called Seedance 2.0 which produces high-quality film-like clips from text prompts, with a casual disregard for copyright concerns. This week Anthropic, the US company behind the chatbot Claude, said three Chinese AI labs created thousands of fake accounts to harvest Claude’s answers in a practice called “distillation” which can be used to improve AI models.

These events have led to suggestions that China may be gaining the upper hand in the battle to dominate AI. So, is China winning the “AI race”?

Cheap, widely used tools

While most advanced frontier models are still made by American companies, China is pushing hard to develop cheap, widely used AI tools, which could create global dependence on Chinese platforms.

Reuters reports the industry is bracing for a “flurry” of low-cost Chinese AI models, with Chinese systems repeatedly driving usage costs down.

What’s the plan? China’s official AI policy documents suggest China sees AI as “a new engine for building China into both a manufacturing and cyber superpower”, and “a new engine of economic development”.

Since 2017, China has recognised that the technology is at the centre of “international competition”. “By 2030,” one key policy document says, China’s AI “technology and application should achieve world-leading levels, making China the world’s primary AI innovation center”.

This focus on becoming the dominant player in AI helps explain why Chinese firms are pushing hard on price. If you can make your AI cheap enough, you might just make it globally ubiquitous.

Cost helps determine who adopts AI first, and which models are first implemented in software and services. Even if the United States remains ahead on most elite benchmarks, Chinese products could still become globally influential if they are widely used and widely depended upon.

High-tech soft power

But China does not present its AI technology to the world as only benefiting itself. Instead, it’s pitched as a contribution to humanity.

A 2019 statement of “governance principles” from a national AI governance expert committee argues that AI development should enhance “the common well-being of humanity” and “serve the progress of human civilization”.

These phrases portray AI as a technology that advances the human story itself, rather than only serving Chinese interests. It suggests Chinese AI leadership is good for everyone.

This is an example of Chinese soft power. Tools such as Seedance may threaten Hollywood’s business model, but they do something else too. High-quality, low-cost generative media can spread quickly.

If Chinese systems become widespread, they can influence creators, developer habits, and platform dependencies, especially in non-Western markets that need affordable tools and may dislike American tech dominance.

The spread of the ‘Chinese model’

For liberal democracies such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, the growth of Chinese AI tools creates a strategic headache. It will not be easy to manage security concerns about Chinese technology while avoiding technological isolation if Chinese AI tools become widely adopted.

There is a darker side to China’s AI tools. US think-tank Freedom House describes China as having the world’s “worst conditions for internet freedom”, and suggests other nations are now “embracing the ‘Chinese model’ of extensive censorship and automated surveillance”.

In 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China issued rules for the algorithms that curate news feeds and short video platforms. Providers are required to “uphold mainstream value orientations” and “vigorously disseminate positive energy”.

These algorithms are important because they shape what people see and what is suppressed. As a result, these rules suggest the Chinese government is deeply concerned with controlling information across its social media platforms and AI tools.

A dilemma for third parties

Not every Chinese AI tool is a propaganda weapon. Rather, China is building world-class AI technology within an authoritarian system that prioritises the control of information.

This means China’s ability to make generative AI commercially powerful will likely also, despite its claims about serving “human civilisation”, make censorship and narrative management cheaper and easier.

China’s business and soft-power model is a much bigger story than just Seedance’s cavalier attitude towards copyright or Anthropic’s concerns about intellectual property. China’s goal is to build AI tools that rival those created by America’s tech giants, and to make them inexpensive and adopted globally.

For other countries, this may create a dilemma. Once a technology becomes a standard, it can be difficult to justify using a different product.

The question that remains is whether liberal democracies can adopt China’s low-cost products without drifting into dependence on systems shaped by an authoritarian political model.

Nicholas Morieson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech – https://theconversation.com/how-china-is-betting-cheap-ai-will-get-the-world-hooked-on-its-tech-276878

February 26, 2026

Les lésions cérébrales sont près de 10 fois plus fréquentes chez les personnes sans-abri. Il faut en tenir compte pour faire face à l’itinérance

Source: The Conversation – in French – By Mauricio A. Garcia-Barrera, Professor of Psychology, University of Victoria

Au Canada, 60 000 personnes n’ont pas d’endroit où dormir chaque nuit. Selon les estimations, plus de la moitié d’entre elles ont subi une lésion cérébrale au cours de leur vie, la plupart avant de vivre en situation d’itinérance. On évalue que 22,5 % d’entre elles ont une lésion cérébrale modérée ou grave, soit un taux près de dix fois supérieur à celui de la population générale.

De nombreux facteurs peuvent conduire une personne à ne plus avoir de domicile, notamment la maltraitance, la criminalité ou d’autres événements difficiles, qui peuvent tous être corrélés avec une lésion cérébrale. Celle-ci peut entraîner un trouble mental, la toxicomanie, de l’impulsivité ou de l’agressivité. Ces troubles peuvent à leur tour conduire au chômage, à une dislocation de la famille ou à d’autres causes connues de l’itinérance.

Le terme « lésion cérébrale acquise » désigne une lésion cérébrale survenue après la naissance, provoquée par une force physique externe (traumatisme crânien) ou par des problèmes internes, comme un accident vasculaire cérébral ou une infection (non traumatique). Plus la lésion est grave, plus l’atteinte est importante et plus les capacités cognitives risquent d’être affectées.

Déficit cognitif et itinérance

Au laboratoire CORTEX de l’Université de Victoria, nous effectuons des recherches sur les répercussions des lésions cérébrales.

Celles-ci entraînent souvent une série de troubles cognitifs, tels qu’un brouillard mental, de la fatigue, des difficultés de concentration et des problèmes de mémoire, qui perturbent l’apprentissage et le fonctionnement quotidien. Les fonctions exécutives, notamment les processus de prise de décision et de résolution de problèmes, peuvent être particulièrement affectées.

Si ces troubles ne sont pas diagnostiqués ni pris en charge, ils ont des répercussions sur tous les aspects de la vie : baisse des performances professionnelles et scolaires, détérioration des relations et érosion des mécanismes d’adaptation sains.

Garder un emploi, poursuivre des études ou gérer des responsabilités familiales peuvent alors constituer d’importants défis. Prendre ses médicaments, se rendre à ses rendez-vous ou accomplir des tâches telles que remplir un formulaire peuvent devenir des tâches presque impossibles. Les difficultés financières, les pertes interpersonnelles et le stress chronique ne font qu’aggraver ces difficultés.

Sans soutien adéquat, ces facteurs convergent, augmentant les risques de se retrouver en situation d’itinérance et de subir d’autres lésions cérébrales.

Lacunes systémiques dans les mesures de soutien

Nos recherches ont permis d’identifier plusieurs obstacles systémiques qui empêchent les personnes atteintes de lésions cérébrales de sortir du cycle de l’instabilité résidentielle et de l’itinérance.

La stigmatisation est omniprésente et peut nuire à la qualité des soins. Certains, ayant perdu confiance dans les systèmes et les prestataires de services, peuvent renoncer à demander de l’aide.

Les systèmes de santé et d’hébergement fonctionnent en vase clos. Les longues listes d’attente, les procédures administratives complexes et la faible coordination entre les organismes rendent l’accès aux services difficile, en particulier pour les personnes atteintes de lésions cérébrales qui peuvent avoir besoin de soutien pour remplir des documents, aller à des rendez-vous et exprimer leurs besoins.

De nombreuses personnes atteintes de lésions cérébrales comptent sur des programmes d’aide au revenu. La disparité entre les montants accordés et la hausse du coût de la vie suscite de plus en plus d’inquiétudes. Sur le marché locatif actuel, les logements « abordables » sont inaccessibles pour les personnes qui dépendent de tels programmes. Lorsqu’elles trouvent un logement, elles ne disposent plus que de ressources minimales pour subvenir à leurs besoins fondamentaux, une fois le loyer payé. Cette situation, conjuguée au sous-investissement dans les logements supervisés et de transition existants, réduit encore davantage l’offre de logements adéquats.

Que pouvons-nous faire ? Voici cinq solutions

Les observations de nos partenaires communautaires ont donné lieu aux recommandations suivantes visant à améliorer la santé et le bien-être des personnes en situation d’itinérance et atteintes de lésions cérébrales. Elles sont classées ci-dessous par ordre de priorité :

1. Fournir des logements accessibles et abordables

Les personnes atteintes d’une lésion cérébrale ont besoin de logements abordables et accessibles, assortis de soutien adéquat, tels que des modes de transport alternatifs, des environnements adaptés à leur âge et des options de vie flexibles. Une approche axée sur le logement, accompagnée d’une aide financière adéquate, leur apporte la stabilité nécessaire pour réussir leur intégration dans la collectivité.

2. Améliorer les ressources pour les prestataires de services

Une formation destinée aux professionnels de santé et aux employés des services publics en contact régulier avec des personnes sans-abri, comme les intervenants communautaires et les policiers, peut contribuer à améliorer la qualité des soins. Il est également essentiel d’étendre les services de santé liés aux lésions cérébrales aux personnes en situation d’itinérance, en mettant l’accent sur les services de dépistage et de diagnostic, qui permettent de les orienter vers des soins spécialisés.

3. Concevoir des services adaptés aux besoins

Les services de santé doivent prendre en compte les besoins fondamentaux qui sont souvent négligés. Par exemple, les prestataires devraient proposer des espaces de rangement, sans exiger de pièce d’identité, pour permettre aux patients sans domicile de ranger leurs effets personnels en toute sécurité pendant leurs rendez-vous, souvent nombreux après une lésion cérébrale.

4. Améliorer la collaboration et adopter une approche intégrée à long terme

En améliorant la communication entre les autorités sanitaires et les prestataires de services de logement, on peut faciliter la transition entre l’hôpital (après une lésion cérébrale) et le logement, et éviter ainsi que des patients se retrouvent à la rue après leur sortie. Le concept de prise en charge spécialisée est essentiel, car une équipe multidisciplinaire de professionnels de santé est nécessaire pour comprendre les besoins particuliers liés aux lésions cérébrales, aux troubles psychiatriques ou physiques, ainsi que la manière dont ces difficultés se combinent chez les personnes en situation d’itinérance. La continuité des soins est également cruciale, car les lésions cérébrales peuvent nécessiter un soutien à vie.

5. Réduire la stigmatisation grâce à l’éducation publique

Les campagnes d’éducation en santé publique apparaissent comme un moyen prometteur de sensibiliser le public et de réduire la stigmatisation. Sensibiliser à la corrélation entre les lésions cérébrales et l’itinérance pourrait nourrir la compassion.

Soutenir une stratégie nationale : projet de loi C-206

Le lourd fardeau que représentent les lésions cérébrales pour les personnes sans-abri est indéniable. Le projet de loi C-206, qui vise à mettre en place une stratégie nationale pour les lésions cérébrales, marque une étape importante dans la prise en charge de ces lésions au Canada, et par le fait même, dans la lutte contre l’itinérance.

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La législation vise à améliorer la prévention, le traitement et le soutien à la réadaptation de millions de Canadiens victimes de lésions cérébrales. Le projet de loi met l’accent sur la collaboration, l’éducation du public et la fourniture de soins aux personnes et à leurs familles qui doivent apprendre à vivre avec les conséquences d’une lésion cérébrale. Une stratégie nationale aura une incidence visible pour les personnes touchées, ainsi que pour l’ensemble de nos collectivités.

Mauricio A. Garcia-Barrera reçoit des fonds de recherche liés aux travaux mentionnés dans cet article de l’ancien ministère de la Santé mentale et des Dépendances de la Colombie-Britannique, de la Vancouver Foundation, de Michael Smith Health Research BC et de Mitacs.

Cole J. Kennedy reçoit des fonds pour les recherches mentionnées dans cet article du ministère de la Santé mentale et des Dépendances de la Colombie-Britannique, de la Vancouver Foundation, de Michael Smith Health Research BC, de Mitacs et de la BC Brain Injury Association. Il bénéficie également du soutien d’Island Health et des Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada.

Grace C. Warren reçoit des fonds du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada dans le cadre d’une bourse d’études supérieures de maîtrise.

– ref. Les lésions cérébrales sont près de 10 fois plus fréquentes chez les personnes sans-abri. Il faut en tenir compte pour faire face à l’itinérance – https://theconversation.com/les-lesions-cerebrales-sont-pres-de-10-fois-plus-frequentes-chez-les-personnes-sans-abri-il-faut-en-tenir-compte-pour-faire-face-a-litinerance-276555