+ chimpanzees can't talk, actually
| | | | As summer gets underway, countless northern Europeans will be eagerly preparing for their annual southward migration, a time-honoured tradition of stuffing suitcases, purchasing swimwear and rehearsing phrasebook Spanish. However, this year many will be bracing for a less friendly welcome than usual, especially if they've booked a city break on Spain's Mediterranean coast, where a widely publicised wave of protests against the "touristification" of popular destinations continues to gather pace. As tourism anthropologist Claudio Milano explains, locals' complaints are absolutely valid. Tourism reshapes cities to benefit visitors, forcing people to build their livelihoods on the shaky foundation of precarious, seasonal work while simultaneously driving rents through the roof. The current backlash, however, amounts to far more than menacing graffiti and water-pistol stunts. Increasingly organised resistance to the tourist industry's excesses is galvanising a new generation of activists, who are now calling out their governments' broader failings on areas like housing and work. Meanwhile in Brussels, many will spend their summers thinking of new ways to beef up Europe's military capabilities. Massive spending has been announced, but the challenge is not just paying for it – defence firms also need to find a way to nurture partnerships while keeping military secrets under wraps. Innovation expert Sihem BenMahmoud-Jouini argues that this will demand a "new approach to secrecy". And if, like me, you delight in the idea that dolphins and chimpanzees can "talk" like we do, then I'm afraid I have some bad news: according to researchers in Sweden, it's impossible. They argue that animals lack the mental elasticity to build anything close to human language, meaning any idea that they can speak is ultimately a projected, anthropomorphic fantasy. Sorry. |  | Alex Minshall Editor, Valencia | |  Claudio Milano, Universitat de Barcelona; Antonio Paolo Russo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili; Marina Novelli, University of Nottingham Mass tourism reshapes urban spaces, often at the expense of local communities. |  Sihem BenMahmoud-Jouini, HEC Paris Business School Military innovation requires a balance of secrecy and collaboration. Research shows how European defence firms can protect sensitive knowledge and maintain openness. | | |  Anna Jon-And, Stockholm University; Johan Lind, Linköping University Many scientists see evidence of language in the sounds animals put together, but they may be kidding themselves. | |  Francesco Grillo, Bocconi University Europeans are still struggling to adjust to new conditions – and the conditions to which they need to adjust also continue to change dramatically. |  Shannon Bosch, Edith Cowan University Blockades may be used in wartime, but only if they meet 5 legal conditions. Have Israel's actions complied with the law? | |  David Álvarez Alonso, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Andrés Díez Herrero, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME - CSIC); María de Andrés-Herrero, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Miguel Angel Mate Gonzalez, Universidad de Salamanca A 42,000 year old stone with a face is the oldest known example of symbolic work by a Neanderthal. |  Ignacio López-Goñi, Universidad de Navarra This small organ in our intestines plays a major role in regulating gut microbiome. | |  Ombline Damy, Sciences Po In the popular novel The German Lesson, a character based on Nolde falls victim to Nazi policies on "degenerate art". Recent research on the painter's life tells a more complex story. | | | | | -
Fanny Reniou, Université de Rennes 1 - Université de Rennes; Elisa Robert-Monnot, CY Cergy Paris Université; Sarah Lasri, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL Selling products without packaging can lead to anti-environmental outcomes. It can also pose risks to hygiene and health. -
Jon Andoni Duñabeitia, Universidad Nebrija When an online match lies or disappears, it can leave us feeling confused and hopeless. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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