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Is Britain Ready for the Return of the Big Cat?

Rewilding England’s dwindling lynx population is about more than conservation. It’s about connecting to a long-lost sense of enchantment with nature.

A Eurasian Lynx. Photo by dogrando via Flickr

Back in 2012, residents at a caravan park in the British countryside called the local authorities with an urgent concern: a lion was prowling through the woods and fields nearby. The police deployed two helicopters with infrared sensors and swept the woods, while handlers on the ground from a local zoo weeded through the forest, armed with tranquilizers. But the hunt fizzled out. What would later be known as the Essex Lion turned out to be a local woman’s pet, a big Maine Coon affectionately known as “Teddy Bear.”

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Flag as Inappropriate?

Fiji debates whether to ditch the Union Jack, a symbol of previous colonial rule, and redesign their national flag.

Earlier this month, Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe “Frank” Bainimarama decided that it was time to scrap his nation’s flag. As flag changes are incredibly rare, and major overhauls usually coincide with a regime shift, revolution, or emerging cults of personality, Bainimarama’s decision may seem like a warning sign to some observers. But the PM, who’s been floating a change since at least January 2013, has good reasons for his campaign for a new national symbol.

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Wills from Famous Brits Now Available for Public Scrutiny, Thanks to U.K. Database

The wills of Princess Diana, Winston Churchill, and Charles Dickens are accessible to the public on a new government website.

Painting of Charles Dickens. Image via Wikimeda Commons.

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Should Tuition Repayment Be Based on How Successful You Are?

Britain's new approach: You only have to pay for college if you end up being successful. But can it work?


"What is a university education worth? Who derives the benefits? And who should pay for it?" asks a story in yesterday's New York Times.

In the current issue of our magazine, it's a topic we explored—namely, what do educated, overqualified 20-somethings do when they can't find meaningful work (add to that, an often crippling amount of student loan debt).

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