For over 100 years, teddy bears have been a hallmark of childhood nurseries, ubiquitously embedded in our early memories and rarely the object of deep scrutiny. However, according a recent article in BioScience by Dr. Nicolas Mouquet (CRNS) and colleagues, the humble teddy bear is much more than a mere plaything. Instead, the authors suggest that the beloved plushes play a pivotal role in our early conception of nature, potentially shaping the ways we interact with the natural world throughout our lives.

Climate change is a major economic threat. With a new model, economist Andrea Titton shows how climate disasters can disrupt supply chains, how climate tipping points may cost trillions each year, and how international fairness is also at stake. But, he says, being better prepared now will actually prove cheaper than taking the gamble of hitting a climate tipping point. On Thursday, 2 October, Titton will defend his PhD thesis at the University of Amsterdam.