--- title: "Stay smart in a changing world! New Humanist’s Winter 2025 edition is out now" date: "2025-11-20T06:00:00+00:00" modified: "2025-11-20T06:00:00+00:00" url: "https://newhumanist.org.uk/2025/11/20/stay-smart-in-a-changing-world-new-humanists-winter-2025-edition-is-out-now/" post_id: 10285 categories: ["Uncategorised"] --- # Stay smart in a changing world! New Humanist’s Winter 2025 edition is out now ![The cover of New Humanist's Winter 2025 edition is an illustration of two trees, with the gap between them forming the shape of a brain](https://newhumanist.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Winter-2025-cropped.jpg) Admit it – you’re glued to your phone, like everybody else. Literacy is plummeting, and universities are under attack. Are we all getting dumber? Or is society transforming, discovering new ways to be smart? The Winter 2025 edition of New Humanist is out now, and it’s all about intelligence in the modern world. To dig into this topic, we’ve enlisted the brainpower of award-winning writer Naomi Alderman, renowned philosopher Martha Nussbaum, law and tech pioneer Richard Susskind and many more thinkers and experts. Keep reading for a peek inside! How to stay smart in a changing world ------------------------------------- Our “Voices” section brings together expert perspectives on the big question: How can we keep our minds sharp as the world changes around us? **Kate Devlin**, professor of AI, argues that we can’t leave all the decisions to the machines, author **Ziyad Marar** offers advice on keeping an open mind, neurobiologist **Moheb Costandi** digs into the science of what AI will do to our brains, **Martha Nussbaum** of Chicago University advocates for saving the humanities, and tech guru **Richard Susskind** says professionals need to get ahead of the AI revolution. > “We are going through tumultuous times and the need to be open-minded … is more and more vital if we are to adapt well. False certainty is often the bread and butter of autocrats and dictators.” Tips for surviving the Third Information Crisis ----------------------------------------------- Naomi Alderman, author of *The Power*, talks to us about her forthcoming book, *Don’t Burn Anyone at the Stake Today (and Other Lessons from History about Living Through an Information Crisis)*. She argues that – much like the invention of writing and the printing press – the rise of the internet has created new challenges for communication and understanding, which we are still struggling to navigate today. > “Those of us who deliberately spend hours of our day reading are going to be in a similar position to people who deliberately spend hours of their day lifting heavy weights, which is to say we’re just going to be able to do more with our brains.” Teaching when to trust ---------------------- As fake news accelerates, we need to teach our children how to think critically. Writer Zion Lights explores the Finnish schools teaching students to spot fake news – and how the UK can catch up with them. > “The Finns are ahead of the curve in large part due to their proximity to Russia, a country known for its disinformation campaigns … In response, Finland treats resistance to disinformation almost as a form of civil defence.” *The Winter 2025 edition of New Humanist is on sale now! [Subscribe or buy a copy today.](/subscribe)* ![Protesters wave the Union Jack and flag of St George at Tommy Robinson's 'Unite The Kingdom' rally in London, September 2025](https://newhumanist.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/3CMHPFP-small.jpg "Katherine Stewart explores how US Christian nationalists are exporting their ideas to the UK. Credit: Alamy") Also in the Winter 2025 edition: - Katherine Stewart on the **US anti-abortion activists** turning their attention to Britain - Psychologist Simon McCarthy-Jones on how **fear-driven overregulation of AI** could present its own kind of danger - Marcus Chown on why we must fight **Trump’s cuts to black hole research** - Jamaima Afridi on how, without access to healthcare, the Taliban is **leaving Afghan women to die** - Peter Salmon on why you can’t keep **blaming your choices on “unconscious” desires** - Christopher Dorrell asks why so many **atheists are going on pilgrimage** - Journalist and author Sophie Gilbert on **porn and pop culture** - **Michael Rosen** on the history and meaning of the word “condemn” - Peter Ward explores the wild world of **conspiracy theories about the internet** - Ralph Jones on the **myth of the “genius”** - George Fallon finds out how **glow-in-the-dark plants** could help farmers fight the effects of climate change - **Shaparak Khorsandi** in defence of gossip - **Samira Ahmed** joins a glam-rock goodbye to Marc Bolan - Christopher Shrimpton reviews a bold new take on Ibsen, featuring a **black, queer Hedda** - Emma Park on art and architecture in our **new Glass Age** Plus more fascinating features on the biggest topics shaping our world today, book reviews, original poetry, and our regular cryptic crossword and brainteaser. [**Subscribe to the print edition now to get a beautiful copy of the magazine delivered to your door, or choose a digital subscription to read it on the app.**](/subscribe)