“Consciousness is a sense of yourself in the world. It’s suffering. It’s bliss.” Insects have long been thought to not possess consciousness, owing partly to their less-developed brain structure. But experts have argued that consciousness is a more primitive, deeper phenomenon that differs in each species. The experts posited that consciousness is the ability to feel pain and pleasure, and by using this logic, they have concluded that insects are, in fact, conscious beings. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
