Sometimes the idea of changing tack becomes literally unthinkable

Elected politicians are threatening harm to their own country as a bargaining tactic

The phrase has long since ceased to be useful but is deployed as a political cudgel

Writing thank-you notes is not only good manners but can be good for you, too

Keep the spending under control and invent your own social rituals

Political attacks on the Fed, BoE and RBI are a childish abdication of responsibility

Most ideas used to be shut down early, but digitisation allows many to survive

Research shows high earners think there are not enough hours in the day

To make predictions, keep an open mind and understand what you don’t know

Democracies provide the chance to step back and consider the direction being taken

People thrive in imperfect environments that can be moulded

Research shows young people suffer lasting harm if they graduate during a recession

The rules for delivering a successful megaproject are devastatingly simple

Since markets rise more often than they fall, spending lump sums proves a better bet

Economic growth does not have to destroy the planet

Abuse of big data is the latest example of companies’ success in duping customers

Statistics help answer almost all questions — if we take time to understand them

The Ig Nobels glory in weird ideas that often turn out to pay a dividend

Civil debate between ideological enemies is really helped by real-life friendship

Even if the no-deal fiasco never materialises, the prospect is causing damage today

Those who enjoy the longest and most productive careers tend to shift focus regularly

Most of us would not mind having more money, but we may not all want more lovers

We are responsible for managing our own attention — and there is plenty we can do

Policymakers should seek to replicate Arpa, the US institution that founded the internet