Jonathan Firbank, Author at THINK Magazine

The Voynich Manuscript

The Voynich Manuscript is one of the most enduring historical enigmas, attracting multidisciplinary interest from around the world. Jonathan Firbank speaks with UM’s wing of the Voynich Research Group about the history, mystery, and cutting-edge technology brought together by this unique medieval text.

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Russia’s War Against Its Own Army (Part I)

Russia’s regime is conducting two wars, one to subjugate Ukraine, and another to subjugate its own military. In Part 1 of this article, Jonathan Firbank recounts ways Russia has compromised the morale of its forces and UM strategy expert, Dr Valentina Cassar, explains their broader implications. Part 2 can be found here.

meat wave Putin Russia Ukraine Valentina Cassar war

Russia’s War Against Its Own Army (Part II)

Russia’s regime is conducting two wars, one to subjugate Ukraine, and another to subjugate its own military. In Part 2 of this article, Jonathan Firbank speaks with Dr Valentina Cassar about the Wagner uprising that these two wars incentivized, and about how Russia is managing the risk of this happening again. Part 1 can be found here.

Prigozhin Putin Russia Valentina Cassar Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin

Is Now the Time for a Wealth Tax?

In the face of ever-worsening wealth inequality, one solution for Malta (or elsewhere) could be a tax on wealth. Jonathan Firbank speaks to Dr Charmaine Portelli about why this idea is flawed, and yet, why this flawed idea might still be necessary for today’s world.

economy Equity Taxation Wealth Tax

Campus Sustainability: University of Malta Leads the Way

The University of Malta (UM) has set out to become a sustainability ‘Living Laboratory’. Jonathan Firbank speaks with Prof. Maria Attard about the Committee for Sustainability at the University of Malta, C-SUM, and its role in this interdisciplinary, interdepartmental experiment.

C-SUM Committee for Sustainability solar panels sustainability university of malta waste management

What’s That Noise?

Malta depends on subterranean groundwater for agriculture, industry, and a large population. A University of Malta initiative, Project SIGMA, is monitoring groundwater sources not by digging for them, but by listening.

aquifers geosciences groundwater Seismic Signals SIGMA sustainability

The Soft Power of Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was an important part of Britain’s ‘soft power’, and her death symbolised and contributed to its decline. James Farrugia is a Maltese diplomat and UM PhD student. He speaks with Jonathan Firbank on the subject, its relevance to Malta, and his professional experience of Queen Elizabeth II’s state visits.

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True Happiness

What kinds of happiness are there, and what kinds of happiness should we prioritise? Jonathan Firbank explores Masahiro Morioka’s ‘happiness drug’ thought experiment in the face of an increasingly medicated world.

ethics Happiness idea Masahiro Morioka Social Well-being SSRI

Refugee Students

Learning Diversity: A Case Study of Refugee Students in Primary School is an international project created to provide information about the unique needs of refugee students, their obstacles to success, and the interventions and good practices applied to help them. Jonathan Firbank speaks with lead coordinator, Prof. Simone Galea, about the study’s ethics, methods, and findings.

education Refugee Social Well-being

The Worth of your Time

Jonathan Firbank investigates the conditions that led to the ‘Great Resignation’, where millions of people resigned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He discovers that it is less a consequence of an ‘anti-work movement’ and more a result of the mental health issues that workplaces can cause.

Anti-work Emotional Well-being idea The Great Resignation work-life balance