Five Things #34

In his bestselling 2005 Collapse, Jared Diamond argued that the destruction of the Easter Island’s ecological environment triggered a downward spiral of internal warfare, population decline, and cannibalism, resulting in an eventual breakdown of social and political structures. Jennifer Ouellette reports on new research that challenges this hypothesis and points to a resilient, cooperative society well beyond 1600.

“The self-interest in shifting the blame is easy to understand, as is the self-interest of a British far-left anxious to shuffle off responsibility for shattering the Labour Party.” Nick Cohen looks back at Labour’s abysmal election performance last year and takes issue with the stab-in-the-back myth.

In times of crisis, we should cherish our journalists. Steve Royston looks at the importance of both journalism and journalists.

Richard Speed looks back at Pascal, the spawn of ALGOL, which turns 50 this year.

Denzil visits Wespelaar Arboretum.