Lego bricks aren't all fun and games, University of Canterbury researchers argued in a study published in Plos One, a peer-reviewed open-access journal. They're increasingly promoting violence in their products, the researchers said.
Nearly 30 percent of Lego sets out in 2014 contained weapons, compared with less than 5 percent in 1978, the first year the manufacturer included them in sets. Themed products for franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are thought to have contributed to the uptick, as well as competition with other toy makers.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'Solitude has become a notable, and worrisome, trend of our times'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Blake Lively accuses rom-com costar of smear jobSpeed Read The actor accused Justin Baldoni, her director and costar on "It Ends With Us," of sexual harassment and a revenge campaign
-
Germany arrests anti-Islam Saudi in SUV attackSpeed Read The attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg left five people dead and more than 200 wounded
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons mergerSpeed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battleSpeed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rallySpeed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
