CATEGORIES

THE EXPLAINER WHY DO WE SLEEP?

Q&A:

THE DIAGNOSIS DETECTIVES

Sometimes, doctors have to unleash their inner sleuths in order to solve tricky cases

THE STRESS TEST

WHAT IF MEASURING YOUR WELLBEING WAS AS SIMPLE AS TAKING YOUR TEMPERATURE? SCIENTISTS ARE TESTING OUT HEART RATE VARIABILITY, TO SEE WHAT IT CAN TELL US ABOUT OUR MENTAL HEALTH…

NEW WORLD ORDER

In 1993, the internet was brought to the masses, changing the online world forever. Now, COVID-19 will transform our virtual lives again

A LIFE OF SLIME

Do you need a brain to solve puzzles? Not if you’re a slime mould. These single celled organisms can learn, navigate mazes and perhaps help us gain a deeper insight into the structure of the Universe itself…

ASTEROIDS: HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT WE'LL BE STRUCK BY ONE?

It’s happened before, so what are the chances of another catastrophic collision with a space rock?

HOW TO SIT

STIFF AS A BOARD OR SLOUCHED LIKE A SLOTH? PULL UP A CHAIR AND TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR FEET AS BACK PAIN RESEARCHER DR KIERAN O’SULLIVAN EXPLAINS HOW TO SIT

IN PRAISE OF CAFFEINE

There’s more to a cup of coffee than just an early morning pick-me-up

TURNING THE RED PLANETGREEN

If humans are to stand a chance of successfully setting up a colony on Mars, we’re going to need to figure out a way of producing food on the Red Planet

THE SEE-THROUGH ZOO

WELCOME TO NATURE’S MENAGERIE OF TRANSPARENCY

Extinct woolly rhinos were a victim of climate change, not overhunting

By analysing their genetic diversity, scientists have been able to estimate changes in population size over time

BACK TO SCHOOL

After months of homeschooling, children are returning to the classroom. How can we ease the transition and help frazzled teachers?

Face Masks: Are They Changing How We Behave?

Wearing face masks could affect how we communicate

Eating Contests: Is There A Limit To How Much You Can Consume In One Go?

This summer, the world record for the ‘sport’ of hotdog speed-eating was broken for the third time in five years. Are we approaching peak performance?

10 Stars Due To Go Supernova

Meet the stellar suspects most likely to explode, sending out planet-destroying shock waves

THE JOY OF A ROUTINE

It might be boring, but setting a routine can reduce stress, ease anxiety and help you sleep

THE WAR IN OUR HEADS

In these strange times, it can be tough to get definite answers. To compensate, our brains seek solace in conspiracy theories

SCIENCE HISTORY: DOES RENAMING A BUILDING REWRITE ITS PAST?

What message does naming a building after a scientist associated with eugenics send? And does rechristening that building simply hide the complicated truth?

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

WITH TOP GUN: MAVERICK DUE TO HIT CINEMAS LATER THIS YEAR, WE WENT BEHIND THE SCENES AT RAF MARHAM TO GET UP CLOSE TO THE NEW F-35, THE FIRST FIGHTER JET THAT DOES (MOST OF) THE FLYING FOR YOU

THE NEXT GIANT LEAPS

From spider robots to antennas on the Cornish coast, these UK-based projects are laying the groundwork for a permanent station on the Moon. Wallace and Gromit would be proud…

LOOKING FOR LIFE ON MARS

The Mars 2020 Rover, named Perseverance, is set to launch this month. It will collect rock and soil samples from our red neighbour, which Miché Aaron will be using in her search for organic minerals. She tells Amy Barretthow the presence of these minerals could reveal if there was once life on Mars…

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF CHEESE

When milk and microbes come together, there’s no doubt something wonderful happens. We asked a food scientist how a choreography of chemistry, biology and psychology make cheese the ultimate food

THE MOST COLOURFUL SIGHTS ON EARTH

LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL IS CURRENTLY OFF THE CARDS, SO WE THOUGHT WE’D BRING SOME OF THE PLANET’S MOST SPECTACULAR NATURAL PLACES TO YOU

SHOULD I TAKE ZINC TABLETS?

Many people are taking supplements to try and keep COVID-19 at bay. Do they work?

SpaceX craft completes its landmark flight

SpaceX makes history as the first private company to design, build and launch a craft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), opening up the future for private spaceflight

MAKING SENSE OF DEATH

We can no longer celebrate lives through large funerals and wakes, but could technology offer a way to help us negotiate our grief?

GAMING IN LOCKDOWN: WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE PLAYING ANIMAL CROSSING?

It sold more digital units in its first month of release than any other video game in history. What makes Animal Crossing: New Horizons such a compelling game to play?

FASTER-THAN-LIGHT TRAVEL: IS A WARP DRIVE REALLY POSSIBLE?

A NASA scientist recently released a report analysing the feasibility of a warp drive as a means of faster-than-light travel. Could this Star Trek technology really be possible?

COLD COMFORT

Many people swear by the benefits of a cold plunge, and it seems they might be on to something. Scientists are finding evidence that regular icy dips could help relieve stress, anxiety and depression…

Return To Work: Does Covid-19 Mark The End Of The Office?

As people head back to work, organisations are making drastic changes to the office layout, putting up dividers, two-metre distancing markers and hand-sanitising stations. But is it enough to keep us safe?