Science
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The super-cow v the old-fashioned plough
Was farming better 1,000 years ago? Scientists believe they have discovered how to breed “super-cows”. But others argue that agriculture was far more sustainable in medieval times.
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Scientists find possible life on Venus
Is there life on our neighbouring planet? A gas detected floating in the clouds above Venus could hold the key to extra-terrestrial life quite unlike anything we have ever imagined.
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UK newspaper hires new journalist: a robot
Has the human race peaked? Artificial intelligence is replacing people on a greater scale than ever before. Yet some scientists say robots may not be the only cause of humankind’s imminent...
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Hidden secrets of the Doomsday glacier
Does our survival depend on the Thwaites Glacier? Scientists monitoring the immense sheet of Antarctic ice warn that if it melts, the effect on global sea level could be catastrophic.
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Alien-hunters to search over 200,000 new stars
Are aliens hiding in plain sight? Scientists are widening the search for life on other planets, but some argue we will never find it because we have no idea of what we are looking for.
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Endangered horse cloned from frozen cells
Should we bring back extinct species? Cells preserved for 40 years have been used to clone an endangered wild horse, but some scientists ask whether cloning is really the solution.
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Ancient text rewrites the history of medicine
Is acupuncture based on science? Despite its popularity, the scientific evidence for traditional Chinese medicine is mixed. But new research reveals its origins in ancient human dissection.
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The doctor who put medicine before magic
Was Hippocrates the first modern doctor? A controversial new book argues that the ancient Greek physician established the principles of medicine as we know it as long ago as 470 BC.
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Crocodile tears unlock the secrets of crying
Are human tears unique? Reptile tears are remarkably similar to our own and may help us treat eye diseases. But some argue there is a big difference between animal tears and human crying.
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Coming soon – the day when we live forever
Should we be excited about the future? A podcast by academic technologist Balaji Srinivasan has caused a stir with its vision of how our lives will be transformed in the ultra-digital age.
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Mutant bugs released to fight disease
Is it wrong to release modified mosquitoes into the wild? Supporters say genetically altered insects could eradicate deadly diseases, but opponents are warning of dangerous consequences.
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Rare space rock holds secret to life on Earth
Do meteorites contain the building blocks for life? Scientists have found organic molecules in a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite, raising the possibility that life came from outer space.
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Zero: the idea that changed the world
Has the number “zero” done more to advance humanity than any other idea? Many mathematicians think so – for, without zero, we could not ponder either the concepts of the void or the infinite.
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Shock turns to anger after Beirut explosion
Should ammonium nitrate be banned? The deadly explosion in Lebanon is just the latest caused by a common fertiliser. Some say it is essential to modern farming. But others want it outlawed.
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SpaceX capsule first splashdown in 45 years
Will Moon tourism be normal in 20 years’ time? For some, yesterday’s historic success of a manned commercial space mission is the start of a new era. But predictions are nearly always wrong.