Science
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The fascinating, undying power of curiosity
Could curiosity be the most important human attribute? It lets us transform chaos into questions, boredom into wisdom, and allows us to find pleasure in the mysteries of the Universe.
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‘Smart skin’ makes virtual touch a reality
Should touch become digital? A new, thin, wireless skin could allow us to reach through a screen and touch what is on the other side. Are we living in a dream or a nightmare?
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Sugar named the world’s most popular drug
Should sugar be treated like a drug? A new study shows that seasonal lattes and hot chocolates being sold by some high street coffee chains can contain up to 23 spoonfuls of sugar per cup.
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‘Miracle fruit’ from modern tree of knowledge
Is this another turning point? First, the Garden of Eden. Then Steve Jobs. Now, a third apple — the ‘Cosmic Crisp’ — launching today, promises to change everything.
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Four inventions that could save the world
Can technology fix the climate crisis? Unless we act now, Earth will be 2C hotter in 2100. Storms will ravage the planet. Southern Europe will be a barren desert. But these four ideas could...
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Scientists warn public on alien communication
If aliens call, what should we say? Scientists are turning to the public to ask how — and if — we should reply to intelligent extraterrestrial life. It could alter the course of history.
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Key to early humans found in giant ape’s tooth
Could this teach us who we really are? A scientific breakthrough has allowed researchers to read genetic data, effectively 12 million years old — shining a light on the origins of man.
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Dumb people smoke pot. Pot makes you dumb.
Which statement is right? Both? Neither? The argument among experts remains as fierce as ever. Despite extensive research, the truth seems to be tantalisingly still just beyond our reach.
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Stars, signs and a path across the Sun
Is there any truth to astrology? For the last time this decade, Mercury has passed in front of the Sun. It has special significance for a growing number of star-gazing, millennial mystics.
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Gay giraffes, lesbian bonobos and angry humans
Can animals be gay? It’s a question behind a fierce row. Some biologists think sexuality in the animal kingdom is as complex and diverse as that of humans. Others think the claim is nonsense.
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Probe peels back mysteries of the universe
Is remote exploration a form of escapism? NASA has sent a spacecraft 12 billion miles from Earth. One scientist says it is like exploring an elephant with a microscope. Why do we bother?
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Big ideas hit prime time in His Dark Materials
Are dust and dæmons fiction or fact? A new book about consciousness argues that the ideas behind Philip Pullman’s books and new TV series may be closer to reality than you might think.
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After deaths, Trump set to ban vape flavours
Is vaping good for society? While the US reacts to a recent spate of deaths, Britain is adamant that vaping saves lives and helps wean people off the far more dangerous addiction to tobacco.
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‘Garden of Eden’ discovered in Botswana
Are we all Africans? New research suggests that all humans alive today are descended from people living in southern Africa, 200,000 years ago. But are they right? And does it matter?
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Scientists claim to have reversed time
Is time travel really possible? For centuries, humans have dreamed of leaping into the deep past or distant future. Will we ever do it? The answer lies in one of Einstein’s strangest theories.