Science
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Scientists on the brink of ‘ageing cure’
Would you want to live forever? In a new book, one scientist argues that we need to find a “cure” for the ageing process – but some think it would be a mistake to meddle with nature.
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Mysterious signal hints at nearby alien life
Would aliens look like us? As scientists pick up a mysterious radio signal from the Earth’s closest star, some think we could be on the brink of our first ever alien encounter.
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The woman who died and lived to tell the tale
Is there life after death? For centuries, people have believed that consciousness continues long after our hearts stop beating. Now a new Netflix series searches for scientific proof.
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Scientist says French beans may be conscious
Could plants be sentient – a basic form of consciousness? A stunning breakthrough at Spain’s minimal intelligence lab suggests that beans may have goals and purposes, just like humans.
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The future: one chef’s plan to feed the world
Are we on the brink of a food revolution? For the final part of our series on different visions of the future, we examine a fascinating and provocative plan to solve world hunger forever.
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The future: how cyborgs could save the world
Can robots solve the climate crisis? As part of a new series on different visions of the future, we examine an exciting theory that hyper-intelligent AI will save our planet from disaster.
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2020: The year scientists did the impossible
Was 2020 a breakthrough year for science? From the Covid-19 vaccine to dinosaur eggs, the past twelve months have witnessed spectacular discoveries. Yet some claim this is nothing unusual.
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Found! Zombie worms and meat-eating sponges
Is deep sea research more important than space exploration? “No!” says Elon Musk, despite a rocket crash this week. “Yes!” say scientists racing to map the mysteries of the deep.
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Scientists spot ‘impossible’ new whale species
Are we killing species faster than we thought? Naturalists discover thousands of new animals and plants each year. Yet, at the same time, countless more are wiped out by humans.
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The man who says aliens have already landed
How crazy is it to believe in aliens? A former lieutenant-colonel in Israeli military intelligence has given an interview claiming that contact has been made with extraterrestrials.
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AI unravels 50-year-old biological riddle
Was this the most important news story of 2020? Researchers at DeepMind have made a mind-boggling discovery that could eradicate diseases and put the brakes on climate breakdown.
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The monoliths from outer space (or maybe not)
Do we Earthlings NEED to believe in aliens? The appearance of strange monoliths in the Utah desert and Romania has fuelled speculation that creatures from another world want to make contact.
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The epic battle to save Earth’s species
Is conservation the most important job? As the winners of a prestigious environmental prize collect their awards, some people say there is no more noble task than protecting our planet.
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Lockdown could be destroying your memory
Is memory a muscle? Lockdown could be causing forgetfulness, but humans have developed a number of ingenious methods to counter it, from memory palaces to mystical theatres to “chunking”.
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‘A breathtaking, beautiful day for science’
Was it pure science that saved us? Some are eagerly taking that as the lesson of yesterday’s new vaccine announcement – but it is worth asking whether there are other heroes in this story.