Science
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‘Make doping legal for all’ contrarians cry
For years Russian athletes cheated in the majority of Olympic sports due to a state-sponsored programme of doping. Rather than banning Russia, what if doping were made legal for everyone?
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NASA celebrates spectacular ride to Jupiter
On Independence Day, NASA pulled off its hardest mission ever: inserting a 3.5 tonne probe into Jupiter’s orbit. The technology involved is astounding. Are we witnessing a new space race?
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Solar-powered plane soars across the Atlantic
Solar Impulse 2 has flown from New York to Spain in the latest leg of its historic trip around the world. It did not use a single drop of fuel. Will we soon see the end of fossil fuels?
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Body transplants are on the way, say doctors
Surgeons in China say that they will soon be able to graft a new body onto a living head. This should be good news for the disabled. But many are horrified by the ethical implications.
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‘Ban zoos!’ demand animal rights activists
When Harambe the gorilla was killed to protect a child who had fallen into his enclosure, there was global outrage. But as the grief fades, a new debate has arisen. Do we need zoos at all?
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Physicists hint at a ‘fifth force of nature’
Scientists around the world are abuzz with news of a study which suggests there could be a ‘fifth force of nature’. It would revolutionise our knowledge of the universe. But would we notice?
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Fire starters, builders: meet the neanderthals
A cave in the south of France has revealed secrets from a neanderthal society. Our close relations could do things we thought only humans were capable of. Is our species really unique?
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Trump v Khan: the trouble with intelligence
After Sadiq Khan called him ‘ignorant’, Donald Trump challenged the mayor of London to an IQ test. To many, IQ is a byword for intelligence. How is it measured, and what does it truly mean?
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Meet Jude, the 76-million-year-old dinosaur
This week Judith’s bones go on display at a museum for the first time. She has been hailed as a heroine, a survivor, a sufferer and an original. Are we reading too much into her life story?
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Gene scientists in secret talks on replicants
Last week, 150 top genetic scientists and entrepreneurs met in secret to discuss the possibility of synthesising a human genome from scratch. The potential consequences are mind-boggling.
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Trees, beers and tickling: a glossary of joy
A psychologist has created a list of words from around the world that relate to ‘wellbeing’. He hopes that it will enrich our emotional states. Can language really influence us in this way?
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Climate fears over Canada’s ‘hellish’ wildfire
The world is watching in horror as a ‘multi-headed monster’ burns through a Canadian forest. It shows no sign of stopping — and scientists are blaming climate change. Can anything be done?
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Boaty McBoatface and the failure of democracy
The people have spoken. A poll to name a £200m polar research ship has closed, and Boaty McBoatface is victorious. But the government wants a more serious name. Should it ignore the public?
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Hawking and the $100m mission to the stars
A formidable team of billionaires and scientists have announced a mind-blowing new project. Using nanotechnology and lasers, interstellar travel could be possible in a mere generation.
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Submerged: how climate news gets hidden away
February’s global temperatures smashed records for the fifth month in a row, by a higher margin than ever. So when NASA revealed all in a ‘bombshell’ report, why didn’t the media care more?