Science
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Ice reveals mysteries behind medieval murder
Is our history written in the air? Scientists have dug up evidence in the Swiss Alps that shows how the death of an archbishop in the 12th Century led to a drop in medieval air pollution.
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‘The reckoning’: China and the virus blame game
Does China deserve to be blamed for Covid-19? As Western nations are brought to their knees, recriminations are mounting. The Chinese government is under fire as never before.
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Save forests to stop pandemics, expert warns
Is conservation the long-term answer? As the coronavirus sweeps the world, science is highlighting the link between the rising numbers of new diseases and our treatment of the environment.
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The book that answers the ultimate question
Does life have any meaning? A hugely important new book called Until the End of Time has just been published by leading physicist Brian Greene. Here are the key points he makes.
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Coronavirus: the maths behind the panic
How worried should we be? The headlines shout: “killer virus”, “crisis”, and “confusion”. Italy accuses misleading media of creating an “infodemic”. But what do the numbers say?
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Nasa’s daring mission to find life on Mars
Can we finally unlock the mystery of Mars? A new mission to the Red Planet will explicitly search for signs of life. If there ARE little green men up there, we will soon find them.
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Daredevil killed in rocket launch disaster
Was he a hero or a fool? Mike Hughes, who believed the Earth was flat, died launching a homemade rocket this weekend. Supporters mourn an eccentric daredevil; critics say he was a crackpot.
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Perfect storm for plague of locusts in Africa
Is climate change to blame for the swarms of locusts? The UN warns of famine in east Africa as wet weather and civil war contribute to the largest infestation of locusts in decades.
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Alien-hunting astronomers demand more money
Does the search for intelligent life in space deserve more funding? Mysterious radio signals have been picked up from the depths of the Universe. Scientists want us to pay more attention.
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Site of Earth’s oldest asteroid discovered
Should we embrace randomness? As scientists discover more evidence that we are the product of many million-to-one chances, perhaps we should give up trying to plan our lives so much.
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Wildlife trafficking blamed for deadly virus
Is the coronavirus, Covid-19, nature’s revenge? A growing body of experts believes that illegal trading of rare animals led directly to the epidemic that has spread fear around the world.
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Penguins can talk to each other like people
Do some animals have a language? New research has found that penguins speak similarly to us. But the jury is out on whether they use grammar and thought in a comparable way to humans.
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The living robot! Part-frog, part-machine
Is it dangerous to create living robots? Using the cells of a frog and artificial intelligence, scientists have designed an entirely new life form small enough to travel inside a human body.
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Spacecraft to seek the secrets of the Sun
Will the source of life on Earth also be its end? This weekend, a new space probe will blast off towards the Sun to investigate one of the biggest threats to our planet – the solar wind.
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Personalised medicine is coming for your DNA
Is precision medicine always a good idea? Personalised treatments could represent the beginning of a golden new age of healthcare. But this might come at a cost to individual privacy.