Latest Stories
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Banksy funds boat to rescue Med migrants
Does Europe have a responsibility to rescue migrants? Refugees fleeing war are dying in the Mediterranean, but politicians say rescue ships encourage smugglers and make the situation worse.
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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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Behold the prophets – and profits – of doom
Should we be preparing for the end of the world? Many people expect to see the collapse of life as we know it. A new book reveals how a multi-billion-dollar industry has grown around them.
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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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Putin critic in coma after tea is poisoned
Could there be another Russian revolution? Some say Alexei Navalny is a martyr whose fate will spark a mass uprising against Vladimir Putin. Others say the president will crush all dissent.
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Amazon on fire: ‘All you can see is death’
Who is to blame for the destruction of the Amazon? Man-made fires are raging across the world’s largest rainforest, burning down areas the size of five football pitches every minute.
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Messi top for another year as prize cancelled
Should sports like football be about individual or team success? Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi holds the title of best player in the world until 2021, as organisers postpone the award.
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Animal Farm at 75 ‘still as relevant as ever’
Is Animal Farm still relevant today? As Orwell’s classic celebrates its 75th birthday, some commentators warn its anti-totalitarian message remains grimly pertinent to the modern world.
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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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The woman who could change the world forever
Will Kamala Harris become president? Her selection as Joe Biden’s deputy already breaks the mould of American politics. If she wins the world’s most powerful job, it would launch a new era.
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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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Angry fans split over future of James Bond
Should James Bond change with the times? As Hollywood producers ditch the iconic spy’s womanising ways for a more modern man, a new poll shows that fans still favour the old-fashioned 007.
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Schools become new battleground in virus war
Is the coronavirus transmitted in schools? Many scientists say children have a minimal role in the pandemic. Yet, in the last two weeks of July alone, nearly 100,000 tested positive in the USA.
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America enters ‘new phase’ in Covid-19 crisis
Has the US really been “defeated”? A virus a thousand times smaller than a dust mote has humiliated the planet’s most powerful nation, claims a new essay – and a furious debate has begun.