Latest Stories
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
‘Hi, honey – your dinner’s in the test tube’
Should we welcome laboratory-grown meat? Its advocates say it will help the environment and save animals from needless suffering. But first, producers have to overcome the “yuck factor”.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The people seeking the company of wolves
Is it time for the return of the wolf? For centuries, these fierce animals have been seen as a menace. But some now believe they have a vital part to play in rebalancing the environment.
-
Oxford creates a vaccine to cure the world
Is this going to be the universal vaccine – not just for the wealthy? The Oxford team has created a Covid-19 jab which seems to be highly effective, easy to use and widely affordable.
-
‘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.
-
Genes, vaccines, God – and a great debate
Is genetic modification wrong? Some people may refuse to take two new vaccines against Covid-19 because they are genetically engineered – but scientists assure us that the jabs are safe.
-
This pigeon cost the same as 5 Rolls Royces
Do we value the wrong things? A single pigeon has just been sold at auction for £1.5m. The buyers valued it as much as five new Rolls Royce cars. Were they mad? Or very intelligent indeed?
-
Nature bites back as killer whales attack
Is nature angry? Wildfires, plagues, hurricanes and now marauding orcas… experts warn that humanity’s treatment of the natural world has awoken a wrathful beast seeking revenge.
-
The miracle that promises a return to normal
Will life ever return to normal? After a breakthrough in the hunt for a vaccine to Covid-19, many newspapers predict the world will go “back to normal” – but what will “normal” look like?