Latest Stories
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Hopes rise for disease-free world by 2100
A British man has become the second person in the world to be cleared of HIV. Not long ago this killer virus was incurable. How long before disease itself becomes a thing of the past?
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Freak heat hits UK in record-breaking February
This week saw the hottest winter day in the UK since records began… twice. Many of us have been enjoying the early taste of summer, but should we, in fact, be terrified?
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Insect extinction threatens ‘collapse of nature’
According to a shock report, Earth’s insects could be wiped out in the next 100 years — with “catastrophic” consequences for humankind. Scientists say drastic action is needed to avert disaster.
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Health apps threaten to overwhelm NHS
A report has claimed that unreliable fitness apps are sending healthy people to the doctors. Thousands more health apps promise to improve our lives, but some say they do more harm than good.
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Game changer as mice pass down edited genes
Gene drive technology could be the key to eradicating animal-spread diseases. Now, scientists have successfully used it in mammals for the first time. But could it spell ecological disaster?
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The oldest man on Earth dies aged 113
As people mourn the death of the world’s oldest man, scientists are trying to unlock the secrets of long-life. Some say diet holds the key; others think technology could make us immortal.
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The incredible story of triplets split at birth
Does nature or nurture determine who we are? Identical triplets were separated at birth and raised by very different families. Years later, the three strangers met for the first time.
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New Year resolutions: optimism v experience
Around a third of British people are trying to keep new year’s resolutions this month. Is January an ideal chance to improve our lives or an annual bonanza of indulgent wishful thinking?
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Germany introduces ‘third sex’ option at birth
Every year, thousands of babies are born who are biologically neither male nor female. Now some countries are recognising a “third sex”. Are gender distinctions less rigid than we think?
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Mars, meat, monkeys: the best science of 2018
Will they change the world? 2018 has been a year of fascinating experiments and mind-blowing discoveries in science. We take a look at five of the best from the past year…
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UK at war over Brussels. (Sprouts, that is)
Is this utterly trivial or deeply important? Our most hated vegetable will take a starring role in millions of Christmas dinners. No wonder the nation is obsessed with such a vital topic.
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BBC breaks Attenborough’s golden rule… twice
Should nature documentarians save the lives of the animals they film? David Attenborough has always said that he will not change the course of nature. Yet the crew of...
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Debate rages as first designer babies born
Should gene editing be banned? Chinese scientist He Jiankui claims to have created the world’s first gene-edited babies. The research, banned in many countries, has been widely condemned.
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Male pill hailed as new era for equality
Would a male pill make relationships more equal? More than 50 years after the female pill launched, a game-changing new contraceptive for men is finally on the horizon.
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Why future bosses might microchip your hand
Is this an exciting future or a dystopian nightmare? Hundreds of workers across the world have been fitted with chips that can store personal data. Activists fear a new era of surveillance.