Latest Stories
-
Alien-hunters to search over 200,000 new stars
Are aliens hiding in plain sight? Scientists are widening the search for life on other planets, but some argue we will never find it because we have no idea of what we are looking for.
-
Endangered horse cloned from frozen cells
Should we bring back extinct species? Cells preserved for 40 years have been used to clone an endangered wild horse, but some scientists ask whether cloning is really the solution.
-
The scientist myth-busting foodie fibs
Could everything we’ve been taught about food be wrong? Recent research by leading geneticist Tim Spector looks set to overturn some of our most cherished beliefs about healthy eating.
-
Outcry as white professor reveals race lie
Should people be allowed to choose their race? An American academic has shocked the world after admitting that she pretended to be black, sparking a heated debate about racial identity.
-
Ancient text rewrites the history of medicine
Is acupuncture based on science? Despite its popularity, the scientific evidence for traditional Chinese medicine is mixed. But new research reveals its origins in ancient human dissection.
-
The doctor who put medicine before magic
Was Hippocrates the first modern doctor? A controversial new book argues that the ancient Greek physician established the principles of medicine as we know it as long ago as 470 BC.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
New penguin colonies discovered – from space
Is this good news for humans? Emperor penguins are the world’s early warning system. Could the discovery of new colonies give us any hope that Earth has begun to reverse the climate crisis?
-
Endangered tigers roaring back across Asia
Are tigers the key to saving the planet? The big cat is bouncing back, with numbers rising across six countries. But some warn this news is a distraction from a gloomy global picture.
-
Bioprinting to fight cancer – and Covid-19
Could printed human organs help end disease forever? In an amazing breakthrough, scientists are creating tiny replicas of human organs – some as small as a pinhead – to test new treatments.
-
How to live longer: eat fish with chopsticks
Should we eat more like the Japanese? Scientists are trying to work out what makes certain populations live longer. The puzzle: is it about lifestyle – or the stuff we put in our mouths?
-
Mystery elephant deaths spark new virus fears
Is a new pandemic starting in Botswana? Hundreds of elephants have dropped dead in southern Africa, baffling environmentalists. Scientists now fear a lethal disease could be the cause.