Latest Stories
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Eureka! Great novels really ARE good for us
Is literature better for you than self-help? New research suggests that traveling into the mind of another person is more helpful than studiously trying to understand our own thinking.
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No, a street lamp won’t give you the virus
Should conspiracy theories be banned? As the world continues to grapple with the threat of a coronavirus pandemic, troubling fake news about Covid-19 is spreading across the internet.
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Goodbye to tasty treats as Lent begins
Is giving things up a good idea? Today is the start of Lent, when Christians traditionally deprive themselves of something they enjoy. But the practice is common to other religions too.
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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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‘My whole world was swept from under my feet’
Should there be a “Caroline’s law”? After the reality TV presenter tragically took her own life, friends and politicians are calling on new media regulation to prevent merciless bullying.
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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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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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Paltrow modern-day ‘quack’, says health chief
Why do we still yearn for unconventional medicine? Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop has made its Netflix debut. She calls it an “optimisation of life”. Critics say she is dangerously misinformed.
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JiffPom tops list of furry, social media stars
Are pets good for us? Humans and their love for animals have a long history. The internet has reinforced our obsession with them. But experts have struggled to establish what lies behind it.
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Sumo wrestler’s tears make waves in shock win
Are tears good for sport? A sumo wrestler has thrown tradition out of the ring. His tears of joy delighted his fans, but raised doubts about whether it is ever acceptable for athletes to cry.
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Thunberg, Trump and the battle for the truth
Is emotion stronger than science? Appealing to the most powerful people in the world at the World Economic Forum this week, Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg directly opposed each other.
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Comedy about Hitler leaves critics fuming
Is it morally wrong to make a comic film about the Nazis? Critics are passionately divided about Jojo Rabbit, the story of a ten-year-old boy and his imaginary friend – a goofy Adolf Hitler.
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And now for a new national anthem – for Mars!
Does Mars need a national anthem? Opera singer Oscar Castellino has just given the first performance of his composition, Rise to Mars!, written to encourage colonisation of the Red Planet.
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Man survives at -30C thanks to peanut butter
Is survival chiefly about luck or courage? A man whose hut in the Alaskan wilderness burnt down, destroying all his possessions, has just been rescued after three weeks in the freezing snow.
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Science shows resolutions NOT a waste of time
Are New Year resolutions worth it? Around one-quarter of people give up their resolutions after just one week, while fewer than one in 10 will maintain their goal to the end of the year.