Why are rubies red and emeralds green? Their colors come from the same metal in their atomic structure

| Insights & Views

The colors of rubies and emeralds are so striking that they define shades of red and green ruby red and emerald green. But have you ever wondered how they get those colors? I am an inorganic chemist. Researchers in my...

Some viruses prefer mosquitoes to humans, but people get sick anyway − a virologist and entomologist explain why

| Insights & Views

Humans have an exceptional ability to deal with viruses. In most cases, your immune system is able to fight an infection. On the other hand, your body provides a spa-like environment that is temperate and stable, optimal...

The Greenland ice sheet is falling apart – new study

| Insights & Views

Observing Greenland from a helicopter, the main problem is one of comprehending scale. I have thought we were skimming low over the waves of a fjord, before noticing the tiny shadow of a seabird far below and realising...

Restless legs syndrome is incurable – here’s how to manage the symptoms

| Insights & Views

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a neurological condition that affects about 7% of people. Typical symptoms include an irresistible urge to move your legs, alongside sensations of...

Just Stop Oil’s protest during The Tempest is an extension of theatre’s radical tradition

| Insights & Views

The theatre has long staged and debated societys most pressing concerns. But when protest moves beyond the script and into the theatre itself, the reaction can shift from applause to confusion, and even outrage. Such was...

How the ‘year of the wood snake’ could play out for China’s economy

| Insights & Views

Chinese people around the world have just celebrated lunar new year, which this year has run from January 28 to February 4. It is the biggest festival of the year in China, signalling the start of spring, and this is the...

DRC rebels take eastern city of Goma – why it matters and what could happen next

| Insights & Views

In a major escalation in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), rebels from the March 23 Movement or M23 have seized Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province. At least 773 people have...