How did the odd black holes detected by LIGO form – and can we spot them in the sky?

Feb 16, 2016 15:22 pm UTC| Science

Great scientific discoveries often raise more questions than they answer. Just days after the announcement that gravitational waves from two merging black holes have been detected, astrophysicists are already pondering...

Microwaves, Play-Doh and Teflon – how accidental discoveries fuel innovation

Feb 15, 2016 13:19 pm UTC| Technology Science

Accidents will happen and as far as innovation is concerned, thats a good thing. While much of any business persons attention is focused on bringing new ideas to market or making systematic and strategically targeted...

What would happen if Earth fell into a black hole?

Feb 15, 2016 13:14 pm UTC| Science

Black holes have long been a source of much excitement and intrigue. And interest regarding black holes will surely grow now that gravitational waves have been discovered. Many of the questions I am asked regard how...

Stem cells could help treat multiple sclerosis – but it's still early days

Feb 15, 2016 10:22 am UTC| Health Science

Multiple sclerosis affects millions of people worldwide. Its a neurological disease characterised by inflammatory lesions in the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) that cause damage to the myelin sheath ...

Gravitational waves add a new note to our musical universe

Feb 15, 2016 03:50 am UTC| Science

Last weeks announcement on the existence of gravitational waves confirms something philosophers and musicians have known for a long time: the universe is musical. The key pursuit of metaphysics is to understand the...

What's the point of theoretical physics?

Feb 13, 2016 14:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

You dont have to be a scientist to get excited about breakthroughs in theoretical physics. Discoveries such as gravitational waves and the Higgs boson can inspire wonder at the complex beauty of the universe no matter how...

Our obsession with scientists on bank notes is wearing thin

Feb 13, 2016 09:38 am UTC| Science

The civil engineer, the science communicator or the physicist? That was the question Royal Bank of Scotland asked the public as part of its plans for a new 10 note in 2017. Science communicator Mary Somerville was declared...