Why some people don't trust science – and how to change their minds
Jan 01, 2024 12:09 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
During the pandemic, a third of people in the UK reported that their trust in science had increased, we recently discovered. But 7% said that it had decreased. Why is there such variety of responses? For many years, it...
Alpha, beta, theta: what are brain states and brain waves? And can we control them?
Dec 26, 2023 23:15 pm UTC| Science
Theres no shortage of apps and technology that claim to shift the brain into a theta state said to help with relaxation, inward focus and sleep. But what exactly does it mean to change ones mental state? And is that...
Tatahouine: 'Star Wars meteorite' sheds light on the early Solar System
Dec 26, 2023 23:15 pm UTC| Science
Locals watched in awe as a fireball exploded and hundreds of meteorite fragments rained down on the city of Tatahouine, Tunisia, on June 27, 1931. Fittingly, the city later became a major filming location of the Star Wars...
Eggs from men, sperm from women: how stem cell science may change how we reproduce
Dec 18, 2023 02:21 am UTC| Science
It may soon be possible to coax human skin cells into becoming functional eggs and sperm using a technique known as in vitro gametogenesis. This involves the creation (genesis) of eggs and sperm (gametes) outside the human...
Dec 13, 2023 13:47 pm UTC| Science
While using mRNA as medicine is new, mRNA has been inside you for your entire life. The cells in your body create mRNAs that serve as instructions to make specific proteins you need to function. Researchers can create new...
Scientists and space agencies are shooting for the Moon
Dec 13, 2023 13:46 pm UTC| Science
The year 2023 proved a big one for lunar science. Indias Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed near the south pole of the Moon, a huge accomplishment for a country relatively new to the space scene, especially after its...
Dec 12, 2023 16:02 pm UTC| Science
Scientific research in Antarctica has played a key role in many important discoveries of the past century. But it has also come at a considerable cost to the environment. Science in Antarctica is typically based at one...
Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility
Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board
Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight