Killer frog fungus could actually help amphibians survive disease
The chytrid fungal disease that has ravaged amphibians worldwide has reached Madagascar. But it's possible this could be a blessing in disguise.
UK
United Kingdom
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
Blue is the colour: why do we see #TheDress so differently?
The dress that broke the internet – but what colour is it?
UK has little to be proud of as survey reveals sorry state of European cybersecurity
The European Commission’s annual Eurobarometer Cyber Security Survey, the third edition of which was recently released, is a substantial survey of more than 27,000 respondents from 28 countries. It contains…
Do Russia’s flying Bears really pose a risk to civilian air traffic?
When military aircraft fly invisible to civilian flights it could represent a disaster waiting to happen.
Molecular ‘GPS’ helps stem cells navigate inside the body
A novel molecule has been used to target stem cells to damaged tissues within the body.
Baby sea turtles starved of oxygen by beach microbes
Turtle development is affected by low oxygen in the nest, new research carried out in Costa Rica shows. And there are lessons for conservation globally.
Can a zen-like state of mind power super cyclist to one of sport’s great world records?
As Olympic cyclist Sarah Storey faces the greatest challenge of her career, she can draw on recent findings that the mental state for coping with extreme fatigue is more achievable than we thought.
GM regulation ‘not fit for purpose’, says Commons committee – and it’s right
MPs call for a revamp of GM regulations, after finding "no greater inherent risk" with GM crops compared to conventional ones.
NASA missions may re-elevate Pluto and Ceres from dwarf planets to full-on planet status
With increasing knowledge and familiarity, we'll no longer be able to identify meaningful criteria to keep these good planets down.
Regulating the web: what’s at stake in FCC net neutrality vote
The FCC proposal could prevent content discrimination but wouldn't solve the main problem: most rules governing the web are 80 years old.
FCC effort to regulate internet ignores history of past failures
Economic research over the past 50 years shows efforts to regulate telecoms as utilities doesn't work.
Behavioural study shows that rats know how to repay a favour
Altruistic behaviour is not just for humans, lab rat behaviour test shows.
‘I could sow the seeds of a new civilisation’: Mars One hopeful’s vision of a stellar future
Five Britons have made the shortlist for Mars One’s human colonisation mission. One of them, 23-year-old astronomer Hannah Earnshaw, explains why she wants to be part of it.
Lenovo’s security debacle reveals blurred boundary between adware and malware
PC box shifter Lenovo's public whipping for serving up malware in its default installs should be a lesson to all.
We’re all mammals – so why do we look so different?
It's not genes that make mammals so different but the 'on/off' switching.
There need not be a digital dark age – how to save our data for the future
We can take steps that will make it easier for historians of the future to use the data we create today.
Eye tracking is the next frontier of human-computer interaction
Out of the lab, into the home – eye tracking devices are poised to go mainstream.
We’re all mammals – so why do we look so different?
It's not genes that make mammals so different but the 'on/off' switching.
We need to rethink the relationship between forensic science and the law
Expert science witnesses have always been an awkward fit for the courtroom. Now there is growing recognition that their role has to be reformed.
Upgrade to core HTTP protocol promises speedier, easier web
The web has moved on since 1991, and now HTTP has been updated too.
Vikings were pioneers of craft and international trade, not just pillaging
Viking technology was advanced for their time – not just their boats, but craft techniques too.
Malware infecting hard disk firmware remained hidden for 15 years – but who’s responsible?
Mystery malware capable of hiding itself in a hard drives' internal electronics has been revealed, having spread worldwide for more than a decade.
Beyond Silicon Roundabout, the UK is a high-tech start-up nation
There’s more to UK’s tech start-up culture than what is happening in London.
Fish oil or snake oil? Most capsules don’t contain what they promise
Flower pharmacies help bees fight parasites
Ubuntu’s foray into phones brings a fresh approach, but will consumers take to it?
Online courts must not compromise fairness
Massive clouds erupted 260km into Martian atmosphere – and no one knows why
Real Paleo Diet: early hominids ate just about everything
Research and News
It’s just not cricket! Only two neutral umpires can eliminate bias in favour of home team
When it comes to LBW decisions, it makes a difference where the umpires come from.
Timeline: Rosetta mission, from inception to landing bid
Interactive timeline of the history of the Rosetta mission, from 30 years ago to today.
Ig Nobel prizes 2014: from Jesus on toast to baby faeces in sausages
The annual scientific prize that “first makes people laugh and then makes them think” has lived up to expectations.
Scientists at work
Scientists at work: my other office is on Mars
A day in the life of a mineralogy PhD student who spends her time ordering around the Mars rover Curiosity.
Scientists at work: capturing beautiful millipedes in Ohio
Millipedes chomp through forests to keep the ecosystem running. This hidden beauty deserves more appreciation.
Catching hyaenas on camera for conservation
Motion-sensing cameras capture the wildlife of South Africa to reveal the whereabouts of the threatened brown hyaena.
Understanding Research
Where’s the proof in science? There is none
What do we actually mean by research and how does it help inform our understanding of things? Those people looking for proof to come from any research in science will be sadly disappointed.
Clearing up confusion between correlation and causation
What do we actually mean by research and how does it help inform our understanding of things? Today we look at the dangers of making a link between unrelated results.
Columnists
Editors’ Picks
GM regulation ‘not fit for purpose’, says Commons committee – and it’s right
MPs call for a revamp of GM regulations, after finding "no greater inherent risk" with GM crops compared to conventional ones.
Revealed: asteroid that killed the dinosaurs boiled Earth’s atmosphere
The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs set off an intense heat wave that briefly boiled the Earth’s atmosphere – but it didn’t burn off all the plants. Humanity has not been unlucky enough to observe…
Can a zen-like state of mind power super cyclist to one of sport’s great world records?
As Olympic cyclist Sarah Storey faces the greatest challenge of her career, she can draw on recent findings that the mental state for coping with extreme fatigue is more achievable than we thought.
Behavioural study shows that rats know how to repay a favour
Altruistic behaviour is not just for humans, lab rat behaviour test shows.
Eye tracking is the next frontier of human-computer interaction
Eye tracking devices sound a lot more like expensive pieces of scientific research equipment than joysticks – yet if the latest announcements about the latest Assassin’s Creed game are anything to go by…
Upgrade to core HTTP protocol promises speedier, easier web
The web has moved on since 1991, now HTTP has been updated too.
Malware infecting hard disk firmware remained hidden for 15 years – but who’s responsible?
Mystery malware capable of hiding itself in a hard drives' internal electronics has been revealed, having spread worldwide for more than a decade.
‘I could sow the seeds of a new civilisation’: Mars One hopeful’s vision of a stellar future
I have always been in awe of the night sky, trying to comprehend the vastness of space and the countless wonders it contains. But I have always felt a certain dissatisfaction with only being able to see…
Real Paleo Diet: early hominids ate just about everything
Reconstructions of human evolution are prone to simple, overly-tidy scenarios. Our ancestors, for example, stood on two legs to look over tall grass, or began to speak because, well, they finally had something…
Flower pharmacies help bees fight parasites
Search for information on ‘self-medication,’ and you’ll likely find descriptions of the myriad ways that we humans use drugs to solve problems. In fact, the consumption of biologically active molecules…
Events
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Seminar: The Anglo-American ‘Special Relationship’ in Jeopardy: US-UK relations since 1945 — UCL
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Authors and the World - Ulrike Sandig — Lancaster University
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Testing the Contact Hypothesis with Israelis and Palestinians — University of Bath
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Random Phenomena in the Theory of Numbers — University of York
How we are different
10 reasons
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- Earth’s other ‘moon’ and its crazy orbit could reveal mysteries of the solar system
- Behavioural study shows that rats know how to repay a favour
- Upgrade to core HTTP protocol promises speedier, easier web
- ‘I could sow the seeds of a new civilisation’: Mars One hopeful’s vision of a stellar future
- Vikings were pioneers of craft and international trade, not just pillaging
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