CATEGORIES

Are We Close To Making Our Home Away From Earth?

Our exploration of the cosmos is hampered by our bodies and minds, which struggle in space. So could we ever overcome our Biology and settle among the stars?

Snapshots

This blue and white harlequin shrimp was snapped

Tragedy On The Matterhorn

The conquest of the last great Alpine peak in 1865 should have been a triumph, but instead ended in the deaths of four climbers. Peter H Hansen examines its impact on attitudes to mountaineers

Lake Of Giants

In the Peruvian Amazon, a family of giant otters fends off hundreds of caiman to dominate a lake. Only through teamwork and guile can they beat their reptilian rivals, says PHILIPPA FORRESTER.

The Transformation Of Indra

Indra is within us, writes mythology expert DEVDUTT PATTANAIK, as he traces the changing perceptions of the god, in the first of a series on Indian mythologies history Indian Mythology

Cockatoos Got Rhythm

Birds might generally be better known for their singing, but new research carried out by Prof Rob Heinsohn from the Australian National University (ANU) has proved they can also be a dab hand on the drums.

Computational Origami Takes A Big Leap Forward

An MIT professor of computer science and an assistant professor in civil engineering at the University of Tokyo have joined forces to come up with a better way of… making paper rabbits.

Questions at theFrontiersof..Probability

It’s not all about tossing countless coins and rolling dice, says Robert Matthews. Probability researchers are also working on ways to unravel the secrets of the universe

ARevealing History of Underwear

From riotously colourful corsets and ‘virile’ Y-fronts to punk-rock leggings, underwear has long possessed a rare ability to push creative boundaries and spark moral outrage. Edwina Ehrman, curator of a new Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition, introduces Spencer Mizen to seven of the most influential designs of the past 300 years

King Of The Mountains

Picture a primate that grazes like a cow, climbs cliffs like a mountain goat and forms groups as big as shoals of fish. Noah Snyder-Mackler introduces Ethiopia’s gelada.

Is Technology Changing Our Brains?

We increasingly rely on social media to talk to friends, GPS to navigate and the web for information. But, asks Jo Carlowe, is that wise?

Are You a Genetic Superhero?

Recent research has revealed a handful of ‘superheroes’ walking among us, whose DNA gifts them with resistance against serious diseases. Now, as Kat Amey observes, just have to find them…

R. K. Narayan

Author and historian Urvashi Butalia tells of the life and words of one of India’s most-beloved writers.

The Knights Templar God's Elite Warriors

Dan Jones tells the story of a crack unit of holy hard-men who spent 200 years defending crusaders’ interests in the Middle East with unblinking ferocity

The Viruses That Made Us Human

Viruses give us infections, from the common cold to Ebola and Aids. But new research shows that they may also have played a key role in shaping the evolution of homo sapiens.

Can You Supercharge Your Brain?

Your brain is the finely-tuned machine that controls all your actions and emotions, so it makes sense to keep it well-oiled. But, asks Rita Carter, are there any scientifically proven methods to ensure it works better for longer?

First Self- Balancing Robot

This robot is the Planar Elliptical Runner (PER).

Is Social Media Making You Anti-Social?

Many of us have experienced the ways in which social media has changed the online world. But should we be worried about it altering our behaviour too?

What You Need To Know  Before You Get In A Driverless Car

Autonomous vehicles can take much of the danger out of driving, but they also present us with new problems to solve. So what needs to be figured out before the technology gets the green light?

Saadat Hasan Manto

Saadat Hasan Manto felt deeply and wrote strongly; his work invigorates and disturbs.

The Yaksha's Quiz

One day, a man approached the Pandavas while they were in exile in the forest.

Are Dogs Making Us Healthy Too?

While we know our furry friends are brilliant companions, Dr John Bradshaw finds out if they could actually be making us healthier too.

Welcome to the Jungle

As our cities grow, animals are having to carve out a niche in this most human of habitats. Fredi Devas, producer of the urban episode of Planet Earth II, spent four years getting to know these metropolitan pioneers.

How Should History Remember Fidel Castro?

To many, he was a heroic champion of the disenfranchised; to others, a cruel tyrant. Following Fidel Castro’s death in November 2016, we asked five historians to offer their verdicts on the Cuban leader’s life and legacy.

Ismat Chughtai

Author and historian Urvashi Butalia details the life and words of a feminist powerhouse.

NASA's Compact Nuclear Reactors Could Power Colonies On Mars

IF humans are ever to build colonies on the Moon or on Mars, we are going to need a reliable way of powering essentials such as lighting, water and oxygen supply – not to mention a means of producing fuel for the long schlep home.

Acoustic Tractor Beam Breakthrough Could Lead To Levitating Humans

HERE’S an idea that is really gaining traction: for the first time, University of Bristol engineers have created an acoustic tractor beam capable of trapping objects larger than the wavelength of the sound being used.

Huge Slabs Of Ice Detected Beneath The Surface Of Mars Could Sustain Human Colony

ONE of the many problems standing in the way of humans establishing a colony on the Red Planet is obtaining a supply of fresh drinking water.

Your Doctor will See you Now

While we know our furry friends are brilliant companions, Dr John Bradshaw finds out if they could actually be making us healthier too.

The Most Extreme Jobs in Science

From crocodile behaviourist to faecal transplant technician, Katherine Nightingale and Jo Carlowe look at some of the most extraordinary jobs in science.