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Columnist

Tackling topics from the cutting edge of dark matter research to the latest developments in the tech world, explore the incisive opinions of New Scientist's expert columnists.
The success of text-to-image AIs raises major ethical issues

Technology

The success of text-to-image AIs raises major ethical issues

Apps that create images based on text can deliver amazing results, but there are problems with the data sets some are trained on and the lack of compensation for artists, says Annalee Newitz

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2J5DWYF The Woodland Burial Area in Thornsett Cemetery, New Mills, Derbyshire

Humans

I am planning my wife's woodland burial, but green funerals are costly

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Clock in the starry cosmic sky. Leaving time. Time and space. Time concept. Abstraction.; Shutterstock ID 1962091081; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Space

The cosmos doesn't work to my research schedule – but that's OK

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KR6XGE Close up of a selection of colourful butterflies and beetles in a display case at a museum.

Life

Defining what constitutes a 'new' species isn't straightforward

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like, hand hand drawn neon style icon. Simple thin line, outline of business icons for ui and ux, website or mobile application; Shutterstock ID 1620158014; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Technology

Stop calling it social media - these firms don't care what we want

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Woman is standing on bathroom scales with happy smiling face on display, over colored background, top view of feet. Weight measurement and control. Concept of healthy lifestyle, dieting and fitness

Health

Weight loss advice isn't based on good evidence

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein speaks at SESSION 5 at TED2022: A New Era. April 10-14, 2022, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED

Humans

How I gave a TED talk on dark matter

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R1XNWN Rooftop gardens on modern office buildings in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada

Humans

Why I love the proliferation of green roofs and living walls

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Toorcamp logo

Technology

What hackers get up to when left on an island in the Pacific

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Villarrica lake, Chile in the summer. It is possible to see the lake, the flag of Chile. Sunny day, mountains in the background. Latin America, South America. Volcano, travel.; Shutterstock ID 1967684629; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Environment

Will Chile's new constitution make it the first truly green state?

If Chileans adopt a new constitution next month, they would be making almost unprecedented commitment to the environment, says Graham Lawton

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Space

Why general relativity is known as a background independent theory

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Humans

My quest for an eco-friendly green lawn

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Humans

Mistakenly calling AIs 'sentient' is more dangerous than we think

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Environment

Cumbria coal mine should be a no go for new levelling up secretary

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