Space Astrophile: Did comet killing spark Christmas light show? Astrophile is our weekly column covering curious cosmic objects, from within the solar system to the furthest reaches of the multiverse News
A nation of willing guinea pigs? FOR decades, the UK's National Health Service has provided medical care to the country's citizens: some 62 million of them, at the last count. Its patient records constitute a cache of medical data incomparable in scale and depth. This week, Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to open up large parts of that database to … Opinion
Epic landscape with guano promises new age of wealth See more: To see the image this article refers to, keep checking Picture of the Day on our news blog Short Sharp Science A RISE in the price of synthetic fertilisers and the boom in organic foods have renewed interest in guano, a traditional, sustainable fertiliser that is abundant here on Isla Guañape Norte – … Regulars
Life Power of Babel: Why one language isn't enough Humans speak 7000 different tongues – and not just to be difficult. Everything from genes to jungles has played a part Features
Jeans that purify the air From dissolving dresses to blue jeans such nitrogen oxide from the air, Helen Storey 's designs are meant to be sustainable SHE used to design titillating ensembles for Madonna. Now, more than two decades later, Helen Storey has swapped celebrity for sustainability and abandoned the runway for the lab. She designs radical garments – such … CultureLab
Enigma Number 1676 Pick 'n' mix There is always the same number of sweets – fewer than 50 – in a box of Tweets. Some are red and the rest are green. The proportion of reds is always the same. Two lads, Dip and Flip, had a box each last week and a box each this week. Dip … Regulars
Feedback: Holiday Apocalypse Holiday Apocalypse PLANNING ahead for his holidays, Charles Wartnaby decided to check when the official days off – known in the UK as "bank holidays" – would be. John Hann sends us a page about Quickstep shoes from the Hotter Shoe Company catalogue. "NOW £65 – WAS £49" it proclaims across the top – and, … Regulars