Letters archive

I broadly agree with Matt Strassler that the language we use to describe the basic stuff of the universe can obscure our understanding of reality, insofar as we truly can understand reality! I encountered this as a secondary school physics teacher. If not addressed early, conceptual misunderstandings can endure ( 21 September, p 32 ). …

Although I am a gardener and an allotment plot-holder, I agree with James Wong's calculation that the cost of growing one's own veg exceeds supermarket prices. But what his purely economic calculus omits is the mental satisfaction derived from a hands-on engagement with the natural world, never mind the incalculable benefit of knowing just where …

Most people growing potatoes to save money will cut a supermarket potato into four sections, each with eyes, and grow four plants' worth. Multiply as needed. You may not officially be able to advocate that and it isn't what farmers can do, for reasons Wong states, but that is what gets done.

My tomatoes this year cost nothing. A friend's young granddaughter passed on some spare plants to me. I nurtured them indoors until the weather was good enough, then put them outside in an old bucket with soil and homegrown compost. Now, I enjoy popping out to pick part of my lunch. As for potatoes, end-of-year …

Thank you for highlighting the huge imbalance between the carbon footprints of the wealthiest 1 per cent and those of the rest of us. I have also lost all respect for world leaders of every political shade who continue to fly around the globe to attend conferences that could easily be held on Zoom. While …

You report the possibility of including climate change attribution during broadcast weather forecasts. I do think the scientific community needs to become more bullish about getting the climate message across, although I suspect many climate deniers won't be swayed ( 21 September, p 8 ). The issues raised about trust in attribution when a weather …

I was deeply affected reading the article on breakthroughs in understanding and treating obsessive compulsive disorder. Having struggled with OCD since being diagnosed in 2006 (aged 14), I have been surprised just how few people really understand what it is and how debilitating it can be ( 14 September, p 32 ). However, I have …

I was delighted to read about the discovery of a new leaf chameleon species in Madagascar, but disheartened by a researcher's comment that the carbon footprint of ecotourism seems to be justified given the benefits of raised public awareness ( 21 September, p 14 ). The short article and accompanying picture of the adorable little …

Research on animal behaviour has shown that if you serve two dogs (that know each other) an unfair treat, they know and show anxiety. So isn't basic morality hardwired in some species? Wouldn't we be one of these? As soon as we appreciate quantity, we acquire the rudiments of morality, in other words, what is …

I've followed the seemingly never-ending search for dark matter. Occam's razor says that if you have two competing ideas to explain a phenomenon, opt for the simpler one. In this case, the simpler option is that there is no dark matter and the laws of gravity need to be modified. I have made this case …