Letters archive

As you note, the underlying reason for energy bill spikes in renewables-dominated markets is mainly down to the pricing mechanism, which sets it according to the most expensive generator in the mix, usually gas. It is a relic of a time when renewables were a small proportion of the total, and was created to incentivise …

Energy markets aren't natural phenomena; they are devised by governments and regulators to meet certain objectives and if they don't do so, they can be changed. This isn't happening because governments still see renewables as nice extras. They need to make them the main sources of power and design electricity markets and infrastructure to make …

I was disappointed to read such a downbeat assessment of the chances for a successful Scottish lynx reintroduction. Of course, it is neither simple nor impossible, merely difficult, but you should rest assured that many dedicated people are working hard to overcome remaining barriers ( 1 February, p 22 ). Rather than write off Scotland's …

I was struck by the irony of one of the obstacles to reintroducing lynx being the game bird shooting industry's worries about them eating its stock. These are people who have no qualms about making money by pandering to entitled people whose idea of fun is blowing away animals deliberately bred to be too slow …

You reviewed a book arguing that animals should be treated as though they are conscious, with care and consideration. And yet in the same edition ( p 22 ), there is an argument for the reintroduction of predators such as the European lynx and Tasmanian tiger, saying sheep farmers can be compensated when their animals …

You report research showing that controlled burns could cut smoke and land area affected by wildfires in California. By and large, that hasn't worked in Australia. In an article published in 2019 , three University of Melbourne academics stated: "Our research has shown controlled burning was likely to have reduced the area later burnt by …

Our ability to imagine possible futures probably evolved in large part to simulate threats. In The Time Machine , H.G. Wells didn't so much predict a dystopian future as highlight a path to help avoid it. As for tech barons who see stark, dichotomous futures, it is useful to remember that we live in a …

Ozempic and Wegovy appear to be good for us in a variety of ways and scientists don't fully know why. Are they missing a simple answer? These drugs are based on a natural hormone: GLP-1. Could it be that some people produce more of this, and are therefore less likely to become ill from a …

While the Neanderthals died out around 40,000 years ago, when the climate was colder than today, I doubt this was to do with poor clothing. They survived the even colder penultimate glacial maximum 140,000 years ago ( 1 February, p 34 ).

When it comes to moon dust, there is an even more significant risk to astronauts – specifically, to their lungs. Since the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries have tackled lung conditions on Earth emanating from industries such as mining, for example those caused by breathing in dust particles such as silica. Regolith contains a …

Tony Milligan decries belief in alien visitations. He needn't worry. They visited once, but didn't stay long. There is now a beacon in space with the message: "Don't bother visiting. Top (ha!) life form controlled by idiots. Spend time arguing, killing each other and destroying a quite pretty planet ( 8 February, p 21 )."