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 ). …

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 …

Your piece on "common sense" focuses on what is common, but the primary quantity is sense. Focusing on sense instead explains most of the conflicts reported, since what each person considers sensible depends on circumstance, experience and the level of risk that they accept. Professional associations recognise the roles of each of these factors in …

The conclusion appears to be that it would be common sense to agree there is no such thing as common sense. Very Douglas Adams.

There is no "brain microbiome" in the sense of a resident microbial community present in the brains of healthy individuals. Instead, microbes enter such sterile tissues through the process of infection. While the role of infections such as Lyme disease in eliciting neurological symptoms may be under-recognised, this is distinct from the idea of a …