Join the conversation in New Scientist's Letters section, where readers can share their thoughts and opinions on articles and see responses from experts and enthusiasts across a range of science topics. To submit a letter, please see our terms and email letters@newscientist.com
1 July 2020
From Charlie Wartnaby, Cambridge, UK
Given the difficulties with finding an effective phone app to help with coronavirus contact tracing in the UK, I have an idea that may help ( 6 June, p 7 ). A difficulty is obtaining a reliable range measurement between two people using the Bluetooth signals of their phones. But, in 2016, you reported on …
1 July 2020
From Michael Assuras, London, Ontario, Canada
I was intrigued by the idea from Dwight Hines that artificial intelligence could be used to develop a better lie detector based on analysis of speech ( Letters, 6 June ). A more far-fetched idea came to me: would it be possible to train an AI on satellite images and other meteorological data to predict …
1 July 2020
From Peter Slessenger, Reading, Berkshire, UK
Simon Ings is right to tell readers that Rutger Bregman's examples in his book Humankind: A hopeful history are cherry-picked to back the hypothesis that our species is innately good rather than bad ( 13 June, p 26 ). In particular, the enviable record of low reoffending among those released from high-security Halden prison in …
1 July 2020
From Ólafur JÓnsson, Mendrisio, Switzerland
I do enjoy the frequent letters and occasional articles on the subject of consciousness ( Letters, 6 June ). I am, however, bewildered by how the concept is defined. It seems to me that no two people can agree on what it is they are trying to describe. Maybe because I have learned a spattering …
8 July 2020
From Lynn Brookes, Preston, Lancashire, UK
Alan Harding wonders if air conditioning is a risk in spreading the coronavirus ( Letters, 2 May ). I would say there is little doubt it can spread disease when you consider the issues of recycled air in aircraft and sick building syndrome in high-rise office blocks.
8 July 2020
From Craig Hutton, Southampton, UK
Your excellent interview in which Kevin Hand discusses the possible exploration of our solar system's moons offers the prospect of finding not just microbial life, but even multicellular life on Europa, which orbits Jupiter ( 20 June, p 40 ). This suggestion is based on oxygen being delivered to the ocean below as a result …
8 July 2020
From Christopher Jessop, Marloes, Pembrokeshire, UK
You consider developments that might help nuclear fusion become a reality ( 13 June, p 30 ). But even if it does, do we want society to be fusion-powered? Like fission, fusion will always profligately consume engineering skill and capital investment, and it would mean putting all our eggs in one basket. If a fusion …
8 July 2020
From Alexander Cannara,Menlo Park, California, US
With two advanced degrees in plasma physics, I wouldn't advise anyone to follow Abigail Beall's optimism on when fusion power will be a reality, with or without the help of artificial intelligence. The Stanford plasma physics group I was involved with may have a 100th anniversary in 2061. Bets on its food and drinks being …
8 July 2020
From Simon Newton (of Moltex Energy), Rous Lench, Worcestershire, UK
Your article writes off nuclear fission in less than a sentence: "Nuclear fission comes with the dangers of reactor meltdowns and radioactive waste." In fact, there is a well-known form of fission, using molten salt reactors , which has neither of these problems. The nuclear reaction in such reactors slows as temperature increases, so no …
8 July 2020
From James Stanton, Derby, UK
Your article on the wider body's role in consciousness was fascinating, but this idea was anticipated long ago ( 27 June, p 28 ). The US philosopher and psychologist William James was a proponent of the idea of embodied cognition towards the end of the 19th century. "We don't laugh because we're happy, we're happy …
