Letters archive

It seems very likely that, to slow the spread of covid-19, many people will be encouraged to self-isolate ( 29 February, p 7 ). This policy poses risks to local food banks and similar aid organisations. Hungry people may go to food banks and come into contact with others who could be in a poor …

Your report on living concrete made with bacteria suggests a product that is comparable to a mortar mix ( 25 January, p 18 ). The BioMason group claims to produce blocks at ambient temperatures, using desert sand as aggregate, with strengths at least equal to industry standard lightweight blocks. Sadly, vital technologies such as these …

Michael Marshall reports that evidence at Shanidar cave in Iraq suggests a Neanderthal corpse, known as Shanidar 4, was buried in a grave ( 29 February, p 19 ). Can we rule out that the burial was conducted by a human, given that archaeologist Emma Pomeroy, who was part of the team behind the discovery, …

It is a noble thing to celebrate the emergence of young autistic activists like Siena Castellon who embrace autism as an intrinsic part of their identity ( 7 March, p 56 ). But for many on the autism spectrum, it simply cannot reasonably be considered to be a bright thread in the rich tapestry of …

I am a 64-year-old man with an autism spectrum disorder . This has impaired my ability to make a living, prevented me from ever having a girlfriend, and has given me problems with fine motor coordination, phobias and a voice volume I can't control. It has made my life hell. As the neurodiversity movement gains …

Michael Bond's report on the behaviour patterns of people who find themselves lost in the wild shows how many will panic and make unsafe decisions ( 29 February, p 40 ). But that may not tell us everything about how all people react. Most of those who get lost are never reported missing for the …

Bond notes that people lost in non-urban spaces tend to keep on the move, making it more difficult to find them. I suggest that the reason for this goes beyond fear. It is difficult to keep warm without a fire – or very good camping gear – in any cooler climate, at night, or when …

I have to take issue with Bond's statement that "millions of years of evolution have taught us that the experience tends not to end well". It may be possible that epigenetics are affected by experiences of this sort, but evolution takes place through creatures that survive and reproduce, not those for whom the experience hasn't …

I am curious to know what percentage of the promised newly planted trees will survive to an age at which they can be considered to be "established". For example, in the 2019 UK general election, parties proposed tree planting to counter domestic carbon emissions. But if many new trees don't get established, then the net …

Anna Zee says motion sickness would be an issue for people deprived of a sense of control in autonomous cars (Letters, 8 February ). The problem she raises of a driver potentially having to take over a semi-autonomous vehicle when afflicted in this way is just another good reason why semi-autonomous vehicles are less safe …