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Why being bilingual really does seem to delay dementia

20 February 2025

Multiple studies suggest that speaking more than one language pushes back the onset of dementia, but doesn't seem to stop it entirely


Reaching net zero will cost billions more due to interest rate rises

Reaching net zero will cost billions more due to interest rate rises

21 July 2023

It is vital that we clean up our energy sources and shift away from fossil fuels, but rising interest rates mean green energy projects are becoming more expensive and risk being cancelled


How can we keep homes cool in extreme heat without air conditioning?

13 July 2023

Many northern countries including the UK must adapt homes to cope with hot weather, a study warns – but there are ways to do this without increasing energy use


Do psychedelics treat chronic pain or is it the placebo effect?

12 July 2023

Preliminary studies show that psilocybin, a compound in magic mushrooms, reduces pain in people with chronic Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and migraines. But without effective control groups the evidence is far from conclusive


Efforts to mass-produce green steel are finally nearing reality

5 July 2023

Decarbonising steel production is essential if we are to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, but this energy-intensive process has been hard to clean up - until now


The European Union's new plan to curb deforestation is deeply flawed

4 July 2023

Sustainability researchers have serious doubts about whether the EU’s new regulation will succeed in stopping deforestation


Which quantum computer is the most powerful ever? It's complicated

22 June 2023

IonQ has become the latest company to claim its quantum computer is more powerful than any other computer in existence - despite not having built it yet. But how exactly do you benchmark a quantum computer?


Shell can't say it backs net zero while still betting on fossil fuels

14 June 2023

Like its rival BP, Shell claims it is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 despite planning to increase its output this decade, but experts say this doesn’t add up


mRNA trial shows promise for these therapies to revolutionise medicine

26 May 2023

People with a rare condition experienced fewer or no complications after receiving an experimental mRNA therapy, with the technology having the potential to treat a range of disorders


A child receives the RTS malaria vaccine in Gisambai, Kenya, in March

Dozens of countries have tamed malaria, but can we eradicate it?

7 May 2023

Many countries and territories have malaria-free status, however, this may be very difficult to achieve in parts of Africa where the parasite is endemic


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