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portal in dense smoke in the form of clouds. portal to the underworld. The edge of the portal glows yellow. Portal to another world, magical realism, parallel world, ancient runes, relics. 3d render; Shutterstock ID 2205929967; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

The Saint of Bright Doors review: Fine debut probes nature of memory

19 July 2023

Stunning sci-fi novel by Vajra Chandrasekera uses magical realism to weave a multi-layered, dreamlike story where the nature of memory and how it can be abused is its deepest theme

Color enhanced light micrograph (LM) of Candida auris, a yeast responsible for many infections. Resistant to most antifungal drugs, this fungus causes several deaths worldwide.

Blight review: The threat of a fungi-fuelled pandemic

19 July 2023

A new guide argues that infectious fungi and fungus-like pathogens are the most devastating causes of disease on Earth

Oral bacteria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of mixed oral bacteria. The mouth contains a large number of bacteria, most of which are harmless or even beneficial. However, some bacteria can cause throat infections or cause the formation of plaque deposits on the teeth, which may lead to decay. Magnification: x10000 at 10cm wide.

Dark Matter review: The amazing story of the microbial world inside us

12 July 2023

The human microbiome has a big influence on our health and yet, rather like dark matter in cosmology, its story is still unfolding, says a tantalising book covering the future of medicine from James Kinross

(Original Caption) Otis Barton, inventor of the Barton tank, is shown here in the tank. The tank is to be used by William Beebe in his deep sea exploration expedition near Bermuda for observation and also for taking pictures.

The Bathysphere Book review: Amazing story of the first deep-sea dives

12 July 2023

Brad Fox's vivid retelling of the voyages of the first deep-sea submersible is full of fascinating technology, novel marine discoveries – and unusual scientists

RB64AM Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Austrian neurologist, known as the founding father of psychoanalysis

The Age of Guilt review: Can Freud shed light on the internet?

5 July 2023

Sigmund Freud thought we had a superego, an unconscious power that criticised and punished us. Does this idea help explain the internet’s excesses, asks Mark Edmundson's intriguing new book

T-bacteriophages on E.coli. Coloured Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM) of T-bacteriophage viruses attacking a bacterial cell of Escherichia coli. Seven virus particles are seen (blue), each with a head and a tail. Four of these are

The Good Virus review: Could viruses cure deadly infections?

5 July 2023

Tom Ireland's compelling and original book makes a strong case for revisiting phage therapy – the idea of fighting bacterial infections with viruses

Female porters, known as 'kayayei', carry bales of second-hand garments on their heads at the Kantamanto textile market in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. The rise of fast fashionand shoppers preference for quantity over qualityhas led to a glut of low-value clothing that inordinately burdens developing countries. Photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Wasteland review: An uncomfortable look at the real cost of waste

28 June 2023

Oliver Franklin-Wallis's book explores the dirty truth about what we trash and ensures we won't be able to look away from the true impact of our endless production of garbage

Is Maths Real? review: Getting comfortable not knowing the answers

28 June 2023

Eugenia Cheng's latest book about mathematics asks deceptively simple questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath

The Power of One review: The woman who blew the whistle on Facebook

26 June 2023

Frances Haugen leaked thousands of pages of Facebook's internal documents. The revelations she uncovered about, among many other things, hate speak and eating disorder content on the social network are unforgettable; sadly, her account of the story is

Best science books and science fiction stories for kids

21 June 2023

From brightly coloured baby books about frogs to early ecology for 10-year-olds and dark teen sci-fi set on the ocean floor, here are the best books for young minds