Ancestor of all life on Earth evolved earlier than we thought, according to our new timescale
Aug 21, 2018 16:10 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
Science may have enabled us to travel in space and trace the history of the entire universe, but it has not yet been able to answer exactly how and when life first arose on our planet. Traditionally, scientists have used...
Scientists are developing greener plastics – the bigger challenge is moving them from lab to market
Aug 16, 2018 20:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
Synthetic plastics have made many aspect of modern life cheaper, safer and more convenient. However, we have failed to figure out how to get rid of them after we use them. Unlike other forms of trash, such as food and...
Darwin's theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos
Aug 16, 2018 20:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
Its one of the greatest stories in science, right up there with Neil Armstrongs small step on the moon and Jane Goodalls overhaul of ideas on non-human relationships. When naturalist Charles Darwin first set foot in the...
Why there's been a boom in discovering new species despite a biodiversity crisis
Aug 16, 2018 20:16 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
Something of a boom in the discovery of new species is taking place right now. It is so significant that some say it is similar to the period of the 18th and 19th centuries when European naturalists ventured into newly...
The world of plastics, in numbers
Aug 13, 2018 14:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
From its early beginnings during and after World War II, the commercial industry for polymers long chain synthetic molecules of which plastics are a common misnomer has grown rapidly. In 2015, over 320 million tons of...
How biobanks can help improve the integrity of scientific research
Aug 13, 2018 14:31 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
Biobanks are repositories which receive, store, process and disseminate specimens. These include DNA derived from humans and animals; bacterial strains; and environmental samples like plants and soil. Biobanks also provide...
Jupiter's magnetic fields may stop its wind bands from going deep into the gas giant
Aug 13, 2018 14:00 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science
One of the most striking features of Jupiter a gaseous giant with no solid surface is the coloured bands that encircle the planet. These bands are so large and distinct that they can be seen from here on Earth using a...
Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility
Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget
Biden administration tells employers to stop shackling workers with ‘noncompete agreements’
Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board
IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects