what six months stuck in space may do to their perception of time

Two astronauts marooned in space may sound like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster, but for two Nasa crew members, it is now a reality. Commander Barry Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams are currently in limbo on the International Space Station (ISS). They arrived in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft – the first test of the […]

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an expert guide to alien invasive species and the epic battles they win

A lot of people think of plants as pretty to look at, but defenceless and passive as far as organisms go. However, the many alien species – or “monster plants” – around us show we should never underestimate plants and the fascinating battles that go on beneath our feet. Many of the first alien plants […]

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Stonehenge’s giant Altar Stone came all the way from north-east Scotland – here’s how we worked out this astonishing new finding

No one is certain why Stonehenge was built. This world-famous monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire is thought to commemorate the dead, and is aligned with movements of the Sun and Moon. It consists of an outer ring and inner horseshoe of large “sarsen” and “trilithon” stones, and an inner circle and horseshoe of smaller […]

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What is the Online Safety Act and why have riots reopened debates about it?

Recent rioting, and unrest in the UK has led to calls for the Online Safety Act to be revisited. Mayor Sadiq Khan has called it “not fit for purpose” and Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas Symonds suggested that the government could change the law, which was passed under the previous government and includes a raft […]

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Réunion is a tropical island getaway – our climate study shows that it could attract more tourists during European summers

You’re scrolling through Instagram, only half paying attention to your friends’ updates, when a photo of a beautiful, pristine beach grabs your eye. Somebody you know is lounging on that very beach – and suddenly you want to be there, too. You check the location tag: Réunion Island. Réunion is a French department in the […]

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The biggest-ever sample of core material from Earth’s mantle could have valuable clues into the origins of life

If you were to slice through it, you would see the Earth is divided into distinct layers. On top is the relatively thin crust where we live. Beneath that is the 2,900 km thick mantle layer. Then, enclosed within the mantle is the innermost metallic core of our planet. The mantle is Earth’s largest layer […]

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Mekorot invests in start-ups Argu and Bimmatch

Israel’s national water company, Mekorot, has recently expanded its activities in the field of innovation by completing two new investments in Israeli start-ups Argu and Bimmatch This investment was carried out by the Innovation Division, led by VP of Engineering Yossi Yaacoby, and marks the company’s engagement with 11 different companies. These investments focus […]

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What I’ve learned from a tiny South African rodent

We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realises that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus) and leopards (Panthera pardus). Solitary living is defined by the social organisation of individuals, where […]

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