Category: Technology

Television nature programmes and scientific papers tend to celebrate the perfection of evolved traits. But the father of evolution through natural selection, Charles Darwin, warned that evolution would produce quirks and “blunders” that reflect a lineage’s history. Our recent study from the Kruger National Park in South Africa shows how true this is. Our team […]

Cannabis_Pic/Shutterstock Magic mushrooms have been used in traditional ceremonies and for recreational purposes for thousands of years. However, a new study has found that mushrooms evolved the ability to make the same psychoactive substance twice. The discovery has important implications for both our understanding of these mushrooms’ role in nature and their medical potential. Magic […]

mitritatei96/Shutterstock At first glance, plants may seem passive – but beneath their stillness lies a world of complexity and constant activity. Plants are highly sensitive to their surroundings, continuously monitoring environmental signals to adapt and survive. Think of them as nature’s nosy neighbours, always alert to what’s happening around them. From subtle shifts in light […]

Tokyo — Japanese brewing giant Asahi Group Holdings has been hit by a major cyberattack that has forced the suspension of production and disrupted operations across its domestic network of 30 factories. The company confirmed that the attack, which began on Monday, caused a system-wide failure affecting order processing, shipments, and customer service functions, including […]

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that all UK citizens and legal residents are to have a mandatory digital ID to prove their right to live and work in the country. Starmer and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey have cited Estonia as an example of where digital IDs have proven successful. Davey noted […]

The Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, has welcomed a new OECD report showing that digital technologies can significantly enhance student learning when applied thoughtfully and supported by strong teaching practices. Commissioned by Ireland in 2024, the study was carried out by the OECD in partnership with the Knowledge Centre for Education at the […]

An increasing number of drones have been spotted around Denmark’s airports in recent weeks. The most recent incidents around Aalborg and Billund airport caused considerable disruption followed as scheduled flights were prevented from landing or taking off. These incidents follow several others, including at Copenhagen Airport. This is similar to the disruption that was experienced […]

“Are you making good health decisions?” reads one Robert F. Kennedy Jr. meme on social media, a slogan printed against an image of a smiling US health secretary. Such social media posts invariably invite lively comments beneath them, but the situation is deadly serious. On 22 September, Donald Trump and RFK Jr. publicly proposed a […]

A new £9 million proof of concept programme spans medicine, space science, the environment and artificial intelligence (AI). It will help to harness the potential of world-leading UK research to improve lives. The 48 projects are receiving funding to support and accelerate the development of new or improved technologies, products, processes and services. The aim […]

It’s a sunny June day in southeast England. I’m driving along a quiet, rural road that stretches through the Kent countryside. The sun flashes through breaks in the hedgerow, offering glimpses of verdant crop fields and old farmhouses. Thick hawthorn and brambles make it difficult to see the 10ft high razor-wire fence that encloses a […]