science

Brian Cory Dobbs’s documentary promotes the baseless idea that Mars was once inhabited by an advanced civilisation. But there’s some value in how it inadvertently documents a generation of otherwise-sensible scientists, says Simon Ings Source link

The conspiracy theory that bad actors use “chemtrails” from aircraft to poison us sucks energy from legitimate protest against aviation’s effects on the climate, says Graham Lawton Source link

Immunologist Daniel Davis wants to eradicate long-held myths and replace them with wonder at the complexity of the body’s defence system Source link

Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, and its cellulose fibres can be turned into a hard, mouldable plastic for use in cars and appliances Source link

Can you escape your genetic inheritance, and do lifestyle changes actually make a difference? Daniel Cossins set out to understand what the evidence on Alzheimer’s really means for him Source link

We thought happiness peaked at the beginning and end of life, but a study from Germany suggests a more pessimistic outlook for our later years Source link

It was previously thought that children younger than 7 couldn’t find efficient solutions to complex problems, but new research suggests that much earlier, children can happen upon known sorting algorithms used by computer scientists Source link

In his book The Genius Bat, ecologist Yossi Yovel explains why these mammals are a vital part of ecosystems, pollinating plants and keeping insect populations in check Source link

Autism may exist in multiple forms, with the condition’s genetics and signs differing according to the age at diagnosis Source link