The horror of the Covid-19 pandemic brought with it one small cause for optimism: the crisis accelerated the development of new vaccine technologies, with the potential to protect against other diseases. Yet this leap forward was accompanied by a dramatic back... More »
Researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered particles of plastic in mice’s brains just two hours after the mice ingested drinking water containing plastic.Once in the brain, “Plastic particles could increase the risk of inflammation, neurological d... More »
A new study offers an alternative to earlier explanations for why moths and other bugs are attracted to artificial sources of illumination.A moth circles a lamp in slow motion. Video by Fabian et al.Moths and other insects are drawn to lights at night as relia... More »
The Asahi illusion tricks humans and ratsLaeng et al An optical illusion that plays with our perception of brightness also seems to work on rats, suggesting that the connection between perception and pupil size evolved early on in mammals. The Asahi illusion i... More »
Today’s puzzles celebrate the connections between mathematics and literature.They also mark the publication of Once Upon a Prime, a terrific new book about these connections, by Sarah Hart, professor of maths at Birkbeck, University of London. (One of the puzz... More »
Shooting stars during the 2020 Lyrids meteor showerIngo Bartussek/Shutterstock The Lyrids meteor shower is one of the best chances to spot shooting stars from anywhere in the world. This year, it will be easier to see than usual thanks to a new moon on 19 Apri... More »
Today’s puzzles are about pawns on a chessboard. They require no expertise at chess. All you need to know is that the queen can move in any direction, for any number of squares. (Usually the Monday puzzle is published on a Monday but these puzzles went live ye... More »
I wholeheartedly agree with Devi Sridhar’s concern about dwindling childhood protection from infectious diseases (In a sceptical era, understand this: vaccines do work - and our children need them, 27 March). Coming from a small hamlet near Holmfirth, West Yor... More »
The infinite monkey theorem states that if you let a monkey hit the keys of a typewriter at random an infinite amount of times, eventually the monkey will type out the entire works of Shakespeare.Today’s puzzle involves a monkey typing out something a little s... More »
If you find yourself dreading your news notifications, know that there are ways to beinvolved in the future of your country without burning out completely. More »
Many graphics are being used for tasks they’re not designed for. Let's break down how to see when they’re doing their job well—and when they aren’t. More »
Video editing, gaming, and multitasking are all better with a high-quality monitor boasting an extra wide screen. More »