Science is a Pandora's box – but we should open it anyway 07. May 2025 (20:00) We are often warned of the consequences of knowing too much, but even when scientific ideas have the potential to be harmful we should still seek to understand them(New Scientist)
Would snails be better than whales for explaining big data? Maybe 07. May 2025 (20:00) Feedback's proposal that the genome of the blue whale could be used to communicate the scale of large datasets is knocked back by a reader with a radical alternative suggestion(New Scientist)
What if we could experience life as another species? 07. May 2025 (20:00) In this latest instalment of our speculative column Future Chronicles, an imagined history of future inventions, Rowan Hooper explores the pros (and cons) of networking our brains with those of other animals(New Scientist)
These photos reveal the unique agricultural system of the Maya people 07. May 2025 (20:00) Combining sustainability, climate resilience and environmental preservation, the ancient “milpa” system of the Maya revealed in these images has been practiced for millennia(New Scientist)
Marcus du Sautoy's new book is good on maths, less so on the arts 07. May 2025 (20:00) The mathematician is out to show the close link between maths and the arts. This idea isn't new, and while Blueprints is lyrical on maths, it falls a bit flat when it comes to covering artists(New Scientist)
Climate drama Families Like Ours deserves to be a word-of-mouth hit 07. May 2025 (20:00) A disturbing new Danish TV series, which follows a wealthy family as rising seas force the evacuation of Denmark, is wildly popular in its home country. We should all be watching it, says Bethan Ackerley(New Scientist)
Can we get better at spotting when someone is lying? 07. May 2025 (20:00) A reader wonders if they can become less gullible. Our science-based advice columnist David Robson has some surprising answers(New Scientist)
What are microplastics doing to your brain? We’re starting to find out 07. May 2025 (18:10) The average human brain contains around 7 grams of plastic, but it’s unclear how this affects us. Now animal studies are revealing links to poor cognition and weird behaviour(New Scientist)
