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Table of contents

Leaders

Life

David Attenborough is one of a kind, for better or worse

People often ask who might replace the nature broadcaster, who turns 100 this week. The truth is that he’s irreplaceable, but a wide range of voices are attempting to fill his shoes.

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Technology

Humanoid robots may be about to break the 100-metre sprint record

Robots can now run a half-marathon faster than humans and are rapidly homing in on the men's 100-metre sprint record. But why are companies so keen to create speedy robots that have no obvious application in homes or factories?

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Technology

The chips in your phone are probably broken – and that's a good thing

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Space

100-year-old assumption about the universe may soon be overturned

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Physics

We have figured out a new way to send messages into the past

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Environment

Coral reefs on a remote archipelago shrugged off a massive heatwave

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Health

Doubts cast over 'wild' claim that magnetic control can turn on genes

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Health

Cancer is increasing in young people and we still don't know why

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Health

Man destined for Alzheimer's may have been saved by accidental therapy

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Environment

Extreme weather in 2025 drove record wildfire emissions in Europe

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Physics

Weird 'transdimensional' state of matter is neither 2D nor 3D

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Life

Scorpions reinforce their claws and stingers with metals

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Space

The rings of Uranus are even stranger than we thought

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Health

Your oral microbiome could affect your weight, liver and diabetes risk

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Health

Prebiotic chewing gum could be helpful for gum disease

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Technology

NHS England rushes to hide software over AI hacking fears

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Health

Woman in cancer remission without treatment in highly unusual case

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Analysis

Environment

Will Colombia summit kick-start the end of the fossil fuel era?

With progress at COP climate meetings stalling, 57 countries took part in the first of a new series of conferences aiming to develop road maps away from fossil fuels, but big emitters like China and the US were absent

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Aperture

Technology

Former Soviet scientific megastructures captured in striking photos

Eric Lusito crossed the former Soviet Union to explore vast scientific sites, some of which have been deserted for years, for his new book

Regulars

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Features

Physics

The 50-year quest to create a quantum spin liquid may finally be over

Creating quantum entanglement inside a solid material is tricky in the lab – but crystals buried in the earth could be growing it naturally. Now one scientist says he has proof he’s found them

Features

Health

Red-light therapy does have health benefits but not the ones you think

Features

Humans

A lost ancient script reveals how writing as we know it really began

Features

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Culture

Life

¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ recommends Attenborough documentary Making Life on Earth

The books, TV, games and more that ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ staff have enjoyed this week

Culture

Society

What to read this week: the excellent Beyond Belief by Helen Pearson

Culture

Life

The greatest David Attenborough documentaries you really need to watch

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More

Mind

How your heart rate variability can offer an insight into your mind

Smartwatches commonly use heart rate variability to monitor stress. Columnist Helen Thomson explores what this metric actually tells us, and whether it could also predict and diagnose depression – and help improve your mental health more generally

Comment

Health

We may finally have a cure for many different autoimmune conditions

Comment

Physics

An unorthodox version of quantum theory could reveal what reality is

Comment

Tom Gauld on the wisdom of Bertrand Russell

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on a surprisingly effective youth serum

Regulars

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Regulars

Comment

Less nostalgia, more pain: scientists study 1763 Eurovision songs

Feedback discovers that the prevailing themes of Eurovision songs may come and go, but the urge to win stays the same.

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word