Science & technology
I can do it with a distributed heart
Training AI models might not need enormous data centres
Eventually, models could be trained without any dedicated hardware at all
Return of the House of Wisdom
How the Gulf’s rulers want to harness the power of science
A stronger R&D base, they hope, will transform their countries’ economies. Will their plan work?
The long shots
Cancer vaccines are showing promise at last
Trials are under way against skin, brain and lung tumours
Smoke and sensors
New firefighting tech is being trialled in Sardinia’s ancient forests
It could sniff out blazes long before they spread out of control
Lift-off at last?
Can Jeff Bezos match Elon Musk in space?
After 25 years, Blue Origin finally heads to orbit, and hopes to become a contender in the private space race
You are feeling very interested in this story
Why some doctors are reassessing hypnosis
There is growing evidence that it can help with pain, depression and more
Hot air
Academic writing is getting harder to read—the humanities most of all
We analyse two centuries of scholarly work
Clear and present danger
Giving children the wrong (or not enough) toys may doom a society
Survival is a case of child’s play
2023, WTF?
Earth is warming faster. Scientists are closing in on why
Paradoxically, cleaner emissions from ships and power plants are playing a role
Mystery story
Humans and Neanderthals met often, but only one event matters
The mystery of exactly how people left Africa deepens