December 17, 2018

Journey to the bottom of the Atlantic

December 17, 2018

For centuries, scientists on expeditionary voyages have made fascinating discoveries about the natural world. The deep sea remains one of the last unexplored frontiers – what secrets does it keep?

October 8, 2018

By Kimberly Thek

Issue 29, Physical Science

Fish on the brain

October 8, 2018

By Kimberly Thek

Issue 29, Physical Science

What can a humble fish tell us about our brains? Quite a lot, as it turns out

August 8, 2018

By Dana Goodacre

Physical Science, Issue 28

Faking flavours

August 8, 2018

By Dana Goodacre

Physical Science, Issue 28

We manipulate bacteria to produce all kinds of exquisite flavours and fragrances. Does that make them natural, or synthetic? And why bother, when they already grow on trees?

June 3, 2018

By Lisa Drummond

Issue 27, Physical Science

Creating an atlas of our universe

June 3, 2018

By Lisa Drummond

Issue 27, Physical Science

Humans have been piecing together an atlas of the heavens for millennia. The advent of gravitational wave astronomy means we can now listen to the rhythms of the cosmos and map uncharted territory.

April 16, 2018

By Deniz Karabakal

Issue 26, Physical Science

Climate change is snow joke

April 16, 2018

By Deniz Karabakal

Issue 26, Physical Science

A new kind of nerd waits for a perfect snow day to study one of the feedback mechanisms driving climate change

April 2, 2018

By Elizabeth Richardson

Issue 26, Physical Science

The dark side of the sun

April 2, 2018

By Elizabeth Richardson

Issue 26, Physical Science

Solar flares have gained a reputation as troublemakers, but when looking at their beauty, it’s possible to see their light side

February 5, 2018

By Robin McLachlan

Physical Science, Issue 25

We've inherited a dam problem

February 5, 2018

By Robin McLachlan

Physical Science, Issue 25

Dams have a lifetime just like everything else, and the dam-building mania of the early 20th century has left us with several damning problems dotted across the landscape.

February 5, 2018

By Melissa Márquez

Issue 25, Physical Science

Waves of change

February 5, 2018

By Melissa Márquez

Issue 25, Physical Science

Waves are extending the long reach of climate change, and the effects are closer to home than you think.

August 9, 2017

By Jimmy Brancho

Physical Science, Issue 24

Biomarkers in your blood

August 9, 2017

By Jimmy Brancho

Physical Science, Issue 24

We've only just discovered that they're in our blood, but tiny strands of nucleic acid might hold the key to early disease detection.

May 17, 2017

By Drew Blake

Physical Science, Issue 22

The road to renewables

May 17, 2017

By Drew Blake

Physical Science, Issue 22

Issues with renewables have been touted for years, but how far have we come in providing solutions — and can the grid cope?

March 13, 2017

By Jo Khan

Issue 20, Physical Science

Unexpected harmonies

March 13, 2017

By Jo Khan

Issue 20, Physical Science

Emotionless physics data can be transformed through a process called sonification. Chris Henschke uses this to tease the music out of light.

February 10, 2017

By Grace Mervin

Issue 19, Physical Science

A golden voyage

February 10, 2017

By Grace Mervin

Issue 19, Physical Science

Forty years ago we launched the Voyager spacecraft. Now over 20 billion km from Earth, Voyager holds the golden record: our message in a bottle to any E.T. who would find it.