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The article features a collection of letters from readers discussing various topics. One reader suggests using hot water tanks in UK homes as a way to store excess renewable energy, which could be controlled by utilities. Another reader discusses the portrayal of scary extraterrestrials in movies and questions their feasibility. The debate about sending signals to reach intelligent aliens is also mentioned, with concerns about the lack of global regulation. The potential health risks of ultra-processed foods are raised, and the idea of bringing back the dodo bird for commercial purposes is mentioned. The possibility of extra dimensions and the anthropic principle is explored, and the significance of size versus qualities like thinking and love is discussed. Finally, a reader proposes the use of a chemical that reacts with water to produce hydrogen on demand as a substitute for fossil fuels. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a collection of letters published in New Scientist. The topics covered include the negative impact of solar energy on agricultural land, the limitations of artificial intelligence in understanding human experiences, the need for solar panels in air conditioning installations, the importance of uniting global tribes through science and religion, the potential misuse of funds for fusion experiments, concerns about the recyclability of cool fabric for clothing, the safety of alcohol consumption, a proposal for a friendship campaign, the challenge of proving the absence of consciousness, the drawbacks of Dyson spheres, and contact information for submitting letters to the magazine. [Extracted from the article]

Male cicadas sing together to attract mates, but this also attracts birds who see them as a tasty meal. Singing together confuses the birds, allowing female cicadas to identify nearby males. Some species of cicadas synchronize their singing to attract more females from a larger area. Cicadas have more than 3000 species and spend most of their lives underground as nymphs. They use an organ called a tymbal to sing, emitting some of the loudest sounds of any insect. Singing in unison does not deter predatory birds, as some have suggested. The Neoptera division of insects, which includes cicadas, also includes other "singing" insects like crickets. Hilly towns may not necessarily have better health than flat towns, as factors such as diet and access to fresh produce can be affected by the terrain. Hilly towns may have less access to cheap supermarkets and other retail areas, and excessive exercise in carrying heavy loads uphill may cause joint wear. However, small hilly towns may attract an older, wealthier population with better cooking knowledge. Popping knuckles does not lead to arthritis, as confirmed by a study comparing the effects of cracking knuckles. Humans are not covered in hair like other primates, but the reason for this is unknown. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a collection of letters from readers of New Scientist magazine. The letters cover a range of topics, including the aggression of bonobos compared to chimps, the need for social change to reduce anxiety in children, the demographic problem of falling birth rates, the interpretation of quantum decisions, the impact of arthritis on aging, the benefits of spending time alone, the state of marine conservation in the UK, and the role of pheromones in human behavior. The letters provide diverse perspectives on these subjects and offer insights and suggestions for further exploration. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a collection of letters from readers that were published in the New Scientist. The letters cover a range of topics, including the use of shopping trolleys to reduce car use, the potential for artificial intelligence to develop its own language, the origins of a Mayan/Aztec dish, the possibility of finding proof of cosmic life in our kitchens, the idea of using shipwrecks to protect marine parks, alternative explanations for the survival of planets after the death of their star, the potential downsides of energy efficiency gains, the complexity of the human brain, the use of history to expedite the fall of authoritarian regimes, the search for extraterrestrial life, and the impact of age-related height loss on BMI calculations. [Extracted from the article]

Thor apparently uses muscle power to build up angular momentum by swinging his hammer in a circle in the same way that the biblical David powered up his slingshot by twirling it around his head. Since Thor is a demigod, and since the laws of physics might be different for someone from Asgard, he is able to go along for the ride and also ignore the effect of gravity. Thor and Cyrano's methods would work, in principle, when on the ground. [Extracted from the article]