Search

This document is a collection of letters from readers published in New Scientist. The letters cover a range of topics, including the idea of terraforming Mars, the impact of screen time on children, the taste of the dodo bird, the classification of human and post-primate species, fairness in sports, the benefits of domestic work for exercise, the direction of time, weight-loss medication for children, the concept of artificial intelligence, and the potential of kangaroos to reduce livestock methane emissions. The letters offer diverse perspectives on these subjects and provide insights for further exploration. [Extracted from the article]

Maybe a dose of rule by logical AI is what we need Letters, 20 May From Barry Cash, Bristol, UK I don't understand why people are worried about artificial intelligences [...]

This document is a collection of letters from readers published in New Scientist. The topics discussed include the possibility of artificial intelligences having empathy, the overlooked concern of sports-related concussions, the harmonic intervals in music, habituation to the dire state of the world, the removal of microplastics from tap water, the limitations of exercise as a treatment for post-viral conditions, and the use of tree staking in urban environments. The letters provide diverse perspectives on these subjects, offering insights and raising important questions for further exploration. [Extracted from the article]

Editor's pick Time to widen the hunt for solution to dietary crisis 29 April, p 46 From Sieglinde Kundisch, Umeå, Sweden I was very excited to see the interview with Chris van Tulleken about ultra-processed foods. My article "Current Debates over the teaching of phonics", published in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education in 2022, provides copious evidence for two main conclusions: systematic phonics teaching is effective for teaching children to read and spell in English, and the combination of systematic phonics teaching and whole language teaching is probably more effective than either alone. 25 March, p 38 From Derek Bolton, Sydney, Australia Thomas Hertog likens the evolution of physical laws to Darwinian evolution, with "quantum observation" playing the role of selection. [Extracted from the article]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to previous articles including articles in the August 27, 2016 issue by Zoltan Istvan on decoupling science and technology policy from short-term planning of political establishments and evidence-based government policy, and an article in the September 3 issue on when the Anthropocene epoch started.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues on topics including free will, renewable energy and the role of carbon dioxide on plant growth.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to previously articles, including discussion of glacier collapse by James Hansen from the August 1 issue, discussion of C-section childbirth by Michel Odent from the July 4 issue, and discussion of power resource development in an interview with Malte Jansen in the July 25 issue.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including an article on the influence of iron in the brain on Alzheimer's disease by Clare Wilson from May 23, 2015, and article on the threats of cashless societies by Jem Bendell from June 6, 2015, and an article on the domestication of dogs by Michael Slezak from May 30, 2015.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including one about role of fresh air and sunlight in infection control in the December 14, 2013 issue, another one about stars in the galaxy in the November 9, 2013 issue, and one about fungi in the December 7, 2013 issue.

The article presents answers to a question on whether folding clothes neatly take up less luggage space.

The article presents questions and answers related to science and technology as of February 2014, including the sound generated by a pendulum clock and the Doppler radar technique to measure how fast bowlers spin the ball.