Anything is possible
Stephen Hawking’s childlike glee in overturning assumptions, especially his own, is what makes him such an iconic scientist, says his biographer Kitty Ferguson
Science & Technology
Burden of proof: should evidence determine policy?
A growing number of activists are calling for science to play a larger role in policy. But will it work? Richard Wilson asks the experts
Quiz: do bears sit in the woods?
Chris Maslanka challenges you to work out the Three Bears' exam results
Book review: The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe
Mark Pagel faces the threat from pandemics
Book review: Religion in Human Evolution
Where did religion come from? Keith Kahn-Harris reviews a monumental study
Nine highlights from Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People
The best bits and the inside scoops from three years of our seasonal rationalist jamboree
The revolution is coming
Can orgasms change the world? Sally Feldman revisits the politics of the climax
Hoag’s Object
A spiral galaxy has Marcus Chown's head spinning
Dawkins’ new book impresses the kids
With his new book The Magic of Reality, Richard Dawkins wants to introduce children to the wonders of science. He gets a resounding thumbs up from Manjit Kumar's resident young…
Brain rot
What is neuroscientist Susan Greenfield on about? asks Sally Feldman