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From images taken by NASA spacecrafts, this picture mosaic was created of six of the planets in our solar system and the Earth's moon. In the foreground is the Earth rising over the lunar surface with the sun flare at the edge of Earth. Venus is the first planet above the moon, and at the top left to right are the planets Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn. Photo credits are as follows: Earth - Apollo 17; Lunar Surface - Apollo 8; Sun - Apollo 12; Venus - Pioneer Venus; Jupiter - Voyager I; Mercury - Mariner 10; Saturn - Pioneer 11.

Space

What to read this week: Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean by Dagomar Degroot

From ice ages to asteroid strikes, an epic book shows how important it has been for humans to look outwards. Alex Wilkins surveys a climate historian's cosmic sweep

Culture

GERMANY. 1990. Celebrating the unification of Germany on October 3, 1990 at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.

Mind

What to read this week: Bonded by Evolution by Paul Eastwick

Culture

Man behind a curtain back

Comment

Exploring sci-fi treats from George Saunders and Matthew Kressel

Culture

Illustration depicting a tidal disruption event (TDE). TDEs are causes when a star passes close to a supermassive black hole and get torn apart by the gravity of the latter. The debris forms a fan-shaped pattern around the black hole before eventually falling in.

Space

A new 'brief history' of the universe paints a wide picture

Culture

Unexpectedly moving book makes the case for the Arctic

Environment

Unexpectedly moving book makes the case for the Arctic

Culture

The best new popular science books of February 2026

Comment

The best new popular science books of February 2026

Culture

The best new science fiction books of February 2026

Comment

The best new science fiction books of February 2026

Culture

Our verdict on Annie Bot: This novel about a sex robot split opinions

Comment

Our verdict on Annie Bot: This novel about a sex robot split opinions

Culture

Read an extract from Juice by Tim Winton

Environment

Read an extract from Juice by Tim Winton

Culture

Tim Winton: 'Sometimes I think we use the word dystopia as an opiate'

Comment

Tim Winton: 'Sometimes I think we use the word dystopia as an opiate'

The 51�� Book Club's February read is Tim Winton's novel Juice, set in a future Australia that is so hot it is almost unliveable. Here, the author lays out his reasons for writing it – and why he doesn't see it as dystopian

Culture

Physics

A remarkable book on quantum mechanics reveals a really big idea

Culture

Health

Fascinating but flawed book explores how sickness shapes our lives

Culture

Physics

Engaging look at friction shows how it keeps our world rubbing along

Culture

Video

Sierra Greer discusses her award-winning sex robot novel 'Annie Bot'

Video