51¶¯Âþ

Columnist

Tackling topics from the cutting edge of dark matter research to the latest developments in the tech world, explore the incisive opinions of 51¶¯Âþ's expert columnists.
Why the tech apocalypse of 2022 was largely a good thing

Technology

Why the tech apocalypse of 2022 was largely a good thing

With Twitter, FTX and Alexa all in the doldrums by the end of this year, Annalee Newitz explains why this is actually an encouraging sign for humanity

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Despite our impact, there were inspiring wildlife wins this year

Life

Despite our impact, there were inspiring wildlife wins this year

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2KECTGW Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 11th: Mastodon and Twitter logo on mobile phone screen.

Technology

Leaving Twitter? Here's what other social media platforms offer

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W7T0TC Banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) at den site, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mweya Peninsula, Uganda, Africa.

Life

Long-haul flights: bad for the planet, necessary for global research

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Nebula and galaxies in dark space. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.; Shutterstock ID 1140040991; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Physics

The blessing and the curse of the axion’s rise in US particle physics

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ENB5TA arctic tern, sterna paradisaea

Life

The migrating birds that roam the world to live in an eternal summer

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Gary Carr, Chloe Grace Moretz

Technology

If cyberpunk no longer fits our vision of the future, what does?

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2K6KYM8 Protesters hold an

Environment

Dismissing environmentalists with an 'anti-growth' label is wrong

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Fully deployed Webb telescope. Artist concept. The James Webb Space Telescope.

Space

The extraordinary JWST is named for James Webb, whose legacy I deplore

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Pumpkin field at sunset; Shutterstock ID 510085957; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Life

The surprising evolutionary history of pumpkins and squashes

Shops are stocking up on pumpkins for Halloween. While I haven't always been a fan of squashes, I've been charmed by how such unlikely fruits came to spread worldwide, says Penny Sarchet

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Technology

The success of text-to-image AIs raises major ethical issues

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Humans

I am planning my wife's woodland burial, but green funerals are costly

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Space

The cosmos doesn't work to my research schedule – but that's OK

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Life

Defining what constitutes a 'new' species isn't straightforward

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