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Table of contents

Leaders

Space

We can learn from ingenuity of space travel to solve problems on Earth

"CONGRATULATIONS to America – this has been an amazing two days," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said on 31 May, as two astronauts arrived on the International Space Station. They had launched the day before, carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The launch was a major milestone for US space flight (see NASA …

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Health

Ventilators may not be the best treatment for severe covid-19

Ventilators have been seen as a crucial tool for treating severe cases of covid-19, but they may not always be needed When the coronavirus pandemic began, the UK scrambled to get more ventilators for intensive care. But now some doctors are trying to keep people off ventilators as they believe it makes some people with …

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Humans

Neanderthal DNA linked to higher fertility in modern humans

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Life

Cannibal dinosaurs resorted to eating each other when food was scarce

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Space

Strange radio signals reveal the matter hiding between galaxies

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Health

Parkinson’s disease may spread from brain to gut and vice versa

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Health

First map of tumour microbiomes finds bacteria live in many cancers

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Health

Grey hairs sometimes regain their colour when we feel less stressed

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Life

Chimps have local culture differences when it comes to eating termites

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Space

The Milky Way may have been shrunk down by ancient magnetic fields

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Space

NASA and SpaceX launch astronauts into new era of private spaceflight

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Life

Oldest known parasite is a worm-like animal from 512 million years ago

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Health

UK contact tracing plans criticised as lockdown begins to lift

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Technology

US voting data from millions of people is being traded on the dark web

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Health

Why have there been so many coronavirus deaths in the UK?

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Health

124 coronavirus vaccines are in development – but will any work?

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Analysis

Technology

Why #oddlysatisfying videos are so oddly satisfying

Watching videos of different tasks being completed is oddly satisfying and reminds us of pre-lockdown life, says Annalee Newitz

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Aperture

Environment

Photographer documents the fight to save pangolins from extinction

Pangolins are the most illegally trafficked mammal. This image from a new photographic series features the efforts by conservationists to halt their decline before the creatures go extinct

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Features

Space

Why the universe I invented is right – but still not the final answer

Nobel prizewinner Jim Peebles introduced dark matter and dark energy into our standard model of the cosmos – but that is only an approximation to a deeper truth, he says.

Features

Humans

Even nature has a price tag - and it's key to a more sustainable world

Features

Health

Chronic Lyme disease: How one tick bite can ruin your health forever

Features

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Culture

Environment

There is so much we don't yet know about fungi

Fungi are perhaps the most enigmatic organisms on the planet. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake says we are only just beginning to discover how they work

Culture

Humans

Bored in lockdown? Try a guide to the science of this familiar state

Culture

Humans

A strange mix of people keep sneaking into Chernobyl

Culture

Humans

Don't miss: TV series Snowpiercer is based on Bong Joon-ho's fab film

Culture

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More

51¶¯Âþ puzzle #62: Burger run

How many shortest routes will pass through exactly one Big Burger restaurant? Plus the solution to puzzle #61. Set by David Bodycombe

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Twisteddoodles sees a fly taking part in a bruising research study

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Tom Gauld on the strange similarity between geology and desserts

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Some of the strangest ways to measure social distancing

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more

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Letters

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The last word