51¶¯Âþ

I enjoy and endorse the many recent articles on, for want of a better phrase, lifestyle improvements. Better diet, more exercise, more creativity, more socialising, positive thinking and so on. However, the proposals are statistical in nature and probably written by researchers under 60. As one ages past 70, there is an increasing awareness that …

In recent issues of 51¶¯Âþ , I have learned that I might improve my biological and/or mental health by a variety of methods – exercise, fermented foods, deep rest, cold-water swimming, deep breathing, gardening and stargazing. The obvious question is whether any combination of some or all of these would have a cumulative effect. …

Much is made of the deep principles that appear to generate elegance in the universe. Yet what remains striking isn't just that the cosmos is orderly, but that it is intelligible – describable by abstract mathematics that the human mind can readily grasp. This remarkable correspondence between thought and reality raises a quiet question: is …

The Bornean orangutan pictured is named Badul (27 January, p 7).

Congratulations to Grace Wade for succeeding in her New Year's resolution to run a half-marathon last year. I'm a little sceptical about some of the claims derived from countless PR-fodder surveys about New Year's resolutions, but it does seem to ring true that our tradition of setting big, long-term goals at the start of January …

I was saddened to see effective altruism included in "The 5 worst ideas of the 21st century". The idea in question is simply that when we give, we should try to do so thoughtfully, using evidence and reasoning to help others more effectively. In a century where many bright-sounding ideas have soured, from the gig …

I, too, am sceptical of the existence of a giant iron meteorite in the Sahara desert, but the two letters published on this question miss the point that Gaston Ripert didn't just see the object from a distance. He climbed over it and indeed brought back a sample that is clearly a rare type of …

Did bread or beer come first? Michael Marshall claims it is still undecided. But his evidence doesn't go back far enough ( 13/20 December 2025, p 46 ). Grindstones with traces of grain, found at Cuddie Springs in New South Wales, have been dated to 30,000 years ago. And with evidence for occupation at Madjedbebe …

I am somewhat mollified that Richard Smyth has aired some unpalatable but necessary facts on our relationship with nature. Some say they are nature lovers, but only the bits of nature with bike paths, horse riding or 4WD tracks, and with trees removed to see the view. I so often find that people's expressed love …

I read with interest your article "Is it checkmate for the standard version of chess?". As the great-grandson of the mathematician Frank Morley, who started his life as an avid chess player at age 10, I was introduced to chess by my grandfather, his youngest son ( 10 January, p 13 ). As a youngster, …