Essay

Astronomer Fred Hoyle supposedly coined the catchy term to ridicule the theory of the Universe’s origins — 75 years on, it’s time to set the record straight.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when thinking about the damage that might be wrought by global warming — but that is missing the point.

Robert Oppenheimer’s isn’t the only film-worthy story from the nuclear age. Kurt Gödel’s cameo as a secret agent was surprising — and itself a bomb.

When Rosemary Brown identified a strange particle decay 75 years ago, it set events in motion that would rewrite the laws of physics.

The popular idea that quantum physics implies everything is random and nothing is certain might be as far from the truth as it could possibly be.

From identifying disputed artworks to reconstructing lost masterpieces, artificial intelligence is enriching how we interpret our cultural heritage.

Thirty years ago, astronomer Carl Sagan convinced NASA to turn a passing space probe’s instruments on Earth to look for life — with results that still reverberate today.

Computational rules might describe the evolution of the cosmos better than the dynamical equations of physics — but only if they are given a quantum twist.

Thomas Young’s double-slit experiment originally served to prove that light is a wave — but later quantum versions have made for a much fuzzier picture.

The launch of NASA’s Artemis I mission aims to rekindle the spirit of Apollo a half century after the United States left the lunar surface. As ever, science is the least of the driving forces.

Historian Patricia Fara curates caricatures that provide snapshots of social and political debates around the emergence of modern research.

Records of past pandemics are patchy. This one has seen a global frenzy of collecting.

The indefatigably curious chemist and science-fiction icon championed rationality for the common good in 20 million published words. By David Leslie

Leading thinkers choose past works illuminating crucial issues today.

The Futurium needs a bolder vision to show that we, technology and nature are one. By Stephen Cave

The lack of galactic grandmothers in visions of the future reflects ageism and sexism in the here and now. By Sylvia Spruck Wrigley

Image-making, research and visual technologies have shaped each other over the past century and a half, argues Geoffrey Belknap, marking Nature’s anniversary.

From custom typeface to digital-friendly logo, follow the journey to the redesign. By creative director Kelly Krause.

The Western public's misapprehension that genius in science is always male and caucasian is partly a legacy of Victorian politics, says Christine MacLeod.

Venture funding is declining quickly and is unlikely to bounce back. But less money means lower expectations — good news for smaller science start-ups, says John Browning.