A small Japanese trial has reported some positive results for stem cell therapy to treat spinal-cord injuries

Man-made canals like Panama and Suez face unprecedented challenges from extreme weather patterns and geopolitical tensions that reveal the fragility of our global trade networks, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

It’s sunny times for the solar industry which is expected to continue to grow rapidly — but there are still major environmental issues with how solar cells are made, explain ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Fraud in Alzheimer’s research raises difficult questions about the current state of science, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

The new US administration’s policy decisions are already having seismic effects worldwide, argue ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Natural hydrogen gas could be a replacement for fossil fuels, but its extraction could see developing nations face familiar patterns of land loss and resource theft, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Despite miraculous trial results showing new treatment could halt transmission, corporate greed and patent laws condemn millions to preventable infection and death, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Rox Middleton, Liam Shaw and Miriam Gauntlett look at the history of lasers, from cat toys to modelling the explosion of stars

Lithium is crucial for batteries — but because deposits form only under rare geological conditions, its extraction is a geopolitical flashpoint between the imperial West and the rest of the world, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Genetic engineering to remove a structure from plant cells called the Golgi body sheds light on how leaves change with the seasons, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT examine how new genetic research reveals the rapid pace of human evolution in response to agricultural development, offering insights Marx would have found fascinating

Vegetation is growing at an alarming rate on Antarctica’s northernmost region, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Sand and gravel underpin almost all urban development — but the extraction of these vital materials is unsustainable and causes untold damage, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

The flexibility of the hormonal system in humans means that our biology is increasingly in our own hands, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT explore how metal nodules producing oxygen on the ocean floor complicate the search for extraterrestrial life and our understanding of Earth's early atmosphere

New research reveals how a billion-year-old antiviral defence links humans to deep-sea microbes, showcasing the remarkable conservation of life’s core machinery, explain ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Although the study of ants can be interpreted to suit any political or philosophical argument it can fuel organisational imagination, write Rox Middleton, Liam Shaw and Miriam Gauntlett

The news that a tiny fern on a Pacific island has the largest genome ever recorded demonstrates that bigger isn’t always better, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Industry insiders believe that Boeing, one of the world’s largest aeroplane manufacturers, has jeopardised passenger safety with its corporate strategy, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Coral reefs are currently undergoing the most extensive planet-wide bleaching on record, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

The low death toll and damage from a recent earthquake in Taiwan highlights global inequality in preparing for natural disasters, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

How do you end minority rule in science? The new funding agency, Aria, is proving that feudalism seems to be back in fashion in academic science – although perhaps it never went away, suggest ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Researchers have used techniques from epidemiology to estimate possible deaths in Gaza under different scenarios as the genocide continues, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT

Insect-watchers can make an important contribution to our understanding of local species populations and assist in conservation efforts – but this hobby is on the decline. ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT ask why that might be