Letters archive

The idea that humans evolved endurance and stamina to chase prey might have it backwards. Prior to the development of sharp tools, we were ill-equipped to consume prey animals, lacking, as we were, the teeth and claws of a carnivore. Our early ancestors were gatherers, not hunters. It was us who were the prey, and …

You discuss the idea that food addiction might be akin to drug addiction. This idea overlooks the fact that ultra-processed foods are designed to be over-consumed. They are visually appealing, intensely flavoured, energy dense goodies that beg sensory seeking while providing little satisfaction. These factors strongly encourage people to eat more of them than is …

I agree that the term "addiction" isn't sufficiently precise to be used in a scientific context. It would be better to have something that gets to the heart of why addiction may be a problem in some cases to some people and not in others ( Leader, 25 May ). Something along the lines of …

Addicted? Who? Me? Yes! I am addicted to New Scientist ! I crave its stimulating food for thought! I can't live without it! I can hardly wait for the next edition.

Although I see the potential for orchids to transfer food to seedlings via a fungal network, the study you describe reminds me of a limitation in experimental design – namely, that reducing complexity can give only a narrow window into a real-world ecosystem. I imagine a real mycorrhizal network doesn't link up with a single …

Grace Wade highlights an important point in her article on neurodiversity. The human race is diverse; every brain develops differently. So how do we make sure terms like "neurodiverse" are only applied to those who would benefit from such labels? How do we ensure that the neurotypical population gets the meaning and implications of such …

Again and again we read that some carbon emissions from agriculture are unavoidable. This view keeps resurfacing despite the best efforts of agroecologists, who will say that if we remove fossil fuel-intensive artificial fertilisers and farm in ways that support nature, instead of poisoning it, farming becomes carbon negative ( 25 May, p 12 ).

I have an extra point to raise on how to think about thought. It is that thought can't exist without language. Pre-language actions depended on internal and visual associations in the brain. Imagine a hominid waking with hunger pangs in her tree long ago. She looks around and sees fruit in another tree. Eating fruit …

You reported on a game theory simulation that showed people failed to reach a state of rational action, even after multiple failures and repeated feedback. This was said to be in variance with economic theories. However, the result is in line with over 50 years of research by psychologists on micro-economic decision making ( 18 …

I disagree that a steady decline in world population will hinder progress, provided we reach and maintain a sustainable level. Population in the year 1905 for Albert Einstein's work was a fifth of today. In the 1960s, when we went to the moon, it was less than half its current level. It is quality and …

A 200-square-inch cake tin of the dimensions given by Keith Walters (14.14 inches per side) only allows 98 slices exactly 1 inch by 2 inches. Unless you somehow combine the bits left round the edges ( Letters, 25 May ).