Letters archive
Join the conversation in New Scientist's Letters section, where readers can share their thoughts and opinions on articles and see responses from experts and enthusiasts across a range of science topics. To submit a letter, please see our terms and email letters@newscientist.com
8 May 2024
From Bernd-Juergen Fischer, Berlin, Germany
It is rather anthropocentric to say that to seek advanced alien life, we should search for clusters of planets that look remarkably similar, a sign of terraforming. Extraterrestrials that are sufficiently evolved to cross space and colonise other worlds might not need to terraform them. They are probably highly adaptable and can do the opposite: …
8 May 2024
From Louise Quigley, Braintree, Massachusetts, US
It is a mistake to pursue unproven high-tech solutions to storing carbon when we already have a proven technology that could be quickly and widely implemented: regenerative agriculture. This uses established techniques to create a living soil that can sequester a great deal of carbon per hectare. Conventionally farmed soil can be improved in three …
8 May 2024
From Erik Foxcroft, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK
In her article on omega fatty acids, Jasmin Fox-Skelly states that the most important thing to do to get more omega-3 in your diet is to eat more oily fish. Vegetarians, vegans and people who don't want to eat fish should note that the fish don't make the DHA and EPA omega-3s they contain themselves: …
8 May 2024
From HildaRuth Beaumont, Brighton, UK
The J. Doyne Farmer interview on conceptualising the economy as a complex system with emergent behaviour was fascinating. As an ex-teacher, what I particularly enjoyed was the grass-zebra-lion analogy, comparing the interdependence of specialised entities in an ecosystem to those in the economy. Although an oversimplification, it was very easy to understand and was capable …
8 May 2024
From Ian Napier, Adelaide, South Australia
Dark matter remains quite an enigma. If it exists, we have to confront a situation where the big bang created two separate types of matter – the normal matter we see today or its precursor (making up around 20 per cent of the total) and dark matter (about 80 per cent). Alternatively, we may need …
8 May 2024
From Geoff Waller, Auckland, New Zealand
I take no issue with the thermal advantages of vines growing on buildings. These plants may cause few problems with certain modern brick or tight-dressed stone walls, but they can grow into, and feed off, the lime cement mortar of older buildings. Likewise, the roots rapidly get behind wooden clapboard walls. 30 March, p 44
8 May 2024
From Sam Edge, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK
Nigel Tuersley's comments on the risks of technological optimism are too true. As well as the throwaway attitude he mentions of thinking we will be able to leave Earth, the argument from some quarters that we will find an engineering fix to climate change is dangerous and used to delay urgently required action. Letters, 20 …
8 May 2024
From Lawrence Ryan, Wilsonville, Oregon, US
When I taught undergraduates the scientific method, parsimony was a key element. I find this lacking in suggestions that we may live in a simulation. Two scenarios (among perhaps more): our lives are the result of material evolution that gives us the consciousness and intelligence to one day program such a simulation, or another species …
8 May 2024
From Alan Wells, Wellington, New Zealand
With all this talk of the quantum multiverse, many-worlds and now many-more-worlds, William of Ockham must be spinning in his grave. In multiple universes. 13 April, p 8