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UK fracking should not threaten public health

Whatever the other problems with drilling for shale gas in the UK, the risk to public health is low, according to a government report


This Rembrandt is science's first Asian elephant

When biologists went in search of the first Asian elephant described by science, they found its portrait had been painted by a master


Memory loss and memories found in ageing brains

The thought of losing our memory is a terrifying part of ageing, but there are surprising upsides, says Douwe Draaisma in The Nostalgia Factory


Will India get to Mars? A guide to the dangers ahead

Today's blast off of India's Mars Orbiter Mission was successful – but history points to a difficult journey ahead


India blasts off for Mars: here's what it will do

As well as vaulting India into a super-elite group of Mars-faring nations, the Mars Orbiter Mission aims to hunt for atmospheric methane – a possible sign of life


King Kong platypus was an ancient bone cruncher

A fossil of an extinct species of platypus has been discovered in Australia, suggesting it was nearly a metre long and chomped on turtles


Fake planets reveal distance to Earth's nearest twin

Kepler, the king of planet-hunting telescopes, may be dead but a simulation says an Earth-like planet is just 12 light years away


Forbidden City builders chose ice sledge over wheels

Ancient Chinese text suggests that a sledge on an ice road brought rocks to the palace building site in Beijing, implying formidable knowledge of friction


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