Huge thanks to @mja-uk.bsky.social for last night's awards for my brilliant columnist colleague @anjahuja.bsky.social and the @financialtimes.com project on the race against time to defeat mosquito-borne diseases. Congratulations to @ian-bott.bsky.social, @sdbernard.bsky.social and Charlie Bibby!

Another spin for extra-terrestrial news of the week: is there life on Mars, and if so is it some God-awful small affair?

Exactly! And the hummingbirds and the bowhead whales...

From immortal jellyfish to elephants: scientists probe secrets of long-lived animals A tour of biological wonders to fire the imagination With superb visuals from @ian-bott.bsky.social and BobHaslett Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register : www.ft.com/content/72fe...

NEW: Hunt for life on Mars finds potential signs of biological processes Mudstones with iron-containing compounds suggest possibility of a habitat for micro-organisms Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/135e...

NEW: Prostate cancers can be detected with shorter, cheaper scans, study shows Research could boost efforts to manage predicted worldwide surge in the disease Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/8166...

NEW: The crystallographer who solved a molecular mystery A lecture by the pioneering scientist Kathleen Lonsdale has been chosen to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Royal Institution’s discourses Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/96d5...

NEW: Astronomers spotlight distant planet in hunt for extraterrestrial life Earth-sized planet 40 light years away could have liquid water and an atmosphere rich in gases such as nitrogen www.ft.com/content/5522... Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register

The Alan Turing Institute’s fate is a marker to watch of Labour’s efforts to make the UK a leader in artificial intelligence .

It’s time to think seriously about the threat to time itself.

NEW: Inside the battle to protect time Countries step up research into sophisticated clocks as wars and accidents expose vulnerabilities in crucial timing systems You can read some FT articles for free if you register here: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/7e04...

Alan Turing Institute head to quit after internal turmoil Technology secretary Peter Kyle branded flagship national AI agency a “failing organisation” www.ft.com/content/d42b...

NEW: AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions www.ft.com/content/31d9...

NEW: AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions www.ft.com/content/31d9...

It’s an honour and delightful surprise to be a finalist for European Science Journalist of the Year along with the excellent @helenpearson.bsky.social‬, Jonas Reese & Christopher Weingart. efsj.eu/2025/08/27/a...

President Donald Trump and his allies are stepping up lobbying for him to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This is what Hanna Stjärne, Nobel Foundation exec director, said when I asked her about this in March. (The Peace Prize is decided by the Norwegian Nobel committee). www.ft.com/content/61d9...

I think often about how the historian @davidedgerton.bsky.social predicted the disturbing extremist slide in UK politics, in this interview conducted in the summer of 2023 and recounted in my book What Everyone Knows About Britain* (*Except the British). linktr.ee/whateveryone...

The science of starvation - timely column here from @anjahuja.bsky.social on seminal 1940s study that remains hauntingly relevant today www.ft.com/content/fb0a...

NEW: AI boosts effort to combat long Covid and other fatigue diseases Scientists hunt biological flags in gut bacteria and immune systems for chronic conditions such as ME Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/9cdf...

NEW: Scientists bust myth of 10,000 steps path to good health Lower 7,000 goal cuts mortality risk by almost half, says research that suggests popular higher target is unscientific Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/6b1b...

NEW: AI boosts effort to combat long Covid and other fatigue diseases Scientists hunt biological flags in gut bacteria and immune systems for chronic conditions such as ME Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/9cdf...

NEW: Scientists bust myth of 10,000 steps path to good health Lower 7,000 goal cuts mortality risk by almost half, says research that suggests popular higher target is unscientific Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/6b1b...

NEW: AstraZeneca pledges $50bn in US investment as Trump pharma tariffs loom Sector faces threat of levies as high as 200% on overseas imports Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/7eb4...

@helenebismarck.bsky.social is right. We need to be both unsparing in exposing Britain’s problems and unrelenting in solving them. Claims that Britain is doomed help only those who want to stoke nihilism. From What Everyone Knows About Britain* (*Except the British): linktr.ee/whateveryone...

A sobering view from @jonnelledge.bsky.social on the state of Britain. I write in What Everyone Knows About Britain* (*Except the British) about how its problems have been clear to outsiders for a while. Lots of warnings and lessons from elsewhere. We can do better! linktr.ee/whateveryone...

NEW: Proteins in human body reveal warning signs for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Analysis of large biological dataset uncovers clues to help detect and combat neurodegenerative conditions www.ft.com/content/f9fa... Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Measles cases soar in Europe as vaccine coverage falls short The World Health Organization says infections more than doubled in Europe and Central Asia between 2023 and 2024 www.ft.com/content/bfbc... Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Cuts in western aid deadlier for Africa than Covid, Wellcome warns Chief executive says ‘abrupt’ policy change by US and others will have ‘huge’ health impact Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/79f2...

Important reading after another scorching day: Heat deaths in England and Wales could rise 50-fold in next half century, study warns Cooler homes and cities needed to reduce dangers of rising temperatures. www.ft.com/content/7d84... Register here for some free articles: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Heat deaths in England could rise 50-fold in next half century, study warns Cooler homes and cities are needed to mitigate the dangers of rising temperatures, say researchers www.ft.com/content/7d84... Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Whale poo reveals rise in toxins entering marine food chain Warming oceans cause increase in algal blooms that are potentially harmful to humans, research finds www.ft.com/content/9b1c... Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Whale poo reveals rise in toxins entering marine food chain Warming oceans cause increase in algal blooms that are potentially harmful to humans, research finds www.ft.com/content/9b1c... Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: Novartis wins approval for first malaria drug for newborns Swiss pharma group says lack of provision for small infants has led to ‘treatment gap’ in deadly disease www.ft.com/content/71f0... Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: USAID cuts threaten 14mn extra deaths by 2030, warns study Slashed agency funding is expected to harm the fight against diseases including malaria and HIV/Aids Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/945a...

NEW: Landmark DNA study charts blood ageing caused by cancer drugs Research offers clues to choosing chemotherapy treatments with fewer long-term side effects Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/7ed0...

NEW: Landmark DNA study charts blood ageing caused by cancer drugs Research offers clues to choosing chemotherapy treatments with fewer long-term side effects Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/7ed0...

NEW: USAID cuts threaten 14mn extra deaths by 2030, warns study Slashed agency funding is expected to harm the fight against diseases including malaria and HIV/Aids Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/945a...

The rhetoric of the Financial Conduct Authority chief is revealing here. History hardly supports the idea that modesty is a characteristic trait of the way Britain has projected itself in the world. It’s the kind of foundational national myth I examine in my book: linktr.ee/whateveryone...

NEW: The incredible shrinking fish: Baltic cod evolve to dodge nets Genetic shift driven by over-exploitation risks undermining populations beyond repair, according to research Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/5bf6...

NEW: The incredible shrinking fish: Baltic cod evolve to dodge nets Genetic shift driven by over-exploitation risks undermining populations beyond repair, according to research Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/5bf6...

It’s a big day today for global health as the Gavi vaccine alliance that has helped inoculate more than 1bn children seeks $9bn in the face of steep government international aid cuts. Here’s our free to read story on Bill Gates warning how philanthropy won’t fill the gap. www.ft.com/content/40df...

FREE TO READ, without subscription or registration: Bill Gates warns on impact of steep international aid cuts on world's poorest children. www.ft.com/content/40df...

On the anniversary of Lord Daniel Hannan’s predicted UK post-Brexit independence day, it’s worth recalling that he wrote an entire book about the possibilities. From the chapter “Flawed Prophets” in my book What Everyone Knows About Britain* (*Except the British). linktr.ee/whateveryone...

NEW: Bill Gates says he will not fill vaccine funding gap left by aid cuts Billionaire philanthropist says his foundation will maintain funding at previous levels ahead of pledging event www.ft.com/content/40df... Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register

NEW: UK government to invest more than £500mn in quantum computing Cash boost for technology with potential to transform areas ranging from industrial materials to communications security Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/3ae0...

NEW: UK government to invest more than £500mn in quantum computing Cash boost for technology with potential to transform areas ranging from industrial materials to communications security Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/3ae0...

Children reporting addictive online behaviour suffer worse mental health Landmark ‘multiyear’ study on effect of modern tech on young people provides potential evidence of harm Register here to read some @financialtimes.com articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/2809...

More than 13mn people in Africa could catch malaria owing to proposed US funding cuts, researchers say. Study on President's Malaria Initiative shows how slashing aid harms global health efforts. Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/b5a1...

Disappearing people: the hidden global crisis of deteriorating census data Population undercounting threatens to harm policies from school building to disease outbreak response, scientists have warned. Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/4542...

NEW: Could strikes on Iran cause a nuclear disaster? US bombings follow Israeli attacks that caused radioactivity inside an enrichment site, but contamination appears limited Updated after US strikes. Register here to read some FT articles free: www.ft.com/register www.ft.com/content/b717...