Michael Peel

Astronomers may have found a new class of cosmic object that could change our understanding of how stars, galaxies and black holes are formed.

An #FTEdit 🧵on everything you need to know 👇

This is such an important point about the political impact of the gap between perceptions of the UK and reality.

“Trick Mirror”, the first chapter of my book What Everyone Know About Britain* (*Except the British), is about this.

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The race against time to defeat mosquito-borne diseases Researchers are trying to tackle the threat before nature’s ‘flying needles’ become more prevalent and resistant to prevention

The race against time to defeat mosquito-borne diseases

Researchers are trying to tackle the threat before nature’s ‘flying needles’ become more prevalent and resistant to prevention

www.ft.com/content/816c...

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...

It may partly be a reactivation of poisonous tropes from the cultural everyday of my generation’s formative years (I’m 51).

In my book, I look at the dark power of nostalgia rooted in casual racism, sexism and bullying, from the TV series Monkey to the Beano’s pages.

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From immortal jellyfish to elephants: scientists probe secrets of long-lived animals Creatures from hummingbirds to whales could give clues for biological tools to extend humans’ lifespans

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

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Hunt for life on Mars finds potential signs of biological processes Mudstones with iron-containing compounds suggest possibility of a habitat for micro-organisms

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

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Prostate cancers can be detected with shorter, cheaper scans, study shows Research could boost efforts to manage predicted worldwide surge in the disease

NEW: Prostate cancers can be detected with shorter, cheaper scans, study shows

Research could boost efforts to manage predicted worldwide surge in the disease

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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

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

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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

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

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Absolutely - and that extent of reliance on food imports has been rising.

(from Chapter 5)

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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.

Thanks so much, Kate! Hope you are well.

Inside the battle to protect time Countries step up research into sophisticated clocks as wars and accidents expose vulnerabilities in crucial timing systems

NEW: Inside the battle to protect time

Countries step up research into sophisticated clocks as wars and accidents expose vulnerabilities in crucial timing systems

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Alan Turing Institute head to quit after internal turmoil Technology secretary Peter Kyle branded flagship national AI agency a “failing organisation”

Alan Turing Institute head to quit after internal turmoil

Technology secretary Peter Kyle branded flagship national AI agency a “failing organisation”

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AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions

NEW: AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains

System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions

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AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions

NEW: AI ‘robot ballet’ promises to choreograph production line gains

System potentially allows machine troupes to work faster and reduce collisions

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How AI is powering a robotics revolution Advances in physical AI mean machines are learning skills previously thought impossible

And it’s exciting to be a finalist in the @pressgazette.co.uk ‬Future of Media prize for this robots work driven by the visual brilliance of @upyorkshire.ft.com, @inari-ta.bsky.social, @samlearner.bsky.social, ‪@samjoiner.bsky.social et al.

ig.ft.com/ai-robots/

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The race against time to defeat mosquito-borne diseases Researchers are trying to tackle the threat before nature’s ‘flying needles’ become more prevalent and resistant to prevention

Big thanks to the @mja-uk.bsky.social ‬for the double shortlisting, including for this piece on mosquitoes with @ian-bott.bsky.social, Steve Bernard and Charlie Bibby.

www.ft.com/content/816c...

Congrats also to my wonderful columnist colleague @anjahuja.bsky.social.

mjauk.org/2025/08/15/f...

Announcing the shortlist for the European Science Journalist of the Year Award 2025 The European Federation for Science Journalism reveals the 2025 shortlist for the European Science Journalist of the Year award. National science journalism associations put forward their candidates, ...

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).

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The triad of right to buy, tax cuts for the wealthy and the frittering of North Sea oil money has had a massive and woefully under discussed impact on how this country is today.

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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).

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The science of starvation A seminal 1940s study remains hauntingly relevant today

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...

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

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

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Hitting lower target of 7,000 steps a day will deliver big health boost, study says Reaching goal cuts mortality risk by almost half, says research that suggests popular 10,000-target is unscientific

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

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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

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

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