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The UK government seems wedded to colossally expensive power generation projects to supply baseload electrical energy: first nuclear, now bioenergy with carbon capture and storage ( 5 June, p 13 ). But it is energy storage, not baseload, that we need in the transition to renewable power. I wonder how feasible it would be to …

You report the sorry state of insect biodiversity ( 5 June, p 23 ). We could all do our bit to preserve insects by making sure that, before disposing of cuttings and prunings in our gardens, we shake the foliage over the soil to release as many minibeasts as possible. It is surprising how many …

Vijaysree Venkatraman's review of Edward Slingerland's book Drunk: How we sipped, danced, and stumbled our way to civilization got me wondering whether an analysis of recording devices placed in the bars of Magaluf in midsummer might prove useful for the future of humanity ( 5 June, p 30 ).

The author of your piece on motivation has succumbed to hyperactivist propaganda and so gets the analysis (can't-be-)arse(d)-about-face ( 29 May, p 41 ). As an unashamed slacker, there is nothing I like doing more than nothing. I am motivated and conscientious in my efforts to minimise the time wasted doing stuff. Writing to you …

Your article added much-needed balance to the overview of medicalised mindfulness ( 5 June, p 34 ). It confirmed both uncertainties in theoretical understandings and systemic methodological weaknesses in experimental studies. A discussion of the potentially harmful effects of meditation was especially welcome. However, the absence of greater historical insights left us with a snapshot …

When it comes to mindfulness, I find that piloting an aircraft solo is an intense experience of being in the present moment. Just as well really, because the air is an alien environment and Isaac Newton doesn't make mistakes. I find that the presence of others dilutes the experience, because part of my mind is …

The aftermath of the extinction of Homo sapiens has been alluded to recently in letters, most recently suggesting that a new species will evolve with intelligence like ours ( Letters, 29 May ). My understanding of Charles Darwin's theory has been that there is no certainty that our intelligence will be replicated. However, having now …

Following up the question of why the platypus pelt glows under ultraviolet light, I note that your article found such biofluroescence puzzling in a nocturnal animal ( 8 May, p 41 ). Isn't it possible the glow evolved to enable platypuses to locate each another in murky water?

Graham Lawton's article on the origins of covid-19 was the best I have seen ( 5 June, p 10 ). There is so much rubbish being run on the lab-leak theory that it is nice to see informed and sensible analysis.

Ralph Timms says the dams we construct are as natural as those built by beavers ( Letters, 22 May ). But if everything we do is natural, the word is meaningless. We like to classify things and have chosen to define natural in opposition to artificial. As a conservationist, I want to keep some places …