Letters archive
Join the conversation in Âé¶¹´«Ã½'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
7 April 2021
From Catherine Dawson, Devizes, Wiltshire, UK
I was pleased to see the brilliant interview with Mark Carney 20 March, p 44 . I wish he was still governor of the Bank of England, as he could perhaps persuade the UK government that we need a better carbon-pricing mechanism, like the carbon fee and dividend policy of Canada. This involves introducing an …
7 April 2021
From Bryn Glover, Kirkby Malzeard, North Yorkshire, UK
I was disappointed with the interview with Carney, though I suppose I shouldn't have been; after all, this was a capitalist offering capitalist solutions to numerous capitalist problems, of which climate change was but one. The piece contained a number of concepts meant to address climate change that contributors to Âé¶¹´«Ã½ , both staff …
7 April 2021
From Allan Smith, London, UK
Your article suggests that biological age can be influenced by your state of mind 20 March, p 36 . I agree that a positive outlook is beneficial, but would add that autosuggestion can also be useful. When I turned 70, I decided I would rather be 35. I now think of myself as 35, and …
14 April 2021
From Stewart Green, Fareham, Hampshire, UK
It is unfortunate that an approach agreed by all of England's regional health directors and supported by the World Health Organization – vaccinating the most at-risk people against covid-19 first – is constantly challenged and politicised ( Letters, 3 April ). When vaccines are limited, choices have to be made as to how to get …
14 April 2021
From Peter Borrows, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, UK
Vaccine hesitancy is a matter of concern in some countries, even if it isn't worsening overall ( 27 March, p 8 ). I wonder if the level of hesitancy reflects the effectiveness or otherwise of a country's science education. Science is based on a method, it is a package deal. You can't believe in the …
14 April 2021
From Philip Bath, Edinburgh, UK
There is a common misperception that the UK has only had two waves of SARS-CoV-2 when in reality it has had three so far ( 3 April, p 9 ). There are three peaks in the graphs showing infections, hospitalisations and deaths. Waves one (April 2020) and two (November 2020) were caused by the original …
14 April 2021
From Chris Arnold, Darlington, Western Australia
In his look at time, Julian Barbour states that "we have no choice but to be swept from past to future" ( 6 March, p 46 ). I propose a line of thinking where we aren't swept from past to future, but that time passes by us, as "observers", in the reverse direction – from …
14 April 2021
From Ralf Buckley, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
There is more to add to your piece on nature and mental health ( 27 March, p 36 ). First, protected areas worldwide have an economic value in terms of mental health, estimated by research that I was involved in at US$6 trillion per year . Second, national parks and other biodiverse ecosystems improve mental …
14 April 2021
From Paul Whiteley, Bittaford, Devon, UK
How would you feel if you were in a quantum superposition, asks Carlo Rovelli in his article "Why quantum is relative" ( 13 March, p 36 ). That is easy enough to answer. I am in a superposition every Friday night, having played the lottery but not looking at the results until Saturday morning. On …
14 April 2021
From Julia McKillop, Wokingham, Berkshire, UK
The article about the possibility of a small, primordial black hole in our solar system makes me wonder: could it be responsible for the Kuiper belt, in the same way that the Sun-Jupiter Lagrange points seem to be responsible for the placing of the asteroids? ( 3 April, p 34 )