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I was fascinated by the idea that we have multiple appetites for different nutrients, and by the authors' explanation of why "ultra-processed" foods have certain effects ( 23 May, p 30 ). Their practical advice (roughly: avoid ultra-processed foods, get enough protein and let nature do the rest) was encouraging. But the discussion of the …

My elderly mother developed a craving for pear drops, which are a type of sweet with artificial flavouring. When I offered her a vitamin C tablet, she said: "That's it! That's what I've been wanting!" As humans are among the few animals that can't make their own vitamin C, could it be that we have …

You speculate on what the new decade will have in store for us as a result of changes prompted by the pandemic, ones perhaps sparking a shift to a greener society ( Leader, 30 May ). Will the people who have the power change things for the better? They could outlaw a lot of plastic …

Peter Judge discusses the risks associated with elevated blood pressure and the use of drugs and lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure ( 16 May, p 40 ). Regular exercise has been proven to be of particular benefit in this regard. Perhaps exercise is an even more potent means of reducing hypertension due to the …

You report on research showing that bumblebees can pierce leaves to trigger early flowering in order to produce pollen to feed on when it is otherwise scarce, for example in tomato plants ( 30 May, p 17 ). It has been suggested that this may involve the insects injecting chemicals into the plant. While the …

I write regarding Adam Vaughan's excellent article on why the UK has one of the highest death rates per million from covid-19 in Europe ( 6 June, p 8 ). I live in Berlin, where face masks have been mandatory for more than a month on public transport, in shops and in any place where …

I have made a " corona hat" so that I can keep my distance from my fellow citizens. It is very simple and cheap; the hat uses a reversing sensor from a car mounted in half a globe and is powered by batteries from a broken robot vacuum cleaner. The sensor cost €20 and the …

In your interview with World Meteorological Organization head Petteri Taalas, you consider the positive impact of the covid-19 pandemic on reducing carbon emissions ( 30 May, p 30 ). This crisis has given governments a great opportunity to reduce emissions, but whether they will capitalise on it remains in doubt. We must also consider how …

Sam Edge offers us the perfect example of the problem of consciousness ( Letters, 30 May ). He is colour-blind, but I am not, so I can never comprehend his subjective experience of seeing a rainbow, nor he mine. All the optical and neurological science in the world can never change that. The matter is …

I have been following the debates in Â鶹´«Ã½ about whether we are all living in a simulation ( 6 June, p 30 ). It would certainly explain some of the cosmological issues that we are still struggling with, those highlighted in the recent article by Jim Peebles, "Have we got the universe right?". We …