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Explore the most exciting new ideas and emerging concepts in science, health, technology and the environment with Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s exclusive in-depth articles, interviews and long reads.

A fluffy longhorn beetle

Life

A festival of stunning animal pictures from 2024

The past 12 months have seen animals of all shapes, sizes and colours strut their stuff – here are just a few of the best pictures from the year

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A man makes his way at a hill as African dust from the desert of Sahara covers the city of Athens, Greece, April 23, 2024. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC2FC7ATEP85

Environment

Climate chaos accelerated in 2024 as we hit 1.5°C for the first time

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Noland Arbaugh by John Francis Peters, 2024

Technology

Elon Musk’s brain-implant firm Neuralink did its first tests in 2024

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Technology

The shine began to wear off AI in 2024 as advances slowed down

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https://x.com/alfrekjv/status/1789814301613588543 Sinaloa, Mexico, 2024

Space

Dazzling auroras lit up the skies in 2024 and we may see more in 2025

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MILTON, ON - APRIL 13: Professor Tim Patterson of Carleton University transports a frozen core sample at Crawford Lake on April 13, 2023 in Milton, Ontario. Patterson is a member of the Anthropocene Working Group and has been conducting research based on frozen core samples from the lake. He is among a group of scientists who think we have entered a new geological epoch. (Photo by Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Earth

The Anthropocene was officially spurned in 2024, but the idea lives on

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Health

2024 saw the first living people to receive pig kidney transplants

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**VIDEO AVAILABLE. CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE.** Swiss researchers have developed a new kind of wood that glows in the dark. Scientists at Empa's Cellulose & Wood Materials lab in St. Gallen, Switzerland, combined balsa wood with a bioluminescent fungus. White rot fungus D. tabescens was used to craft the material which aims to develop a multifunctional and sustainable light source to address societal needs. The team sees a future where advanced materials are ???smart,??? capable of self-healing, adapting to their environment, and changing state. The biohybrid wood, described as an "innovative hybrid material," could one day serve as an eco-friendly light source. Project lead Francis Schwarze discovered that the honey fungus is particularly efficient at producing luciferin, the compound responsible for its glowing effect, known as "foxfire." After testing various wood types, balsa proved ideal due to its low density. The concept of glowing fungi isn???t new - ancient philosophers like Aristotle and Pliny observed this phenomenon over 2,400 years ago. However, creating bioluminescent wood in the lab has been a significant challenge until now. According to the researchers, achieving the right balance between fungal species, wood type, moisture levels, and environmental conditions is key. To make the wood glow, the team soaked balsa blocks in water for three months to achieve a moisture content of 700???1,200 per cent. Co-cultivating the wood with the fungus triggered a chemical reaction involving caffeic acid. This process produced bright green luminosity after about 10 hours, lasting up to 10 days. ???The moisture content of wood, oxygen levels, lignin, and malt all strongly influence the intensity of bioluminescence,??? the researchers explained. During incubation, the wood absorbed eight times its weight in water, enabling the glowing effect. The researchers believe this discovery could lead to electricity-free lighting solutions with minimal energy needs. Applications could range from reducing light pollution in cities to creating eco-friendly home lighting. However, further development is needed to increase the brightness and duration of the glow. Future efforts will focus on improving the material???s performance, refining environmental controls, and testing more wood types. By unlocking the full potential of this natural process, researchers hope to create sustainable and versatile lighting options for everyday use. When: 05 Dec 2024 Credit: Empa/Cover Images **EDITORIAL USE ONLY. MATERIALS ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDITORIAL STORY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MATERIAL COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH STATED PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR SUPPLIER.**

Life

Bioluminescent Christmas tree glows with festive cheer

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Artist's impression of a rocky and water-rich asteroid being torn apart by gravity

Space

Earth may have had its water delivered by a vast cloud of vapour

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Technology

Liquid metal unlocks a way to make artificial blood vessels

The unusual properties of gallium have helped scientists to create delicate moulds that can be used to grow cultures of human cells resembling tiny blood vessels

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Health

Pre-eclampsia could be treated with mRNA technology

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Space

Space was for sale in 2024 as private missions led by Elon Musk boomed

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The Best of Â鶹´«Ã½ 2024

Video

Life

Dogs pull harder on the leash when they wear a harness than a collar

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