Cecilia Hernández, from the European Space Agency: ‘The scientific return on a space mission is always assured’
Hernández is the first Spanish person to chair the agency’s Scientific Committee and its first female president
Javier de Castro, oncologist: ‘Cancer is different in men and women’
The head of Medical Oncology at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid tells EL PAÍS that many clinical trials set up to test new drugs don’t take gender differences into account
Math for the masses: Why pedestrians unconsciously form lines
Equations explain how people spontaneously follow lanes to avoid bumping into each other, according to a recent study published in ‘Science’
The ‘terminator’ zones of exoplanets: New ways to search for extraterrestrial life
A study suggests researchers should not overlook planets lying close to M dwarfs that could have a habitable area between a ‘scorching dayside and a glacial nightside’
Climate change will cause more lightning strikes, but polar regions could see fewer fires
The frequency of lightning will increase in some regions but in areas such as the north of Russia and the Scandinavian peninsula there could be relief for permafrost and carbon emissions
Fishing for noise pollution under the seas
Spanish scientist Soledad Torres-Guijarro says two-thirds of marine animals are negatively affected by all the artificial sound in the oceans
Clinical trials: What’s it like to be a lab rat?
An EL PAÍS contributor takes part in an innovative study to test a nutritional supplement for overactive bladder syndrome
Out with sugary cereal, in with salmon: The US proposes a new definition of healthy food
The FDA has produced updated guidelines regarding acceptable amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugar content in packaged products
Gold, alchemists, nanospheres: How the mystery of the Alhambra’s purple stains was solved
Two researchers from the University of Granada used electron microscopy to reveal why some of the gilded plasterwork in the world-famous monument has developed an unusual hue
Welcome to the new Iron Age: An abundant, cheap and easily transportable fuel
Several research groups around the world are studying whether this raw material can alleviate the energy crisis.
The Earth is running out of bumblebees, and here’s why it matters
More than 75% of the world’s food crops depend on pollination in some way, yet around 35% of invertebrate pollinators, especially bees and butterflies, are in danger of extinction, says the FAO
Despite its drawbacks, robotic-assisted surgery is on the rise
These expensive systems offer a very sophisticated scalpel that doctors do not need to hold in their hands. Their use is growing in countries like Spain
Thermal sedentary lifestyles – the reason why air conditioning is fattening
Research studies show a clear relationship between constant ambient temperatures and appetite