Letters archive

The role of cellular electrical signalling in depression, stress and anxiety has been a topic of research, but it was fascinating to understand how cellular voltage patterns can facilitate cancer cell propagation and how ion channel blockers can potentially mitigate against this. Mapping out a person's electrome can potentially unlock personalised treatment for health conditions( …

In his book Magisteria , reviewed by Joshua Howgego, Nicolas Spencer identifies two "crunch points" where science and religion conflict. I would cite a third: the existence or otherwise of a supreme being( 4 March, p 34 ). At present, the scientific method leads me to conclude there is no god, but, logically, if evidence …

The picture accompanying Howgego's review nudges us towards the creation versus evolution debate. Creationists believe that God created the universe and everything in it in six days, whereas evolutionists point to the measurably greater age of fossils and other geological evidence as counter to this. Nevertheless, if God is smart enough to have created everything …

While Julia Oh was scrupulous in noting the limitations of the sample group used in her research into how the skin microbiome might cause wrinkles – the narrow range of ages, ethnicities and even facial areas swabbed – neither she nor your reporting fully addressed the most glaring bias: the only people in the sample …

I fear that antibacterial face creams for "anti-ageing" may worsen antimicrobial resistance from antibiotic overuse.

Ray Nayler suggests that legislators and policy-makers should learn from speculative fiction writers in considering impacts of emerging technology. In fact, speculative approaches are already informing such areas( 25 February, p 27 ). At our design-led research centre, Imagination Lancaster, for example, we have a number of projects that include speculative design and design fiction: …

When it comes to energy-saving efforts, Richard Oliver raised concerns about the cooling effect of drying clothes by hanging them indoors in colder months. I have begun indoor drying on racks and had that worry at first. However, it appears to me that the effect would be minuscule compared with the energy lost when indoor …

The painting of wind turbines in black and white stripes to make them more visible to birds is a step in the right direction. However, any solution must pay attention to the life of the turbines( 4 March, p 9 ). Some blades can have a surprisingly short life. Black paint absorbs a lot of …

In your look at the impacts of having children, the alarming carbon footprint, per year or per lifetime, of a new person added to the world's population is based on a statistical model. This model, as you said, factors in the generations that can follow. However, it seems to assume continued strong population growth, whereas …

You report an idea to shade Earth by blasting moon dust to Lagrange points in space. What could possibly go wrong? Mining, oil and power firms have long been "geoengineering" our environment. Some unintended consequences now require serious discussion of technological fixes that may cost the Earth. Global corporations seek to levy charges in order …

In our look at chronic conditions linked to viral infections ( 4 March, Leader and p 14 ), we should have referred to myalgic encephalomyelitis.