Science & Technology

Carbon dioxide: the stuff of life

Carbon dioxide may have caused the climate crisis, but a new study argues it is also the ‘miracle molecule’ that made Earth habitable

Robot games triumphs bring Chinese tech domination closer

Gold-medals galore in Beijing highlight another sector in which the rest of the world is falling behind China

‘AI will help our work but it’s not our colleague’

The personification of algorithms erodes what it means to be human

New breakthroughs turn the tide against cancer

Although the prevalence of some cancers is increasing, the condition is far less deadly than it once was

Nick Foster: ‘Predictions are mostly nonsense’

The high-flying futures designer tells the truth about the remarkable field in which he works

Trump’s ire with Intel boss adds to woes for chip maker

The company once famous for producing the chip inside every computer has been floundering since losing its grip on the market

From defence to hiking, OS is still mapping out the future of Britain

Ordnance Survey has seen a 4% rise in revenue this past year after several profile-raising projects

Musk’s $30bn stock option proves tech CEO pay is ‘bonkers’

US tech companies are betting big on charismatic leaders – and the UK is starting to follow suit

KKR takes lead in Spectris bidding war

US private equity firm bids more than £4.8bn for the British-based high-tech instrument maker

Cheat if you must. But don’t share it with the rest of us!

Smartphone noise pollution is altering public spaces, so why are so many of us guilty of it?

Age checks meant for children have sparked a free speech row

Most Britons support the policy, even if it appears to be ineffective

A new dotcom bubble? AI hype has yet to translate into profits

The top two tech firms are worth twice the rest of the FTSE 100 combined but valuations haven’t turned into revenues

AI thrives where education has been devalued

A culture that views knowledge as a means to an end invites the misuse of new technology

Paying geeks $200m but slashing jobs? This is an AI bubble

The tech giants are spending fortunes on ‘ultra-smart’ algorithmic experts – but to the cost of other staff

The treaty that could end the plastic deluge

The man behind landmark research into microplastics thinks a UN pact that could be signed next week might help us clean up our act

Biotech start-ups on quest for ‘holy grail’ anti-ageing drug

From anti-necrotic drugs to gene therapy, big tech has longevity in its sights

Staff pay the price for record Microsoft success

Chief executive Satya Nadella cuts 7% of workforce despite high share price and profits

How DNA discovery freed a mother jailed for killing her children

Kathleen Folbigg spent 20 years in prison until scientist Carola Vinuesa uncovered the truth about her case – in a drop of blood