AI creates Shakespearean sonnets – and they’re actually quite good

Human poets have been wrestling with sonnets for centuries. Now artificial intelligence is trying to innovate…

An ‘obesity virus’ could be to blame for many people being overweight

Is obesity infectious? Evidence is growing in support of a controversial theory that a virus causes…

Rare half-female, half-male cricket leads a complicated life

An extremely rare cricket with female sex organs but male wings  –  known as a gynandromorph…

Amazon face recognition mistakes US politicians for crime suspects

A face recognition service sold by Amazon falsely identified 28 members of Congress - and disproportionately…

How to hack your unconscious… to conquer your fears

Fear helps us survive, but phobias ruin lives. Some simple tricks send signals to your brain…

Drug to treat endometriosis pain first to be approved in over a decade

A new drug relieves pelvic pain in women with endometriosis, but is expensive and can cause…

Feedback: Paper on canine consent gives a journal paws for thought

Neutering? Bark once for yes and growl for no. Plus: it takes a lot of water…

Cracking down on illegal cannabis with edible barcodes and blockchains

A start-up is tracing legal cannabis sold in the US to fight counterfeiting, using edible barcodes…

Only 13 per cent of the world’s oceans are considered a wilderness

Human activity touches almost 90 per cent of the ocean, which has left little of the…

How to hack your unconscious… to take control of pain

You can determine the amount of pain you perceive – pleasant smells, loving touches and foul…