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28 June 2023
From Bryn Glover, Kirkby Malzeard, North Yorkshire, UK
I would like to thank you for your decision to give space to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the London Ultra Low Emission Zone. Though everyone claims to be in favour of ending harmful emissions, when it comes to the point of actually doing something, enthusiasm rapidly fades and self-interest takes over. Khan is …
28 June 2023
From Dan Plant, Solihull, West Midlands, UK
In response to the idea that artificial intelligence may take our jobs, leaving people unable to earn money by working, surely this is the only purpose of AI? The fact that our society is based on the principal that people work for money to buy things and pay taxes is, in my opinion, the real …
28 June 2023
From Bruce Denness, Niton, Isle of Wight, UK
Stephen Etzel is right that "AI will never be able to successfully handle the inherently irrational aspects of human politics" – but only as currently practised in democracies, dictatorships or other forms of government ( Letters, 10 June ). However, none of these systems is perfect, nor do they necessarily meet the needs and wishes …
28 June 2023
From Gary Golding,Brisbane, Australia
The article on the power of biological computers as self-replicating, low-energy systems, capable of computation and problem solving, brought to mind von Neumann probes ( 10 June, p 36 ). These are theoretically devised by an extraterrestrial civilisation to colonise the universe with self-replicating machines, usually thought of as being mechanical, not biological, and the …
28 June 2023
The universe is 13.8 billion years old ( 17 June, p 29 )
5 July 2023
From Michael Graham, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK
As Madeleine Cuff reports, 2023 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record: global warming is being exacerbated by El Niño conditions and the temperature of the oceans is particularly alarming. The case for intervention is only growing ( 24 June, p 8 ). Steuart Campbell's letter ( 24 June ) cites Stephen …
5 July 2023
From Guy Cox, Sydney, Australia
Researcher Matilda Brindle is quoted as calling masturbation a seemingly "costly sexual behaviour that's very much a solo activity". Female masturbation doesn't lead to ovulation so how can it be costly? Male masturbation does lead to loss of sperm, but males produce sperm continuously so the cost is trivial ( 17 June, p 14 ). …
5 July 2023
From David Shaw, Perth, Western Australia
Elle Hunt, in discussing Jean Twenge's book Generations , says the reason generational thinking persists, despite its downsides, is that it helps us articulate our own experience so that we might be understood by others ( 17 June, p 28 ). I agree. Generational-ism has a simplistic appeal owing to identification, for good or bad, …
5 July 2023
From John Crofts, Nottingham, UK
Having worked decades ago for the UK's then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, I can say that many agriculture-related river pollution problems stem from the fact that some farmers want a "quick fix" for their own issues ( 24 June, p 36 ). Take the control of rushes with MCPA, an example you raised. …
5 July 2023
From William Hughes-Games, Waipara, New Zealand
If the dry lake in California is indeed delaying the rupture of the San Andreas fault – possibly leading to a worse eventual quake – perhaps Californians should flood the lake themselves ( 17 June, p 15 ). This might release the strain before it builds up to an even more dire event. At least …
