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Explore the most exciting new ideas and emerging concepts in science, health, technology and the environment with New 杏吧原创鈥檚 exclusive in-depth articles, interviews and long reads.

Where the power lies: While the world may have vast stocks of fossil fuels, exploiting them is far from straightforward

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A very dirty business

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In search of a better burn: Coal could be the world’s most attractive fuel in 20 years’ time – clean and efficient to use, and in plentiful supply

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Cleaning up with cheap technology: The perfectly clean coal-fired generator may lie far in the future, but technologies that would be excellent stopgaps already exist. The biggest obstacle appears to be the generating companies

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Humans

On the origin of races

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Chips with a life of their own: Designing silicon chips to mimic human organs sounds fanciful. But scientists have already built devices that process electrical signals in the way nerve cells do

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Cleaning up after the big chill: Thousands of rivers and streams are harmed by the de-icing chemicals that keep aircraft flying through the winter. Now airports are being forced to curb this damaging pollution

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Inventor with a diamond edge: For Ernest Nagy, inventions are there to be used. His simple technique for making thin films of diamond has astounded scientists, while his openness about it has shocked industrialists

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Mirage of the shifting sands: The UN is planning another counterattack against advancing deserts. But will it work? And is more land really becoming arid?

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Physics

Where planets boldly grow

Do stars other than the Sun have planetary systems? They would be too far away to be seen from Earth, but we can calculate what they might look like

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Physics

Why sales reps pose a hard problem

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When a reactor blows: A nuclear reactor not far from the south coast of France will undergo a core meltdown six times over the next six years. It will be no accident, but part of a unique experiment

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Humans

The great brain race

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Radar explorers of the Solar System: What are asteroids made of? Is there ice on Mercury? Astronomers are turning to a technique devised to locate objects on Earth to find out more about the Solar System

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