Science

Neurodegenerative diseases

Illiteracy makes dementia three times more likely — study

Practicality aside, reading and writing can offer lifelong benefits to brain health. A new study links illiteracy to a higher risk of dementia.  

Space exploration

Hayabusa2 probe leaves Ryugu asteroid, heads home

A Japanese spacecraft started its journey towards Earth after investigating an asteroid for a year and a half. It is set to fly for one year, drop off samples in the Australian desert, and then continue exploring space.  

SpaceX's Starlink satellites: 7 questions for Elon Musk

SpaceX has launched 60 Starlink satellites to join its growing megaconstellation. Its aim: Global internet with a constellation of 40,000 satellites. Its nearest competitor, OneWeb, aims to launch just 600. Wait, what?  

Differences in personality: What psychiatrists can learn from mice to treat depression

Scientists have developed a new way for measuring the personalities of animals. So why should we humans care? Because understanding personality traits is key for more individualized therapies in psychiatry.  

Sexuality

Infidelity: A fling doesn't have to end everything

A partner's betrayal, whether it's a one-time hook-up or a full-blown affair, is devastating. Does it mean the end of the relationship, though? Not necessarily. It can also serve as a wake-up call — to be better.  

Was Botswana the cradle of humanity?

A new study that pinpoints Botswana as the origin of modern humans some 200,000 years ago has caused a flurry of debate among scientists, with some dismissing the research as deeply flawed.  

Quantum computing

Is it really all it's cracked up to be?

Quantum computers could change our world. But not in the way you may think. For those working on this complex technology, managing expectations is proving a challenge. DW spoke to one of Europe’s top quantum scientists.  

SESAME Field Trip

Open-door policy at a synchrotron

"By the time we got to the synchrotron in Jordan, the story was already told." DW's Zulfikar Abbany went on a tour of the Middle East for science journalists. This is the seventh and final part of his diary.  

Audio fingerprinting: The secrets of sand begin to emerge

Sand on beach may look all the same, but it's not. Researchers have found that the material has a "sound," one that can be linked to its home. Find the source, and we can learn more about how it moves around the world.  

Biodiversity

Munich study confirms severe decline in insect populations in Germany

Two years ago, volunteer insectologists sounded the alarm — the number of flying insects had drastically fallen. Now a new study on three protected regions in Germany confirms these fears.  

World Polio Day

Polio: Two out of three strains 'eradicated'

The World Health Organization has announced that the type three strain of the wild polio virus "is truly gone." However, new data has revealed too few children in Germany are vaccinated against the disease.  

SPORTS

Concussions an issue for elite rugby, but don't let that put you off playing

Rugby is a classic contact sport, and the rules of the game are designed to largely prevent serious injuries. Concussions remain a serious issue in elite rugby, but amateur and hobby players are less affected.  

So cute, so bizarre: Seahorses

Seahorses are adorable, we all agree on that. But they are also a bit helpless. That's why we should take better care of them.