10 stories to read this weekend • Issue 260 • January 4, 2019
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The periodic table is 150 – but it could have looked very different [The Conversation]
It may seem a small leap from this to the familiar diagram but, years after Mendeleev’s publications, there was plenty of experimentation with alternative layouts for the elements. Even before the table got its permanent right-angle flip, folks suggested some weird and wonderful twists.
The father of the periodic table [Chemistry World]
Mike Sutton looks at how Mendeleev’s patience revealed periodicity in the elements
How ‘magic angle’ graphene is stirring up physics [Nature]
Misaligned stacks of the wonder material exhibit superconductivity and other curious properties.
Why exercise alone won’t save us [The Guardian]
Sedentary lifestyles are killing us – we need to build activity into our everyday lives, not just leave it for the gym.
Protein mania: the rich world’s new diet obsession [The Guardian]
If you are worrying about the amount of protein in your diet, then you are almost certainly eating more than enough. This is the paradox of our new protein obsession
Exxon’s Insane Ideas for Combating Climate Change [Topic]
In 1997, scientists working for the oil company offered visionary solutions for climate change. The only problem? Their plans might destroy the earth in the process.
Endangered Baobab Trees: Are They Victims of the Effects of Climate Change? [Topic]
A shocking study published in 2018 found that some of the most beautiful, and famous, baobab trees are dying. What will this mean for the people who depend on them—and for the planet?
Lost in the Valley of Death [Outside Magazine]
The valley may appear idyllic, but it holds a dark past. Over the past 25 years, according to both official and unofficial reports, at least two dozen foreign tourists have died or disappeared in and around the Parvati Valley.
Did the Great Wall of China work? [History Magazine - National Geographic]
The Ming dynasty built a giant wall stretching 5,000 miles to keep invaders out of China, but how effective was it against the enemy?
The Rise and Fall of Carlos Ghosn [The New York Times]
Mr. Ghosn, the ousted Nissan executive, wasn’t supposed to succeed in Japan, but he never expected to fail like this. He faces charges of financial wrongdoing at the company he helped save.
Note: “10 stories to read this weekend” is a weekly feature of this blog. New issues are published every Friday at 22:00 IST / 16:30 GMT