The solution to today’s puzzleEarlier today I set you this puzzle about PINs, the four-digit passcodes we use for phones and bank accounts. In the comments, many people said that the answer was obvious. These people fell into the trap.xx--x-x-x--x-xx--x-x--xx Continue...

From subatomic particles to human beings, interaction is what shapes realityQuantum theory is perhaps the most successful scientific idea ever. So far, it has never been proved wrong. It is stupendously predictive, it has clarified the structure of the periodic table, the functioning of the sun, the colour of the sky, the nature of chemical bonds, the formation of galaxies and much more. The...

Strategies for security codesWhen it comes to choosing PIN numbers for our bank cards or our phones, the most popular numbers are the obvious ones , such as 1234, 1111, 1212 etc, according to what you read on the web.Today’s puzzle is about what is the best strategy when you choose the digits randomly. Continue...

When zoos were closed some primates became solitary and sedentary while others displayed dominant behaviourHumans weren’t the only ones to develop bad habits during lockdown. According to new research, some primates in zoos became more solitary and sedentary, and others displayed more sexually and physically dominant behaviour.The study compared the behaviour of bonobos, chimpanzees, baboons and...

The nights are drawing in to help stargazers, and this pair will be brilliantly brightSeptember in the northern hemisphere sees the start of astronomy’s observing season, when the nights begin to draw in, making stargazing easier. Greet the new season this coming weekend with the pleasing pairing of Jupiter and the virtually full moon.The chart shows the view looking east-south-east from London...