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Editor's note
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Stephen Hawking was not only a world-leading physicist – he was a cult figure. The news of his death has saddened millions, with tributes pouring in from around the globe. UK Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, who was a colleague of Hawking’s, shares his memories of their days together in Cambridge. You can also familiarise yourself with Hawking’s main achievements with our timeline of his
fascinating life.
Could Britain launch a cyber offensive against Russia following the nerve agent poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal? Siraj Ahmed Shaikh assesses whether it’s a credible threat or a load of hot air.
Despite now being honoured as the patron saint of Ireland, was St Patrick really Welsh? Celtic history expert Simon Rodway reviews the evidence.
And the latest episode of our The Anthill podcast is all about Bitcoin. We discuss whether or not it will be the currency of the future, what states are doing to regulate it and how to build a cryptocurrency infrastructure that isn’t ruinous to the environment.
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Miriam Frankel
Science Editor
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Top stories
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Lwp Kommunikáció/Flickr
Martin Rees, University of Cambridge
UK's Astronomer Royal Martin Rees shares his memories of the physicist Stephen Hawking, who has died at the age of 76.
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Will Oliver/EPA-EFE
Siraj Ahmed Shaikh, Coventry University
Theresa May says Britain could unleash 'extensive measures' against Russia following the nerve agent poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal.
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St Patrick.
Jaqian/Flickr
Simon Rodway, Aberystwyth University
St Patrick chose Ireland over the place of his birth – but where was that exactly?
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Russian spy attack
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Vera Thoss, Bangor University
Hundreds of people have been warned after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was poisoned with Novichok nerve agent.
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David J Galbreath, University of Bath
The UK is pointing the finger at Russia for the nerve agent attack on a former spy. How should the government react?
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Riccardo Labianco, SOAS, University of London
International law on chemical weapons fails without mutual trust and transparency.
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Science + Technology
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Michael Courts, The Conversation; Sarah Keenihan, The Conversation
Hawking's most famous book, A Brief History of Time, sold 10 million copies and was translated into 40 languages, skyrocketing to the top of the bestseller lists in the US and UK.
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Alan Duffy, Swinburne University of Technology; Alice Gorman, Flinders University; Jonti Horner, University of Southern Queensland; Lisa Harvey-Smith, CSIRO; Matthew Bailes, Swinburne University of Technology; Steven Tingay, Curtin University
Stephen Hawking inspired people with his work on black holes and other mysteries of the universe. Many were quick to pay tribute to the theoretical physicist who died today in the UK, aged 76.
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Business + Economy
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Will de Freitas, The Conversation; Annabel Bligh, The Conversation; Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Kelly Fiveash, The Conversation
This episode is all about bitcoin. Will it be the currency of the future? Who’s trying to capitalise on the legal loopholes of cryptocurrencies? And is it possible to make mining them more green.
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Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, University of Oxford
Economists try to create and use maps to navigate the world of human choices. But in some ways, these maps are limited.
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Chris Brady, University of Salford
The financial services industry is nothing more than gambling, dressed up in the 'professional' clothing of business.
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Education
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Clay Calvert, University of Florida
When students walked out of school to protest what they see as lax gun laws, some risked punishment from their schools. But it may be worth it to send a message, a First Amendment scholar argues.
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Arts + Culture
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Daniel Cook, University of Dundee
Written by a teenager, Frankenstein is an extraordinary novel that still endures 200 years after its first publication.
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Phillip Vaughan, University of Dundee
The cat and mouse comedy duo have been locked in conflict for more than 78 years now.
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Politics + Society
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Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham
The secretary of state entered the firing line even before he uttered his infamous 'f****** moron' comment.
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Pete Millwood, University of Oxford
Before meeting Kim Jong-un, the president should think about Richard Nixon's 1972 trip to China. It could provide valuable insight for US-North Korean relations.
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Featured events
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Mansfield Cooper Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom — University of Manchester
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