Cutting-edge science: 7 ideas you need to know about in 2021

With the medical world struggling to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, could scientists turn to a group of viruses that explode bacterial cells from within?

Small, simple, cheap satellites are being developed to explore and study space in new ways. If we deploy them in vast swarms, these ‘CubeSats’ could change the way we see and protect our planet.

We’ve pushed nature to the brink, but it may be capable of repairing the damage - provided we step aside and let it go back to doing what it does best.

Palaeoproteomics, a new technology that studies the proteins of ancient remains, is shaking up history. Not only can we now peer further back in time, but the technique is also letting us see our past in a new way.

Animals – from pets and livestock to working dogs and extinct species – are being cloned for a variety of purposes. But copying animals from their genetic material is creating problems as quickly as it’s solving them.

Virtual reality is being used to treat a wide range of mental health problems. Meet some of the scientists who are pioneering VR therapy and the people who are benefitting from it.

In terms of our understanding of the Universe, some things just don’t add up. Which means either our measurements are wrong, or our theories are.