Belief, Botany, and Beyond Earth

For thousands of years, the remains of ancient wooden villages have survived, hidden along Alpine lakeshores. These settlements preserve an extraordinary botanical treasure trove revealing what early farmers were growing and eating. By analysing DNA directly from the ancient plants, we are uncovering the story of how early farmers and crops adapted, survived and thrived to changing worlds.

Proving a negative is famously difficult. While logic and science sometimes allow us to rule out alternatives, how do you prove that you don’t believe? In asylum interviews, people fleeing persecution for non-belief must demonstrate their faith isn’t there — a life-or-death challenge revealing how law understands belief and credibility.

“Sample Return Missions” demonstrate the ability of humans to go to outer space, collect resources, and return them to Earth. In the USA, several start-ups have emerged in the last decade. But what will space mining look like in the future?