Is reality a hallucination? The neuroscientist Anil Seth thinks so After decades of research into the mysteries of consciousness, the British academic has reached a radical conclusion – by way… а> By Sophie McBain
Long reads The spirit of the age: Why the tech billionaires want to leave humanity behind Bruno Maçães
Science & Tech UK Covid tracker: the latest data by local authority as Omicron spreads Patrick Scott, Georges Corbineau and Josh Rayman
Chart of the Day Covid-19 hospitalisations in the UK are higher than last year and could hit record levels in October Nick Ferris
Chart of the Day Covid-19 is far more likely to cause blood clots than the AstraZeneca vaccine Katharine Swindells
Science of Us The fidget business Pop-its and other fidget toys are selling in their tens of millions. Why are they so popular, and what do… By Will Dunn
Encounter Helle Thorning-Schmidt: “Social media has benefited the global conversation” Oscar Williams
Science & Tech Apple vs Facebook: how the war between the Silicon Valley giants is changing tech Bryan Appleyard