Science & technology | From the archives
Writing on the sky
Our coverage of Sputnik II's successful launch in 1957
On November 3rd 1957 the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik II spacecraft into orbit. The satellite carried Laika the dog, who became the first living creature to orbit the planet. This is our coverage of events that week:
Discover more
Deforestation is costing Brazilian farmers millions
Without trees to circulate moisture, the land is getting hotter and drier
Robots can learn new actions faster thanks to AI techniques
They could soon show their moves in settings from car factories to care homes
Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you
A mystery is finally being solved
Scientific publishers are producing more papers than ever
Concerns about some of their business models are building
The two types of human laugh
One is caused by tickling; the other by everything else
Scientists are building a catalogue of every type of cell in our bodies
It has thus far shed light on everything from organ formation to the causes of inflammation