David Wootton

The age-old debate continues: are science and religion compatible?

18 March 2023 9:00 am

Nicholas Spencer insists they are – and his scientific knowledge is impressive. But do his religious arguments carry weight?

Why has medicine been so slow to improve over the centuries?

27 November 2021 9:00 am

Medicine was founded by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. Doctors continued to study the Hippocratic texts into the 19th…

An English 17th-century double portrait holds many clues to its meaning

23 January 2021 9:00 am

This is a big book about a minor painting — a double portrait of John Bankes, aged about 16 (the…

How far can we trust the men in lab coats?

11 July 2020 9:00 am

Research has always been susceptible to fraud, but regulations are now much tighter than they were, says David Wootton

The pursuit of happiness

18 June 2016 8:00 am

There is a wonderful portrait of Kenelm Digby by Van Dyke. He is dressed in black. His hand is on…