The rate at which scientific discoveries such as electricity, flight, radio communication and computing have been made has been accelerating since that great inventor and artist, Leonardo da Vinci. However other discoveries have also left in their wake a legacy of redundancy: some, like the canal network, bring unanticipated pleasure, but others, including hydrocarbons, are leaving a real mess to clear up. Background music: 'Any Thing You Can Dream' by The Whole Other

Published: Tue 26 August 2025