A serious omission from the science section of Bim Adewunmi’s list of female faces of the year (G2, 23 December) was the new head of Cern, Dr Fabiola Gianotti (Report, 4 November).
Dr Richard Carter
London
• A boycott of Amazon is not just for Christmas (Online report, 23 December). Find the Amazon-free shopping guide at amazonanonymous.org/better-than-amazon.
John Wicks
Reading
• Two special advisers have been forbidden by the Cabinet Office rules to take part in election campaigns (Home secretary’s special advisers removed from parliamentary list, 19 December). Surely the opposite should be the case: to work as an adviser, there should be an accompanying obligation to take part in parliamentary elections, and in the process come into contact with real voters on their doorsteps. It would beat cosy focus groups any day. The further from Westminster this takes place, the better.
Leslie Freitag
Harpenden, Hertfordshire
• Abiotic methanogensis on Mars based on deposits of the mineral olivine has been known about for many years, without previously triggering a debate on extra-terrestrial life (Report, 20 December). Don’t tell David Bowie, though.
Graham Charnock
London
• Corrections are always amusing but today’s (22 December) were a delight. Thank you for a good laugh.
Madge Pelling
Coddenham, Suffolk
• Humanists rejoice! 98% of our “Xmas” cards are secular - there is hope after all. As a Scot, I particularly enjoyed the absence of Wee Freakings.
James Herring
Dunbar, East Lothian
