New Scientist - News New Scientist - News https://www.newscientist.com/ New Scientist - News https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 Extreme heat in 2023 linked to drastic slump in growth of marine life https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426572-extreme-heat-in-2023-linked-to-drastic-slump-in-growth-of-marine-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:00:51 +0100 Last year’s marine heatwaves saw an unprecedented decline in the growth of phytoplankton and algae, which many animals in the oceans depend on for food 2426572-extreme-heat-in-2023-linked-to-drastic-slump-in-growth-of-marine-life|2426572 Dietary changes relieve irritable bowel syndrome better than medicine https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427594-dietary-changes-relieve-irritable-bowel-syndrome-better-than-medicine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:30:52 +0100 Both a special diet that excludes “FODMAP” compounds and a low-carb high-fibre diet were effective 2427594-dietary-changes-relieve-irritable-bowel-syndrome-better-than-medicine|2427594 Cocaine seems to hijack brain pathways that prioritise food and water https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427534-cocaine-seems-to-hijack-brain-pathways-that-prioritise-food-and-water/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:00:29 +0100 Cocaine and morphine hijacked neural responses in the brains of mice, which resulted in them consuming less food and water 2427534-cocaine-seems-to-hijack-brain-pathways-that-prioritise-food-and-water|2427534 Fossil snake discovered in India may have been the largest ever https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427606-fossil-snake-discovered-in-india-may-have-been-the-largest-ever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:00:50 +0100 The vertebrae of Vasuki indicus, a snake that lived 47 million years ago, suggest it could have been as long as 15 metres 2427606-fossil-snake-discovered-in-india-may-have-been-the-largest-ever|2427606 Ancient marine reptile found on UK beach may be the largest ever https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426909-ancient-marine-reptile-found-on-uk-beach-may-be-the-largest-ever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:00:50 +0100 The jawbone of an ichthyosaur uncovered in south-west England has been identified as a new species, and researchers estimate that the whole animal was 20 to 25 metres long 2426909-ancient-marine-reptile-found-on-uk-beach-may-be-the-largest-ever|2426909 Jupiter's moon Io has been a volcanic inferno for billions of years https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427524-jupiters-moon-io-has-been-a-volcanic-inferno-for-billions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:00:45 +0100 Measurements of sulphur isotopes in Io’s atmosphere show that the moon may have been volcanically active for its entire lifetime 2427524-jupiters-moon-io-has-been-a-volcanic-inferno-for-billions-of-years|2427524 Quantum-proof encryption may not actually stop quantum hackers https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427167-quantum-proof-encryption-may-not-actually-stop-quantum-hackers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:31:44 +0100 Cryptographers are scrambling to understand an algorithm that could undermine the mathematics behind next-generation encryption methods, which are intended to protect against quantum computers 2427167-quantum-proof-encryption-may-not-actually-stop-quantum-hackers|2427167 Particles move in beautiful patterns when they have ‘spatial memory’ https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427433-particles-move-in-beautiful-patterns-when-they-have-spatial-memory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:00:22 +0100 A mathematical model of a particle that remembers its past so that it never travels the same path twice produces stunningly complex patterns 2427433-particles-move-in-beautiful-patterns-when-they-have-spatial-memory|2427433 Why we need to change the way we think about exhaustion https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234873-300-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-think-about-exhaustion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 One in five adults worldwide is living with fatigue. The general advice is to “do more” - but this isn’t the only solution to our exhaustion epidemic, says Amy Arthur mg26234873-300-why-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-think-about-exhaustion|2427195 Ancient Maya burned their dead rulers to mark a new dynasty https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427141-ancient-maya-burned-their-dead-rulers-to-mark-a-new-dynasty/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:01:56 +0100 In the foundations of a Maya temple, researchers found the charred bones of royal individuals – possibly evidence of a fiery ritual to mark the end of one dynasty and the beginning of another 2427141-ancient-maya-burned-their-dead-rulers-to-mark-a-new-dynasty|2427141 Ancient humans lived inside a lava tube in the Arabian desert https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427222-ancient-humans-lived-inside-a-lava-tube-in-the-arabian-desert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:00:09 +0100 Underground tunnels created by lava flows provided humans with shelter for thousands of years beneath the hot desert landscape of Saudi Arabia 2427222-ancient-humans-lived-inside-a-lava-tube-in-the-arabian-desert|2427222 What is cloud seeding and did it cause the floods in Dubai? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427484-what-is-cloud-seeding-and-did-it-cause-the-floods-in-dubai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 22:02:18 +0100 Cloud seeding almost certainly did not play a significant role in the flooding on the Arabian peninsula this week – but the heavy rains may have been exacerbated by climate change 2427484-what-is-cloud-seeding-and-did-it-cause-the-floods-in-dubai|2427484 Old-fashioned pessimism might actually help us fight climate change https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234873-400-old-fashioned-pessimism-might-actually-help-us-fight-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Negative thinking is unpopular but it could drive more realistic efforts to limit harm from global warming mg26234873-400-old-fashioned-pessimism-might-actually-help-us-fight-climate-change|2427236 Skin-deep wounds can damage gut health in mice https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426935-skin-deep-wounds-can-damage-gut-health-in-mice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:00:37 +0100 We know there is some connection between skin and gut health, but many assumed the gut was the one calling the shots. A new study suggests that the influence can go the other way 2426935-skin-deep-wounds-can-damage-gut-health-in-mice|2426935 Intel reveals world's biggest 'brain-inspired' neuromorphic computer https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426523-intel-reveals-worlds-biggest-brain-inspired-neuromorphic-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:00:22 +0100 A computer intended to mimic the way the brain processes and stores data could potentially improve the efficiency and capabilities of artificial intelligence models 2426523-intel-reveals-worlds-biggest-brain-inspired-neuromorphic-computer|2426523 Turning plants blue with gene editing could make robot weeding easier https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426805-turning-plants-blue-with-gene-editing-could-make-robot-weeding-easier/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:00:22 +0100 Weeding robots can sometimes struggle to tell weeds from crops, but genetically modifying the plants we want to keep to make them brightly coloured would make the job easier, suggest a group of researchers 2426805-turning-plants-blue-with-gene-editing-could-make-robot-weeding-easier|2426805 A cicada double brood is coming – it's less rare than you think https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427004-a-cicada-double-brood-is-coming-its-less-rare-than-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:53:07 +0100 Up to 17 US states could be peppered with more than a trillion cicadas this spring, and though it has been a while since these two specific broods emerged at once, double broods are not that rare 2427004-a-cicada-double-brood-is-coming-its-less-rare-than-you-think|2427004 Dusting farms with waste concrete could boost yields and lock up CO2 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426976-dusting-farms-with-waste-concrete-could-boost-yields-and-lock-up-co2/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:41:19 +0100 Ground-up concrete can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a similar way to ground-up rocks, according to a field study in Ireland 2426976-dusting-farms-with-waste-concrete-could-boost-yields-and-lock-up-co2|2426976 Sleeping bumblebees can survive underwater for a week https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427117-sleeping-bumblebees-can-survive-underwater-for-a-week/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 01:01:46 +0100 A serendipitous lab accident revealed that hibernating bumblebee queens can make it through days of flooding, revealing that they are less vulnerable to extreme weather than previously thought 2427117-sleeping-bumblebees-can-survive-underwater-for-a-week|2427117 Colonies of single-celled creatures could explain how embryos evolved https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426811-colonies-of-single-celled-creatures-could-explain-how-embryos-evolved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:46 +0100 We know little about how embryonic development in animals evolved from single-celled ancestors, but simple organisms with a multicellular life stage offer intriguing clues 2426811-colonies-of-single-celled-creatures-could-explain-how-embryos-evolved|2426811 Starfish have hundreds of feet but no brain – here's how they move https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427082-starfish-have-hundreds-of-feet-but-no-brain-heres-how-they-move/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:00:26 +0100 Starfish feet are coordinated purely through mechanical loading, enabling the animals to bounce rhythmically along the seabed without a central nervous system 2427082-starfish-have-hundreds-of-feet-but-no-brain-heres-how-they-move|2427082 How to destroy a black hole https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426948-how-to-destroy-a-black-hole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:17:24 +0100 A black hole would be tough to destroy, but in the season two premiere of Dead Planets Society our hosts are willing to go to extremes, from faster-than-light bombs to time travel 2426948-how-to-destroy-a-black-hole|2426948 Our plans to tackle climate change with carbon storage don't add up https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427088-our-plans-to-tackle-climate-change-with-carbon-storage-dont-add-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:31:20 +0100 Modelling that shows how the world can remain below 1.5°C of warming assumes we can store vast amounts of carbon dioxide underground, but a new analysis reveals that achieving this is extremely unlikely 2427088-our-plans-to-tackle-climate-change-with-carbon-storage-dont-add-up|2427088 Watch a swarm of cyborg cockroaches controlled by computers https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424745-watch-a-swarm-of-cyborg-cockroaches-controlled-by-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:49:39 +0100 Remote-controlled cockroaches with computers mounted on their backs can move as a swarm towards a target location, and could be used for search missions 2424745-watch-a-swarm-of-cyborg-cockroaches-controlled-by-computers|2424745 A surprisingly enormous black hole has been found in our galaxy https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426777-a-surprisingly-enormous-black-hole-has-been-found-in-our-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:00:19 +0100 A black hole 33 times the mass of the sun is the largest stellar black hole ever spotted, and its strange companion star could help explain how it got so huge 2426777-a-surprisingly-enormous-black-hole-has-been-found-in-our-galaxy|2426777 Tiny nematode worms can grow enormous mouths and become cannibals https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426979-tiny-nematode-worms-can-grow-enormous-mouths-and-become-cannibals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:27:17 +0100 One species of nematode worm turns into a kin-devouring nightmare if it grows up in a crowded environment with a poor diet 2426979-tiny-nematode-worms-can-grow-enormous-mouths-and-become-cannibals|2426979 Geoscientists are using telecom 'dark fibres' to map Earth’s innards https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426795-geoscientists-are-using-telecom-dark-fibres-to-map-earths-innards/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:00:28 +0100 The networks of fibre optic cables that criss-cross the planet could be used to better understand what’s happening inside it 2426795-geoscientists-are-using-telecom-dark-fibres-to-map-earths-innards|2426795 Parkinson's disease progression slowed by antibody infusions https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426894-parkinsons-disease-progression-slowed-by-antibody-infusions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:00:30 +0100 Monthly infusions with the drug prasinezumab appeared to slow the progression of motor symptoms in people with advanced Parkinson's disease 2426894-parkinsons-disease-progression-slowed-by-antibody-infusions|2426894 Untangling the enigmatic origins of the human family’s newest species https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426655-untangling-the-enigmatic-origins-of-the-human-familys-newest-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:43 +0100 Five years ago, a fossil found in the Philippines was determined to be from a new species of hominin called Homo luzonensis. Since then, we’ve learned a bit more about the newest member of the human family 2426655-untangling-the-enigmatic-origins-of-the-human-familys-newest-species|2426655 Deadly upwellings of cold water pose threat to migratory sharks https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426530-deadly-upwellings-of-cold-water-pose-threat-to-migratory-sharks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:00:05 +0100 Climate change is making extreme cold upwellings more common in certain regions of the world, and these events can be catastrophic for animals such as bull sharks 2426530-deadly-upwellings-of-cold-water-pose-threat-to-migratory-sharks|2426530 Why AIs that tackle complex maths could be the next big breakthrough https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234863-500-why-ais-that-tackle-complex-maths-could-be-the-next-big-breakthrough/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Research-level mathematics might seem an unlikely proving ground for artificial intelligence, but recent developments suggest it offers a route to automated human-like reasoning mg26234863-500-why-ais-that-tackle-complex-maths-could-be-the-next-big-breakthrough|2426264 Are panda sex lives being sabotaged by the wrong gut microbes? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426773-are-panda-sex-lives-being-sabotaged-by-the-wrong-gut-microbes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 22:46:55 +0100 Conservationists think tweaking pandas’ diets might shift their gut microbiomes in a way that could encourage them to mate 2426773-are-panda-sex-lives-being-sabotaged-by-the-wrong-gut-microbes|2426773 Physicists created an imaginary magnetic field in real life https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:00:49 +0100 Researchers have used quantum light to create a magnetic field with a strength that is measured in imaginary numbers 2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life|2425525 The multiverse could be much, much bigger than we ever imagined https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234860-100-the-multiverse-could-be-much-much-bigger-than-we-ever-imagined/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:15:00 +0100 A new way of interpreting the elusive mathematics of quantum mechanics could fundamentally change our understanding of reality mg26234860-100-the-multiverse-could-be-much-much-bigger-than-we-ever-imagined|2425877 Bizarre crystal made only of electrons revealed in astonishing detail https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:10 +0100 To capture the clearest and most direct images of a “Wigner crystal”, a structure made entirely of electrons, researchers used a special kind of microscope and two pieces of graphene unusually free of imperfections 2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail|2426223 See inside an endangered California condor egg just before it hatches https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426749-see-inside-an-endangered-california-condor-egg-just-before-it-hatches/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 18:27:48 +0100 The hatching of the 250th California condor chick at the San Diego Zoo marks a notable milestone for a species that narrowly evaded extinction 2426749-see-inside-an-endangered-california-condor-egg-just-before-it-hatches|2426749 ‘Peaceful’ male bonobos may actually be more aggressive than chimps https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426678-peaceful-male-bonobos-may-actually-be-more-aggressive-than-chimps/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:00:34 +0100 Bonobos have long been regarded as the peaceful ape, in sharp contrast with violent chimpanzees, but a study based on thousands of hours of observations suggests the real story is more nuanced 2426678-peaceful-male-bonobos-may-actually-be-more-aggressive-than-chimps|2426678 Arctic permafrost is now a net source of major greenhouse gases https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426732-arctic-permafrost-is-now-a-net-source-of-major-greenhouse-gases/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:52:20 +0100 An Arctic-wide survey has found that the permafrost region is emitting more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs, causing the planet to heat even further 2426732-arctic-permafrost-is-now-a-net-source-of-major-greenhouse-gases|2426732 Chatbots can persuade conspiracy theorists their view might be wrong https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426618-chatbots-can-persuade-conspiracy-theorists-their-view-might-be-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:46 +0100 After a short conversation with an artificial intelligence, people’s belief in a conspiracy theory dropped by about 20 per cent 2426618-chatbots-can-persuade-conspiracy-theorists-their-view-might-be-wrong|2426618 Water purifier is powered by static electricity from your body https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426626-water-purifier-is-powered-by-static-electricity-from-your-body/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:00:31 +0100 A 10-minute walk can build up enough static electricity to power a battery-free water purifier, which could be especially helpful during disasters or in regions that lack access to clean water and stable power supplies 2426626-water-purifier-is-powered-by-static-electricity-from-your-body|2426626 A bacterium has evolved into a new cellular structure inside algae https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426468-a-bacterium-has-evolved-into-a-new-cellular-structure-inside-algae/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:00:40 +0100 A once-independent bacterium has evolved into an organelle that provides nitrogen to algal cells – an event so rare that there are only three other known cases 2426468-a-bacterium-has-evolved-into-a-new-cellular-structure-inside-algae|2426468 Embryos pause development when nutrients are low — and now we know how https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426552-embryos-pause-development-when-nutrients-are-low-and-now-we-know-how/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:00:42 +0100 Embryos seem to have a sensor that picks up when nutrients are scarce, prompting them to pause their development until resources become more abundant again 2426552-embryos-pause-development-when-nutrients-are-low-and-now-we-know-how|2426552 AI can spot parasites in stool samples to help diagnose infections https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426237-ai-can-spot-parasites-in-stool-samples-to-help-diagnose-infections/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:00:09 +0100 About 1.5 billion people worldwide carry a risk of conditions including malnutrition because of parasitic infection, and AI could help identify those affected 2426237-ai-can-spot-parasites-in-stool-samples-to-help-diagnose-infections|2426237 Quantum 'supersolid' matter stirred using magnets https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:00:43 +0100 We can’t stir ordinary solids, but one research team now claims to have stirred an extraordinary quantum “supersolid”, generating tiny vortices 2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets|2426035 How Peter Higgs revealed the forces that hold the universe together https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:40:29 +0100 The physicist Peter Higgs quietly revolutionised quantum field theory, then lived long enough to see the discovery of the Higgs boson he theorised. Despite receiving a Nobel prize, he remained in some ways as elusive as the particle that shares his name 2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together|2426501 We can't get to net zero without tackling inequality https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234860-300-we-cant-get-to-net-zero-without-tackling-inequality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Inequality is a major obstacle to sustainability. The super-rich are an environmental horror story that we can't ignore, says Graham Lawton mg26234860-300-we-cant-get-to-net-zero-without-tackling-inequality|2425879 Testing drugs on mini-cancers in the lab may reveal best treatment https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425408-testing-drugs-on-mini-cancers-in-the-lab-may-reveal-best-treatment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:00:56 +0100 A small early-stage trial of the approach, which involves testing dozens of drug combinations on thousands of dishes of cells, may help people with cancer live for longer 2425408-testing-drugs-on-mini-cancers-in-the-lab-may-reveal-best-treatment|2425408 Air pollution can make insects mate with the wrong species https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426454-air-pollution-can-make-insects-mate-with-the-wrong-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:00:20 +0100 Ground-level ozone, a product of pollution from cars, degrades insect pheromones, and this can result in mismatched mating and sterile offspring 2426454-air-pollution-can-make-insects-mate-with-the-wrong-species|2426454 Why nutrition needs to be on the educational agenda https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234860-200-why-nutrition-needs-to-be-on-the-educational-agenda/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Nutrition must be as essential as maths or science at our educational institutions to solve the US obesity crisis, says Aman Majmudar mg26234860-200-why-nutrition-needs-to-be-on-the-educational-agenda|2425878 Planets that look alike might be a sign of spacefaring aliens https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426244-planets-that-look-alike-might-be-a-sign-of-spacefaring-aliens/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:15 +0100 We don’t know what alien life might look like, but if other civilisations can colonise multiple worlds, we might see planets that look unusually similar 2426244-planets-that-look-alike-might-be-a-sign-of-spacefaring-aliens|2426244 Watch mini humanoid robots showing off their football skills https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426328-watch-mini-humanoid-robots-showing-off-their-football-skills/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 20:00:44 +0100 These soccer-playing robots can respond faster than ones trained in a standard way because they improved their skills via an artificial intelligence-based technique called deep reinforcement learning 2426328-watch-mini-humanoid-robots-showing-off-their-football-skills|2426328 Some of our favourite songs make us sad, which may be why we like them https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426284-some-of-our-favourite-songs-make-us-sad-which-may-be-why-we-like-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 20:00:38 +0100 Our favourite sad songs seem to become less enjoyable when we try to take the emotion out of them 2426284-some-of-our-favourite-songs-make-us-sad-which-may-be-why-we-like-them|2426284 Post-surgery infections may mainly be caused by skin bacteria https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426356-post-surgery-infections-may-mainly-be-caused-by-skin-bacteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 20:00:26 +0100 The skin microbiome may be a bigger cause of post-operative wound infections than bacteria contaminating hospital equipment 2426356-post-surgery-infections-may-mainly-be-caused-by-skin-bacteria|2426356 The mathematician who worked out how to time travel https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425623-the-mathematician-who-worked-out-how-to-time-travel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:00:54 +0100 Mathematics suggested that time travel is physically possible – and Kurt Gödel proved it. Mathematician Karl Sigmund explains how the polymath did it 2425623-the-mathematician-who-worked-out-how-to-time-travel|2425623 Fractal pattern identified at molecular scale in nature for first time https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426275-fractal-pattern-identified-at-molecular-scale-in-nature-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:02 +0100 An enzyme in a cyanobacterium can take the unusual form a triangle containing ever-smaller triangular gaps, making a fractal pattern 2426275-fractal-pattern-identified-at-molecular-scale-in-nature-for-first-time|2426275 Mathematician wins Turing award for harnessing randomness https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425914-mathematician-wins-turing-award-for-harnessing-randomness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:00:46 +0100 Avi Wigderson has won the 2023 Turing award for his work on understanding how randomness can shape and improve computer algorithms 2425914-mathematician-wins-turing-award-for-harnessing-randomness|2425914 Treating gum disease may ward off an irregular heartbeat https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426089-treating-gum-disease-may-ward-off-an-irregular-heartbeat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:00:48 +0100 Inflamed gum tissue may allow bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream, which could affect the heart 2426089-treating-gum-disease-may-ward-off-an-irregular-heartbeat|2426089 Phone batteries could last 50% longer if more 5G towers are built https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423849-phone-batteries-could-last-50-longer-if-more-5g-towers-are-built/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:58 +0100 Adding more masts could reduce the overall energy use of phone networks by two-thirds and boost handset battery life by 50 per cent 2423849-phone-batteries-could-last-50-longer-if-more-5g-towers-are-built|2423849 Oral vaccine prevents recurring UTIs for nine years https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426218-oral-vaccine-prevents-recurring-utis-for-nine-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:30:05 +0100 An oral vaccine in the form of a pineapple-flavoured spray prevented recurrent urinary tract infections in 53.9 per cent of clinical trial participants 2426218-oral-vaccine-prevents-recurring-utis-for-nine-years|2426218 Australia’s Indigenous people were making pottery over 2000 years ago https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426091-australias-indigenous-people-were-making-pottery-over-2000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:00:58 +0100 An excavation on an island in the Coral Sea shows that Indigenous Australians were producing ceramics long before the arrival of Europeans 2426091-australias-indigenous-people-were-making-pottery-over-2000-years-ago|2426091 One of the biggest mysteries of cosmology may finally be solved https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426183-one-of-the-biggest-mysteries-of-cosmology-may-finally-be-solved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:00:58 +0100 The expansion rate of the universe, measured by the Hubble constant, has been one of the most controversial numbers in cosmology for years, and we seem at last to be close to nailing it down 2426183-one-of-the-biggest-mysteries-of-cosmology-may-finally-be-solved|2426183 Peter Higgs, physicist who theorised the Higgs boson, has died aged 94 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426199-peter-higgs-physicist-who-theorised-the-higgs-boson-has-died-aged-94/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:32:55 +0100 Nobel prizewinning theoretical physicist Peter Higgs has died aged 94. He proposed the particle that gives other particles mass – now named the Higgs boson and discovered by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in 2012 2426199-peter-higgs-physicist-who-theorised-the-higgs-boson-has-died-aged-94|2426199 Northern white rhino could be saved from extinction using frozen skin https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425679-northern-white-rhino-could-be-saved-from-extinction-using-frozen-skin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:01:59 +0100 We have enough genetic material to bring back the northern white rhino, but doing so won’t be easy 2425679-northern-white-rhino-could-be-saved-from-extinction-using-frozen-skin|2425679 Prosthetic hands are easier to control using unrelated muscles https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425728-prosthetic-hands-are-easier-to-control-using-unrelated-muscles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:00:27 +0100 Random-seeming hand gestures seem to help people control prosthetic hands better than ones that mimic their ordinary muscle movements 2425728-prosthetic-hands-are-easier-to-control-using-unrelated-muscles|2425728 March 2024 is the 10th consecutive month to break temperature records https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425938-march-2024-is-the-10th-consecutive-month-to-break-temperature-records/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 06:00:36 +0100 Every month since April 2023 has been the hottest on record, as climate continues its record-breaking streak 2425938-march-2024-is-the-10th-consecutive-month-to-break-temperature-records|2425938 Eclipse 2024: 5 of the best pictures of the total solar eclipse https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426062-eclipse-2024-5-of-the-best-pictures-of-the-total-solar-eclipse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:26:22 +0100 On 8 April, a total solar eclipse passed over Mexico, the US and Canada – here are some of the most stunning images 2426062-eclipse-2024-5-of-the-best-pictures-of-the-total-solar-eclipse|2426062 Dumping green sand in shallow seas could let them absorb more CO2 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425737-dumping-green-sand-in-shallow-seas-could-let-them-absorb-more-co2/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:40 +0100 Releasing 1 gigatonne of ground-up olivine on coastal shelves each year could help lower atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, find researchers, but questions remain over the ecological impact 2425737-dumping-green-sand-in-shallow-seas-could-let-them-absorb-more-co2|2425737 AI pop-ups can help you stop doomscrolling on your phone https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426007-ai-pop-ups-can-help-you-stop-doomscrolling-on-your-phone/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:05:27 +0100 An AI program can learn from smartphone users' behaviours in order to send timely pop-up reminders about when to close attention-grabbing apps. The system effectively reduced how often people opened apps such as TikTok 2426007-ai-pop-ups-can-help-you-stop-doomscrolling-on-your-phone|2426007 The ambitious plans to study the sun during April's solar eclipse https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424636-the-ambitious-plans-to-study-the-sun-during-aprils-solar-eclipse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:00:37 +0000 Solar scientists have been preparing for years for a 4-minute window, during the total solar eclipse on 8 April, in which they will study the sun's corona 2424636-the-ambitious-plans-to-study-the-sun-during-aprils-solar-eclipse|2424636 Long covid linked to signs of ongoing inflammatory responses in blood https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425958-long-covid-linked-to-signs-of-ongoing-inflammatory-responses-in-blood/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:00:16 +0100 People with long covid after a serious covid-19 infection have raised levels of many immune molecules in their blood. Better understanding how these molecules can vary could lead to more targeted treatments 2425958-long-covid-linked-to-signs-of-ongoing-inflammatory-responses-in-blood|2425958 5 solar eclipse activities to do with children https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425311-5-solar-eclipse-activities-to-do-with-children/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:00:41 +0100 From building an eclipse viewer to using the sun to pop balloons, here's a child-friendly activity guide for April's eclipse 2425311-5-solar-eclipse-activities-to-do-with-children|2425311 Stone Age blades could have been used for butchery, not just hunting https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425719-stone-age-blades-could-have-been-used-for-butchery-not-just-hunting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:40:06 +0100 A modern butchery experiment using replicas of Stone Age tools raises new questions about how often prehistoric peoples hunted large animals such as bison or mammoths 2425719-stone-age-blades-could-have-been-used-for-butchery-not-just-hunting|2425719 Banning smartphones is tempting but it won't solve anxiety in children https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234853-900-banning-smartphones-is-tempting-but-it-wont-solve-anxiety-in-children/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Anxiety is on the rise in young people but we need to follow the science - and the causes aren't clearly linked to social media mg26234853-900-banning-smartphones-is-tempting-but-it-wont-solve-anxiety-in-children|2425322 When is the next total solar eclipse visible from the UK? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425704-when-is-the-next-total-solar-eclipse-visible-from-the-uk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:00:50 +0100 The next time a total solar eclipse will be visible from the UK is decades away, but there are other places nearby that will experience one sooner 2425704-when-is-the-next-total-solar-eclipse-visible-from-the-uk|2425704 Cannabis use in pregnancy may raise children’s risk of ADHD and autism https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425779-cannabis-use-in-pregnancy-may-raise-childrens-risk-of-adhd-and-autism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:00:30 +0100 A study of more than 220,000 people found that cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with their children having roughly twice the risk of ADHD, autism and intellectual disability 2425779-cannabis-use-in-pregnancy-may-raise-childrens-risk-of-adhd-and-autism|2425779 We finally know why Stephen Hawking's black hole equation works https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425700-we-finally-know-why-stephen-hawkings-black-hole-equation-works/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 22:00:56 +0100 Stephen Hawking and Jacob Bekenstein calculated the entropy of a black hole in the 1970s, but it took physicists until now to figure out the quantum effects that make the formula work 2425700-we-finally-know-why-stephen-hawkings-black-hole-equation-works|2425700 Suppressing wildfires is harming California’s giant sequoia trees https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425794-suppressing-wildfires-is-harming-californias-giant-sequoia-trees/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 21:23:10 +0100 California’s rare sequoias rely on high heat to disperse their seeds, and efforts to reduce the size of wildfires may be damaging their ability to reproduce 2425794-suppressing-wildfires-is-harming-californias-giant-sequoia-trees|2425794 How a total solar eclipse in 1919 left physicists 'more or less agog' https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424695-how-a-total-solar-eclipse-in-1919-left-physicists-more-or-less-agog/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 20:57:12 +0100 One total solar eclipse changed physics forever – and even to this day these celestial phenomena are astonishing viewers and teaching us crucial lessons about the universe 2424695-how-a-total-solar-eclipse-in-1919-left-physicists-more-or-less-agog|2424695 Left-handed monkeys prompt rethink about evolution of right-handedness https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425718-left-handed-monkeys-prompt-rethink-about-evolution-of-right-handedness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:00:09 +0100 A popular idea links primates living on the ground with a tendency for right-handedness, but findings from urban langurs in India cast doubt on the idea 2425718-left-handed-monkeys-prompt-rethink-about-evolution-of-right-handedness|2425718 How mass bleaching has pushed the Great Barrier Reef to the brink https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425545-how-mass-bleaching-has-pushed-the-great-barrier-reef-to-the-brink/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 11:37:34 +0100 Diving at One Tree Island in one of the most highly protected parts of the Great Barrier Reef reveals the shocking extent of the latest mass bleaching event 2425545-how-mass-bleaching-has-pushed-the-great-barrier-reef-to-the-brink|2425545 Eclipse 2024: When is it and where can I see it? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2418925-eclipse-2024-when-is-it-and-where-can-i-see-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 10:00:09 +0100 North America will have a total solar eclipse on 8 April – here is where, when and how to view it safely 2418925-eclipse-2024-when-is-it-and-where-can-i-see-it|2418925 Could an MRI scan make prostate cancer screening more accurate? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425594-could-an-mri-scan-make-prostate-cancer-screening-more-accurate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:30:23 +0100 Combining PSA blood tests with MRI scans is making the screening less harmful, but it still should be targeted only at high-risk groups, such as men who are Black or have a family history of prostate cancer, says a new report 2425594-could-an-mri-scan-make-prostate-cancer-screening-more-accurate|2425594 Should we be worried about a bird flu pandemic in the US? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425529-should-we-be-worried-about-a-bird-flu-pandemic-in-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:27:49 +0100 One person in the US has contracted bird flu after being exposed to dairy cows that have the virus, but experts say there is no immediate threat of a wider outbreak in people 2425529-should-we-be-worried-about-a-bird-flu-pandemic-in-the-us|2425529 There are hints that dark energy may be getting weaker https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425253-there-are-hints-that-dark-energy-may-be-getting-weaker/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:00:38 +0100 The standard model of cosmology says that the strength of dark energy should be constant, but tentative hints are emerging that it may have weakened recently 2425253-there-are-hints-that-dark-energy-may-be-getting-weaker|2425253 What is Disease X and do we need to worry about it? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2413011-what-is-disease-x-and-do-we-need-to-worry-about-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 17:10:38 +0100 The term “Disease X” means a new infection, or an existing pathogen that has mutated to become more dangerous, with the potential to cause a global pandemic 2413011-what-is-disease-x-and-do-we-need-to-worry-about-it|2413011 Bisexual women expect to have an orgasm with women more than with men https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425553-bisexual-women-expect-to-have-an-orgasm-with-women-more-than-with-men/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:00:15 +0100 When asked to imagine a hypothetical sexual encounter, bisexual women anticipated that they would be more likely to orgasm with another woman than with a man 2425553-bisexual-women-expect-to-have-an-orgasm-with-women-more-than-with-men|2425553 Why some songs make our heart swell and others give us butterflies https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425568-why-some-songs-make-our-heart-swell-and-others-give-us-butterflies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 17:00:37 +0100 Where in our body we feel the physical sensation of hearing music seems to depend on how surprising the piece's chords are 2425568-why-some-songs-make-our-heart-swell-and-others-give-us-butterflies|2425568 I might be an astrophysicist, but I'm still learning about stargazing https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234850-900-i-might-be-an-astrophysicist-but-im-still-learning-about-stargazing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 I have two degrees in astronomy, so you'd think I would know what I'm doing when it comes to looking at the sky. I don't, but I'm trying to change that, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26234850-900-i-might-be-an-astrophysicist-but-im-still-learning-about-stargazing|2424784 Electric vehicles have lowered San Francisco's carbon footprint https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425508-electric-vehicles-have-lowered-san-franciscos-carbon-footprint/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:00:56 +0100 A network of sensors stretching from San Francisco to Sonoma county’s vineyards shows that electric vehicles have helped lower carbon emissions by almost 2 per cent per year within the Bay Area 2425508-electric-vehicles-have-lowered-san-franciscos-carbon-footprint|2425508 Marine protected areas aren't helping fish populations recover https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425467-marine-protected-areas-arent-helping-fish-populations-recover/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Apr 2024 11:00:30 +0100 Protected zones are meant to let adult fish populations recover from overfishing, but an analysis of 111 sites in the Caribbean finds that this is not happening in most cases 2425467-marine-protected-areas-arent-helping-fish-populations-recover|2425467 Why it is time for a longevity revolution https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234853-700-why-it-is-time-for-a-longevity-revolution/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 With global life expectancy now exceeding 70 years old, we need to change how we age, not how long we age, says Andrew Scott mg26234853-700-why-it-is-time-for-a-longevity-revolution|2425104 Microsoft and Quantinuum’s quantum computer may be most reliable yet https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425243-microsoft-and-quantinuums-quantum-computer-may-be-most-reliable-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 15:00:36 +0100 A quantum computer built by Quantinuum uses “logical quantum bits” designed by Microsoft to run simple computational routines with an unprecedented level of reliability 2425243-microsoft-and-quantinuums-quantum-computer-may-be-most-reliable-yet|2425243 Climate change can disturb the accuracy of trees’ biological clocks https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425502-climate-change-can-disturb-the-accuracy-of-trees-biological-clocks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 22:00:35 +0100 Trees use circadian genes to time photosynthesis and reproduction – but as temperatures rise, the clocks may not work as well 2425502-climate-change-can-disturb-the-accuracy-of-trees-biological-clocks|2425502 Great apes threatened by mining for electric vehicle batteries https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425231-great-apes-threatened-by-mining-for-electric-vehicle-batteries/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 20:00:11 +0100 A surge of mining in some African countries for materials used to make green energy technologies puts gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos at risk 2425231-great-apes-threatened-by-mining-for-electric-vehicle-batteries|2425231 Life’s vital chemistry may have begun in hot, cracked rock https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425247-lifes-vital-chemistry-may-have-begun-in-hot-cracked-rock/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:00:29 +0100 Amino acids and other molecules important to the origin of life can be enriched within networks of rocky fractures, which would have been common on the early Earth 2425247-lifes-vital-chemistry-may-have-begun-in-hot-cracked-rock|2425247 Laser-powered licence plates could help avoid satellite collisions https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425397-laser-powered-licence-plates-could-help-avoid-satellite-collisions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 14:11:58 +0100 It can be difficult to identify satellites that have lost power, increasing the risk of a dangerous collision in space, but licence plates could be a solution 2425397-laser-powered-licence-plates-could-help-avoid-satellite-collisions|2425397 Babies recognise spoken nursery rhymes they heard in the uterus https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425154-babies-recognise-spoken-nursery-rhymes-they-heard-in-the-uterus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:00:32 +0100 Previous research suggests that babies can recognise nursery rhymes that were sung to them while they were in the uterus. Now, scientists have found they also seem to remember nursery rhymes that are spoken with no tune   2425154-babies-recognise-spoken-nursery-rhymes-they-heard-in-the-uterus|2425154 Eclipse 2024 live: Watch the full NASA broadcast – latest https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425343-eclipse-2024-live-watch-the-full-nasa-broadcast-latest/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Apr 2024 11:00:41 +0100 The eclipse is about to begin. Totality will arrive at Mexico’s west coast around 11.07am local time, moving east until it leaves Newfoundland, Canada, around 5.16pm there 2425343-eclipse-2024-live-watch-the-full-nasa-broadcast-latest|2425343 Snakes show signs of self-recognition in a smell-based 'mirror test' https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425187-snakes-show-signs-of-self-recognition-in-a-smell-based-mirror-test/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Apr 2024 01:01:17 +0100 Garter snakes may recognise their own scent and react differently when it is altered, hinting at self-awareness in reptiles 2425187-snakes-show-signs-of-self-recognition-in-a-smell-based-mirror-test|2425187 Showing AI just 1000 extra images reduced AI-generated stereotypes https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425065-showing-ai-just-1000-extra-images-reduced-ai-generated-stereotypes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 02 Apr 2024 21:06:36 +0100 Researchers made an AI image generator produce less offensive images by feeding it a tiny amount of additional training data 2425065-showing-ai-just-1000-extra-images-reduced-ai-generated-stereotypes|2425065