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New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Matthew Sparkes

Technology reporter

London

Bio

Matthew Sparkes is a science and technology reporter who first wrote for New Scientist in 2006 and currently covers robotics, quantum computing, AI and mathematics. Previously he wrote for The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph, and he has a BSc and MSc from the University of East Anglia, where he studied AI and computer science.

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More from Matthew Sparkes

Explore the latest news, articles and features

Scientist of the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants of the NAS of Ukraine in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, December 15, 2025. Anatoly Doroshenko

Physics

Chernobyl at 40: The man with the most dangerous job on Earth

Features

Head of the Chernobyl Meteorological Station Lyudmila Dyblenko in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, December 16, 2025.

Society

Chernobyl at 40: My life as a meteorologist under Russian occupation

Features

Chernobyl 2022

Physics

Chernobyl at 40: The past, present and future of a nuclear disaster

Features

Technology

How worried should you be about an AI apocalypse?

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Life

Tobacco plant altered to produce five psychedelic drugs

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Environment

Plug-in solar is coming – how dangerous is it and is it worth it?

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New fibre-optic record allows 50,000,000 movies to be streamed at once

Technology

New fibre-optic record allows 50,000,000 movies to be streamed at once

News

Physics

Computer finds flaw in major physics paper for first time

News

A team of Department of Defense drone operators and experts test the technical capabilities of various Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) during a Defense Innovation Unit led prize challenge to identify platforms, components, and capabilities for Blue UAS, which clears and validates flying platforms are safe to fly, cyber-secure, and meet DOD requirements, at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, on Nov. 2-6, 2024. The Blue UAS Refresh Challenge included more than 35 platforms and companies, and an expert team of 40 military drone end-users with participation from each service branch and several major program offices in support of the Department???s ability to quickly scale and field commercially produced drone technologies for military and government use. (DOD photo by Devon Bistarkey, Defense Innovation Unit) https://www.war.gov/Multimedia/Photos/igphoto/2003592438/

Technology

What to read this week: Katrina Manson's terrifying Project Maven

Culture

Mya, age 3, and her mother Vicky playing with an AI toy called Gabbo during an observation at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Education

Technology

We don’t know if AI-powered toys are safe, but they’re here anyway

News

A glimpse into the rare earth riches of Greenland

Environment

A glimpse into the rare earth riches of Greenland

Regulars

Illustration concept of a fleet of Internet Starlink satellites in orbit above planet Earth. A line of communication satellites with the sun in the horizon.; Shutterstock ID 2606925315; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other:

Technology

Why the world's militaries are scrambling to create their own Starlink

News