New Scientist - Home / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2526004-the-story-of-the-first-human-tool-the-humble-container/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 19:00:56 +0100 An analysis of ancient human artefacts finds that the container, a simple but critical tool, may have originated 500,000 years ago. Columnist Michael Marshall explores how slings, ostrich eggs and wooden trays helped our ancestors survive 2526004-the-story-of-the-first-human-tool-the-humble-container|2526004 /article/2526029-can-floating-data-centres-meet-ais-huge-energy-demand/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 19:00:13 +0100 A US start-up is putting autonomous data centres in the ocean, powered by wave energy, but experts warn that the harsh environment could make maintenance challenging 2526029-can-floating-data-centres-meet-ais-huge-energy-demand|2526029 /article/2524701-where-did-the-laws-of-physics-come-from-i-think-ive-found-the-answer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 17:00:51 +0100 The rules governing gravity and other laws of nature seem like eternal truths, but cosmologist João Magueijo has always questioned their origins. Now, he has a bold new proposal 2524701-where-did-the-laws-of-physics-come-from-i-think-ive-found-the-answer|2524701 /article/2525923-huge-study-of-ancient-british-dna-reveals-only-minor-roman-influence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 13:00:50 +0100 Genetic analysis of 1039 people buried in Britain between the Bronze Age and the Norman conquest highlights the impact of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings on the island’s ancestry 2525923-huge-study-of-ancient-british-dna-reveals-only-minor-roman-influence|2525923 /article/mg27035941-200-david-attenborough-is-one-of-a-kind-for-better-or-worse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 People often ask who might replace the nature broadcaster, who turns 100 this week. The truth is that he’s irreplaceable, but a wide range of voices are attempting to fill his shoes. mg27035941-200-david-attenborough-is-one-of-a-kind-for-better-or-worse|2525394 /article/2523875-red-light-therapy-does-have-health-benefits-but-not-the-ones-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 17:00:51 +0100 Red-light therapy promises to treat everything from acne and hair loss to depression and chronic pain. Many of these claims are overhyped, but evidence suggests it can have healing powers 2523875-red-light-therapy-does-have-health-benefits-but-not-the-ones-you-think|2523875 /article/2525802-tiny-metajets-could-use-light-to-steer-sails-for-interstellar-travel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sun, 10 May 2026 08:00:11 +0100 Minuscule silicon wafers propelled by lasers could be used to steer light sails, helping them travel beyond the solar system 2525802-tiny-metajets-could-use-light-to-steer-sails-for-interstellar-travel|2525802 /article/2523438-the-50-year-quest-to-create-a-quantum-spin-liquid-may-finally-be-over/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:58 +0100 Creating quantum entanglement inside a solid material is tricky in the lab – but crystals buried in the earth could be growing it naturally. Now one scientist says he has proof he’s found them 2523438-the-50-year-quest-to-create-a-quantum-spin-liquid-may-finally-be-over|2523438 /article/2525773-there-has-been-a-sudden-increase-in-the-rate-of-sea-level-rise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 15:08:55 +0100 Satellite measurements show that in the early 2010s sea level rise suddenly accelerated to a rate of 4.1 millimetres per year, possibly in response to an increase in the rate of global warming 2525773-there-has-been-a-sudden-increase-in-the-rate-of-sea-level-rise|2525773 /article/2525888-a-vast-dam-across-the-bering-strait-could-stop-the-amoc-collapsing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sat, 09 May 2026 08:00:42 +0100 If a key ocean current collapses it could plunge northern Europe into a big freeze. Now researchers are weighing up a drastic intervention – building a 130-kilometre-wide dam between the US and Russia 2525888-a-vast-dam-across-the-bering-strait-could-stop-the-amoc-collapsing|2525888 /article/2524042-a-lost-ancient-script-reveals-how-writing-as-we-know-it-really-began/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:56 +0100 A long-overlooked writing system from 5000 years ago is still largely undeciphered, but could mark the moment humans first represented their speech with written words 2524042-a-lost-ancient-script-reveals-how-writing-as-we-know-it-really-began|2524042 /article/2525539-neanderthal-kneeprint-found-next-to-mysterious-stalagmite-circle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 11:11:57 +0100 An impression made in clay around 175,000 years ago could be a kneeprint left by one of the builders of a strange stalagmite circle found deep inside Bruniquel cave in south-west France 2525539-neanderthal-kneeprint-found-next-to-mysterious-stalagmite-circle|2525539 /article/2525984-us-government-releases-huge-batch-of-ufo-files/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 19:33:13 +0100 The US Department of Defense has released hundreds of documents and photographs related to UFOs, some of which have been declassified, in the first of many drops to come 2525984-us-government-releases-huge-batch-of-ufo-files|2525984 /article/2525806-doubling-their-genomes-may-have-helped-plants-survive-mass-extinctions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 17:00:20 +0100 Many flowering plants have duplicated genomes, which could have helped them evolve to deal with extreme stress in times of environmental upheaval 2525806-doubling-their-genomes-may-have-helped-plants-survive-mass-extinctions|2525806 /article/2525884-fire-is-spreading-in-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-after-drone-crash/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 16:07:48 +0100 A drone has crashed in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, causing a fire that has spread to 12 square kilometres of land. Dry weather, strong winds and the presence of land mines are complicating efforts to bring the blaze under control 2525884-fire-is-spreading-in-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-after-drone-crash|2525884 /article/2525847-slow-breathing-can-calm-the-mind-without-any-need-for-mindfulness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:13 +0100 How important is thinking about your breath for calming yourself down? We now know that slow breathing is effective even without conscious involvement 2525847-slow-breathing-can-calm-the-mind-without-any-need-for-mindfulness|2525847 /article/2525632-pcos-postpones-perimenopause-and-allows-pregnancies-at-older-ages/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:01 +0100 Only 3 per cent of those with polycystic ovary syndrome reach perimenopause by the age of 46, which may allow them to conceive when older 2525632-pcos-postpones-perimenopause-and-allows-pregnancies-at-older-ages|2525632 /article/2524041-new-scientist-recommends-attenborough-documentary-making-life-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:38 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week 2524041-new-scientist-recommends-attenborough-documentary-making-life-on-earth|2524041 /article/2525614-the-mathematician-who-doesnt-exist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 10:00:34 +0100 A secret society of French mathematicians has been revolutionising the field of mathematics under a pseudonym for nearly a century. Columnist Jacob Aron finds that this mythic collective provided maths a rigorous and useful foundation, and did some real harm along the way 2525614-the-mathematician-who-doesnt-exist|2525614 /article/2524565-former-soviet-scientific-megastructures-captured-in-striking-photos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:28 +0100 Eric Lusito crossed the former Soviet Union to explore vast scientific sites, some of which have been deserted for years, for his new book 2524565-former-soviet-scientific-megastructures-captured-in-striking-photos|2524565 /article/2525761-hantavirus-outbreak-will-not-cause-a-covid-style-pandemic-says-who/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 17:40:22 +0100 The World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization sought to quell worldwide fears over the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius and reassure the public that the risk of widespread transmission is low 2525761-hantavirus-outbreak-will-not-cause-a-covid-style-pandemic-says-who|2525761 /article/2525685-coffees-mood-boosting-effects-arent-just-down-to-caffeine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 16:00:49 +0100 A comprehensive study exploring coffee’s physiological effects finds that some of its benefits are down to polyphenols and their influence on gut bacteria 2525685-coffees-mood-boosting-effects-arent-just-down-to-caffeine|2525685 /article/mg27035940-700-what-to-read-this-week-the-excellent-beyond-belief-by-helen-pearson/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Solving society's problems with evidence is a work in progress, argues a must-read new book. The process is surprisingly new – and riddled with complexities, finds Michael Marshall mg27035940-700-what-to-read-this-week-the-excellent-beyond-belief-by-helen-pearson|2525065 /article/2525328-where-has-the-deadly-hantavirus-come-from-and-how-does-it-spread/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 14:20:10 +0100 Three passengers on the cruise ship MV Hondius have died due to an outbreak of hantavirus, a rare illness transmitted by rodents 2525328-where-has-the-deadly-hantavirus-come-from-and-how-does-it-spread|2525328 /article/2525647-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-may-2026/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:47 +0100 A guide to walking, a look at the world’s Google searches and a deep dive into the secrets of our DNA are some of the topics tackled by the popular science books out this month 2525647-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-may-2026|2525647 /article/mg27035941-100-less-nostalgia-more-pain-scientists-study-1763-eurovision-songs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback discovers that the prevailing themes of Eurovision songs may come and go, but the urge to win stays the same. mg27035941-100-less-nostalgia-more-pain-scientists-study-1763-eurovision-songs|2525069 /article/mg27035930-200-what-to-read-this-week-the-21st-century-brain-by-hannah-critchlow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Our brains need to adapt quickly to meet the challenges of our digital world, but a rigorous new book by a neuroscientist brings hope that we can do it, says Graham Lawton mg27035930-200-what-to-read-this-week-the-21st-century-brain-by-hannah-critchlow|2524220 /article/2525386-pressure-from-individual-particles-measured-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 07:00:42 +0100 A device made using a tiny bead floating in a beam of light can measure extremely small pressures and could help find a mysterious kind of neutrino 2525386-pressure-from-individual-particles-measured-for-the-first-time|2525386 /article/2525520-dating-over-50-is-probably-on-the-rise-but-we-know-little-about-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:36 +0100 Research into dating has until now almost exclusively focused on younger people, but we’re finally beginning to investigate how romance changes in later life 2525520-dating-over-50-is-probably-on-the-rise-but-we-know-little-about-it|2525520 /article/2525361-bronze-age-britons-fashioned-copper-mining-tools-out-of-old-bones/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:21 +0100 An analysis of 150 artefacts from a site in Wales shows that the ancient practice of making tools out of bone persisted even after the advent of metal-working 2525361-bronze-age-britons-fashioned-copper-mining-tools-out-of-old-bones|2525361 /article/2525542-deforestation-could-trigger-amazon-tipping-point-in-the-2030s/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 17:00:19 +0100 At least 15 per cent of the Amazon has already been lost, and further destruction could unleash widespread rainforest dieback with as little as 1.5°C of global warming 2525542-deforestation-could-trigger-amazon-tipping-point-in-the-2030s|2525542 /article/2525438-huge-landslide-in-alaska-caused-481m-high-tsunami/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:01 +0100 When the slope of a mountain above Tracy Arm fjord, in Alaska, gave way on 10 August 2025, 64 million cubic metres of rock fell into the fjord, causing a 5.4 magnitude seismic event   2525438-huge-landslide-in-alaska-caused-481m-high-tsunami|2525438 /article/2525391-robin-wall-kimmerers-braiding-sweetgrass-is-still-an-essential-read/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:37 +0100 This 2013 book by an Indigenous botanist is a quietly urgent act of healing that forces Western science to look at the world in a different way 2525391-robin-wall-kimmerers-braiding-sweetgrass-is-still-an-essential-read|2525391 /article/2524987-read-the-winner-of-this-years-young-science-writer-award/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 11:00:12 +0100 Prize-winning young writer Hasset Kifle, 17, explores how the world of super-competitive running is being transformed by so-called “super shoes” – and what cost this will have on the sport 2524987-read-the-winner-of-this-years-young-science-writer-award|2524987 /article/2525306-extinct-relative-of-koalas-discovered-in-western-australia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 01:01:10 +0100 Fossils reveal that there were at least two kinds of koala when humans first arrived in Australia, but one died out about 30,000 years ago when the west of the continent dried out 2525306-extinct-relative-of-koalas-discovered-in-western-australia|2525306 /article/2525315-backlash-builds-over-nhs-plan-to-hide-source-code-from-ai-hacking-risk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:06 +0100 NHS England is pulling its open-source software from the internet because of fears around computer-hacking AI models like Mythos. Opposition is growing among those who say the move is bad for transparency and efficiency, and will also do nothing to improve security 2525315-backlash-builds-over-nhs-plan-to-hide-source-code-from-ai-hacking-risk|2525315 /article/2525186-woman-in-cancer-remission-without-treatment-in-highly-unusual-case/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 11:00:47 +0100 A biopsy of a woman's cancer seems to have triggered an immune response against the tumour, putting her into remission 2525186-woman-in-cancer-remission-without-treatment-in-highly-unusual-case|2525186 /article/2525116-the-problem-of-cosmic-inflation-and-how-to-solve-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 10:00:50 +0100 One of the best-performing models in cosmology is also one with the least physical rationale behind it. Columnist Leah Crane says this leaves us with a puzzle that could make or break physics as we know it 2525116-the-problem-of-cosmic-inflation-and-how-to-solve-it|2525116 /article/2524632-man-destined-for-alzheimers-may-have-been-saved-by-accidental-therapy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:29 +0100 Doug Whitney has a genetic mutation that means he should have developed Alzheimer’s disease decades ago, but his long-term work in hot engine rooms may have protected him in a similar way to sauna therapy 2524632-man-destined-for-alzheimers-may-have-been-saved-by-accidental-therapy|2524632 /article/2525277-quantum-computers-simulated-their-biggest-molecule-yet-with-help/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 06:01:57 +0100 Two quantum computers and two supercomputers teamed up to break the record for the biggest molecule yet to be simulated using quantum hardware 2525277-quantum-computers-simulated-their-biggest-molecule-yet-with-help|2525277 /article/2525272-honey-has-been-used-as-medicine-for-centuries-does-it-really-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:08:16 +0100 It is appealing to think something as simple as honey could cure a cold or prevent hay fever, but is there evidence to back up honey’s health benefits? Columnist Alice Klein finds that it has legitimate medicinal uses, depending on the type of honey you’ve got 2525272-honey-has-been-used-as-medicine-for-centuries-does-it-really-work|2525272 /article/2525175-tiny-frozen-world-unexpectedly-appears-to-have-an-atmosphere/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:46 +0100 A 500-kilometre-wide object in a similar orbit to Pluto challenges our assumptions about small bodies in the outer solar system 2525175-tiny-frozen-world-unexpectedly-appears-to-have-an-atmosphere|2525175 /article/2524958-300-year-old-experiment-could-become-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:54 +0100 An update to an experiment run by Henry Cavendish in 1773 could be a cheaper and faster way to spot a potential dark matter particle – and may be 10,000 times more sensitive 2524958-300-year-old-experiment-could-become-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector|2524958 /article/2524665-an-unorthodox-version-of-quantum-theory-could-reveal-what-reality-is/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 07:00:38 +0100 The implications of quantum mechanics suggest reality isn't as solid as we think it is, but physicist David Bohm had a spin on the theory that restores reality. Columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan explores how we could test Bohmian mechanics – and if it will ever become more widely accepted 2524665-an-unorthodox-version-of-quantum-theory-could-reveal-what-reality-is|2524665 /article/2525104-the-greatest-david-attenborough-documentaries-you-really-need-to-watch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:49 +0100 To mark David Attenborough turning 100, New Scientist staff have been set a tricky task: pick your favourite of his many amazing documentaries... 2525104-the-greatest-david-attenborough-documentaries-you-really-need-to-watch|2525104 /article/2524950-prebiotic-chewing-gum-could-be-helpful-for-gum-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:45 +0100 A small trial found that chewing gum containing nitrate can ease the symptoms of gum disease by favouring the growth of beneficial mouth bacteria 2524950-prebiotic-chewing-gum-could-be-helpful-for-gum-disease|2524950 /article/2525189-smart-underwear-detects-lactose-intolerance-by-tracking-your-farts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 07:00:07 +0100 A device you attach to your underwear reveals how often you really break wind – and it’s probably more frequently than you think 2525189-smart-underwear-detects-lactose-intolerance-by-tracking-your-farts|2525189 /article/2522448-why-dinosaurs-lived-much-more-complex-lives-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:00:22 +0100 A wave of dinosaur discoveries over the past decade has completely reshaped our understanding of these long-extinct animals. Palaeontologist Dave Hone spills the secrets of how dinosaurs lived, from how social they were to how much they really fought  2522448-why-dinosaurs-lived-much-more-complex-lives-than-we-thought|2522448 /article/2523209-is-consciousness-more-fundamental-to-reality-than-quantum-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:05 +0100 The idea that everything that exists can be built from the bottom up has long held sway among physicists. Now, a new kind of science is under construction that centres conscious experience – and might unravel the universe’s biggest mysteries 2523209-is-consciousness-more-fundamental-to-reality-than-quantum-physics|2523209 /article/2524419-our-verdict-on-red-mars-mostly-great-with-a-few-quibbles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:46 +0100 The New Scientist Book Club read Kim Stanley Robinson's acclaimed science fiction story about the first settlers on Mars in April – and had a lot to say about it 2524419-our-verdict-on-red-mars-mostly-great-with-a-few-quibbles|2524419 /article/mg27035931-800-ann-leckie-continues-to-shine-with-new-sci-fi-novel-radiant-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Set on a planet whose population lives underground, Radiant Star is Ann Leckie's latest Radch-universe novel. Its rich characterisation and meticulous world-building shine through, says our science-fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson mg27035931-800-ann-leckie-continues-to-shine-with-new-sci-fi-novel-radiant-star|2524392 /article/2525229-2026-will-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-leading-scientist-predicts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 18:24:54 +0100 The second half of this year will almost certainly see the start of an El Niño phase that could lead to extreme heat across much of the globe, and James Hansen expects that to make this year surpass 2024 as the hottest on record 2525229-2026-will-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-leading-scientist-predicts|2525229 /article/2523421-why-the-keto-diet-could-be-a-revolutionary-way-to-treat-mental-illness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:00:03 +0100 You may think of the high-fat, low-carb eating plan as a faddish way to lose weight. But the keto diet is now being used to tackle conditions from severe depression to bipolar disorder and anorexia, with transformative results 2523421-why-the-keto-diet-could-be-a-revolutionary-way-to-treat-mental-illness|2523421 /article/2524962-nhs-england-rushes-to-hide-software-over-ai-hacking-fears/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 13:32:04 +0100 National ��ҹ����1000���� Service rules state that all software created with public money should be publicly available, but fears of computer-hacking AI models like Mythos have prompted a change in policy 2524962-nhs-england-rushes-to-hide-software-over-ai-hacking-fears|2524962 /article/2523919-the-4-biggest-myths-about-hydration-according-to-an-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:28 +0100 Should you really be drinking eight glasses of water a day? What about reaching for a sports drink after exercise? Physiologist Tamara Hew-Butler is here to bust these hydration myths and more. 2523919-the-4-biggest-myths-about-hydration-according-to-an-expert|2523919 /article/2524968-oak-trees-use-delaying-tactics-to-thwart-hungry-caterpillars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 11:00:50 +0100 An infestation of caterpillars can make an oak tree postpone when it opens its leaves next year by three days, wrong-footing the insects when they attack again 2524968-oak-trees-use-delaying-tactics-to-thwart-hungry-caterpillars|2524968 /article/2524931-why-i-explore-our-inevitable-love-for-robots-in-my-novel-luminous/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 10:35:41 +0100 Silvia Park, author of the May read for the New Scientist Book Club, reveals how a book that was originally intended to be for children took a darker route following a death in the family 2524931-why-i-explore-our-inevitable-love-for-robots-in-my-novel-luminous|2524931 /article/2524921-read-an-extract-from-luminous-by-silvia-park/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 10:35:05 +0100 In this extract from Luminous, the May read for the New Scientist Book Club, we meet a mysterious robot discovered in a salvage yard in Seoul, in a future reunified Korea 2524921-read-an-extract-from-luminous-by-silvia-park|2524921 /article/2525033-will-colombia-summit-kick-start-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 10:58:36 +0100 With progress at COP climate meetings stalling, 57 countries took part in the first of a new series of conferences aiming to develop road maps away from fossil fuels, but big emitters like China and the US were absent 2525033-will-colombia-summit-kick-start-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era|2525033 /article/2524832-the-rings-of-uranus-are-even-stranger-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 09:00:01 +0100 Uranus’s outermost two rings are surprisingly dissimilar, which opens up a mystery about the tiny moons and moonlets that form them 2524832-the-rings-of-uranus-are-even-stranger-than-we-thought|2524832 /article/2523912-green-cryptocurrency-uses-18-times-more-energy-than-makers-claim/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:00:45 +0100 A cryptocurrency that aims to avoid the disastrous energy consumption of bitcoin is actually using 18 times more energy than its makers claim – but it promises improvements are on the way 2523912-green-cryptocurrency-uses-18-times-more-energy-than-makers-claim|2523912 /article/2524866-your-oral-microbiome-could-affect-your-weight-liver-and-diabetes-risk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:00:53 +0100 An ambitious study has explored how the oral microbiome may affect our metabolic health, raising hopes that conditions like pre-diabetes could one day be screened for via a simple mouth swab 2524866-your-oral-microbiome-could-affect-your-weight-liver-and-diabetes-risk|2524866 /article/2524371-we-have-figured-out-a-new-way-to-send-messages-into-the-past/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:05 +0100 A technique inspired by the film Interstellar suggests a new way of communicating backwards in time, but it could help improve conventional communication systems as well 2524371-we-have-figured-out-a-new-way-to-send-messages-into-the-past|2524371 /article/2524895-human-heads-have-changed-shape-a-lot-in-the-past-100-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:00:54 +0100 Since the early 20th century, people’s skulls have got rounder and their jaws have got wider, probably because of changes in health, diet and environment 2524895-human-heads-have-changed-shape-a-lot-in-the-past-100-years|2524895 /article/2524432-doubts-cast-over-wild-claim-that-magnetic-control-can-turn-on-genes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:48 +0100 Researchers in South Korea say they have made a major advance by turning on genes with an electromagnetic signal, but critics say the claims are implausible and the paper is flawed 2524432-doubts-cast-over-wild-claim-that-magnetic-control-can-turn-on-genes|2524432 /article/2524887-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-may-2026/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:43 +0100 New science fiction from big names including Ann Leckie, Alan Moore and Martha Wells are just some of the exciting crop of titles out this month 2524887-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-may-2026|2524887 /article/2524928-the-rich-but-complicated-legacy-of-genome-pioneer-craig-venter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:54:04 +0100 Craig Venter has died aged 79. He was at the forefront of sequencing the human genome and of synthetic biology, but divided opinion in how he went about it 2524928-the-rich-but-complicated-legacy-of-genome-pioneer-craig-venter|2524928 /article/2523950-thought-provoking-photographs-capture-what-it-feels-like-to-have-adhd/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:07 +0100 These unusual images were created by visual artist Daniel Regan by submerging Polaroid photographs in his ADHD medication, to represent his experiences with the condition through art 2523950-thought-provoking-photographs-capture-what-it-feels-like-to-have-adhd|2523950 /article/mg27035932-100-is-an-ai-version-of-mark-zuckerberg-or-any-boss-a-good-plan/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback has learned that, according to reports, Meta is building an AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff. Feedback hopes this doesn't become a trend mg27035932-100-is-an-ai-version-of-mark-zuckerberg-or-any-boss-a-good-plan|2524395 /article/2524800-simple-treatment-tweak-drastically-reduces-blood-loss-from-severe-cuts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:25:02 +0100 A procedure that could be done in half an hour, and prepared ahead of time, could seriously reduce blood loss from severe wounds, such as during surgery 2524800-simple-treatment-tweak-drastically-reduces-blood-loss-from-severe-cuts|2524800 /article/2524690-weird-transdimensional-state-of-matter-is-neither-2d-nor-3d/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:00:37 +0100 An experiment with a carbon material in a magnetic field has revealed a novel way for electrons to move, which doesn't fully belong in two or three spatial dimensions 2524690-weird-transdimensional-state-of-matter-is-neither-2d-nor-3d|2524690 /article/2523909-the-chips-in-your-phone-are-probably-broken-and-thats-a-good-thing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:00:50 +0100 Reports suggest that Apple is using defective chips originally destined for high-end devices to create its latest affordable laptop. Reusing partially broken chips is common practice for all device makers and produces less waste 2523909-the-chips-in-your-phone-are-probably-broken-and-thats-a-good-thing|2523909 /article/2524699-scorpions-reinforce-their-claws-and-stingers-with-metals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:18:32 +0100 Many scorpion species use blends of iron, zinc and manganese to enhance the toughness of their deadly weaponry 2524699-scorpions-reinforce-their-claws-and-stingers-with-metals|2524699 /article/2524648-extreme-weather-in-2025-drove-record-wildfire-emissions-in-europe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:53:56 +0100 Europe, the fastest-warming continent, saw unprecedented wildfires and heatwaves in 2025, including a three-week hot spell that hit 30°C inside the Arctic circle 2524648-extreme-weather-in-2025-drove-record-wildfire-emissions-in-europe|2524648 /article/2524515-cancer-is-increasing-in-young-people-and-we-still-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:30:36 +0100 Obesity might be to blame for part of the increase in cancer among young people, a study in the UK has found, but the causes largely remain a mystery 2524515-cancer-is-increasing-in-young-people-and-we-still-dont-know-why|2524515 /article/2524510-gamblers-are-betting-millions-of-dollars-on-measles-outbreaks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:56 +0100 People are increasingly placing bets that predict measles outbreaks in the US, which could help researchers modelling the spread of the disease 2524510-gamblers-are-betting-millions-of-dollars-on-measles-outbreaks|2524510 /article/2523906-humanoid-robots-may-be-about-to-break-the-100-metre-sprint-record/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:00:26 +0100 Robots can now run a half-marathon faster than humans and are rapidly homing in on the men's 100-metre sprint record. But why are companies so keen to create speedy robots that have no obvious application in homes or factories? 2523906-humanoid-robots-may-be-about-to-break-the-100-metre-sprint-record|2523906 /article/2524387-how-i-pay-almost-nothing-to-power-my-house-and-electric-car/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:25 +0100 The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has seen energy prices soar, but Alice Klein pays just A$25 (£13) a month for her electricity, even when charging an electric car or running an air conditioner. 2524387-how-i-pay-almost-nothing-to-power-my-house-and-electric-car|2524387 /article/2524399-coral-reefs-on-a-remote-archipelago-shrugged-off-a-massive-heatwave/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:00:58 +0100 Scientists were shocked to find that the Houtman Abrolhos Islands’ coral reefs survived a prolonged extreme heatwave in 2025 virtually unharmed, which may reveal how to protect corals elsewhere 2524399-coral-reefs-on-a-remote-archipelago-shrugged-off-a-massive-heatwave|2524399 /article/2524382-we-may-finally-have-a-cure-for-many-different-autoimmune-conditions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:02 +0100 A revolutionary cancer treatment is now being applied to a wide range of autoimmune disorders. Columnist Michael Le Page finds it is proving to be even more effective than expected 2524382-we-may-finally-have-a-cure-for-many-different-autoimmune-conditions|2524382 /article/2524366-giant-arctic-continent-launched-dinosaurs-to-world-domination/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:57 +0100 Coincident with the rise of the dinosaurs, a large landmass filled most of the Arctic circle, potentially contributing to global cooling that advantaged the famous reptiles 2524366-giant-arctic-continent-launched-dinosaurs-to-world-domination|2524366 /article/2524305-10000-new-planets-found-hidden-in-nasa-telescope-data/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:00:48 +0100 NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has been searching for exoplanets since its launch in 2018, and it turns out it may have found plenty more of them than we had thought 2524305-10000-new-planets-found-hidden-in-nasa-telescope-data|2524305 /article/mg27035922-600-why-your-opinion-of-used-electric-vehicles-is-probably-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 The idea that EV batteries age poorly is a misconception – and a new report has found they often outlive the cars themselves mg27035922-600-why-your-opinion-of-used-electric-vehicles-is-probably-wrong|2523738 /article/2524174-how-your-heart-rate-variability-can-offer-an-insight-into-your-mind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:42 +0100 Smartwatches commonly use heart rate variability to monitor stress. Columnist Helen Thomson explores what this metric actually tells us, and whether it could also predict and diagnose depression – and help improve your mental health more generally 2524174-how-your-heart-rate-variability-can-offer-an-insight-into-your-mind|2524174 /article/2524208-100-year-old-assumption-about-the-universe-may-soon-be-overturned/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:00:31 +0100 Physicists have long assumed that the universe is uniform at very large scales, but evidence is emerging this is wrong and suggests a way to resolve some of the biggest cosmological mysteries 2524208-100-year-old-assumption-about-the-universe-may-soon-be-overturned|2524208 /article/2521854-we-need-more-radioactive-drugs-can-we-make-them-from-nuclear-waste/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:00:58 +0100 The rise of a new generation of radiotherapies means we will soon need much greater quantities of radioactive atoms. That's why companies are scrambling to refine them from all manner of radioactive waste 2521854-we-need-more-radioactive-drugs-can-we-make-them-from-nuclear-waste|2521854 /article/2522362-why-the-right-kind-of-stress-is-crucial-for-your-health-and-happiness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:00:47 +0100 Stress is linked to many of our biggest killers, but a growing body of research suggests that certain types can sharpen the mind and strengthen the body. Here’s how to find your perfect dose 2522362-why-the-right-kind-of-stress-is-crucial-for-your-health-and-happiness|2522362 /article/mg27035922-300-this-mesmerising-cornish-time-travel-film-is-not-to-be-missed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 A seaside town is devastated when a small fishing boat, the Rose of Nevada, disappears at sea. Thirty years later, the boat reappears in the harbour and sets off a moving story, says Bethan Ackerley mg27035922-300-this-mesmerising-cornish-time-travel-film-is-not-to-be-missed|2523626 /article/2524194-gravitys-strength-measured-more-reliably-than-ever-before/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:00:34 +0100 Measuring the strength of gravity is extraordinarily difficult, and different experiments have always disagreed – but a new test is paving the way to finally understanding nature’s most enigmatic force 2524194-gravitys-strength-measured-more-reliably-than-ever-before|2524194 /article/2524198-symptoms-of-early-dementia-reversed-by-bespoke-treatment-plans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:33:58 +0100 People with cognitive decline or early-stage dementia saw their symptoms improve when given bespoke treatment plans that targeted their personal nutritional deficiencies, ongoing infections and environmental exposures 2524198-symptoms-of-early-dementia-reversed-by-bespoke-treatment-plans|2524198 /article/2524032-qbox-theory-may-offer-glimpse-of-reality-deeper-than-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:12 +0100 Physicists have long suspected that there is a layer of physical reality beneath quantum theory and a new mathematical model unveils just how strange it might be 2524032-qbox-theory-may-offer-glimpse-of-reality-deeper-than-quantum-realm|2524032 /article/2522539-new-scientist-recommends-jeff-beals-new-york-etudes-vol-ii/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:29 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week 2522539-new-scientist-recommends-jeff-beals-new-york-etudes-vol-ii|2522539 /article/2524049-largest-ever-octopus-was-great-white-shark-of-invertebrate-predators/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:00:12 +0100 During the Cretaceous, 19-metre-long predatory octopuses swam the seas, and evidence from their fossilised remains suggest they may have been highly intelligent hunters 2524049-largest-ever-octopus-was-great-white-shark-of-invertebrate-predators|2524049 /article/2524182-is-stem-cell-therapy-about-to-transform-medicine-and-reverse-ageing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:12 +0100 A clinical trial to reverse age-related vision conditions using stem cell treatment could finally deliver on the promise of a major discovery in ageing and regeneration made 20 years ago, says columnist Graham Lawton 2524182-is-stem-cell-therapy-about-to-transform-medicine-and-reverse-ageing|2524182 /article/2523223-striking-photo-essay-examines-deadly-spread-of-dengue-fever-in-nepal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:48 +0100 Photographer Yuri Segalerba explores how dengue has spread to Nepal's Himalayan districts, and how locals are fighting back 2523223-striking-photo-essay-examines-deadly-spread-of-dengue-fever-in-nepal|2523223 /article/2524008-do-you-need-to-worry-about-mythos-anthropics-computer-hacking-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:00:34 +0100 A powerful AI kept from public access because of its ability to hack computers with impunity is making headlines around the world. But what is Mythos, does it really represent a risk and might it even be used to improve cybersecurity? 2524008-do-you-need-to-worry-about-mythos-anthropics-computer-hacking-ai|2524008 /article/2523882-exercise-advice-for-long-covid-may-be-doing-more-harm-than-good/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:23:29 +0100 Exercise has been touted as a tool for managing and treating long covid, but much of the evidence has neglected one of its most debilitating symptoms: post-exertional malaise 2523882-exercise-advice-for-long-covid-may-be-doing-more-harm-than-good|2523882 /article/2524114-catching-a-cold-can-delay-cancer-from-spreading-to-the-lungs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:00:20 +0100 Infecting mice with RSV, a common virus that causes cold-like symptoms, prevented breast cancer cells from reaching their lungs. This was due to the release of proteins that stop viruses from replicating in the lungs also making it harder for cancer cells to seed new tumours 2524114-catching-a-cold-can-delay-cancer-from-spreading-to-the-lungs|2524114 /article/2524077-huge-study-reveals-how-epstein-barr-virus-may-cause-multiple-sclerosis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:00:39 +0100 The Epstein-Barr virus seems to affect gene expression and cell signalling in a way that causes the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis 2524077-huge-study-reveals-how-epstein-barr-virus-may-cause-multiple-sclerosis|2524077 /article/mg27035922-500-how-many-dachshunds-would-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback, always on the hunt for absurd units of measurement, is delighted by recent attempts to convey the 406,771 kilometres that the Artemis II crew travelled from Earth mg27035922-500-how-many-dachshunds-would-it-take-to-get-to-the-moon|2523628