New Scientist - News https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454955-we-are-a-long-way-from-pregnancy-being-safe-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 08 Nov 2024 09:00:20 +0000 Dangerous radiation reaches Mars at levels we aren't exposed to on Earth, which makes the Red Planet a particularly dangerous place to be during pregnancy 2454955-we-are-a-long-way-from-pregnancy-being-safe-on-mars|2454955 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455284-why-hairy-animals-shake-themselves-dry/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:00:44 +0000 The brain pathway that causes hairy mammals like mice and dogs to shake themselves dry appears to have more to do with pressure than temperature 2455284-why-hairy-animals-shake-themselves-dry|2455284 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454625-slick-trick-separates-oil-and-water-with-99-9-per-cent-purity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:00:11 +0000 Oil and water can be separated efficiently by pumping the mixture through thin channels between two semipermeable membranes 2454625-slick-trick-separates-oil-and-water-with-99-9-per-cent-purity|2454625 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455411-bird-flu-antibodies-found-in-dairy-workers-in-michigan-and-colorado/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 18:10:40 +0000 Blood tests have shown that about 7 per cent of workers on dairy farms that had H5N1 outbreaks had antibodies against the disease 2455411-bird-flu-antibodies-found-in-dairy-workers-in-michigan-and-colorado|2455411 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454693-marmots-could-have-the-solution-to-a-long-running-debate-in-evolution/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 18:00:29 +0000 When it comes to the survival of animals living in the wild, the characteristics of the group can matter as much as the traits of the individual, according to a study in marmots 2454693-marmots-could-have-the-solution-to-a-long-running-debate-in-evolution|2454693 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455196-carbon-emissions-from-private-jets-have-exploded-in-recent-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:59 +0000 The climate impact of flights taken by the super-rich rose sharply from 2019 to 2023, fuelling calls for a carbon tax on private aviation 2455196-carbon-emissions-from-private-jets-have-exploded-in-recent-years|2455196 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455332-chinese-rover-finds-further-evidence-for-an-ancient-ocean-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:28 +0000 Data collected by the Zhurong rover and orbiting satellites suggests the existence of an ancient shoreline in the Utopia Planitia region of Mars 2455332-chinese-rover-finds-further-evidence-for-an-ancient-ocean-on-mars|2455332 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455299-dna-analysis-rewrites-the-stories-of-people-buried-in-pompeii/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:01 +0000 Genetic analysis of five individuals preserved as plaster casts in the ruins of Pompeii contradicts established beliefs about the people and their relationships 2455299-dna-analysis-rewrites-the-stories-of-people-buried-in-pompeii|2455299 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455058-knots-made-in-a-weird-quantum-fluid-can-last-forever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 06 Nov 2024 20:15:51 +0000 Shapes created by vortices in water often fall apart, but an odd quantum fluid made from ultracold atoms could support vortex knots that never lose their knottiness 2455058-knots-made-in-a-weird-quantum-fluid-can-last-forever|2455058 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455122-more-people-are-living-with-pain-today-than-before-covid-emerged/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:28:00 +0000 Chronic pain has increased among adults in the US since 2019, which could be due to a rise in sedentary lifestyles or reduced access to healthcare amid covid-19 restrictions 2455122-more-people-are-living-with-pain-today-than-before-covid-emerged|2455122 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455253-ancient-egyptians-shaped-sheeps-horns-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:05:20 +0000 The earliest evidence of livestock with modified horns has been discovered in ancient Egypt – sheep skulls with horns that point in unnatural directions suggest humans forced them to grow that way 2455253-ancient-egyptians-shaped-sheeps-horns-and-we-dont-know-why|2455253 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455106-2024-is-set-to-be-the-first-year-that-breaches-the-1-5c-warming-limit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:00:30 +0000 This year’s average global temperature is almost certain to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial times – a milestone that should spur urgent action, say climate scientists 2455106-2024-is-set-to-be-the-first-year-that-breaches-the-1-5c-warming-limit|2455106 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454732-cancer-deaths-expected-to-nearly-double-worldwide-by-2050/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:05 +0000 Experts predict that the number of cancer cases around the world will skyrocket, resulting in millions more fatalities by 2050 2454732-cancer-deaths-expected-to-nearly-double-worldwide-by-2050|2454732 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454532-vampire-bats-run-on-a-treadmill-to-reveal-their-strange-metabolism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:01:15 +0000 Experiments where vampire bats were made to run on a treadmill have revealed how they extract energy from protein in their latest blood meal 2454532-vampire-bats-run-on-a-treadmill-to-reveal-their-strange-metabolism|2454532 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455052-distant-dwarf-planet-makemake-might-have-a-surprising-ice-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:26:31 +0000 A small world in the outer solar system appears to have volcanic activity possibly spurred by liquid water 2455052-distant-dwarf-planet-makemake-might-have-a-surprising-ice-volcano|2455052 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454851-dazzling-images-illuminate-research-on-cardiovascular-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:00:25 +0000 The British Heart Foundation’s Reflections of Research competition showcases beautiful images captured by researchers studying heart and circulatory disease 2454851-dazzling-images-illuminate-research-on-cardiovascular-disease|2454851 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454825-3d-printing-with-light-and-sound-could-let-us-copy-human-organs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:00:07 +0000 One day, doctors might be able to 3D print copies of your organs in order to test a variety of drugs, thanks to a new technique that uses light and sound for rapid printing 2454825-3d-printing-with-light-and-sound-could-let-us-copy-human-organs|2454825 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454752-natural-fibres-in-wet-wipes-may-actually-be-worse-for-soil-and-animals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:49:04 +0000 Fibres in wet wipes and clothes often make their way into soil - and natural versions could be more damaging than synthetic ones 2454752-natural-fibres-in-wet-wipes-may-actually-be-worse-for-soil-and-animals|2454752 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454631-ancient-mesopotamian-clay-seals-offer-clues-to-the-origin-of-writing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:01:09 +0000 Before Mesopotamian people invented writing, they used cylinder seals to press patterns into wet clay – and some of the symbols used were carried over into proto-writing 2454631-ancient-mesopotamian-clay-seals-offer-clues-to-the-origin-of-writing|2454631 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454728-spraying-rice-with-sunscreen-particles-during-heatwaves-boosts-growth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 04 Nov 2024 22:15:29 +0000 Zinc nanoparticles, a common sunscreen ingredient, can make plants more resilient to climate change – in a surprising way 2454728-spraying-rice-with-sunscreen-particles-during-heatwaves-boosts-growth|2454728 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454717-heat-can-flow-backwards-in-a-gas-so-thin-its-particles-never-touch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:45:20 +0000 A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one 2454717-heat-can-flow-backwards-in-a-gas-so-thin-its-particles-never-touch|2454717 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454705-the-cop16-biodiversity-summit-was-a-big-flop-for-protecting-nature/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:15:10 +0000 Although the COP16 summit in Colombia ended with some important agreements, countries still aren’t moving fast enough to stem biodiversity loss 2454705-the-cop16-biodiversity-summit-was-a-big-flop-for-protecting-nature|2454705 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454514-cop29-clashes-over-cash-are-set-to-dominate-the-climate-conference/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:50:55 +0000 The focus is on finance at the UN climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, this month, but countries are a long way from any kind of consensus 2454514-cop29-clashes-over-cash-are-set-to-dominate-the-climate-conference|2454514 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454482-worlds-largest-tree-is-also-among-the-oldest-living-organisms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:14:22 +0000 DNA analysis suggests Pando, a quaking aspen in Utah with thousands of stems connected by their roots, is between 16,000 and 81,000 years old 2454482-worlds-largest-tree-is-also-among-the-oldest-living-organisms|2454482 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454508-weve-seen-particles-that-are-massless-only-when-moving-one-direction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:08:49 +0000 Inside a hunk of a material called a semimetal, scientists have uncovered signatures of bizarre particles that sometimes move like they have no mass, but at other times move just like a very massive particle 2454508-weve-seen-particles-that-are-massless-only-when-moving-one-direction|2454508 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454541-viruses-may-help-store-vast-amounts-of-carbon-in-soil/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:00:35 +0000 Soil is full of an uncountable number of viruses, and scientists are only beginning to understand just how substantial their role in the carbon cycle may be 2454541-viruses-may-help-store-vast-amounts-of-carbon-in-soil|2454541 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454545-bird-flu-was-found-in-a-us-pig-does-that-raise-the-risk-for-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:21:36 +0000 A bird flu virus that has been circulating in dairy cattle for months has now been found in a pig in the US for the first time, raising the risk of the virus evolving to become more dangerous to people 2454545-bird-flu-was-found-in-a-us-pig-does-that-raise-the-risk-for-humans|2454545 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454024-there-may-be-a-cosmic-speed-limit-on-how-fast-anything-can-grow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:28:25 +0000 Alan Turing's theories about computation seem to have a startling consequence, placing hard limits on how fast or slow any physical process in the universe can grow 2454024-there-may-be-a-cosmic-speed-limit-on-how-fast-anything-can-grow|2454024 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454256-one-in-20-new-wikipedia-pages-seem-to-be-written-with-the-help-of-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:55:43 +0000 Just under 5 per cent of the Wikipedia pages in English that have been published since ChatGPT's release seem to include AI-written content 2454256-one-in-20-new-wikipedia-pages-seem-to-be-written-with-the-help-of-ai|2454256 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454183-cloud-inspired-material-can-bend-light-around-corners/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:21 +0000 Light can be directed and steered around bends using a method similar to the way clouds scatter photons, which could lead to advances in medical imaging, cooling systems and even nuclear reactors 2454183-cloud-inspired-material-can-bend-light-around-corners|2454183 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454324-data-centres-may-soon-burn-as-much-extra-gas-as-california-uses-daily/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 21:00:32 +0000 In support of their AI ambitions, tech companies are rapidly expanding US data centres, and this growth is on track to significantly increase US gas demand by 2030 2454324-data-centres-may-soon-burn-as-much-extra-gas-as-california-uses-daily|2454324 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454375-war-era-sugar-rationing-boosted-health-of-uk-people-conceived-in-1940s/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:00:30 +0000 People conceived during the UK's 1940s and 50s sugar rationing have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than those conceived after rationing ended 2454375-war-era-sugar-rationing-boosted-health-of-uk-people-conceived-in-1940s|2454375 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454221-chimpanzees-will-never-randomly-type-the-complete-works-of-shakespeare/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:21:30 +0000 The infinite monkey theorem states that illiterate primates could write great literature with enough time, but the amount of time needed is much longer than the lifespan of the universe 2454221-chimpanzees-will-never-randomly-type-the-complete-works-of-shakespeare|2454221 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454326-lakes-are-losing-winter-ice-cover-at-an-astonishing-rate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:00:55 +0000 Fewer lakes are freezing over each winter compared with past years, posing environmental and economic consequences around the world 2454326-lakes-are-losing-winter-ice-cover-at-an-astonishing-rate|2454326 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454310-a-bizarre-skeleton-from-a-roman-grave-has-bones-from-eight-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:51:08 +0000 Radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis have revealed that a complete skeleton found in a 2nd-century cemetery is made up of bones from many people spanning thousands of years – but we don’t know who assembled it or why 2454310-a-bizarre-skeleton-from-a-roman-grave-has-bones-from-eight-people|2454310 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453191-spies-can-eavesdrop-on-phone-calls-by-sensing-vibrations-with-radar/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:52:43 +0000 An off-the-shelf millimetre wave sensor can pick out the tiny vibrations made by a smartphone's speaker, enabling an AI model to transcribe the conversation, even at a distance in a noisy room 2453191-spies-can-eavesdrop-on-phone-calls-by-sensing-vibrations-with-radar|2453191 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454073-michelangelos-the-flood-seems-to-depict-a-woman-with-breast-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:00:53 +0000 The Renaissance artist Michelangelo had carried out human dissections, which may have led him to include women with breast cancer in some of his pieces 2454073-michelangelos-the-flood-seems-to-depict-a-woman-with-breast-cancer|2454073 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454095-simple-fix-could-make-us-census-more-accurate-but-just-as-private/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 30 Oct 2024 22:00:41 +0000 The US Census Bureau processes data before publishing it in order to keep personal information private – but a new approach could maintain the same privacy while improving accuracy 2454095-simple-fix-could-make-us-census-more-accurate-but-just-as-private|2454095 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453986-ai-can-use-tourist-photos-to-help-track-antarcticas-penguins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:00:37 +0000 Scientists used AI to transform tourist photos into a 3D digital map of Antarctic penguin colonies – even as researchers debate whether to harness or discourage tourism in this remote region 2453986-ai-can-use-tourist-photos-to-help-track-antarcticas-penguins|2453986 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454084-cancer-atlas-reveals-how-tumours-evolve-inside-the-body/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:00:03 +0000 A massive undertaking to map cancer tumours is providing new insights into how the disease forms, evolves and develops resistance to treatments 2454084-cancer-atlas-reveals-how-tumours-evolve-inside-the-body|2454084 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454031-oldest-tadpole-fossil-known-to-science-dates-back-161-million-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:00:17 +0000 A fossil of a tadpole from Argentina is 161 million years old - and isn't that different from some modern species 2454031-oldest-tadpole-fossil-known-to-science-dates-back-161-million-years|2454031 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453767-quantum-batteries-could-give-off-more-energy-than-they-store/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:15:33 +0000 Simulations suggest that when a quantum battery shares a quantum state with the device it is powering, the device can gain more charge than was stored in the battery to begin with 2453767-quantum-batteries-could-give-off-more-energy-than-they-store|2453767 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453873-the-amazon-is-teetering-on-the-edge-of-a-climate-tipping-point/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0000 In some recent years, the Amazon biome released more carbon than it absorbed, and further degradation could make it a permanent shift 2453873-the-amazon-is-teetering-on-the-edge-of-a-climate-tipping-point|2453873 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453853-astronauts-could-hitch-a-ride-on-asteroids-to-get-to-venus-or-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:00:47 +0000 Asteroids that regularly fly between Earth, Venus and Mars could provide radiation shielding for human missions to explore neighbouring planets 2453853-astronauts-could-hitch-a-ride-on-asteroids-to-get-to-venus-or-mars|2453853 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453800-one-course-of-antibiotics-can-change-your-gut-microbiome-for-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:00:35 +0000 Antibiotics can reduce diversity in the gut microbiome, raising the risk of infections that cause diarrhoea - and the effects may last years 2453800-one-course-of-antibiotics-can-change-your-gut-microbiome-for-years|2453800 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453516-ai-helps-driverless-cars-predict-how-unseen-pedestrians-may-move/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:00:19 +0000 A specialised algorithm could help autonomous vehicles track hidden objects, such as a pedestrian, a bicycle or another vehicle concealed behind a parked car 2453516-ai-helps-driverless-cars-predict-how-unseen-pedestrians-may-move|2453516 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453356-quantum-schrodingers-cat-survives-for-a-stunning-23-minutes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:32:34 +0000 A typically fragile quantum superposition has been made to last exceptionally long, and could eventually be used as a probe for discovering new physics 2453356-quantum-schrodingers-cat-survives-for-a-stunning-23-minutes|2453356 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453703-clean-energy-rollout-means-chinas-emissions-may-have-peaked/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:01:01 +0000 China's carbon emissions may have peaked in 2023, as figures suggest its output has plateaued so far in 2024 2453703-clean-energy-rollout-means-chinas-emissions-may-have-peaked|2453703 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453526-flu-viruses-have-evolved-proteins-that-let-them-break-through-mucus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:00:05 +0000 Computer simulations of how influenza A moves through human mucus found it is ideally configured to slide through the sticky stuff on its way to infecting cells 2453526-flu-viruses-have-evolved-proteins-that-let-them-break-through-mucus|2453526 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453640-the-world-is-falling-far-short-of-its-goal-to-halt-biodiversity-loss/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 16:35:53 +0000 In 2022, countries pledged to halt biodiversity loss by protecting 30 per cent of the planet by 2030, but progress has been too slow thus far 2453640-the-world-is-falling-far-short-of-its-goal-to-halt-biodiversity-loss|2453640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453314-meditation-seems-to-improve-our-empathy-for-strangers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 15:48:15 +0000 In a small study, women experienced more empathy for strangers who were experiencing pain after an eight-week meditation training programme 2453314-meditation-seems-to-improve-our-empathy-for-strangers|2453314 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453548-weird-microbes-could-help-rewrite-the-origin-of-multicellular-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:30:00 +0000 Single-celled organisms called archaea can become multicellular when compressed, highlighting the role of physical forces in evolution 2453548-weird-microbes-could-help-rewrite-the-origin-of-multicellular-life|2453548 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453289-earth-is-now-gaining-less-heat-than-it-has-for-several-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:00:51 +0100 The recent surge in warming led to fears that climate change may be accelerating beyond model projections, but a fall in how much heat Earth is gaining makes this less likely 2453289-earth-is-now-gaining-less-heat-than-it-has-for-several-years|2453289 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453552-stone-age-network-reveals-ancient-paris-was-an-artisanal-trading-hub/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:10:21 +0000 Ancient stone goods found across France may have been made by skilled craftspeople in what is now Paris, who traded along vast networks 2453552-stone-age-network-reveals-ancient-paris-was-an-artisanal-trading-hub|2453552 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453350-ai-models-fall-for-the-same-scams-that-we-do/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:00:52 +0100 Large language models can be used to scam humans, but AI is also susceptible to being scammed – and some models are more gullible than others 2453350-ai-models-fall-for-the-same-scams-that-we-do|2453350 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452967-nasa-is-developing-a-mars-helicopter-that-could-land-itself-from-orbit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 18:00:48 +0100 The largest and most ambitious Martian drone yet could carry kilograms of scientific equipment over great distances and set itself down on the Red Planet unassisted 2452967-nasa-is-developing-a-mars-helicopter-that-could-land-itself-from-orbit|2452967 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453247-dna-helps-match-well-man-skeleton-to-800-year-old-norwegian-saga/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:00:58 +0100 The Sverris saga describes how castle invaders “took a dead man and cast him unto the well, and then filled it up with stones”, in what may have been an early act of biological warfare - and now researchers believe they have found the skeleton of the man in question 2453247-dna-helps-match-well-man-skeleton-to-800-year-old-norwegian-saga|2453247 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453306-this-surprisingly-creative-trick-helps-children-eat-more-fruit-and-veg/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 15:00:00 +0100 Weaving tales of magical fruit and vegetables into your children's stories may encourage them to eat healthy snacks 2453306-this-surprisingly-creative-trick-helps-children-eat-more-fruit-and-veg|2453306 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453303-tiny-battery-made-from-silk-hydrogel-can-run-a-mouse-pacemaker/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:00:58 +0100 A lithium-ion battery made from three droplets of hydrogel is the smallest soft battery of its kind – and it could be used in biocompatible and biodegradable implants 2453303-tiny-battery-made-from-silk-hydrogel-can-run-a-mouse-pacemaker|2453303 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452199-complex-form-of-carbon-spotted-outside-solar-system-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:00:36 +0100 Complex carbon-based molecules crucial to life on Earth originated somewhere in space, but we didn't know where. Now, huge amounts of them have been spotted in a huge, cold cloud of gas 2452199-complex-form-of-carbon-spotted-outside-solar-system-for-first-time|2452199 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453218-your-gut-bacteria-are-at-war-and-force-their-enemies-to-switch-sides/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:00:32 +0100 Rival tribes of bacteria armed with poison darts are fighting it out in your gut, with armies of traitors often winning the day 2453218-your-gut-bacteria-are-at-war-and-force-their-enemies-to-switch-sides|2453218 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453148-some-wildfires-are-growing-twice-as-fast-as-they-did-two-decades-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:00:06 +0100 In the western US, the average maximum growth rate of fires has more than doubled over the past two decades 2453148-some-wildfires-are-growing-twice-as-fast-as-they-did-two-decades-ago|2453148 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453195-electric-skin-patch-could-keep-wounds-free-of-infection/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 17:00:21 +0100 Zapping the skin with electricity could stop bacteria that live there harmlessly from entering the body and causing blood poisoning 2453195-electric-skin-patch-could-keep-wounds-free-of-infection|2453195 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453198-carbon-emissions-are-now-growing-faster-than-before-the-pandemic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:00:52 +0100 Despite talk of a green recovery, global greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise as the world emerged from coronavirus lockdowns 2453198-carbon-emissions-are-now-growing-faster-than-before-the-pandemic|2453198 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453185-battery-like-device-made-from-water-and-clay-could-be-used-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 24 Oct 2024 18:55:15 +0100 A new supercapacitor design that uses only water, clay and graphene could source material on Mars and be more sustainable and accessible than traditional batteries 2453185-battery-like-device-made-from-water-and-clay-could-be-used-on-mars|2453185 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452737-neuroscientist-finds-her-brain-shrinks-while-taking-birth-control/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:52:51 +0100 A researcher who underwent dozens of brain scans discovered that the volume of her cerebral cortex was 1 per cent lower when she took hormonal contraceptives 2452737-neuroscientist-finds-her-brain-shrinks-while-taking-birth-control|2452737 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452876-dna-has-been-modified-to-make-it-store-data-350-times-faster/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:00:51 +0100 Researchers have managed to encode enormous amounts of information, including images, into DNA at a rate hundreds of times faster than was previously possible 2452876-dna-has-been-modified-to-make-it-store-data-350-times-faster|2452876 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452847-google-tool-makes-ai-generated-writing-easily-detectable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:00:15 +0100 Google DeepMind has been using its AI watermarking method on Gemini chatbot responses for months – and now it’s making the tool available to any AI developer 2452847-google-tool-makes-ai-generated-writing-easily-detectable|2452847 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453017-a-supernova-may-have-cleaned-up-our-solar-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 15:55:58 +0100 A nearby star that exploded some 3 million years ago could have removed all dust smaller than a millimetre from the outer solar system 2453017-a-supernova-may-have-cleaned-up-our-solar-system|2453017 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453040-nuclear-waste-tanker-pilots-futuristic-aluminium-sail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 19:07:52 +0100 Adding blade-like sails to tankers could reduce their annual fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent, slashing the climate impact of the shipping industry 2453040-nuclear-waste-tanker-pilots-futuristic-aluminium-sail|2453040 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452663-all-your-questions-about-marburg-virus-answered/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 12:00:34 +0100 Everything you need to know about Rwanda's outbreak of Marburg virus, which has been described as one of the deadliest human pathogens 2452663-all-your-questions-about-marburg-virus-answered|2452663 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452861-extremely-rare-bronze-age-wooden-tool-found-in-english-trench/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 23 Oct 2024 01:01:12 +0100 In a wetland on the south coast of England, archaeologists dug up one of the oldest and most complete wooden tools ever found in Britain, which is around 3500 years old 2452861-extremely-rare-bronze-age-wooden-tool-found-in-english-trench|2452861 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452742-the-mystery-of-the-missing-la-nina-continues-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 22:00:19 +0100 A climate-cooling La Niña pattern was expected to develop in the Pacific Ocean months ago, but forecasters now say it won't appear until November 2452742-the-mystery-of-the-missing-la-nina-continues-and-we-dont-know-why|2452742 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452780-meta-ai-tackles-maths-problems-that-stumped-humans-for-over-a-century/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:00:58 +0100 A type of mathematical problem that was previously impossible to solve can now be successfully analysed with artificial intelligence 2452780-meta-ai-tackles-maths-problems-that-stumped-humans-for-over-a-century|2452780 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452686-amateur-sleuth-finds-largest-known-prime-number-with-41-million-digits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 11:49:46 +0100 The largest prime number is now 16 million digits longer than the previous record found in 2018, thanks to an amateur hunter and his large collection of high-power graphics cards 2452686-amateur-sleuth-finds-largest-known-prime-number-with-41-million-digits|2452686 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452774-morphing-red-blood-cells-help-bats-hibernate-and-we-could-do-it-too/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:00:56 +0100 Animals that hibernate need a way to keep their blood flowing as their body temperature drops, and it seems that the mechanical properties of red blood cells may be key 2452774-morphing-red-blood-cells-help-bats-hibernate-and-we-could-do-it-too|2452774 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451036-can-sensor-technology-stop-a-wildfire-before-it-starts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 22 Oct 2024 13:00:34 +0100 The US Department of Homeland Security is trialling chemical sensors that detect the first whiff of smoke in the air and alert fire crews while a potential blaze is still smouldering 2451036-can-sensor-technology-stop-a-wildfire-before-it-starts|2451036 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452716-what-the-us-election-will-mean-for-ai-climate-action-and-abortion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 22:18:36 +0100 The upcoming US presidential election will determine how the country regulates tech, combats the climate crisis and decides on access to abortion 2452716-what-the-us-election-will-mean-for-ai-climate-action-and-abortion|2452716 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452672-preserved-tracks-suggest-non-avian-dinosaurs-used-their-wings-to-run/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 20:00:21 +0100 Not all winged dinosaurs were necessarily capable of full flight, but this anatomical feature may have enabled them to travel further by flapping or gliding 2452672-preserved-tracks-suggest-non-avian-dinosaurs-used-their-wings-to-run|2452672 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452524-many-iron-age-swords-may-be-tainted-by-modern-forgery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:00:39 +0100 Ancient weaponsmiths combined bronze and iron to fashion swords during the early Iron Age – but modern forgers glue together elements from different weapons, making it difficult for researchers to study the ancient technology 2452524-many-iron-age-swords-may-be-tainted-by-modern-forgery|2452524 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452575-what-to-expect-at-the-cop16-biodiversity-summit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:44:43 +0100 Countries are convening in Colombia to debate how they will achieve wide-ranging targets to stem biodiversity loss and how they plan to pay for it 2452575-what-to-expect-at-the-cop16-biodiversity-summit|2452575 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452557-hornets-can-hold-their-alcohol-like-no-other-animal-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:00:35 +0100 The oriental hornet shows no ill effects – or behavioural changes – when it spends a week drinking an 80 per cent alcohol solution 2452557-hornets-can-hold-their-alcohol-like-no-other-animal-on-earth|2452557 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452341-the-laws-of-physics-appear-to-follow-a-mysterious-mathematical-pattern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:07:29 +0100 The symbols and mathematical operations used in the laws of physics follow a pattern that could reveal something fundamental about the universe 2452341-the-laws-of-physics-appear-to-follow-a-mysterious-mathematical-pattern|2452341 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452501-mathematicians-have-found-a-new-way-to-identify-prime-numbers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:21:55 +0100 The first breakthrough in finding prime numbers for over 25 years has mathematicians celebrating, with hopes that the techniques behind the new proof could further advance other areas of maths 2452501-mathematicians-have-found-a-new-way-to-identify-prime-numbers|2452501 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452289-indestructible-quantum-rifts-can-exist-in-two-places-at-once/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:00:39 +0100 Researchers used a collection of charged atoms to create a quantum superposition of an exotic type of defect 2452289-indestructible-quantum-rifts-can-exist-in-two-places-at-once|2452289 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452399-boosting-brainwaves-in-sleep-improves-rats-memory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:00:59 +0100 Rats perform better on memory tests when certain brainwave-producing neurons are stimulated while they sleep. If we can boost these brainwaves in people, it could help treat memory impairments in those with dementia 2452399-boosting-brainwaves-in-sleep-improves-rats-memory|2452399 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452463-folklore-uncovers-a-tsunami-that-rocked-hawaii-hundreds-of-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 18:00:44 +0100 A story passed down in folklore led scientists to evidence of an 8-metre tsunami that hit an island in Hawaii hundreds of years ago 2452463-folklore-uncovers-a-tsunami-that-rocked-hawaii-hundreds-of-years-ago|2452463 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2450838-writing-backwards-can-trick-an-ai-into-providing-a-bomb-recipe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:22:57 +0100 AI models have safeguards in place to prevent them creating dangerous or illegal output, but a range of jailbreaks have been found to evade them. Now researchers show that writing backwards can trick AI models into revealing bomb-making instructions. 2450838-writing-backwards-can-trick-an-ai-into-providing-a-bomb-recipe|2450838 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452440-listening-to-music-after-surgery-seems-to-be-an-effective-painkiller/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:00:08 +0100 People who listen to music after having surgery report lower levels of pain and require less morphine than those who don't 2452440-listening-to-music-after-surgery-seems-to-be-an-effective-painkiller|2452440 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452196-de-extinction-company-claims-it-has-nearly-complete-thylacine-genome/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 17 Oct 2024 05:00:25 +0100 Colossal, a US firm that is aiming to revive lost species such as the woolly mammoth, says it now has a near-complete genome of the extinct thylacine 2452196-de-extinction-company-claims-it-has-nearly-complete-thylacine-genome|2452196 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452266-were-starting-to-understand-what-being-bullied-does-to-the-brain/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:50:17 +0100 Being bullied when young seems to alter your brain structure for years to come - with different changes seen in males and females 2452266-were-starting-to-understand-what-being-bullied-does-to-the-brain|2452266 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452302-these-stunning-photos-celebrate-the-intricacy-of-the-microscopic-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:00:42 +0100 A mouse's tumours, scales from a butterfly's wings and a smiling cross-section of a bracken fern are some of the incredible images from the Nikon Small World photography competition 2452302-these-stunning-photos-celebrate-the-intricacy-of-the-microscopic-world|2452302 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451504-invasive-snake-is-surviving-in-britain-by-living-in-attics-and-walls/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:00:52 +0100 Britain should be too cold for the invasive Aesculapian snake to survive, but it is thriving by exploiting the warmth of attics, wall cavities and compost heaps 2451504-invasive-snake-is-surviving-in-britain-by-living-in-attics-and-walls|2451504 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452232-more-evidence-that-limiting-social-media-wont-boost-your-well-being/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:00:59 +0100 People who went from using social media for at least 2 hours a day to just 30 minutes a day reported no improvement to their sleep or emotional well-being 2452232-more-evidence-that-limiting-social-media-wont-boost-your-well-being|2452232 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452138-the-first-brown-dwarf-ever-found-was-the-strangest-now-we-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 16 Oct 2024 17:00:36 +0100 The first “failed star” ever discovered has been a weird outlier since it was found nearly 30 years ago. New observations show that it is unusually massive because it isn’t a single star after all 2452138-the-first-brown-dwarf-ever-found-was-the-strangest-now-we-know-why|2452138 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452045-quantum-theory-is-challenging-long-standing-ideas-about-entropy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 15 Oct 2024 23:15:49 +0100 A mathematical study finds that three definitions of what it means for entropy to increase, which have previously been considered equivalent, can produce different results in the quantum realm 2452045-quantum-theory-is-challenging-long-standing-ideas-about-entropy|2452045 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452327-motor-made-from-bacteria-parts-is-one-of-the-smallest-ever-built/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:00:11 +0100 The natural motors that power tail-like appendages in bacteria seem to have a single evolutionary origin, allowing parts from different species to be combined to create a tiny new engine 2452327-motor-made-from-bacteria-parts-is-one-of-the-smallest-ever-built|2452327 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452261-why-farming-fish-is-more-unsustainable-than-catching-them-in-the-wild/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 16 Oct 2024 20:00:32 +0100 Producing a kilogram of farmed salmon may require 4 or 5 kilograms of wild fish, which isn't a sustainable approach to feeding the world's growing population 2452261-why-farming-fish-is-more-unsustainable-than-catching-them-in-the-wild|2452261 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452155-dolphins-breathe-in-microplastics-and-it-could-be-damaging-their-lungs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 16 Oct 2024 20:00:02 +0100 Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico have tiny bits of plastic in their breath, and this is probably a worldwide problem 2452155-dolphins-breathe-in-microplastics-and-it-could-be-damaging-their-lungs|2452155 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452255-how-quantum-software-developer-became-a-job-that-actually-exists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:57:35 +0100 While quantum computers are still in their infancy, more and more people are training to become quantum software developers 2452255-how-quantum-software-developer-became-a-job-that-actually-exists|2452255