New Scientist - Home 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/2530122-global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:59 +0100 Our soils are teeming with networks of fungi, and we're starting to understand how important they are 2530122-global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks|2530122 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2530108-have-we-finally-worked-out-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:51 +0100 It was widely thought that the movement of water through Venus flytrap cells caused the trap to close, but detailed experiments have led scientists to propose an alternative mechanism 2530108-have-we-finally-worked-out-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut|2530108 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2530202-el-nino-has-started-and-the-weather-could-get-weird/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:38:04 +0100 Global weather agencies have declared that El Niño has begun, and models show it is more likely than not to be a "super" El Niño. The climate pattern boosts extreme weather around the world, and could lead to record temperatures 2530202-el-nino-has-started-and-the-weather-could-get-weird|2530202 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529957-toy-universe-shows-that-time-could-be-a-quantum-illusion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:00:36 +0100 An experiment with a toy universe made up of extremely cold atoms shows how time can emerge from quantum interactions, instead of existing by default 2529957-toy-universe-shows-that-time-could-be-a-quantum-illusion|2529957 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529871-dramatic-photo-of-ibis-being-guided-to-their-winter-homes-wins-award/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:00:09 +0100 Student Gunnar Hartmann wins Nature’s 2026 Scientist at Work photography competition for this shot of migrating northern bald ibis in Spain 2529871-dramatic-photo-of-ibis-being-guided-to-their-winter-homes-wins-award|2529871 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2530057-the-one-film-to-watch-before-seeing-steven-spielbergs-disclosure-day/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:30:56 +0100 With Steven Spielberg’s new extraterrestrial film Disclosure Day just out, it’s the ideal time to watch Close Encounter of the Third Kind – perhaps the perfect UFO film, says film columnist Bethan Ackerley 2530057-the-one-film-to-watch-before-seeing-steven-spielbergs-disclosure-day|2530057 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529853-ditching-cigarettes-for-vapes-may-curb-the-cancer-benefits-of-quitting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:00:47 +0100 A study of 4.5 million people suggests that ex-smokers who take up vaping are more at risk of dying from lung cancer than people who quit without the use of e-cigarettes 2529853-ditching-cigarettes-for-vapes-may-curb-the-cancer-benefits-of-quitting|2529853 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035990-200-new-scientist-recommends-a-brilliant-take-on-the-evolution-of-birds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Palaeontologist Steve Brusatte's The Story of Birds offers an excellent and sometimes startling account of bird evolution, finds Michael Marshall mg27035990-200-new-scientist-recommends-a-brilliant-take-on-the-evolution-of-birds|2529358 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035991-800-think-you-have-a-good-sense-of-humour-so-do-most-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback is alarmed by a study that explored how funny people think they are, and discovered certain traits in those who rate themselves the most humorous mg27035991-800-think-you-have-a-good-sense-of-humour-so-do-most-people|2529469 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:23 +0100 A senior figure in the Ukrainian defence industry told New Scientist that a test took place two years ago involving fully autonomous drones set to destroy anything in a given area, with confirmed casualties 2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time|2529849 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529929-wolves-seen-hunting-european-bison-in-rare-camera-trap-recording/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:39:59 +0100 Europe’s largest land animal, the bison, is thought to be relatively unthreatened by predators, but footage from Białowieża Primaeval Forest in Poland shows it does face attacks from wolves 2529929-wolves-seen-hunting-european-bison-in-rare-camera-trap-recording|2529929 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529864-millions-of-fossil-whale-bones-found-in-deep-ocean-necropolis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:37 +0100 Researchers diving 7 kilometres deep in a crewed submersible have discovered a vast collection of whale bones, including fossils up to 5 million years old and species new to science 2529864-millions-of-fossil-whale-bones-found-in-deep-ocean-necropolis|2529864 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527870-hundreds-of-new-moons-are-revealing-our-solar-systems-violent-history/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 The outer solar system once seemed like a quiet backwater. But a glut of tiny, strange moons with unruly orbits are coming into view, revealing hints of a surprising past – and the origin of Saturn's rings 2527870-hundreds-of-new-moons-are-revealing-our-solar-systems-violent-history|2527870 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529589-a-nuclear-war-between-india-and-pakistan-could-destroy-the-ozone-layer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 15:28:35 +0100 Climate models suggest a small nuclear war in the tropics would do even more damage to the ozone layer than a larger nuclear war in more northerly latitudes, increasing exposure to dangerous ultraviolet radiation all over the world 2529589-a-nuclear-war-between-india-and-pakistan-could-destroy-the-ozone-layer|2529589 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529338-a-waymo-nearly-hit-me-but-im-still-optimistic-about-driverless-cars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:37:43 +0100 A near miss with a Waymo while cycling through London hasn't changed my optimistic stance on driverless cars, but we can't ever let our guard down, says Matthew Sparkes 2529338-a-waymo-nearly-hit-me-but-im-still-optimistic-about-driverless-cars|2529338 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529267-robots-are-about-to-overtake-armed-soldiers-as-the-deciders-of-war/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:55 +0100 Uncrewed ground vehicles have already been tested for defending the front line by the Ukrainian military. Despite their limitations, these remotely controlled robots could be the deciding factor in many conflicts 2529267-robots-are-about-to-overtake-armed-soldiers-as-the-deciders-of-war|2529267 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529799-iron-age-britons-may-have-removed-the-brains-of-the-dead/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:01:51 +0100 Scrape marks inside a skull and sharpened limb bones in a set of remains found in Scotland may be evidence of unusual Iron Age funerary rituals 2529799-iron-age-britons-may-have-removed-the-brains-of-the-dead|2529799 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529635-frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:33 +0100 A complex ecosystem of woolly mammoths, bison, horses and big cats has been elucidated by studying the faeces of small rodents that probably ate the bigger animals 2529635-frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species|2529635 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528456-the-last-ditch-plan-to-save-coral-reefs-from-utter-destruction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:22 +0100 Bleaching has devastated reefs around the world, raising fears of an irreversible shift. Yet new interventions have revealed that corals can be remarkably resilient if we can give them enough help to recover 2528456-the-last-ditch-plan-to-save-coral-reefs-from-utter-destruction|2528456 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529183-why-we-should-all-take-quantum-physics-extremely-personally/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:45 +0100 Physics is considered a cold, hard science – but it will transform your life if you view it with a bit more subjectivity, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan 2529183-why-we-should-all-take-quantum-physics-extremely-personally|2529183 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529145-a-cosmic-case-of-mistaken-identity-that-can-only-be-solved-right-now/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:00:32 +0100 Brown dwarfs are somewhere between the size of a planet and a star, so how could we have potentially mistaken two of them for distant galaxies? Columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein argues that solving this cosmic mix-up is particularly possible now, as galaxy research has never been stronger 2529145-a-cosmic-case-of-mistaken-identity-that-can-only-be-solved-right-now|2529145 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529627-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-site-stayed-hot-for-millions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:01:59 +0100 Drill cores at the impact site of the Chicxulub asteroid show evidence that, alongside widespread destruction, the collision created a vast underground ecosystem filled with hot water that sheltered microbial life 2529627-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-site-stayed-hot-for-millions-of-years|2529627 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529403-unpicking-endometriosis-reveals-how-it-affects-more-than-the-pelvis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:00:22 +0100 Endometriosis is usually thought of as a gynaecological condition, but a huge study shows it has links with cholesterol levels, inflammation and an altered microbiome 2529403-unpicking-endometriosis-reveals-how-it-affects-more-than-the-pelvis|2529403 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529553-you-dont-need-to-worry-about-recursive-self-improving-ai-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:14:51 +0100 Anthropic has warned that recursive-self-improving AI could be on the horizon, but the truth is the company is more immediately concerned with marketing itself for a blockbuster initial public offering on the stock market, says Matthew Sparkes 2529553-you-dont-need-to-worry-about-recursive-self-improving-ai-yet|2529553 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529312-what-really-happened-when-ancient-humans-migrated-out-of-africa/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:00:38 +0100 The out-of-Africa migration, in which ancient humans went on to inhabit every other continent except Antarctica, may not have been one moment in time, but a long and slow process. Columnist Michael Marshall examines how archaeologists are rethinking this critical part of our history 2529312-what-really-happened-when-ancient-humans-migrated-out-of-africa|2529312 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527645-what-is-a-normal-memory-slowdown-and-when-should-i-worry/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:00:35 +0100 Lapses in memory are a normal part of ageing but can also be signs of dementia. Here’s how to distinguish between typical brain ageing and cognitive decline 2527645-what-is-a-normal-memory-slowdown-and-when-should-i-worry|2527645 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529590-wildlife-thrives-in-solar-farm-built-on-restored-peatland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:00:11 +0100 A diverse range of bird species has been recorded at a solar park on rewetted peatland in Germany, suggesting that combining energy generation with habitat restoration could benefit biodiversity, the climate and the economy 2529590-wildlife-thrives-in-solar-farm-built-on-restored-peatland|2529590 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529562-can-apple-and-google-stop-children-from-sharing-explicit-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:02:52 +0100 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned tech firms, including Apple and Google, that they must voluntarily implement tools to stop children sharing explicit images, but experts warn this is easier said than done 2529562-can-apple-and-google-stop-children-from-sharing-explicit-images|2529562 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529526-half-the-worlds-reservoirs-could-be-clogged-up-with-dirt-by-2060/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:05:57 +0100 Each decade the world is losing over 7 per cent of its freshwater storage capacity to sediment build-up, according to an analysis of over half a million reservoirs 2529526-half-the-worlds-reservoirs-could-be-clogged-up-with-dirt-by-2060|2529526 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528588-understanding-anorexias-grip-on-the-brain-could-unlock-new-therapies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:00:41 +0100 One-third of people with anorexia nervosa don’t recover and treatment has remained stagnant for years. Now we’re beginning to understand how the condition takes over the mind 2528588-understanding-anorexias-grip-on-the-brain-could-unlock-new-therapies|2528588 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529507-you-could-get-some-of-the-benefits-of-sleep-without-having-to-nod-off/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:38:02 +0100 Mice seemed to reap some of the benefits of sleep by having their brain activity stimulated while they were awake, and the researchers plan to test the approach on people 2529507-you-could-get-some-of-the-benefits-of-sleep-without-having-to-nod-off|2529507 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529355-are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:11:08 +0100 A team in the US has reported promising results after using an improved form of CRISPR to gene-edit human embryos, but a major issue remains unsolved 2529355-are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies|2529355 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529138-the-maths-meme-that-has-been-distracting-mathematicians-for-a-century/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:00:46 +0100 A seemingly simple set of rules kicks off a kind of mathematical magic trick, which has kept great minds busy since the 1930s. Columnist Jacob Aron explores the origins of the Collatz conjecture, why it is so addictive to mathematicians and whether AI could help us solve it once and for all 2529138-the-maths-meme-that-has-been-distracting-mathematicians-for-a-century|2529138 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035982-500-superintelligent-machines-may-well-need-us-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Despite AI's dizzying improvements in mathematical ability, its successes show just how integral human mathematicians are to the scientific process mg27035982-500-superintelligent-machines-may-well-need-us-after-all|2528808 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528873-explore-the-mind-bending-and-paradoxical-art-of-m-c-escher/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:32 +0100 A new retrospective of the artist beloved by mathematicians opens this week. Get up close to the art with our interactive story 2528873-explore-the-mind-bending-and-paradoxical-art-of-m-c-escher|2528873 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529420-cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:16:15 +0100 Scientists warn that the Trump administration's push to dismantle a vital network of ocean-sensing instruments will stymie crucial weather and climate monitoring in the Pacific and Atlantic 2529420-cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc|2529420 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529279-a-chromosome-from-a-frozen-rat-has-been-resurrected-inside-mice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:52:40 +0100 Mice that contain cells with an added rat chromosome have been created by scientists. The next step is to try this with frozen elephant tissue – and if that works, the team will try it with frozen mammoths 2529279-a-chromosome-from-a-frozen-rat-has-been-resurrected-inside-mice|2529279 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035982-200-alice-roberts-we-are-fundamentally-at-the-end-of-the-day-animals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Why do we have big brains? Or walk on two legs? Biological anthropologist and broadcaster Alice Roberts talks human exceptionalism, evolution and her new book Humans with Michael Marshall mg27035982-200-alice-roberts-we-are-fundamentally-at-the-end-of-the-day-animals|2528642 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529078-mysterious-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-suggests-the-amoc-is-weakening/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:00:15 +0100 A patch of ocean south-east of Greenland is the only place on Earth that is cooling, and it could be a sign that the warm water "conveyor belt" in the Atlantic is slowing down 2529078-mysterious-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-suggests-the-amoc-is-weakening|2529078 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526727-why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:00:03 +0100 Ages 40 to 65 see a period of turmoil in the brain that has previously been overlooked. But identifying problems during this time can protect your cognitive health for decades to come 2526727-why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start|2526727 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527617-hearing-loss-is-bad-for-the-whole-body-but-new-treatments-are-coming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 From dementia to heart attacks, hearing loss has been linked to a wide range of effects across the body, and the condition is on the rise. Fortunately, we're learning how best to safeguard this crucial sense and how we might be able to reverse the damage 2527617-hearing-loss-is-bad-for-the-whole-body-but-new-treatments-are-coming|2527617 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526650-a-golden-age-of-maths-is-dawning-and-mathematicians-are-freaking-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:00:40 +0100 Mathematicians are stunned at the progress AI is making in solving advanced problems, leaving some questioning whether there will still be room for humans 2526650-a-golden-age-of-maths-is-dawning-and-mathematicians-are-freaking-out|2526650 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527761-flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:21:45 +0100 The modern world depends on open-source software maintained by volunteers, but the added demands of checking and fixing AI-written submissions are causing some to burn out and quit 2527761-flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit|2527761 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527505-everyone-is-lying-to-you-for-money-is-a-must-watch-expose-of-crypto/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:37 +0100 Actor Ben McKenzie explores the world of crypto in an entertaining documentary that doesn't shy away from calling out those who have promoted the currency 2527505-everyone-is-lying-to-you-for-money-is-a-must-watch-expose-of-crypto|2527505 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529220-becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:00:21 +0100 Parents report loving their partners less within the first year of having a child, but that doesn't mean the feeling is permanent or inevitable 2529220-becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less|2529220 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528940-how-rachel-carsons-silent-spring-changed-the-world-in-1962/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:00:58 +0100 Rachel Carson’s look at the dire effects of industrial and agricultural pollution birthed the modern environmental movement when it was first published – and remains as crucial a read today, finds Rowan Hooper 2528940-how-rachel-carsons-silent-spring-changed-the-world-in-1962|2528940 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529026-the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:37 +0100 Global warming will amplify the impacts of El Niño events, and could also make them much stronger and more far-reaching 2529026-the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come|2529026 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529005-stonehenges-altar-stone-probably-wasnt-transported-by-a-glacier/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:04 +0100 A glacier could have carried the giant sandstone at the centre of Stonehenge southwards from north-east Scotland, but this scenario appears unlikely 2529005-stonehenges-altar-stone-probably-wasnt-transported-by-a-glacier|2529005 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035982-000-new-scientist-recommends-a-deep-dive-into-our-organs-by-giulia-enders/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Giulia Enders made her name with Gut, an exploration of our intestines. Now, in the compelling follow-up Organ Speak, she’s listening to what our other organs are telling us mg27035982-000-new-scientist-recommends-a-deep-dive-into-our-organs-by-giulia-enders|2528640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035973-300-is-there-a-word-for-the-wiki-page-for-the-ship-of-theseus-paradox/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback has been flooded with answers (both correct and inspired) after wondering if there is a word for something that is an exemplar of the thing it describes. mg27035973-300-is-there-a-word-for-the-wiki-page-for-the-ship-of-theseus-paradox|2527851 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528962-earth-has-a-mysterious-triple-symmetry-that-may-influence-its-climate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 A circle running along the 27° east and 153° west meridians divides the globe into two halves with equal reflectivity – and this may have implications for solar geoengineering schemes 2528962-earth-has-a-mysterious-triple-symmetry-that-may-influence-its-climate|2528962 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529017-ditch-the-niceties-in-ai-prompts-to-save-energy-use-say-researchers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:16 +0100 A UN report warns of the rapid growth in AI energy consumption, but suggests users can improve efficiency by making prompts more concise 2529017-ditch-the-niceties-in-ai-prompts-to-save-energy-use-say-researchers|2529017 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528922-atom-based-quantum-computers-are-catching-up-in-the-race-to-usefulness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0100 A quantum computer made from extremely cold atoms can correct its own errors during long computations, an important prerequisite for becoming truly useful 2528922-atom-based-quantum-computers-are-catching-up-in-the-race-to-usefulness|2528922 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528945-keto-diet-shows-real-promise-for-anorexia-recovery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:20 +0100 Restricting carbohydrates may sound like an unlikely approach to treating anorexia, but following a ketogenic diet was linked to recovery in nearly 75 per cent of people with the eating disorder in a small trial 2528945-keto-diet-shows-real-promise-for-anorexia-recovery|2528945 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528789-otzis-frozen-remains-may-harbour-metabolically-active-microbes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:00:01 +0100 Researchers studying a 5300-year-old mummified man have identified bacteria that lived in his gut when he was alive, as well as cold-tolerant fungi that colonised his body after death 2528789-otzis-frozen-remains-may-harbour-metabolically-active-microbes|2528789 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528422-how-the-electromagnetic-spectrum-opened-our-eyes-to-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Our understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum goes back to Isaac Newton, but astronomers are still finding new ways to employ it. Astrophysicist Emma Chapman explores how much these invisible waves can reveal to us about the cosmos – and whether they might show us that we’re not alone 2528422-how-the-electromagnetic-spectrum-opened-our-eyes-to-the-universe|2528422 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528852-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-june-2026/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:30:52 +0100 The most exciting popular science reads this month explore everything from symbiosis to hormones, while Alice Roberts takes on an editor-in-chief role in her latest book 2528852-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-june-2026|2528852 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528586-hidden-store-of-manganese-may-have-helped-earth-get-its-oxygen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:00:23 +0100 Computer simulations have uncovered a new manganese compound that could exist deep in Earth’s mantle and may be connected to the process that gave our atmosphere oxygen 2528586-hidden-store-of-manganese-may-have-helped-earth-get-its-oxygen|2528586 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528690-new-scientist-recommends-togetherness-a-radical-new-view-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:30:29 +0100 An exploration of how biological cooperation underpins all life - and why we’ve overlooked its power until now - makes thrilling reading, finds Penny Sarchet 2528690-new-scientist-recommends-togetherness-a-radical-new-view-of-life|2528690 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528738-transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:11:12 +0100 People with advanced pancreatic cancer taking an experimental daily pill lived nearly twice as long as those receiving chemotherapy infusions 2528738-transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time|2528738 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528529-how-human-error-became-a-weapon-against-large-language-models/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 Alan Turing proposed a test for machine intelligence: could a computer convince a human it was human? We have begun conducting the same test on ourselves, writes Max Moser 2528529-how-human-error-became-a-weapon-against-large-language-models|2528529 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528418-do-turmeric-and-curcumin-have-any-actual-health-benefits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:14:40 +0100 Turmeric is heralded for its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, but columnist Alice Klein finds that the evidence for this is shaky. Taking high doses of its curcumin extract in supplement form can be risky 2528418-do-turmeric-and-curcumin-have-any-actual-health-benefits|2528418 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528511-huge-study-of-alzheimers-genetics-identifies-new-drug-targets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:24 +0100 Almost 50 more genes have been flagged as being linked to Alzheimer’s, along with changes in activity in crucial cells that disappear as dementia progresses 2528511-huge-study-of-alzheimers-genetics-identifies-new-drug-targets|2528511 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035972-000-capitalism-has-warped-our-understanding-of-ecology-and-lifes-origins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 The ideas of survival of the fittest and winning at all costs are closely entwinned with Darwinism, but they shouldn’t be. A rethink from a more communal perspective is in order mg27035972-000-capitalism-has-warped-our-understanding-of-ecology-and-lifes-origins|2527830 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528409-geoengineering-can-thicken-arctic-sea-ice-but-for-how-long/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:38 +0100 Two companies are aiming to preserve Arctic ice by pumping water onto the sheet and letting it freeze, but only one of the trials found that this delayed melting in the summer 2528409-geoengineering-can-thicken-arctic-sea-ice-but-for-how-long|2528409 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528235-pancreatic-cancer-halted-by-virus-injection-in-three-patients/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:56 +0100 A cancer-killing virus has stopped pancreatic tumours from growing and spreading in three people in an initial safety trial, raising hopes that it may help to beat the deadly condition 2528235-pancreatic-cancer-halted-by-virus-injection-in-three-patients|2528235 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526959-how-a-radical-new-view-of-life-could-reveal-its-origin-and-aliens/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 May 2026 17:00:56 +0100 We've been looking at nature the wrong way, argues Rowan Hooper. If we stop focusing on the individual, we get a whole new picture of how life on Earth – and elsewhere – may have begun 2526959-how-a-radical-new-view-of-life-could-reveal-its-origin-and-aliens|2526959 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527224-embryos-made-without-sperm-or-eggs-reveal-why-many-pregnancies-fail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 17:00:58 +0100 Embryo organoids made from stem cells are enabling scientists to recreate early pregnancy in the lab, unlocking treatments for infertility, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia 2527224-embryos-made-without-sperm-or-eggs-reveal-why-many-pregnancies-fail|2527224 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528164-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-june-2026/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sat, 30 May 2026 11:00:57 +0100 There is plenty of intriguing sci-fi on offer this month, whether it’s solar-powered cities from Adrian Tchaikovsky or a strange future from M. John Harrison 2528164-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-june-2026|2528164 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528339-photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:26 +0100 Particles of light cannot be divided into smaller particles, but if you try to snip off the end of one, instead of shortening it multiplies 2528339-photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them|2528339 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527824-our-verdict-on-luminous-by-silvia-park-a-fascinating-take-on-robots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:03 +0100 The New Scientist Book Club read Silvia Park's near-future sci-fi novel Luminous in May, and had lots of good things to say (along with a few complaints) 2527824-our-verdict-on-luminous-by-silvia-park-a-fascinating-take-on-robots|2527824 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035970-800-the-late-ian-watsons-sci-fi-the-embedding-is-intriguing-but-dated/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Watson's death last month prompted sci-fi columnist Emily H. Wilson to read his acclaimed 1973 debut and find out what she'd been missing. She found it fascinating – but reflective of its time mg27035970-800-the-late-ian-watsons-sci-fi-the-embedding-is-intriguing-but-dated|2527683 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526507-does-gravity-create-reality-a-shocking-path-to-a-theory-of-everything/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 May 2026 17:00:47 +0100 A rewrite of quantum mechanics that includes the force of gravity could finally achieve one of physicists’ biggest goals and reveal the ultimate fuzziness of time 2526507-does-gravity-create-reality-a-shocking-path-to-a-theory-of-everything|2526507 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528327-glaciers-in-the-roof-of-the-world-have-suddenly-started-melting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 07:00:19 +0100 Until recently, the Pamir mountains in central Asia have bucked the global melting trend, but in 2025, the region’s glaciers experienced a massive loss of ice due to extreme heat 2528327-glaciers-in-the-roof-of-the-world-have-suddenly-started-melting|2528327 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528468-aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 16:20:15 +0100 According to a mathematical model of how people weigh up different outcomes, the optimal strategy is to be ambitious, but not overly so 2528468-aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise|2528468 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528415-horror-video-game-gets-its-creepiness-from-a-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:58 +0100 Quantum Backrooms is a horror game in which the player explores eerie rooms. The twist is that the rooms have been generated by a quantum computer 2528415-horror-video-game-gets-its-creepiness-from-a-quantum-computer|2528415 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528281-mirror-life-scientists-clash-over-threat-of-lab-engineered-bacteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:40 +0100 Bacteria created using mirror images of natural biomolecules would pose a grave threat to life on Earth, some researchers warn, but a new study suggests they would struggle to survive in the wild 2528281-mirror-life-scientists-clash-over-threat-of-lab-engineered-bacteria|2528281 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528336-were-becoming-more-individualistic-and-its-affecting-our-love-lives/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:48 +0100 We're increasingly prioritising our own needs over those of the wider community, which may be causing us to love our partners less intensely 2528336-were-becoming-more-individualistic-and-its-affecting-our-love-lives|2528336 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528309-read-an-extract-from-the-selfish-gene-by-richard-dawkins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 09:30:36 +0100 Dive into the opening of The Selfish Gene's first chapter 'Why are people?', the New Scientist Book Club’s read for June to mark 50 years since the popular science classic was first published 2528309-read-an-extract-from-the-selfish-gene-by-richard-dawkins|2528309 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035970-700-unsettling-dance-piece-explores-how-ai-is-warping-human-relationships/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Inspired by Shannon Vallor's book The AI Mirror, this compelling piece looks at how we are being affected by our deepening interactions with tech mg27035970-700-unsettling-dance-piece-explores-how-ai-is-warping-human-relationships|2527682 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528342-q-day-could-destroy-bitcoin-and-our-retirement-savings/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:02 +0100 Even if you’ve never bought any cryptocurrency, like columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan, your money may be affected by bitcoin’s fate – which is uncertain, as quantum computing advances are threatening to make the encryption protecting it useless 2528342-q-day-could-destroy-bitcoin-and-our-retirement-savings|2528342 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527163-earth-from-above-author-returns-with-astonishing-freshwater-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:33 +0100 From Kenya's Tree of Life to a Svalbard glacier, these stunning photos are taken from a new book by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, whose The Earth From Above was a smash hit 25 years ago 2527163-earth-from-above-author-returns-with-astonishing-freshwater-images|2527163 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528290-mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 May 2026 17:00:57 +0100 After an AI from OpenAI found a trick to solve an 80-year-old conjecture from Paul Erdős, mathematicians have borrowed the same technique to solve another important problem 2528290-mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem|2528290 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527807-first-quantum-grandfather-clock-could-probe-where-gravity-comes-from/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:31 +0100 Researchers have designed a quantum version of a pendulum clock. It could shed light on timekeeping in the quantum realm 2527807-first-quantum-grandfather-clock-could-probe-where-gravity-comes-from|2527807 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528160-start-ups-are-racing-to-revolutionise-mathematics-with-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:09 +0100 AI start-ups with hundreds of millions of dollars in funding are hiring mathematicians and building AI systems that they hope will not only solve mathematics, but also build more intelligent AI 2528160-start-ups-are-racing-to-revolutionise-mathematics-with-ai|2528160 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528140-3d-printed-lymph-nodes-could-widen-access-to-car-t-cell-therapy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:29 +0100 The cost of CAR T-cell therapy means that the highly effective cancer treatment is unavailable in many parts of the world. But a new way of making these cells could dramatically drive down the cost 2528140-3d-printed-lymph-nodes-could-widen-access-to-car-t-cell-therapy|2528140 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528120-the-book-is-in-the-future-but-everything-is-seeded-from-our-present/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 May 2026 11:00:16 +0100 Helen Phillips, winner of the Climate Fiction prize for her novel Hum, on if stories can make a difference, her anxieties and writing about the climate 2528120-the-book-is-in-the-future-but-everything-is-seeded-from-our-present|2528120 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528091-millions-of-planets-might-form-around-supermassive-black-holes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:41 +0100 Massive amounts of dust swirl around active nuclei at the centres of galaxies, and these discs could give rise to vast numbers of rocky planets, some even the size of stars 2528091-millions-of-planets-might-form-around-supermassive-black-holes|2528091 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527775-wealthy-people-with-environmental-ideals-are-the-biggest-emitters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 15:00:47 +0100 Among people of high socioeconomic status, love for nature corresponds with a bigger environmental footprint – and there's an obvious reason why 2527775-wealthy-people-with-environmental-ideals-are-the-biggest-emitters|2527775 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2528075-nasa-plans-a-base-on-the-moon-spanning-hundreds-of-square-kilometres/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 14:05:27 +0100 Three missions slated to launch this year will begin to search the lunar surface for a suitable base location 2528075-nasa-plans-a-base-on-the-moon-spanning-hundreds-of-square-kilometres|2528075 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527765-we-may-finally-know-why-gold-stays-so-shiny/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:43 +0100 Gold is chemically inert and so doesn't tarnish, but exactly why had been a mystery 2527765-we-may-finally-know-why-gold-stays-so-shiny|2527765 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035970-600-new-scientist-recommends-turi-kings-expert-book-about-dnas-secrets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 From clearing people convicted of murder to identifying a monarch's remains, Michael Le Page is fascinated by The Secrets of Our DNA, an insider's must-read book mg27035970-600-new-scientist-recommends-turi-kings-expert-book-about-dnas-secrets|2527681 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527673-space-storms-could-switch-train-signals-and-cause-serious-accidents/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 May 2026 15:00:52 +0100 Critical safety equipment in many train systems is vulnerable to disruption by space weather, which could lead to fatal accidents 2527673-space-storms-could-switch-train-signals-and-cause-serious-accidents|2527673 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527886-earliest-use-of-anaesthetics-uncovered-in-chinese-doctors-tomb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 May 2026 12:24:28 +0100 Residues on medical equipment reveal that physicians in China over 600 years ago used aconitine, a highly toxic plant chemical, to alleviate pain during surgical procedures 2527886-earliest-use-of-anaesthetics-uncovered-in-chinese-doctors-tomb|2527886 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527809-will-lab-grown-sperm-let-infertile-men-have-children-of-their-own/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:13 +0100 Men who do not produce sperm can’t be helped by existing fertility treatments, but a start-up is now claiming it can grow their sperm in the lab. Columnist Michael Le Page suspects this technique will have to be combined with gene editing if it is to help many men 2527809-will-lab-grown-sperm-let-infertile-men-have-children-of-their-own|2527809 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527583-attack-on-irans-oil-released-as-much-pollution-as-a-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:08 +0100 Airstrikes on Tehran earlier this year emitted a plume containing almost 30,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide that reached Asian countries 2527583-attack-on-irans-oil-released-as-much-pollution-as-a-volcano|2527583 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg27035962-300-pmos-shows-us-why-many-scientific-terms-need-to-be-renamed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Like covid-19 and mpox before it, the decision to relabel PCOS as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome is a welcome one – and reveals why a name is never just a name mg27035962-300-pmos-shows-us-why-many-scientific-terms-need-to-be-renamed|2527164 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527768-mars-astronauts-may-do-laundry-by-blasting-clothes-with-a-plasma-beam/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:14 +0100 There is currently no good way for astronauts in space to do laundry, but researchers may have finally come up with one: a bright purple jet of microbe-killing plasma 2527768-mars-astronauts-may-do-laundry-by-blasting-clothes-with-a-plasma-beam|2527768 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2527590-why-your-brain-needs-plenty-of-aha-moments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:12 +0100 In the age of AI, instant answers to our questions are readily available. But columnist Helen Thomson finds that continuing to encourage those delicious flashes of insight that come from your own thoughts may be beneficial both for your everyday life and your long-term brain health 2527590-why-your-brain-needs-plenty-of-aha-moments|2527590 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2525755-can-we-harness-quantum-effects-to-create-a-new-kind-of-healthcare/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 May 2026 19:00:42 +0100 Experiments hint that quantum mechanisms are vital to the machinery of life. Now researchers are exploring if these effects help to explain the success of an array of puzzling health treatments 2525755-can-we-harness-quantum-effects-to-create-a-new-kind-of-healthcare|2525755