# Twtxt is an open, distributed microblogging platform that # uses human-readable text files, common transport protocols, # and free software. # # Learn more about twtxt at https://github.com/buckket/twtxt # # This is an automated Yarn.social feed running feeds v0.1.0@72e53a9 # Learn more about Yarn.social at https://yarn.social # # nick = New_scientist # url = https://feeds.twtxt.net/New_scientist/twtxt.txt # type = rss # source = https://feeds.newscientist.com/ # avatar = https://feeds.twtxt.net/New_scientist/avatar.png#zbrg2aio7tayxyclpvymjkso24l3y5dzj7gnsbietz7appnzvsha # description = # updated_at = 2023-03-25T16:45:33Z # 2023-01-13T20:08:08Z **Supermassive black hole snacks on the same star once every few years**
A black hole almost 900 million light years away consumes part of an orbiting star every time it gets too close ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354787-supermassive-black-hole-snacks-on-the-same-star-once-every-few-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-16T11:47:17Z **A blast of ultrasound waves could rejuvenate ageing cells**
Treatment with low-frequency ultrasound has restarted cell division in ageing human cells and improved physical performance in old mice ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354698-a-blast-of-ultrasound-waves-could-rejuvenate-ageing-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-16T10:46:41Z **The first breach of 1.5°C will be a temporary but devastating failure**
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C has become the defining measure of success in the climate fight and we need to think about what comes next ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354824-the-first-breach-of-1-5c-will-be-a-temporary-but-devastating-failure/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-16T16:00:00Z **Deep brain stimulation could reduce emotional impact of memories**
We are more likely to remember emotional experiences than neutral ones but deep brain stimulation using implanted electrodes reduces this memory effect, so could be used to treat PTSD ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354978-deep-brain-stimulation-could-reduce-emotional-impact-of-memories/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-16T20:00:44Z **Spraying drugs up the nose may help heal the brain after a stroke**
Antibody molecules may travel up nerve fibres that pass from the nose to the brain in experiments on rats20 ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354941-spraying-drugs-up-the-nose-may-help-heal-the-brain-after-a-stroke/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-16T20:00:40Z **Trilobites used trident-like horns to fight over mates like stags**
Three-pronged weapons on the heads of Walliserops fossils suggest that animals first duelled in sexual combat at least 400 million years ago ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354846-trilobites-used-trident-like-horns-to-fight-over-mates-like-stags/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T12:00:20Z **Google has finally revealed how much water its data centres use**
Google had previously kept its data centre water usage secret but it has recently revealed how many billions of litres it uses each year ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354801-google-has-finally-revealed-how-much-water-its-data-centres-use/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T11:29:52Z **Mathematical trick lets hackers shame people into fixing software bugs**
Security researchers who find a flaw in software normally privately inform the developers of it in the hope of prompting a fix, but now a mathematical trick can let them apply public pressure without releasing dangerous details of the bug ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2353963-mathematical-trick-lets-hackers-shame-people-into-fixing-software-bugs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T15:50:57Z **Will we ever see commercial plane flights without human pilots?**
Many planes have autopilots, but they can only be used in certain circumstances. Now Airbus is testing one that can choose the nearest safe airport, land a plane and even taxi to the terminal if pilots are incapacitated ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354840-will-we-ever-see-commercial-plane-flights-without-human-pilots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T15:20:16Z **Male chicks are more sociable if they were grown in warmer eggs**
Increasing the temperature of egg incubators by 1°C or 2°C has shown promise to help chickens cope with rising global temperatures. Now, research suggests it also makes male chicks more sociable and potentially less aggressive as adults ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355182-male-chicks-are-more-sociable-if-they-were-grown-in-warmer-eggs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T15:05:21Z **Ranchers are using GPS-collars to herd livestock with virtual fences**
The US Bureau of Land Management is helping ranchers and farmers in Colorado test virtual fences, which set moveable boundaries controlled by an app, and can keep cattle from overgrazing the range ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354809-ranchers-are-using-gps-collars-to-herd-livestock-with-virtual-fences/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-17T14:14:39Z **ChatGPT detector could help spot cheaters using AI to write essays**
A tool called GPTZero can identify whether text was produced by a chatbot, which could help teachers tell if students are getting AI to help with their homework ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355035-chatgpt-detector-could-help-spot-cheaters-using-ai-to-write-essays/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T01:00:38Z **Vagus nerve receptors may be key to controlling inflammation**
Researchers identified receptors in the vagus nerves of mice that help control inflammation, which could improve treatments for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis where the pathway may malfunction ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355262-vagus-nerve-receptors-may-be-key-to-controlling-inflammation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T00:01:51Z **Children aged 5 are better at switching their attention than chimps**
In a task based on switching between two sets of rules, 5-year-olds score highly, while 4-year-olds and chimpanzees lag behind ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355174-children-aged-5-are-better-at-switching-their-attention-than-chimps/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T00:01:26Z **Marine heat waves could wipe out all common sea stars by 2100**
Simulations of ocean warming show that future marine heat waves that last more than 13 days would kill off all of the world's common sea stars ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355243-marine-heat-waves-could-wipe-out-all-common-sea-stars-by-2100/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T10:00:00Z **Huge AI models can be halved in size without degrading performance**
A way to cut the scale of artificial intelligence models by 60 per cent could save huge amounts of energy and make them more accessible ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355078-huge-ai-models-can-be-halved-in-size-without-degrading-performance/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T16:00:24Z **You share a third of your oral bacteria with other people in your home**
Transmission of bacteria through droplets of saliva from people we live with probably plays a large role in the make-up of our oral microbiome ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355432-you-share-a-third-of-your-oral-bacteria-with-other-people-in-your-home/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T16:00:00Z **Fresh ideas about the causes of depression are bringing new treatments**
By upending the idea that a chemical imbalance in the brain is behind depression, we are starting to understand some of its mysteries and develop better treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734220-100-fresh-ideas-about-the-causes-of-depression-are-bringing-new-treatments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T14:54:16Z **Odd parasitic plant with fleshy flowers identified as new species**
A review of hydnora plants has identified one new species based on preserved specimens and reinstated two others, bringing the total number to 10 ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355288-odd-parasitic-plant-with-fleshy-flowers-identified-as-new-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T21:19:26Z **Watch rare livestream of bald eagles nesting on eggs in California**
Two eggs laid by a pair of nesting bald eagles in California are the latest symbol of success for the once-imperiled species ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355547-watch-rare-livestream-of-bald-eagles-nesting-on-eggs-in-california/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T19:00:37Z **Flame-resistant variety of cotton could cut need for toxic retardants**
White cotton can normally only be made fire resistant by adding toxic flame retardants, but a new form could enable us to make inherently non-flammable cotton fabrics ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355250-flame-resistant-variety-of-cotton-could-cut-need-for-toxic-retardants/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T19:00:36Z **Oyster mushroom fungus uses nerve gas to paralyse and eat tiny worms**
The fungus that produces oyster mushrooms preys on tiny animals by releasing a paralysing nerve gas called 3-octanone before growing into their bodies ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355065-oyster-mushroom-fungus-uses-nerve-gas-to-paralyse-and-eat-tiny-worms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T19:00:18Z **Treasure trove of fossil eggs hints titanosaurs nested in colonies**
A study of more than 250 fossil eggs found in India suggests long-necked titanosaurs nested in large groups, but left hatchlings to fend for themselves ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355507-treasure-trove-of-fossil-eggs-hints-titanosaurs-nested-in-colonies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-18T19:00:05Z **Drone with sticky patches studies biodiversity by bumping into trees**
A drone has revealed information on the animals inhabiting a tree's canopy simply by brushing against branches and collecting loose particles of environmental DNA with its sticky surfaces ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355152-drone-with-sticky-patches-studies-biodiversity-by-bumping-into-trees/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T13:27:30Z **Human waste could help tackle a global shortage of fertiliser**
Tests on cabbage plants suggest fertilisers derived from human urine and faeces are safe and could help bring down food prices ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355597-human-waste-could-help-tackle-a-global-shortage-of-fertiliser/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T12:30:45Z **AI detects if YouTubers are infected with omicron coronavirus variant**
An artificial intelligence picked up on audio samples where the speaker said they were infected with the coronavirus while omicron was dominant with 80 per cent accuracy, potentially offering an inexpensive way of tracking cases ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355571-ai-detects-if-youtubers-are-infected-with-omicron-coronavirus-variant/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T12:00:40Z **Smart office chair recognises what position you are sitting in**
An office chair fitted with sensors detects how you are sitting and uses artificial intelligence to classify it – the long-term aim is to tell you how to improve your posture ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2354589-smart-office-chair-recognises-what-position-you-are-sitting-in/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T17:36:22Z **Up to 79% of planets in the ‘habitable zone’ may not be good for life**
Many planets that have the right temperatures for liquid water on their surfaces used to be too hot or too cold, which may affect their ability to host life now ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355642-up-to-79-of-planets-in-the-habitable-zone-may-not-be-good-for-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T16:58:42Z **Woman has entire scalp reattached after it was ripped off by a drill**
Surgeons reattached a woman’s scalp by meticulously stitching the skin and blood vessels back together after her hair was caught in a column drill and torn off ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355554-woman-has-entire-scalp-reattached-after-it-was-ripped-off-by-a-drill/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T00:01:01Z **Serve vegan burgers in schools to trigger shift from meat, says report**
Researchers urge governments to use public procurement of plant-based proteins to bring about cascading changes that help tackle climate change ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355616-serve-vegan-burgers-in-schools-to-trigger-shift-from-meat-says-report/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-19T22:18:04Z **Dolphins spotted swimming in New York City’s Bronx River**
Once an industrial waste dumpsite, the Bronx River is now healthy enough to host marine species – including dolphins – that it hasn’t seen in years ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355687-dolphins-spotted-swimming-in-new-york-citys-bronx-river/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T11:33:45Z **Ghost knifefish make electric 'chirps' to spot where other fish are**
It's long been thought that the electrical chirps of brown ghost knifefish are for communication, but they might instead help improve electrolocation ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355161-ghost-knifefish-make-electric-chirps-to-spot-where-other-fish-are/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T17:15:38Z **Fabric inspired by camel’s hump could protect firefighters from heat**
A fabric made by welding aerogel pockets together with ultrasound mimics the make-up of a camel’s hump to protect against fire as well as letting sweat escape ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355789-fabric-inspired-by-camels-hump-could-protect-firefighters-from-heat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T16:58:42Z **Crab deaths on UK coast may be caused by unknown disease, finds report**
A scientific committee has ruled out chemical poisoning and algae as explanations for the deaths of crustaceans in north-east England, saying a new disease is the most likely cause ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355786-crab-deaths-on-uk-coast-may-be-caused-by-unknown-disease-finds-report/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T15:36:00Z **Milk may have fuelled a growth spurt in ancient Europeans**
An analysis of ancient human skeletons finds that an increase in size and weight in some regions coincided with the rise of lactose tolerance ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355745-milk-may-have-fuelled-a-growth-spurt-in-ancient-europeans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T15:27:50Z **Google's AI is best yet at answering medical and health questions**
Google has built an AI that can answer medical questions. However, it's not as good as a human doctor and the company says it cannot yet perform safely in the real world ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355689-googles-ai-is-best-yet-at-answering-medical-and-health-questions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T15:03:08Z **Crocodile-like body armour resists stabbing and cuts**
A tough material inspired by the tiled scales of a crocodile could be useful as body armour or for covering equipment to help it last ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355747-crocodile-like-body-armour-resists-stabbing-and-cuts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T21:44:19Z **Largest plane yet tested with hydrogen-powered engine**
Aerospace company ZeroAvia successfully tested using a hydrogen-electric engine to power one of the propellors in a 19-seat aircraft ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355826-largest-plane-yet-tested-with-hydrogen-powered-engine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-20T20:57:05Z **California storms didn't solve the state's drought and water crisis**
After weeks of intense rain and flooding, most of California’s reservoirs are holding more water than usual for this time of year, but groundwater is still not replenished ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355697-california-storms-didnt-solve-the-states-drought-and-water-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-23T01:00:14Z **Why antidepressants can blunt both negative and positive emotions**
People taking an SSRI antidepressant do less well in a task that measures how sensitive we are to rewards ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355756-why-antidepressants-can-blunt-both-negative-and-positive-emotions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-23T14:33:27Z **Surplus wind energy to heat water for fuel-poor households in Ireland**
As renewable energy grows, large amounts of surplus power are going to waste – but a scheme in Ireland has found a way to let people in social housing use energy for free ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355929-surplus-wind-energy-to-heat-water-for-fuel-poor-households-in-ireland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-23T20:00:58Z **Wolves are eating sea otters after depleting an Alaskan island’s deer**
After a pack of wolves  almost drove the deer on a small Alaskan island extinct, they switched to eating sea otters and other marine creatures ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355965-wolves-are-eating-sea-otters-after-depleting-an-alaskan-islands-deer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-23T19:38:52Z **JWST has seen building blocks of life in a dark, cold cloud in space**
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed a frigid cloud of dust and gas where stars are forming, and it found frozen elements that are crucial for the development of life ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356058-jwst-has-seen-building-blocks-of-life-in-a-dark-cold-cloud-in-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-23T17:30:00Z **A better understanding of PCOS offers fresh hope for new treatments**
New insights into polycystic ovary syndrome are revealing more about the causes of this common but misunderstood whole-body condition, and these could lead to new treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-900-a-better-understanding-of-pcos-offers-fresh-hope-for-new-treatments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T05:15:47Z **Egyptian boy mummy was buried with a ‘second heart’ made of gold**
X-rays have been used to digitally unwrap the mummy of a teenage boy dating back about 2300 years, revealing 49 precious protective amulets, including a gold scarab signifying the heart ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356004-egyptian-boy-mummy-was-buried-with-a-second-heart-made-of-gold/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T10:18:51Z **Rare Antarctic meteorite is one of the largest ever found**
Antarctica is the perfect place to go meteorite hunting, as space rocks stand out on the wide fields of ice, and researchers have found a new crop ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356082-rare-antarctic-meteorite-is-one-of-the-largest-ever-found/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T16:30:00Z **The mysterious underwater avalanches reshaping Earth**
Turbidity currents are cascades of sediment that tumble down Earth’s 9000 submarine canyons carrying carbon, plastics and pharmaceuticals into the deep sea. We are finally learning just how often these dramatic events occur. ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-200-the-mysterious-underwater-avalanches-reshaping-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T15:56:27Z **Fake mushroom experiment reveals why some fungi glow in the dark**
Why some mushrooms are bioluminescent remains uncertain, but a study using LED lights adds to the evidence they attract insects that help the fungus disperse its spores ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356091-fake-mushroom-experiment-reveals-why-some-fungi-glow-in-the-dark/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T14:59:23Z **The first ever vaccine against RSV could be approved in 2023**
Although usually mild, the respiratory syncytial virus can be fatal among babies and older people. Promising results from trials during pregnancy and in those aged 60 or over suggest that a vaccine may soon be approved ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356151-the-first-ever-vaccine-against-rsv-could-be-approved-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T00:01:49Z **Dogs can tell when you want to give them a treat – even if you don’t**
Pet dogs respond more patiently when humans clumsily drop a treat out of reach than when it is intentionally pulled away, suggesting canines can understand human intentions ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356219-dogs-can-tell-when-you-want-to-give-them-a-treat-even-if-you-dont/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-24T23:01:48Z **Type 2 diabetes linked with an increased risk of dying from cancer**
Research suggests that the risk of dying from any type of cancer is 18 per cent higher among people with type 2 diabetes, compared with the general population ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356182-type-2-diabetes-linked-with-an-increased-risk-of-dying-from-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T06:00:43Z **The outline of people’s bodies can be detected from Wi-Fi signals**
Machine learning can analyse how the signals from Wi-Fi transmitters are disrupted by human bodies to reveal what position people are sitting, standing or lying in ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356242-the-outline-of-peoples-bodies-can-be-detected-from-wi-fi-signals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T12:45:00Z **What happens when sperm and egg donors lose the right to anonymity?**
In the UK and New Zealand, people conceived using donated sperm, eggs or embryos who turn 18 this year will be able to learn the identity of their donors – but it is unclear how many will want to ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734234-000-what-happens-when-sperm-and-egg-donors-lose-the-right-to-anonymity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T17:14:31Z **ChatGPT can find and fix bugs in computer code**
The AI chatbot ChatGPT is as good as standard machine learning approaches at fixing bugs in code, and does even better if engage in dialogue with it ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356482-chatgpt-can-find-and-fix-bugs-in-computer-code/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T16:00:58Z **Shortest pulse of electrons ever created lasts just 53 attoseconds**
A record-breaking short pulse of electrons just 53 billionths of a billionth of a second long has been generated – it is so fast it could allow microscopes to grab images of electrons jumping between atoms ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355936-shortest-pulse-of-electrons-ever-created-lasts-just-53-attoseconds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T16:00:08Z **Skin patch makes ultrasound images of your heart as you move**
A prototype skin patch produced images that were comparable to those of a standard handheld device used to visualise the heart before and after exercise. Visualising the heart during exercise may aid cardiovascular diagnoses ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356414-skin-patch-makes-ultrasound-images-of-your-heart-as-you-move/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T16:00:06Z **A diet high in amino acids reduced diabetes-related nerve pain in mice**
Eating more of the amino acids serine and glycine decreased the amount of nerve damage and pain in mice with diabetes ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356267-a-diet-high-in-amino-acids-reduced-diabetes-related-nerve-pain-in-mice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T16:00:00Z **Neil Turok on the case for a parallel universe going backwards in time**
To explain the cosmos without invoking cosmic inflation, physicist Neil Turok has proposed the existence of a mirror-image universe going backwards in time from the big bang. He tells us why the idea is so compelling ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-100-neil-turok-on-the-case-for-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T17:09:26Z **Rare green comet C/2022 E3 is about to make its closest pass by Earth**
A comet that last passed by Earth about 50,000 years ago is coming around again and will make its closest pass on 2 February, at which point it may be visible with the naked eye ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356263-rare-green-comet-c-2022-e3-is-about-to-make-its-closest-pass-by-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T19:00:17Z **Why gene variant impairing alcohol breakdown raises heart disease risk**
A gene variant that causes the "alcohol flush" reaction increases the risk of heart disease by causing inflammation of blood vessels, especially in drinkers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356421-why-gene-variant-impairing-alcohol-breakdown-raises-heart-disease-risk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T19:00:15Z **Early relatives of primates lived in the Arctic 52 million years ago**
Analysis of fossilised teeth from Ellesmere Island, Canada, reveals that extinct relatives of monkeys and apes reached the Arctic during a period when the climate was hotter ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356426-early-relatives-of-primates-lived-in-the-arctic-52-million-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-25T21:59:03Z **The US government is suing Google – again**
A new US government lawsuit alleges that Google has harmed innovation and raised costs for internet users by attempting to monopolise the digital advertising industry ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356586-the-us-government-is-suing-google-again/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T10:56:50Z **‘Forbidden’ planet somehow escaped consumption by its dying host star**
The planet 8 Ursae Minoris b should have been destroyed when its star became a red giant, but it continues to orbit strangely close to the star ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356529-forbidden-planet-somehow-escaped-consumption-by-its-dying-host-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T10:39:00Z **A better understanding of PCOS offers fresh hope for new treatments**
New insights into polycystic ovary syndrome are revealing more about the causes of this common but misunderstood whole-body condition, and these could lead to new treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-900-a-better-understanding-of-pcos-offers-fresh-hope-for-new-treatments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T16:00:51Z **AI has designed bacteria-killing proteins from scratch – and they work**
An AI was tasked with creating proteins with anti-microbial properties. Researchers then created a subset of the proteins and found some did the job ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356597-ai-has-designed-bacteria-killing-proteins-from-scratch-and-they-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T14:30:19Z **Supernovae might be a good place to hunt for alien broadcasts**
Other intelligent civilisations may send transmissions after a bright galactic event like a supernova to make them more visible to others, according to SETI researchers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356626-supernovae-might-be-a-good-place-to-hunt-for-alien-broadcasts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T19:26:16Z **We can reduce homelessness if we follow the science on what works**
Decades of research have shown that focusing on housing, without making sobriety or mental health treatment a prerequisite, is the most effective way to reduce homelessness ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356643-we-can-reduce-homelessness-if-we-follow-the-science-on-what-works/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T19:00:32Z **Preterm babies have a similar BMI at adolescence to peers born at term**
By the time premature babies reach 14 to 19 years of age, they have, on average, a similar body mass index to peers born at term, according to an analysis of more than 250,000 people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356651-preterm-babies-have-a-similar-bmi-at-adolescence-to-peers-born-at-term/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-26T19:00:20Z **Earth's 'geological thermostat' is too slow to prevent climate change**
Rock weathering has helped keep Earth’s climate relatively stable for millions of years, but the process isn't fast enough to keep up with human carbon emissions ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356654-earths-geological-thermostat-is-too-slow-to-prevent-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T16:33:44Z **Two of the UK's water companies are still using dowsing to find leaks**
Most UK water companies have dropped the scientifically discredited method of dowsing to find water leaks, but Thames Water and Severn Trent Water say they still use it ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356376-two-of-the-uks-water-companies-are-still-using-dowsing-to-find-leaks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T16:19:13Z **Solar panel cleaning robot can be dropped off and picked up by drone**
Dirty solar panels reduce global solar energy output as much as 5 per cent, but a start-up in Israel has tested drone delivery of a new autonomous robot to clean rooftop arrays ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356066-solar-panel-cleaning-robot-can-be-dropped-off-and-picked-up-by-drone/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T16:02:46Z **Multicellular life may have begun with brief alliances between cells**
Single-celled organisms called Stentor can feed more efficiently by pairing up, illustrating a possible stage in the evolution of complex life forms ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356773-multicellular-life-may-have-begun-with-brief-alliances-between-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T16:02:24Z **US childhood obesity guidelines may rush the use of drugs or surgery**
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends intensive interventions to manage weight loss, including drugs and surgery – but it’s unclear whether they will reduce childhood obesity ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356779-us-childhood-obesity-guidelines-may-rush-the-use-of-drugs-or-surgery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T16:00:31Z **‘Love hormone' may not be crucial for social bonding after all**
Prairie voles still form social bonds without oxytocin sensors in the brain. The findings challenge the long-held belief that the hormone is a crucial part of the bonding process for all mammals ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356582-love-hormone-may-not-be-crucial-for-social-bonding-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T15:29:45Z **Taxing sugary drinks may not cut obesity as much as headlines claim**
A study finds the UK’s 2018 sugar tax prevented 5000 cases of obesity in school girls in England, but the picture is more murky than headlines suggest ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356740-taxing-sugary-drinks-may-not-cut-obesity-as-much-as-headlines-claim/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T20:05:48Z **US hospitals are facing critically low supplies of liquid ibuprofen**
In response to a shortage of liquid ibuprofen, the US Food and Drug Administration is temporarily allowing manufacturers to produce and distribute non-FDA approved drugs for relieving fever and pain ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356728-us-hospitals-are-facing-critically-low-supplies-of-liquid-ibuprofen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-27T19:04:32Z **Bears may self-medicate against ticks by rubbing against trees**
Brown bears often scratch their backs on trees, leaving behind chemical signals to other bears. Now, it seems the act also helps protect them from ticks ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356814-bears-may-self-medicate-against-ticks-by-rubbing-against-trees/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-28T07:00:43Z **Reports of Bigfoot rise when at least 900 black bears are in the area**
Where black bears are abundant, Bigfoot sightings usually follow – which could make reports of the mythical creature a way to measure American black bear populations ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356845-reports-of-bigfoot-rise-when-at-least-900-black-bears-are-in-the-area/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-29T07:00:46Z **Doughnut-shaped laser used to create an optical fibre out of air**
By shooting a brief and powerful laser beam shaped like a doughnut through the air, researchers created a 45-metre-long structure that could guide a light pulse like an optical fibre ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356816-doughnut-shaped-laser-used-to-create-an-optical-fibre-out-of-air/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T14:48:27Z **Only eating between 7am and 3pm helps people with obesity lose weight**
Intermittent fasting led to a group of people with obesity losing 7.6 kilograms in 14 weeks when combined with them receiving advice on reducing their calorie intake, compared with 3.9 kilograms among those who only received the advice ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356730-only-eating-between-7am-and-3pm-helps-people-with-obesity-lose-weight/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T16:52:49Z **Animals that care for young may have more mutations and evolve faster**
An experiment in beetles shows that when parents care for their young, the population accumulates more mutations over time, but this may have benefits ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356853-animals-that-care-for-young-may-have-more-mutations-and-evolve-faster/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T16:45:00Z **Inside the complex and extremely violent world of warring mongooses**
Banded mongooses have long been used as a model of animal cooperation. Now, researchers in Uganda are starting to get to grips with the harsh realities of their long-running and bloody battles ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734240-200-inside-the-complex-and-extremely-violent-world-of-warring-mongooses/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T16:43:53Z **Forests bioengineered to capture more carbon will be planted in the US**
A US startup will soon begin planting genetically engineered trees in Georgia and Pennsylvania that may be able to capture more carbon than regular trees ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356602-forests-bioengineered-to-capture-more-carbon-will-be-planted-in-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T22:19:27Z **US proposes to ease blood donor restrictions on gay and bisexual men**
The US Food and Drug Administration has proposed that blood donor assessments measure individual risk and do not exclude people based on their sexual orientation or gender ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356842-us-proposes-to-ease-blood-donor-restrictions-on-gay-and-bisexual-men/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T22:13:53Z **Galaxy clusters are smashing together to form 'flaming cosmic narwhal'**
Six of the most powerful astronomical observatories have captured a stunning image of Abell 2256, which is made of multiple galaxy clusters smashing together ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357092-galaxy-clusters-are-smashing-together-to-form-flaming-cosmic-narwhal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-30T20:00:03Z **Dolphins that help humans catch fish are more likely to survive**
Dolphins off coast of southern Brazil drive mullet towards the nets of local fishers and in return get some extra fish themselves ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356949-dolphins-that-help-humans-catch-fish-are-more-likely-to-survive/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T09:54:54Z **DeepMind AI is as fast as humans at solving previously unseen tasks**
Artificial intelligences need specific training to excel at a task, but now a more generally intelligent one from DeepMind has performed as well as humans in a virtual world test ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357017-deepmind-ai-is-as-fast-as-humans-at-solving-previously-unseen-tasks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T18:11:09Z **San Francisco is getting cold feet about self-driving car tests**
San Francisco officials have called for a slower, more considered expansion of the use of autonomous vehicles, which have blocked traffic and hampered emergency services ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356888-san-francisco-is-getting-cold-feet-about-self-driving-car-tests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T17:00:00Z **How genetically engineered immune cells are beating some cancers**
In some cases, it is now possible to genetically engineer the immune system to banish cancers like T-cell leukaemia that were previously unresponsive to treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-300-how-genetically-engineered-immune-cells-are-beating-some-cancers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T17:00:00Z **How to tell if your immune system is weak or strong**
New blood tests can reveal whether your immune system is fighting fit by looking at the balance of different immune cells, but there may be a simpler way of gauging your immune health ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-100-how-to-tell-if-your-immune-system-is-weak-or-strong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T16:15:38Z **Vine-like robot that 'grows' towards heat could put out fires**
A vine-like segmented robot that is attracted to heat could be used to autonomously extinguish fires without the need for costly and complex electronics ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355709-vine-like-robot-that-grows-towards-heat-could-put-out-fires/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T15:48:14Z **Smart dairy farms are using AI scanners to monitor cows' health**
Technology being trialled on UK farms collects daily data on cows’ weight, body condition and mobility, helping to identify individuals in need of treatment ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357313-smart-dairy-farms-are-using-ai-scanners-to-monitor-cows-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-01-31T23:30:16Z **Doubling trees in European cities could prevent thousands of deaths**
A modelling study of 93 European cities suggests that more than 2600 human heat-related deaths over just three months could have been prevented if these places increased their average tree coverage from 15 per cent to 30 per cent ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357065-doubling-trees-in-european-cities-could-prevent-thousands-of-deaths/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T10:12:55Z **Most of England's sewage systems are overwhelmed, finds analysis**
Figures on sewage overflows into rivers and seas in England show that 80 per cent of wastewater systems are regularly working over capacity ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357262-most-of-englands-sewage-systems-are-overwhelmed-finds-analysis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T16:00:53Z **Ancient Egyptians used exotic oils from distant lands to make mummies**
A workshop used for mummification at Saqqara in Egypt contains remnants of the substances used to make mummies, revealing many came from southern Africa or South-East Asia ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357581-ancient-egyptians-used-exotic-oils-from-distant-lands-to-make-mummies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T14:54:55Z **Putting solar panels in grazing fields is good for sheep**
Sheep living in pasture with solar panels benefit from shade in hot weather and more nutritious grass – and they stop weeds from growing on the panels ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357545-putting-solar-panels-in-grazing-fields-is-good-for-sheep/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T19:00:57Z **Antidepressants mostly can't treat chronic pain, despite wide use**
Ongoing pain, such as chronic back or neck pain, is difficult to treat, so some doctors prescribe antidepressants. Now, a review of evidence says these drugs mostly don't work as a treatment ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357709-antidepressants-mostly-cant-treat-chronic-pain-despite-wide-use/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T19:00:14Z **Vikings brought horses and dogs to England, cremated bones confirm**
The first physical proof that Vikings brought horses and dogs to England has been unearthed ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357678-vikings-brought-horses-and-dogs-to-england-cremated-bones-confirm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T19:00:11Z **Neanderthals hunted enormous elephants that fed 100 people for a month**
Analysis of cut marks on elephant bones suggests every scrap of meat and fat was removed from the big beasts ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357553-neanderthals-hunted-enormous-elephants-that-fed-100-people-for-a-month/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-01T19:00:04Z **Tweets reveal hardware stores cause disgust but motels bring joy**
A study of more than 1.5 million tweets over one year suggests that people in San Francisco feel disgusted when at hardware stores and Londoners are most joyful at motels ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357605-tweets-reveal-hardware-stores-cause-disgust-but-motels-bring-joy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T16:00:05Z **Human neurons implanted into a rat's brain respond to flashing lights**
Lab-grown neurons were transplanted into the brains of rats with damaged visual cortexes. After two months, the neurons responded when the rats saw flashing lights ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357828-human-neurons-implanted-into-a-rats-brain-respond-to-flashing-lights/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T14:55:15Z **Google AI generates musical backing tracks to accompany singers**
An artificial intelligence called SingSong can take a recording of a person singing and create a backing track for it with the appropriate rhythm, key and harmonies ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357123-google-ai-generates-musical-backing-tracks-to-accompany-singers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T14:14:37Z **US military plan to create huge autonomous drone swarms sparks concern**
The AMASS project would involve thousands of drones, on the ground, in the air and in the water, working together in a "swarm of swarms" to overwhelm enemy defences ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357548-us-military-plan-to-create-huge-autonomous-drone-swarms-sparks-concern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T14:09:52Z **Should we be worried about bird flu spreading to mammals?**
Bird flu infections have been recorded in various mammals, including foxes and mink, but it is unclear whether the virus can be transmitted from one mammal to another ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357789-should-we-be-worried-about-bird-flu-spreading-to-mammals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T13:02:55Z **Flying robot echolocates like a bat to avoid banging into walls**
A simple buzzer and some microphones help a drone to navigate and map out its surroundings, much like how a bat uses sound to see in the dark ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357770-flying-robot-echolocates-like-a-bat-to-avoid-banging-into-walls/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T19:00:48Z **Entirely new type of ice made using extremely cold steel balls**
A new type of ice called medium-density amorphous ice has the same density as liquid water, so studying it could help us understand water’s strange behaviour at low temperatures ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357007-entirely-new-type-of-ice-made-using-extremely-cold-steel-balls/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T18:30:23Z **Wormholes could magnify light by a factor of 100,000**
Wormholes, which are strange hypothetical tunnels through space-time, could act as cosmic magnifying glasses for objects behind them ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357855-wormholes-could-magnify-light-by-a-factor-of-100000/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-02T18:17:28Z **Sunquakes may be caused by weird beams of electrons from solar flares**
Mysterious ripples in the sun’s plasma have gone unexplained for decades, but they may be caused by strange beams of high-energy electrons fired inward by solar flares ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357740-sunquakes-may-be-caused-by-weird-beams-of-electrons-from-solar-flares/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-03T13:05:42Z **Smart cladding could control whether buildings retain or emit heat**
A new material changes its infrared colour when a small electric current is applied, raising the possibility of buildings that store or release heat depending on outside temperatures ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357760-smart-cladding-could-control-whether-buildings-retain-or-emit-heat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-03T16:27:29Z **Sperm-sorting device aims to find healthy samples to boost IVF success**
Healthier sperm are normally selected for IVF using a centrifuge, which can damage the cells, but an alternative method can do the job gently by creating a current for them to swim against ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355934-sperm-sorting-device-aims-to-find-healthy-samples-to-boost-ivf-success/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-03T22:24:06Z **US megadrought has led to more air pollution from power plants**
The ongoing drought in the western US depleted reservoirs and reduced hydropower generation. Fossil fuel power plants filled the gap but that has led to increased air pollution ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357096-us-megadrought-has-led-to-more-air-pollution-from-power-plants/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T11:05:00Z **Diving drone can switch between flying and swimming**
A drone that can fly like a standard quadcopter but also operate underwater could be developed as a tool for engineers and search and rescue teams ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357125-diving-drone-can-switch-between-flying-and-swimming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T16:45:00Z **The surprising benefits of mild paranoia – and how to keep it in check**
Psychologists are forging a new understanding of paranoia, which has led to the idea we evolved the condition because it sometimes has practical benefits ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734251-300-the-surprising-benefits-of-mild-paranoia-and-how-to-keep-it-in-check/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T16:43:19Z **Robotic hand pokes food and water to tell if they have mercury in them**
A robotic hand with a tiny sensor on one of its fingers can detect potentially harmful mercury ions in samples of food and water by prodding them ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357871-robotic-hand-pokes-food-and-water-to-tell-if-they-have-mercury-in-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T13:51:44Z **Chinese surveillance balloon shot down by US fighter jet over sea**
A Chinese balloon that was travelling over the US, including over military sites, was shot down by a fighter jet on 4 February ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358025-chinese-surveillance-balloon-shot-down-by-us-fighter-jet-over-sea/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T15:00:10Z **AI image generators that create close copies could be a legal headache**
Artificial intelligence models trained on millions of images can occasionally reproduce near-perfect copies, researchers have found, which could be significant for ongoing copyright infringement lawsuits ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358066-ai-image-generators-that-create-close-copies-could-be-a-legal-headache/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T14:35:49Z **Mild brain damage may affect memory more than severe injuries**
In a small study, memory recall was better in people with more severe damage to a brain region involved with memory, compared with those with milder damage. With severe damage, other parts of the brain may take on the damaged region's function ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358059-mild-brain-damage-may-affect-memory-more-than-severe-injuries/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T13:58:09Z **Three nautilus species new to science have been found in the Pacific**
The distinct branching patterns and stripes on the shells of three kinds of nautiluses have been used to identify them as separate species ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357958-three-nautilus-species-new-to-science-have-been-found-in-the-pacific/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-06T20:00:03Z **Genes for Gaucher disease may have protected Jewish people against TB**
The gene variants that lead to Gaucher disease helps immune cells kill tuberculosis bacteria, at least in zebrafish ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358095-genes-for-gaucher-disease-may-have-protected-jewish-people-against-tb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T12:21:09Z **High-dose vitamin D may prevent pre-diabetes becoming type 2 diabetes**
An analysis of three trials found that taking a high dose of vitamin D as little as once a week prevents high blood sugar levels from progressing into type 2 diabetes. But this dose has been linked with kidney stones and other health issues ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358230-high-dose-vitamin-d-may-prevent-pre-diabetes-becoming-type-2-diabetes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T17:00:00Z **2000-watt challenge: How to reduce your energy use and still live well**
In theory, it’s possible to live well while using energy at a rate of just 2000 watts – a quarter of the average for people in the US. Our environment reporter took on the challenge. Here’s what he discovered ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734251-200-2000-watt-challenge-how-to-reduce-your-energy-use-and-still-live-well/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T17:00:44Z **AI search heats up as Google and Baidu race to launch ChatGPT rivals**
Google Bard and Baidu's Ernie Bot are set to go head-to-head with OpenAI's ChatGPT as tech giants race to combine AI chatbots with search engines ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358208-ai-search-heats-up-as-google-and-baidu-race-to-launch-chatgpt-rivals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T16:19:02Z **Millions of coronavirus mutations offer a new insight into evolution**
Using publicly available SARS-CoV-2 sequences, researchers have revealed the genetic sites that must be in a particular state for the coronavirus to survive and which can tolerate changes ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357949-millions-of-coronavirus-mutations-offer-a-new-insight-into-evolution/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T16:00:11Z **15 million people live in possible flood path for melting glaciers**
Glacial lakes can cause flooding if an ice or rock dam holding back the water fails, putting an estimated 15 million people at risk, an analysis has found ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357961-15-million-people-live-in-possible-flood-path-for-melting-glaciers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T21:28:25Z **What a meandering moose says about US wildlife protection efforts**
To prevent extinctions and protect habitats, the US has started building wildlife corridors around major roads and cities. A moose spotting is the latest sign that these efforts seem to be paying off ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358123-what-a-meandering-moose-says-about-us-wildlife-protection-efforts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-07T21:25:27Z **AI is listening in on gamer chat for toxic and abusive language**
Artificial intelligence is being used to detect harassment in verbal communications for gaming and VR platforms, but such AIs face challenges in keeping up with evolving forms of extreme speech ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357939-ai-is-listening-in-on-gamer-chat-for-toxic-and-abusive-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T00:01:26Z **Ultrasound illusion could make buttons on a touchscreen feel real**
A wave of ultrasound that briefly levitates your finger off a plate of glass can make it feel as if you have just pressed a button, which could be useful for virtual reality or new kinds of displays ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358256-ultrasound-illusion-could-make-buttons-on-a-touchscreen-feel-real/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T13:00:42Z **Loofah-inspired gel purifies contaminated water with warmth of the sun**
A material that sucks up water while leaving behind contaminants such as oils, metals and microplastics could help improve water quality in regions without electricity ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357996-loofah-inspired-gel-purifies-contaminated-water-with-warmth-of-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T13:00:00Z **The hunt for dark matter: The universe's mysterious gravitational glue**
In pursuit of dark matter, researchers are doing everything from burying vats of xenon deep underground to sending a balloon floating above the Antarctic. When will their creativity pay off? ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734254-700-the-hunt-for-dark-matter-the-universes-mysterious-gravitational-glue/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T12:36:17Z **Will the UK's new science and tech department achieve anything?**
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, headed by Michelle Donelan, is intended to show the UK government is serious about these fields, but a reshuffle is no substitute for a clear plan, says Kieron Flanagan ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358518-will-the-uks-new-science-and-tech-department-achieve-anything/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T16:00:42Z **Chronic fatigue syndrome linked to lower levels of some gut bacteria**
People with chronic fatigue syndrome have less of a kind of gut bacteria that produces inflammation-fighting molecules, suggesting a possible target for new treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358189-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-linked-to-lower-levels-of-some-gut-bacteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T16:00:50Z **Orca mothers forgo future offspring to care for their full-grown sons**
Female orcas in the north Pacific hunt and share food with their adult male offspring, and this seems to limit their chances of having more calves ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358581-orca-mothers-forgo-future-offspring-to-care-for-their-full-grown-sons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T16:00:36Z **A three-year drought may have brought down the ancient Hittite empire**
Burial chamber from time of King Midas reveals there was a severe three-year drought around the time Hittite cities were abandoned ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358511-a-three-year-drought-may-have-brought-down-the-ancient-hittite-empire/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T16:00:04Z **Dwarf planet Quaoar has a weirdly big ring of debris encircling it**
Quaoar, a dwarf planet in our solar system, has a ring of debris orbiting it that is far further out than we thought the laws of physics allow ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358593-dwarf-planet-quaoar-has-a-weirdly-big-ring-of-debris-encircling-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T20:17:03Z **Your brain produces more entropy while you are awake**
By analysing brain scans of asleep and awake people, researchers have found that the amount of entropy our brains produce varies with consciousness ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358193-your-brain-produces-more-entropy-while-you-are-awake/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-08T19:16:57Z **Weird dust ring orbits the sun alongside Mercury and we don't know why**
Very little debris should be able to survive for long in the area near Mercury, but the innermost planet seems to orbit the sun alongside a ring of dust that researchers can’t explain ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358201-weird-dust-ring-orbits-the-sun-alongside-mercury-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T17:52:55Z **Spraying tick-killing chemicals doesn't reduce Lyme disease cases**
Killing ticks in an area reduces the number carrying the main bacterium that causes Lyme disease, but a large study found it does not lead to fewer reports of people getting sick ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358760-spraying-tick-killing-chemicals-doesnt-reduce-lyme-disease-cases/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T16:00:07Z **Does restricting calories slow down ageing? We simply don't know**
A test based on an “epigenetic clock” is  the latest basis for claims that calorie restriction slows down ageing – but the jury is still out on whether the dieting strategy really works ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358842-does-restricting-calories-slow-down-ageing-we-simply-dont-know/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T16:00:48Z **Inhaled powder that coats airways can block coronavirus infection**
A gel that lines the respiratory tract prevented coronavirus infections in mice and monkeys, and may also work against any future new variants ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358783-inhaled-powder-that-coats-airways-can-block-coronavirus-infection/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T16:00:02Z **Dogs that eat raw food rather than kibble have better gut health**
According to surveys of 7000 owners, dogs that ate mostly dog food were 29 per cent more likely to develop gastrointestinal problems compared to dogs that mostly ate raw foods ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358876-dogs-that-eat-raw-food-rather-than-kibble-have-better-gut-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T16:00:23Z **People with low incomes spend longer waiting for basic services in US**
People from lower-income households spend up to 6 hours a year longer waiting for basic services than those that are wealthier. Black people also spend longer waiting ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358744-people-with-low-incomes-spend-longer-waiting-for-basic-services-in-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-09T15:44:27Z **Soil produces subtle noises that could reveal how healthy a forest is**
A soft symphony of sounds eminates from the soil within a forest and the more thriving the ecosystem, the greater the diversity of noise ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358393-soil-produces-subtle-noises-that-could-reveal-how-healthy-a-forest-is/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-10T07:00:45Z **Space rock or flashy alien technology? We're going to find out**
Science is filled with imagined realities – beliefs that will turn out to be untrue – and the idea that interstellar objects are simply rocks could be one of them, writes physicist Avi Loeb ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2357049-space-rock-or-flashy-alien-technology-were-going-to-find-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-10T16:18:30Z **Chinese spy balloon: Everything we know after US recovers wreckage**
The US has recovered the wreckage of a Chinese surveillance balloon after shooting it down with a fighter jet last week – here's what has been discovered and what it might mean ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358955-chinese-spy-balloon-everything-we-know-after-us-recovers-wreckage/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-10T16:00:14Z **Cockatoos understand when a job requires a toolkit**
Goffin’s cockatoos are the second non-human animal shown to transport more than one tool to retrieve some food, after chimpanzees ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358999-cockatoos-understand-when-a-job-requires-a-toolkit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-10T21:46:02Z **Unidentified object shot down over Alaskan waters, US Pentagon says**
The US Pentagon has shot down an unidentified object over frozen waters around Alaska. Officials say they don't know who owns the object ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359068-unidentified-object-shot-down-over-alaskan-waters-us-pentagon-says/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-11T07:00:41Z **Militaries are boosting spending on high-tech surveillance balloons**
Military interest in balloon surveillance had been increasing even before a Chinese-launched balloon wandered across the continental US ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358944-militaries-are-boosting-spending-on-high-tech-surveillance-balloons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-13T14:18:11Z **Four flying objects shot down by US jets: What we know so far**
Four mysterious objects including a spy balloon, and some unidentified beyond being cylindrical or octagonal, have been shot down by fighter jets over North America in just over a week. Here's what we know about them all ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359091-four-flying-objects-shot-down-by-us-jets-what-we-know-so-far/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-13T12:16:42Z **Bandicoots can be trained to flee predators more quickly**
After being captured and released by researchers, seven species of Australian marsupial, including bandicoots and bettongs, learned to flee more quickly the second time ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358950-bandicoots-can-be-trained-to-flee-predators-more-quickly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-13T07:00:41Z **China, UK and US are all boosting their spy balloon programs**
Military interest in balloon surveillance had been increasing even before a Chinese-launched balloon wandered across the continental US ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358944-china-uk-and-us-are-all-boosting-their-spy-balloon-programs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-13T16:34:03Z **Do trees communicate via a 'wood wide web'? The evidence is lacking**
A review of studies on mycorrhizal fungi finds there is insufficient evidence for the popular idea that trees communicate and share resources via these underground networks ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359207-do-trees-communicate-via-a-wood-wide-web-the-evidence-is-lacking/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-13T22:00:14Z **Unidentified objects: What's behind the rise in aerial shootdowns?**
A spate of shootdowns involving balloons and other flying objects over North America comes as the US military is becoming more sensitive to unidentified aerial phenomena ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359263-unidentified-objects-whats-behind-the-rise-in-aerial-shootdowns/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T01:00:34Z **Avalanches create habitats for a wider range of birds in the Alps**
Massive flows of snow down mountain slopes can clear out dense forest and make way for shrubs and smaller trees, allowing a more diverse range of bird species to live in the affected area ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359230-avalanches-create-habitats-for-a-wider-range-of-birds-in-the-alps/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T11:00:37Z **Researchers ‘cannot rule out’ bird flu spreading between sea lions**
More than 600 sea lions have been found dead or dying on Peruvian beaches this year in the first mass mortality event of wild mammals from bird flu in South America ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359206-researchers-cannot-rule-out-bird-flu-spreading-between-sea-lions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T15:19:08Z **Curly hair may have evolved to protect early humans from the sun**
In the first study to look at the evolution of hair types, researchers found tightly coiled hair provides a trade-off of shielding the head from the sun while minimising unwanted insulating ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359444-curly-hair-may-have-evolved-to-protect-early-humans-from-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T15:02:10Z **Wood coated in nanocrystals can block electromagnetic signals**
A thin film made from wood and coated in nanocrystals can act as a shield against electromagnetic signals that disrupt electrical devices ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359368-wood-coated-in-nanocrystals-can-block-electromagnetic-signals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T17:37:12Z **Stuffed dead birds made into drones could spy on animals or humans**
Flapping-wing drones camouflaged with the bodies of taxidermy birds could help study flocks of wild birds or enable military spy missions, but they’re not yet the most efficient flyers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359062-stuffed-dead-birds-made-into-drones-could-spy-on-animals-or-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T17:29:16Z **How prepared is the world for a pandemic of bird flu in people?**
Bird flu is infecting wild birds and poultry around the world. If it were to crossover into humans, some antiviral drugs are available but it would take time to develop a vaccine ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359516-how-prepared-is-the-world-for-a-pandemic-of-bird-flu-in-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T17:00:12Z **Is it greener to use gas or electricity to heat your home and cook?**
An analysis of carbon emissions caused by gas and electric cooking and heating in 25 countries finds that the climate-friendly choice depends on where you are ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359445-is-it-greener-to-use-gas-or-electricity-to-heat-your-home-and-cook/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-14T22:20:29Z **Ohio train derailment: What we know about the toxic chemical spill**
A train derailed and caught fire in eastern Ohio, releasing hazardous chemicals into the air, soil and water – and raising concerns about health effects for residents ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359528-ohio-train-derailment-what-we-know-about-the-toxic-chemical-spill/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T11:07:18Z **Early risers may have inherited faster body clocks from Neanderthals**
Modern humans who have inherited genetic variants related to circadian rhythms from extinct hominins are more likely to be morning people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359553-early-risers-may-have-inherited-faster-body-clocks-from-neanderthals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T10:30:00Z **Save Britain’s Rivers: Why we’re campaigning to rescue UK waterways**
The UK’s rivers are neglected, polluted and over-exploited. In partnership with the i, New Scientist’s new campaign will reveal what’s gone wrong and how to restore them ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734263-300-save-britains-rivers-why-were-campaigning-to-rescue-uk-waterways/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T10:23:00Z **How rivers are vital for everything from biodiversity to mental health**
The UK's 200,000 kilometres of waterway are in crisis. New Scientist's Save Britain's Rivers campaign reveals how crucial they are for the nation's health, wealth and resilience ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734263-800-how-rivers-are-vital-for-everything-from-biodiversity-to-mental-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T10:00:05Z **ChatGPT AI passes test designed to show theory of mind in children**
Comprehending that other people might think differently from you is a form of intelligence known as theory of mind – what does it mean that the artificial intelligence behind ChatGPT can do as well on tests of it as a 9-year-old child? ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359418-chatgpt-ai-passes-test-designed-to-show-theory-of-mind-in-children/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T15:13:35Z **Bone conduction headphones make your own voice sound less weird**
Listening to a recording of yourself speaking can be unnerving – but headphones that alter the sound can make your voice seem more familiar and may help us understand schizophrenia hallucinations ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359758-bone-conduction-headphones-make-your-own-voice-sound-less-weird/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T14:43:38Z **Fully autonomous F-16 fighter jet takes part in simulated dogfights**
An F-16 fighter jet controlled by AI has taken off, taken part in aerial fights against other aircraft and landed without human help ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359616-fully-autonomous-f-16-fighter-jet-takes-part-in-simulated-dogfights/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T19:00:05Z **Plants are receding up mountains faster than thought in North America**
From Mexico to Canada, mountain plants are moving upslope to cooler elevations. In some mountain ranges, the upward climb is as fast as 112 metres per decade ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359595-plants-are-receding-up-mountains-faster-than-thought-in-north-america/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T17:17:40Z **Rise in urban beekeeping may be crowding out native bee species**
In Montreal, Canada, the diversity of wild bee species has fallen in areas where honeybee colonies have proliferated ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359738-rise-in-urban-beekeeping-may-be-crowding-out-native-bee-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T17:00:42Z **Dark energy may have been hiding in the cores of black holes all along**
Observations of galaxy growth can be explained if the black holes at their centre contain dark energy, pointing to a possible role in the universe's expansion ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359827-dark-energy-may-have-been-hiding-in-the-cores-of-black-holes-all-along/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T22:18:06Z **Marburg virus: What you need to know about the disease outbreak**
The deadly Marburg virus has been detected in Equatorial Guinea and neighbouring Cameroon, and the World Health Organization is deploying teams to trace the spread of the disease ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359905-marburg-virus-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-disease-outbreak/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-15T22:14:44Z **Ohio chemical spill: What could have caused the train to derail?**
After a train carrying hazardous chemicals partially derailed and set fire in Ohio on 3 February, questions are being asked about what could have gone wrong ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359895-ohio-chemical-spill-what-could-have-caused-the-train-to-derail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-16T19:00:45Z **Prawn larvae conceal their eyes with reflectors to hide from predators**
To hide from predators, the larvae of some crustaceans camouflage their dark eyes with photonic glass that reflects light of the same colour as the water they inhabit ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359921-prawn-larvae-conceal-their-eyes-with-reflectors-to-hide-from-predators/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-16T17:31:03Z **Strange water wave can bounce a droplet thousands of times**
A single undulating wave can bounce a droplet of water up and down for up to an hour and a half. Researchers made the discovery by accident when studying how wave patterns emerge in water ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359065-strange-water-wave-can-bounce-a-droplet-thousands-of-times/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-16T16:39:41Z **Covid-19 pandemic linked to antibiotic resistance in some bacteria**
A modelling study suggests that the proportion of cases involving pneumonia-causing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics has increased amid the covid-19 pandemic ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359982-covid-19-pandemic-linked-to-antibiotic-resistance-in-some-bacteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-16T21:46:16Z **Rise in US gun sales during the pandemic linked to extremist beliefs**
People in the US who purchased a gun during the pandemic were more likely to support extreme political beliefs and engage in violent behaviour than people who bought a gun before March 2020 ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359876-rise-in-us-gun-sales-during-the-pandemic-linked-to-extremist-beliefs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T12:00:23Z **Why chocolate cravings strike a week or two before a menstrual period**
Craving chocolate and other sweet foods in the lead up to a period has been linked to higher levels of inflammation ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360095-why-chocolate-cravings-strike-a-week-or-two-before-a-menstrual-period/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T15:33:35Z **Turtles stranded on UK beaches after storms send them off course**
Fifteen turtles have been stranded in the UK and Ireland since November, a high number attributed to stormy weather in the US and Caribbean ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359995-turtles-stranded-on-uk-beaches-after-storms-send-them-off-course/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T14:35:31Z **How AI chatbots in search engines will completely change the internet**
Moves by Google, Microsoft and Baidu to bring AI chatbots into their search engines may bring big advantages, but they could also damage many industries and change the very way we interact with the web ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360135-how-ai-chatbots-in-search-engines-will-completely-change-the-internet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T14:29:59Z **Green home designs put to the test in giant climate-controlled chamber**
Roof-mounted heat pumps and heat-harvesting showers are among the green home technologies being put through their paces in a research facility in Manchester, UK ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359951-green-home-designs-put-to-the-test-in-giant-climate-controlled-chamber/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T17:47:25Z **A weird comet is travelling through space with a dust blob it made**
Comet 108P/Ciffreo was spotted in 1985 hurtling through space alongside a strange blob of dust, and now astronomers have finally figured out where the blob came from ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360065-a-weird-comet-is-travelling-through-space-with-a-dust-blob-it-made/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-17T17:34:42Z **Travellers to Unimaginable Lands review: The true toll of dementia**
In a wise and challenging book, Dasha Kiper focuses on the forgotten people caring for those living with dementia ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360189-travellers-to-unimaginable-lands-review-the-true-toll-of-dementia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-20T11:50:46Z **Spine of early crawling fish was becoming more like a land animal's**
Scans show that the spine and ribs of Tiktaalik, one of the first fish to crawl on land, had features that are more like those of early land animals than fish ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360024-spine-of-early-crawling-fish-was-becoming-more-like-a-land-animals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-20T16:52:26Z **AI with no visual sensors generates an internal map to finds its way**
The memory of a “blind” artificial intelligence that has been crossing a room contains information that can help another AI reach a destination faster - this memory transference could improve the navigation of robots ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360323-ai-with-no-visual-sensors-generates-an-internal-map-to-finds-its-way/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-20T16:45:00Z **How climate change is forcing animals that mate for life to break up**
Many animals enter into long monogamous relationships to raise offspring, but we know they can break up – and new research suggests global warming is sometimes to blame ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734270-200-how-climate-change-is-forcing-animals-that-mate-for-life-to-break-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-20T16:00:58Z **Third person 'cured' of HIV after receiving stem cell cancer treatment**
A man has no signs of an active HIV infection after receiving stem cells from a donor who is resistant to the virus ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360130-third-person-cured-of-hiv-after-receiving-stem-cell-cancer-treatment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-20T16:00:53Z **Spinal cord stimulation let 2 people with paralysis move their arms**
Two people with upper body paralysis due to stroke partially regained arm movements after electrical stimulation of neurons in the spinal cord ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360198-spinal-cord-stimulation-let-2-people-with-paralysis-move-their-arms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T07:00:25Z **Quantum computers could run programs that should be too big for them**
Quantum computers can currently only run small programs but a trick for reducing a quantum program's size could boost their power for running AI algorithms ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360033-quantum-computers-could-run-programs-that-should-be-too-big-for-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T12:18:01Z **Artificial urban islands could supply homes in Maldives as waters rise**
High-rise cities on two or three reclaimed islands up to 6 metres above sea level could secure the long-term future of the Maldives in the face of climate change ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360385-artificial-urban-islands-could-supply-homes-in-maldives-as-waters-rise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T10:00:57Z **Naked mole rats reveal biological secrets of lifelong fertility**
Fertility declines with age in most female mammals, but naked mole rats can develop new eggs as adults, enabling them to remain fertile throughout their lives ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360377-naked-mole-rats-reveal-biological-secrets-of-lifelong-fertility/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T09:43:21Z **AI spots Mesopotamian archaeological sites in satellite images**
An artificial intelligence can identify sites of Mesopotamian remains with 80 per cent accuracy – it could help archaeologists quickly work out where to dig ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360350-ai-spots-mesopotamian-archaeological-sites-in-satellite-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T14:50:48Z **How can you tell if a river in the UK is healthy?**
Pollution isn’t always easy to spot, but public data and some visual clues can give an idea of whether rivers are in a good ecological state, and help you take part in our Save Britain's Rivers campaign ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360466-how-can-you-tell-if-a-river-in-the-uk-is-healthy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T14:44:16Z **Your skin microbiome may influence the wrinkles you develop with age**
Certain bacteria have been linked with a loss of collagen, the protein that gives youthful skin a smooth appearance. Better understanding the role of these bacteria in wrinkles and skin sagging could lead to new anti-ageing treatments ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360531-your-skin-microbiome-may-influence-the-wrinkles-you-develop-with-age/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T17:00:46Z **Coastal cities have added 2500 squares kilometres of land since 2000**
An analysis of satellite images taken since the year 2000 found that hundreds of the most populous coastal cities have added land, which is now vulnerable to sea level rise ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360044-coastal-cities-have-added-2500-squares-kilometres-of-land-since-2000/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-21T19:00:51Z **Bark beetles use the smell of fungus to pick the best trees to infest**
Trees with fungal infections produce odours that attract bark beetles, which burrow into the bark and can devastate entire forests ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360221-bark-beetles-use-the-smell-of-fungus-to-pick-the-best-trees-to-infest/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T12:10:55Z **Sci-fi magazine overwhelmed by hundreds of AI-generated stories**
Clarkesworld, a science fiction magazine, has banned new story submissions after receiving hundreds of low-quality AI-generated pieces ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360672-sci-fi-magazine-overwhelmed-by-hundreds-of-ai-generated-stories/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T11:10:52Z **Kombucha cultures can be turned into flexible electric circuit boards**
The congealed mat of yeast and bacteria cells that forms on top of the brewed drink kombucha could be used to make light, cheap and flexible circuit boards for wearable electronics or even partially living rudimentary computers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358806-kombucha-cultures-can-be-turned-into-flexible-electric-circuit-boards/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T16:40:00Z **The amazing ways electricity in your body shapes you and your health**
Your cells crackle with electric signals that guide embryonic development and heal wounds. If we can learn to tweak this “bioelectric code”, we might be able to prevent cancer and even grow new limbs ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360290-the-amazing-ways-electricity-in-your-body-shapes-you-and-your-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T16:00:53Z **Huge young galaxies seen by JWST may upend our models of the universe**
Galaxies spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope seem far too massive to have formed so early on in the universe’s history, which could be a problem for our ideas of galaxy formation ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360662-huge-young-galaxies-seen-by-jwst-may-upend-our-models-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T18:02:53Z **Rare triple-dip La Niña is mostly to blame for South America's drought**
Historically dry and hot weather in Argentina and neighbouring countries is being driven by the La Niña weather system and exacerbated by climate change ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360929-rare-triple-dip-la-nina-is-mostly-to-blame-for-south-americas-drought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T19:00:56Z **Rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups linked to gum disease**
The finding reinforces advice that people with the condition should take good care of their teeth and gums ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360670-rheumatoid-arthritis-flare-ups-linked-to-gum-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T19:00:49Z **Some of the earliest modern humans in Europe used bows and arrows**
A site in France briefly occupied by modern humans is littered with stone points that were probably used as arrowheads, showing that bows and arrows were used in Europe much earlier than we thought ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360535-some-of-the-earliest-modern-humans-in-europe-used-bows-and-arrows/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-22T19:00:20Z **Endometriosis could be controlled with monthly antibody injections**
Injections that block an inflammatory protein halved the size of endometriosis lesions in macaques. The treatment is now being tested in people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360657-endometriosis-could-be-controlled-with-monthly-antibody-injections/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T09:00:12Z **Mangroves near Chinese cities can reduce storm surges by over 2 metres**
A 600-metre-wide patch of mangrove forest can reduce the water level during a tropical storm by 2.8 metres, according to modelling of the Pearl river delta in China ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360682-mangroves-near-chinese-cities-can-reduce-storm-surges-by-over-2-metres/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T13:02:03Z **Efforts to prevent the Yellow River flooding may have made it worse**
Analysis of flooding on the Yellow River in China suggests mud barriers intended to prevent flooding have resulted in more frequent floods ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360988-efforts-to-prevent-the-yellow-river-flooding-may-have-made-it-worse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T12:57:02Z **Google says error correction will lead to useful quantum computers**
For the first time, Google has shown it is possible to reduce the overall number of errors produced by a quantum computer, meaning it should be possible to build larger, useful devices ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360977-google-says-error-correction-will-lead-to-useful-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T11:42:29Z **US Air Force is giving military drones the ability to recognise faces**
The US Air Force has completed a project to develop face recognition software for autonomous drones, sparking concerns that individuals could be targeted and killed ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360475-us-air-force-is-giving-military-drones-the-ability-to-recognise-faces/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T16:00:09Z **Fasting for 24 hours could weaken the immune system**
Mice that fasted for 24 hours had more inflammation and were more likely to die from a bacterial infection than mice on a regular eating schedule ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360963-fasting-for-24-hours-could-weaken-the-immune-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T14:57:32Z **Welsh island Ynys Enlli becomes Europe's first dark sky sanctuary**
Ynys Enlli, located 3 kilometres off the coast of Wales and also known as Bardsey Island, is now officially one of the best places in the world to see the stars ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361033-welsh-island-ynys-enlli-becomes-europes-first-dark-sky-sanctuary/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T18:02:27Z **Ohio train derailment: Investigators determine cause of the accident**
The derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, was caused by an overheated wheel bearing, say US government investigators ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361101-ohio-train-derailment-investigators-determine-cause-of-the-accident/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T20:02:33Z **US freight trains are getting longer – is that safe?**
Freight trains as long as 8 kilometres transport goods in the US, but in light of recent derailments, some are asking if current safety guidelines are up to scratch ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360956-us-freight-trains-are-getting-longer-is-that-safe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-23T19:00:50Z **Gel injected into living animals turns into an electrode**
Researchers injected a leech with gel that transforms into a soft electrode, letting them control its muscle contractions – this gel could eventually be used in the brain to treat neurological conditions without surgery ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360968-gel-injected-into-living-animals-turns-into-an-electrode/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-24T11:42:10Z **Elephants may remember the smell of a relative's dung for 12 years**
African elephants in captivity reacted to the smell of relatives they had not seen for years by flapping their ears and making rumbling sounds ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361067-elephants-may-remember-the-smell-of-a-relatives-dung-for-12-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-24T11:46:50Z **Tiny throat mic can detect and broadcast silently mouthed words**
A small patch worn on the throat can pick up even silently mouthed speech and broadcast it, which could help some people who are unable to speak ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360405-tiny-throat-mic-can-detect-and-broadcast-silently-mouthed-words/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-24T15:00:11Z **Video games have been getting perspective wrong, but now there's a fix**
A digital perspective tweak improves how people judge distance in images and doing this in video games and CGI movies could make them feel more immersive ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360848-video-games-have-been-getting-perspective-wrong-but-now-theres-a-fix/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-24T21:37:53Z **Ohio train derailment killed more than 40,000 aquatic animals**
Officials reported that thousands of fish died within days of the chemical spill caused by a derailed train, potentially due to contamination of local waterways ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361346-ohio-train-derailment-killed-more-than-40000-aquatic-animals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T07:00:48Z **Huge ecological disaster in river Oder last year could repeat in 2023**
An algal bloom caused mass deaths of fish and other animals in the river Oder in Germany and Poland in 2022, and scientists warn there is a high risk of a second catastrophe ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360642-huge-ecological-disaster-in-river-oder-last-year-could-repeat-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T05:01:21Z **Lockdown forced London's peregrine falcons to eat more parakeets**
Pigeons are usually the preferred prey of peregrine falcons in London, but during the covid-19 lockdown in 2020, the falcons caught more starlings and parakeets instead ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361108-lockdown-forced-londons-peregrine-falcons-to-eat-more-parakeets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T09:00:40Z **Shock collars could keep elephants out of conflict with humans**
Elephants fitted with electric shock collars quickly learn to avoid approaching the place where they get shocked, suggesting a way to keep elephants away from crops that may be more humane than alternative approaches ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361283-shock-collars-could-keep-elephants-out-of-conflict-with-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T11:09:22Z **A single injection could protect babies against RSV over winter**
A factory-made antibody called nirsevimab has proven safe and effective at reducing the risk of severe RSV infections in babies ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361384-a-single-injection-could-protect-babies-against-rsv-over-winter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T13:00:43Z **Sea turtle strandings on the US east coast have increased drastically**
The number of cold-stunned sea turtles washing up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts has increased from dozens to hundreds within four decades ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361145-sea-turtle-strandings-on-the-us-east-coast-have-increased-drastically/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T12:56:55Z **How to see the northern lights in the UK tonight**
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, were seen as far south as Cornwall in the UK on Sunday night, and are likely to be visible again on Monday night. Here is how to spot them, says Stargazing at Home columnist Abigail Beall ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361381-how-to-see-the-northern-lights-in-the-uk-tonight/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T12:10:47Z **SpaceX launch scrapped at last minute leaving NASA astronauts grounded**
Four NASA astronauts were scheduled to set off for the International Space Station this morning on the SpaceX Crew-6 mission but engineers detected a fault on their rocket ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361421-spacex-launch-scrapped-at-last-minute-leaving-nasa-astronauts-grounded/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T16:30:00Z **Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood**
Whether or not you have children can have a big impact on your health and happiness, not to mention the planet – and some do regret their decisions. Here’s how the evidence can guide you ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734280-300-should-you-have-children-the-true-costs-and-benefits-of-parenthood/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T16:00:19Z **Artificial sweetener erythritol linked to heart attacks and strokes**
The sweetener, called erythritol, caused blood clots in mice and and is linked with higher numbers of deaths in people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361488-artificial-sweetener-erythritol-linked-to-heart-attacks-and-strokes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T15:30:54Z **Thor the walrus spotted on Iceland coast following visit to the UK**
A walrus that visited the south and east coasts of England in December has now been spotted on a floating pier in east Iceland ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361548-thor-the-walrus-spotted-on-iceland-coast-following-visit-to-the-uk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T14:49:37Z **Global cholera outbreak: More than 1 billion people are at risk**
Twenty-two countries are in the midst of an outbreak, but an additional 21 nations could be at risk amid a worldwide surge in infections ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361442-global-cholera-outbreak-more-than-1-billion-people-are-at-risk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-27T22:26:20Z **We need to test solar geoengineering techniques soon, say researchers**
Solar geoengineering has met opposition, but dozens of climate scientists say in an open letter that more research is needed soon to understand the effectiveness of techniques to counter the planet’s warming ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361642-we-need-to-test-solar-geoengineering-techniques-soon-say-researchers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T00:10:34Z **US agency says covid-19 may have leaked from lab – here's what to know**
The US Department of Energy says that covid-19 most likely originated from an unintentional laboratory leak in China, according to a classified document. However, it has not released evidence supporting the claim ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361648-us-agency-says-covid-19-may-have-leaked-from-lab-heres-what-to-know/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T08:00:09Z **Stripy wind turbines could prevent fatal seabird collisions**
Based on principles of bird vision, researchers propose that seabird deaths at offshore wind farms would be reduced by painting black and white stripes on blades ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361507-stripy-wind-turbines-could-prevent-fatal-seabird-collisions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T14:00:35Z **Artificial intelligence training is powered mostly by fossil fuels**
Most AI training relies on electrical grids primarily powered by coal and gas rather than low-carbon sources, according to an analysis of 95 AIs ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361343-artificial-intelligence-training-is-powered-mostly-by-fossil-fuels/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T13:32:23Z **Ford patents car that can repossess itself and drive back to showroom**
A new patent allows Ford to build cars that take action if the owner falls behind on payments by playing annoying sounds – or even driving themselves back to the seller ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361657-ford-patents-car-that-can-repossess-itself-and-drive-back-to-showroom/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T13:00:06Z **Eco-friendly exoskeleton cuts apartment building energy use by 60%**
Nine old apartment buildings in New York City were retrofitted from the outside to consume less energy while minimising disruption to tenants ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361329-eco-friendly-exoskeleton-cuts-apartment-building-energy-use-by-60/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T14:44:14Z **Northern lights: The best pictures of the aurora taken across the UK**
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are usually seen near the Arctic – but solar activity has seen much of the UK treated to the spectacular night time display ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361795-northern-lights-the-best-pictures-of-the-aurora-taken-across-the-uk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T15:00:48Z **Ancient fish thought to be larger than sharks was actually quite short**
Dunkleosteus terrelli was an armoured predator fish with bladed jaws instead of teeth that lived 360 million years ago. Researchers thought it was a 9-metre-long giant but it may have actually have been half that size ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361629-ancient-fish-thought-to-be-larger-than-sharks-was-actually-quite-short/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T19:00:04Z **Aye-aye and possums top list of mammals we should focus on saving**
Biologists have come up with an improved method of prioritising conservation efforts based on how unique a species is and how endangered its relatives are ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361568-aye-aye-and-possums-top-list-of-mammals-we-should-focus-on-saving/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-02-28T23:00:34Z **Young snapping shrimp’s tiny claws beat underwater acceleration record**
Juvenile bigclaw snapping shrimp can clamp their claws nearly twenty times faster than their parents. The acceleration is similar to a bullet leaving a gun and even faster than mantis shrimp ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361955-young-snapping-shrimps-tiny-claws-beat-underwater-acceleration-record/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T10:00:10Z **High-tech research ship ready to seek new life at hydrothermal vents**
The Falkor (too), a 100-metre, state-of-the-art research vessel, is scheduled to set sail on 3 March to look for hydrothermal vents and undiscovered organisms, potentially shedding light on how life may have arisen on other planets ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361810-high-tech-research-ship-ready-to-seek-new-life-at-hydrothermal-vents/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T08:00:25Z **Adding wild fungi to soil could make trees store more carbon**
A loblolly pine plantation in the state of Georgia is the test site for a start-up company trying to see if improving the fungi and other microbes in soil can help trees grow bigger and faster ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361604-adding-wild-fungi-to-soil-could-make-trees-store-more-carbon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T14:03:43Z **Winter storms in California trigger mudslides with heavy snow forecast**
An unusually cold and wet Californian winter has caused mudslides, damaged infrastructure – and topped up the state’s depleted reservoirs ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362095-winter-storms-in-california-trigger-mudslides-with-heavy-snow-forecast/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T12:26:00Z **We’re starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions**
Widespread cases of long covid have shone a spotlight on the role viral infections play in previously neglected conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734282-100-were-starting-to-understand-how-viruses-trigger-chronic-conditions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T12:15:37Z **What is the Venus-Jupiter conjunction and how can you view it?**
The solar system’s largest planet, Jupiter, and its brightest planet, Venus, will appear to touch in the sky tonight – here’s why ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362038-what-is-the-venus-jupiter-conjunction-and-how-can-you-view-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T19:41:16Z **US president could get power to ban TikTok nationwide**
A bill that would empower the US president to ban TikTok from all devices nationwide has advanced beyond committee for discussion by Congress ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362175-us-president-could-get-power-to-ban-tiktok-nationwide/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T17:40:15Z **Influenza viruses may have originated in fish 600 million years ago**
A flu virus found in a sturgeon resembles the predicted ancestor of all known forms of influenza, hinting that the virus first evolved in fish ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361683-influenza-viruses-may-have-originated-in-fish-600-million-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T17:15:00Z **This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original**
An idea called almost quantum theory predicts particles could have stronger correlations than we've ever observed. If tests show it to be true, it would be a huge scientific upset ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734280-900-this-new-version-of-quantum-theory-is-even-stranger-than-the-original/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T17:00:30Z **Rare bird not seen for 24 years found alive in Madagascan forests**
Three sightings of the dusky tetraka suggest that its preferred habitat is by mountain streams with rocky banks – which is not where people had been previously searching for it. ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362126-rare-bird-not-seen-for-24-years-found-alive-in-madagascan-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T17:00:06Z **Most accurate molecular clock yet uses extremely cold strontium**
A clock that ticks using vibrations of strontium molecules could be used to test Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity or to search for forces that have yet to be described ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360660-most-accurate-molecular-clock-yet-uses-extremely-cold-strontium/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T16:00:45Z **Geese are breeding at a former nuclear weapons test site in the Arctic**
Thousands of pink-footed geese have begun migrating to a remote Arctic island to breed, showing some migratory birds can adapt rapidly to a warming world ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362124-geese-are-breeding-at-a-former-nuclear-weapons-test-site-in-the-arctic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T16:00:33Z **Strange quantum event happens once every 10 billion chances**
When two forms of hydrogen smash together an unusual process called quantum tunnelling can occur. Researchers have now worked out how rarely it happens ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361956-strange-quantum-event-happens-once-every-10-billion-chances/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T16:00:28Z **Deforestation is reducing rainfall all over the tropics**
Satellite data shows rainfall in tropical regions across the globe has declined in deforested areas in line with what climate models have been predicting ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362055-deforestation-is-reducing-rainfall-all-over-the-tropics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T16:00:23Z **What we learned from NASA's asteroid-smashing DART mission**
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test smashed into the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, and the huge plume of rubble from the collision more than tripled the momentum transferred from the spacecraft to the asteroid ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361970-what-we-learned-from-nasas-asteroid-smashing-dart-mission/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-01T21:00:53Z **Mediterranean diet may prevent cognitive issues for people with MS**
People with multiple sclerosis who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to show signs of cognitive impairment than people with the condition who don't follow the diet ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361966-mediterranean-diet-may-prevent-cognitive-issues-for-people-with-ms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T13:21:10Z **Hidden corridor in Egypt’s Great Pyramid mapped with cosmic rays**
A 9-metre-long corridor in the 4500-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza that was discovered in 2016 has now been mapped, and researchers have used a tiny camera to peer inside ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362300-hidden-corridor-in-egypts-great-pyramid-mapped-with-cosmic-rays/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T16:00:55Z **Students ate less meat for three years after a talk on climate impact**
In a randomised trial, students who listened to a single 50-minute talk on the health and climate impacts of meat ate 9 per cent fewer meat-based meals over the next three years ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362285-students-ate-less-meat-for-three-years-after-a-talk-on-climate-impact/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T16:00:02Z **Hubble Space Telescope images are being spoiled by satellite trails**
With so many satellites now in orbit, some are straying across Hubble’s field of view as it is taking photographs of distant celestial objects ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362341-hubble-space-telescope-images-are-being-spoiled-by-satellite-trails/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T15:27:42Z **Norovirus outbreak: Why is the number of cases in England so high?**
Cases of norovirus in England are at their highest level for more than 10 years and are still rising – here’s what could be behind it ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362399-norovirus-outbreak-why-is-the-number-of-cases-in-england-so-high/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T14:28:05Z **Giant insect thought extinct in eastern US found in a Walmart**
A giant lacewing found clinging to the exterior of a supermarket is the first time in 50 years the species been spotted in the eastern half of the US ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362184-giant-insect-thought-extinct-in-eastern-us-found-in-a-walmart/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T20:41:11Z **Horn of Africa drought is set to become the region’s worst on record**
A sixth failed rainy season would deepen the long-term drought in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia that has contributed to a devastating food crisis ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362556-horn-of-africa-drought-is-set-to-become-the-regions-worst-on-record/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T19:00:33Z **Weird vocal fry trick helps orcas and dolphins hunt prey in the deep**
Toothed whales produce a low-pitch ‘vocal fry’ using powerful air blasts from their blowholes, helping them locate food in deep water where the pressure collapses their lungs ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361968-weird-vocal-fry-trick-helps-orcas-and-dolphins-hunt-prey-in-the-deep/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T19:00:18Z **Northern forests released a record amount of carbon dioxide in 2021**
Heatwaves and droughts in Russia and Canada resulted in a big jump in carbon emissions from boreal forests in 2021, on the back of a rising trend since 2000 ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362504-northern-forests-released-a-record-amount-of-carbon-dioxide-in-2021/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-02T16:45:13Z **Just 500 extra steps a day lowers heart disease risk for older adults**
A study of adults aged 70 and older found that every extra 500 steps – just under half a kilometre – walked per day can reduce risk of heart disease and stroke by 14 per cent ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362172-just-500-extra-steps-a-day-lowers-heart-disease-risk-for-older-adults/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T06:00:02Z **ChatGPT can be made to write scam emails and it slashes their cost**
The impressive capabilities of ChatGPT can be turned to cybercrimes like phishing despite safety precautions taken by OpenAI to prevent misuse, warn researchers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361490-chatgpt-can-be-made-to-write-scam-emails-and-it-slashes-their-cost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T12:26:42Z **Wildlife trading treaty has been helping to save animals for 50 years**
It is 50 years since the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was agreed – here are some of the species it has helped ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362707-wildlife-trading-treaty-has-been-helping-to-save-animals-for-50-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T12:00:19Z **Warming temperatures are creating 'zombie forests' in California**
A fifth of conifer forests in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are now in places that are too hot for them – meaning they may not regrow if wiped out by wildfire or disease ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362602-warming-temperatures-are-creating-zombie-forests-in-california/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T14:25:45Z **Man in Florida killed by rare, brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri**
The Florida Department of Health announced this week that a man in the state has died after being infected by a microbe that damages brain tissue ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362751-man-in-florida-killed-by-rare-brain-eating-amoeba-naegleria-fowleri/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T14:00:34Z **Play VR games on a bus by wiggling your fingers as if they were arms**
Waving your arms to control your actions in virtual reality can lead to you accidentally punching things in the real world, but now software can help you control your virtual limbs by wiggling your fingers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361193-play-vr-games-on-a-bus-by-wiggling-your-fingers-as-if-they-were-arms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T13:36:12Z **AI speeds up design of new antibodies that could target breast cancer**
An artificial intelligence has designed new versions of trastuzumab, an antibody treatment against breast cancer, in just a few days – existing methods take weeks or months ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362485-ai-speeds-up-design-of-new-antibodies-that-could-target-breast-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-03T19:00:12Z **Earliest signs of horse riding found in 5000-year-old human remains**
The bones of nine men from graves in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania show hallmarks of horse riding in the patterns of wear on their spines, legs and pelvises ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362765-earliest-signs-of-horse-riding-found-in-5000-year-old-human-remains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-04T08:00:54Z **AI masters video game 6000 times faster by reading the instructions**
An artificial intelligence has learned to master an Atari skiing game in days of playing time rather than the decades it took a specialist DeepMind AI, simply by reading the instructions written for humans before it started ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358953-ai-masters-video-game-6000-times-faster-by-reading-the-instructions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-04T14:00:10Z **There may be just 800 of these endangered eagles left in the wild**
Philippine eagles are one of the largest living eagle species and require a huge territory to thrive. A mapping project found that there may be fewer than a thousand individuals left ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361979-there-may-be-just-800-of-these-endangered-eagles-left-in-the-wild/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-04T12:00:35Z **Lion infected with covid-19 probably passed it on to two zoo workers**
A lion at Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana, tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus after it started coughing and became breathless. Zoo workers who had cared for the lion later caught the infection ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361908-lion-infected-with-covid-19-probably-passed-it-on-to-two-zoo-workers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-04T18:00:16Z **Wooden robot hand can lift objects and withstand high temperatures**
Robot grippers made from soft plastics will melt in the heat, but a wooden alternative can do the job just fine ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362764-wooden-robot-hand-can-lift-objects-and-withstand-high-temperatures/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-05T10:00:49Z **Heating water with computer servers could save UK homes £150 a year**
Data centres often waste the heat generated by servers, but UK firm Heata intends to bring servers into people's homes where the waste energy can be used to heat up people's hot water for showers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360287-heating-water-with-computer-servers-could-save-uk-homes-150-a-year/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-05T07:00:17Z **Quantum computers that use 'cat qubits' may make fewer errors**
Quantum bits inspired by Schrödinger’s cat could allow quantum computers to make fewer mistakes and more efficiently crack algorithms used for encryption ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361929-quantum-computers-that-use-cat-qubits-may-make-fewer-errors/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-05T12:00:12Z **Microsoft uses ChatGPT AI to control flying drones and robot arms**
Microsoft has used ChatGPT to create code for robotic arms and quadcopter drones from simple text commands given by humans, but experts warn that putting AI in control of such devices is a risky path ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2361382-microsoft-uses-chatgpt-ai-to-control-flying-drones-and-robot-arms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T08:00:07Z **Galaxies’ missing matter may be found – but now there’s too much of it**
Most galaxies seemed to be missing a huge proportion of the matter we expected them to have – now researchers may have found its hiding spot, but the discovery contradicts accepted models of galaxy formation ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362868-galaxies-missing-matter-may-be-found-but-now-theres-too-much-of-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T13:41:33Z **What is the UN high seas treaty and will it save the world’s oceans?**
Nations have for the first time agreed on a framework for protecting marine life in international waters, but there are many issues still to be ironed out ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362921-what-is-the-un-high-seas-treaty-and-will-it-save-the-worlds-oceans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T17:00:13Z **Antimatter neutrinos detected from a nuclear reactor 240 km away**
A water-based detector has been used to spot antineutrinos from nuclear reactions hundreds of kilometres away. It could be used to monitor distant nuclear activities ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362490-antimatter-neutrinos-detected-from-a-nuclear-reactor-240-km-away/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T16:00:00Z **The surprisingly useful liquids that mop up gases like a sponge**
Creating a porous liquid long seemed impossible. But now we are making them in earnest and they could prove exceedingly handy in industrial chemistry, greenhouse gas storage and even emergency medicine ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734290-200-the-surprisingly-useful-liquids-that-mop-up-gases-like-a-sponge/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T21:52:38Z **Females are not smaller than males in most mammal species**
The idea that male mammals are larger than females has persisted for more than a century, but an analysis of body mass and length in 400 mammal species shows it isn’t the norm ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363067-females-are-not-smaller-than-males-in-most-mammal-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-06T21:39:18Z **Gold hydrogen: Is there a huge reserve of clean fuel in Earth's crust?**
Geologists think there may be vast natural stores of hidden hydrogen gas within Earth, but no one is sure how much there is or how much could be recovered for energy ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363076-gold-hydrogen-is-there-a-huge-reserve-of-clean-fuel-in-earths-crust/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-07T15:43:11Z **First 3D-printed rocket is about to launch into space**
US aerospace startup Relativity Space is planning to launch its 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket on 8 March, skipping planned tests and heading straight for orbit ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363077-first-3d-printed-rocket-is-about-to-launch-into-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-07T12:51:24Z **Money actually does buy happiness, says Nobel prize-winning economist**
After reanalysing earlier studies, Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues have found that happiness continues to increase with incomes higher than $75,000, contradicting the widely reported idea of a happiness plateau ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363168-money-actually-does-buy-happiness-says-nobel-prize-winning-economist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-07T19:00:00Z **Bumblebees can teach each other how to open a puzzle box**
When researchers taught a bumblebee to push a lever for a reward, the knowledge spread through its colony, hinting that these insects have a kind of minimal culture ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363354-bumblebees-can-teach-each-other-how-to-open-a-puzzle-box/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-07T18:00:34Z **AI creates pictures of what people are seeing by analysing brain scans**
An artificial intelligence that can create pictures of what people are looking at based on brain scans is impressive, but not ready for widespread use ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363330-ai-creates-pictures-of-what-people-are-seeing-by-analysing-brain-scans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-07T21:00:06Z **Covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy protect newborns from infection**
A large study of infants shows that getting a covid-19 vaccination while pregnant can significantly reduce your child's infection risk two months after birth ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363093-covid-19-vaccines-during-pregnancy-protect-newborns-from-infection/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T11:25:13Z **Sickle cell disease is now curable, but the treatment is unaffordable**
CRISPR gene editing has made it possible to cure sickle cell disease, which affects millions worldwide, but most people with the condition won't be able to afford the cost of the treatment ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363391-sickle-cell-disease-is-now-curable-but-the-treatment-is-unaffordable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T10:40:06Z **The UK's official swimming rivers are too polluted to swim in**
Just two rivers in the UK are designated as "bathing waters", and both are currently rated in poor health. With more rivers set to become bathing waters, will they actually be clean enough to use? ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363389-the-uks-official-swimming-rivers-are-too-polluted-to-swim-in/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T16:00:57Z **'Red matter' superconductor could transform electronics – if it works**
Researchers have long attempted to produce a superconductor that works at low temperature and pressure. A team now claims that its material, dubbed "red matter", has these properties ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363376-red-matter-superconductor-could-transform-electronics-if-it-works/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T16:00:36Z **Soil bacteria enzyme generates electricity from hydrogen in the air**
An enzyme called Huc that the soil bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis uses to produce energy from hydrogen has been analysed and now we know how it works ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363552-soil-bacteria-enzyme-generates-electricity-from-hydrogen-in-the-air/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T16:00:32Z **Fossil thought to be earliest bryozoan animal may actually be seaweed**
The Cambrian fossil Protomelission was identified in 2021 as a type of coral-like animal called a bryozoan, but new specimens make it look more like a kind of green algae ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363472-fossil-thought-to-be-earliest-bryozoan-animal-may-actually-be-seaweed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T16:00:25Z **How smoke from Australia’s megafires ate away at the ozone**
Wildfire smoke can change the chemistry of the stratosphere, resulting in chlorine molecules that deplete the ozone layer ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363372-how-smoke-from-australias-megafires-ate-away-at-the-ozone/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T16:00:00Z **Restoring the brain’s mitochondria could slow ageing and end dementia**
The discovery that faulty metabolism is at the root of many brain diseases suggests a surprising transplant could be the way to protect our brains from the ravages of ageing ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734290-100-restoring-the-brains-mitochondria-could-slow-ageing-and-end-dementia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T19:00:40Z **Scientists warn of 'alarming' rise in ocean microplastic pollution**
Global data on ocean surface level pollution suggests there are now 2.3 million tonnes of microplastic pollution floating in the world’s seas, with concentrations surging since 2005 ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363320-scientists-warn-of-alarming-rise-in-ocean-microplastic-pollution/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T19:00:06Z **Nanotechnology paint provides brilliant colour that doesn't fade**
A paint that gets its colour from aluminium nanoparticles rather than pigment is also incredibly lightweight and reflective ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363554-nanotechnology-paint-provides-brilliant-colour-that-doesnt-fade/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T19:00:04Z **We can suck CO2 from the air and store it in the ocean as baking soda**
A copper-based material boosts the effectiveness of the direct air capture process, turning carbon dioxide into sodium bicarbonate through a reaction with seawater ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363620-we-can-suck-co2-from-the-air-and-store-it-in-the-ocean-as-baking-soda/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T18:09:33Z **Mice have been born from eggs derived from male cells**
A method for turning male cells into egg cells in mice could one day be used to help men in a same-sex couple have children who are genetically related to them both ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363627-mice-have-been-born-from-eggs-derived-from-male-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-08T21:07:56Z **Orca seen foster parenting a pilot whale calf for first time**
The first documented case of cross-species parental behaviour among whales has led researchers to wonder whether a long-finned pilot whale calf was adopted or abducted by an orca ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363374-orca-seen-foster-parenting-a-pilot-whale-calf-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-09T09:00:53Z **AI trained on YouTube and podcasts speaks with ums and ahs**
An artificial intelligence that has been trained on YouTube and podcast recordings generates speech from text prompts that sounds remarkably natural ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362956-ai-trained-on-youtube-and-podcasts-speaks-with-ums-and-ahs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-09T12:25:58Z **A common and treatable cause of heart attacks is being overlooked**
Research suggests inflammation may be just as important as cholesterol as a cause of heart attacks, suggesting different treatments should be considered for prevention ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363381-a-common-and-treatable-cause-of-heart-attacks-is-being-overlooked/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-09T16:00:05Z **Rapid genome sequencing helps save hundreds of critically ill babies**
More than 400 children have taken part in a rapid whole-genome sequencing trial at every hospital in Australia. With results in less than three days, many of the participants have quickly been diagnosed with rare genetic conditions and received appropriate treatment ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363097-rapid-genome-sequencing-helps-save-hundreds-of-critically-ill-babies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T07:00:08Z **How are the atoms that form us forged across the universe?**
For decades researchers have studied how heavy elements are produced in the cosmos – but there is still so much mystery to unravel, says astrophysicist Artemis Spyrou ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363058-how-are-the-atoms-that-form-us-forged-across-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T16:07:17Z **First beauty products made with synthetic palm oil go on sale**
A skin and hair product that uses a yeast oil with properties similar to palm oil aims to help reduce deforestation tied to palm oil production ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363817-first-beauty-products-made-with-synthetic-palm-oil-go-on-sale/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T16:00:50Z **Character creator AI puts Barack Obama – or anyone – in a video game**
An artificial intelligence in the game Justice Online will let players customise characters to look like anything they want, including celebrities or dog people, just by typing in instructions – and the tech could make it to other games too ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362730-character-creator-ai-puts-barack-obama-or-anyone-in-a-video-game/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T19:00:33Z **Squid fishing is booming in unregulated parts of the ocean**
To lure squid to the surface, fishing vessels often use bright lights than can be seen by satellites. This has allowed researchers to track squid fishing that occurs away from oversight ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363837-squid-fishing-is-booming-in-unregulated-parts-of-the-ocean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T19:00:24Z **Stone flakes made by monkeys cast doubt on ancient human 'tools'**
When macaques use stones to crack nuts, they accidentally create flakes that look like early human artefacts, raising questions about whether such objects were made deliberately ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363882-stone-flakes-made-by-monkeys-cast-doubt-on-ancient-human-tools/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-10T18:06:34Z **Google robot can have a conversation but also fetch you a snack**
A robot that is controlled by Google’s PaLM-E artificial intelligence language model can process images and text, respond to queries and even grab a bag of food for you from the kitchen ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363866-google-robot-can-have-a-conversation-but-also-fetch-you-a-snack/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-11T08:00:52Z **Eating non-native plants helps some butterflies fight viral infections**
Raising white peacock butterflies on a diet of exotic plants gave them a higher chance of survival against viral infections ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363822-eating-non-native-plants-helps-some-butterflies-fight-viral-infections/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-11T07:00:44Z **Spy robot investigates the enemy and then melts into an oily puddle**
A robot that dissolves into a puddle after exposing itself to heat and UV light could one day be used to securely gather intelligence and then destroy itself before it falls into the wrong hands ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363713-spy-robot-investigates-the-enemy-and-then-melts-into-an-oily-puddle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-11T11:00:48Z **A massive power transformer shortage is wreaking havoc in the US**
A nationwide shortage of power grid transformers is causing delays across the US for everything from infrastructure for electric vehicles to new homes ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363369-a-massive-power-transformer-shortage-is-wreaking-havoc-in-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-12T10:00:03Z **Emotions like disgust and fear linked to more acidic stomach pH**
People who reported feeling the most disgusted or frightened after watching a series of videos had a more acidic stomach pH compared with other study participants. It is unclear if these emotions cause the acidity or if an acidic pH makes people feel emotions more intensely ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2362962-emotions-like-disgust-and-fear-linked-to-more-acidic-stomach-ph/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-12T16:00:07Z **Amazon wants you to help train robots by playing a video game**
A computer game being developed by Amazon, called Alexa Arena, is designed to harvest information on how humans interact with robots so the firm can train the machines on how best to go about their duties in offices and homes ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363110-amazon-wants-you-to-help-train-robots-by-playing-a-video-game/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-13T15:00:51Z **Oldest ichthyosaur fossil hints they evolved before mass extinction**
Ichthyosaur bones found in 250 million-year-old rock hint that these swimming reptiles may have appeared before Earth’s biggest mass extinction and survived ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364046-oldest-ichthyosaur-fossil-hints-they-evolved-before-mass-extinction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-13T15:00:15Z **Freak storms stopped tens of thousands of birds breeding in Antarctica**
Huge snowstorms between December 2021 and January 2022 made Antarctic petrels, snow petrels and south polar skuas abandon attempts at nesting and return to sea ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364041-freak-storms-stopped-tens-of-thousands-of-birds-breeding-in-antarctica/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-13T14:00:39Z **Brown widow spiders are killing off black widows in the southern US**
Black widow spiders are waning in the southern US and brown widows may be the culprit – in lab tests, they were more than six times as likely to kill southern black widows than other arachnids they were offered ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363876-brown-widow-spiders-are-killing-off-black-widows-in-the-southern-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-13T19:00:40Z **Humans have improved at Go since AIs became best in the world**
The world's best Go-playing AIs can beat the best humans at the game, but their introduction has also helped human players improve their skills ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364137-humans-have-improved-at-go-since-ais-became-best-in-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-13T19:00:17Z **Ghost catfish get their rainbow iridescence from transparent muscles**
Most iridescent fish shine because of structures in their scales or skin, but the transparent ghost catfish gets its shine from prism-like structures in its muscle fibres ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363930-ghost-catfish-get-their-rainbow-iridescence-from-transparent-muscles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T00:01:00Z **Wild Isles review: David Attenborough turns focus to UK and Ireland**
Wild Isles, a new BBC nature documentary, has spent a Planet Earth-sized budget a little closer to home. Some of its footage even managed to surprise the show's host, David Attenborough, despite all his experience, finds Bethan Ackerley ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734300-800-wild-isles-review-david-attenborough-turns-focus-to-uk-and-ireland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T12:06:51Z **Ecologists are infecting trees with fungi to make them age prematurely**
Many species depend on the cavities inside veteran trees, but such spaces are in short supply. Researchers are exploring ways to make young trees old before their time ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364205-ecologists-are-infecting-trees-with-fungi-to-make-them-age-prematurely/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T11:22:12Z **Human brain cells used as living AIs to solve mathematical equations**
Brain organoids grown in a lab can be used to perform basic computation tasks, but there are big unanswered questions about how far this approach should be taken ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363962-human-brain-cells-used-as-living-ais-to-solve-mathematical-equations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T10:00:26Z **World’s largest office building with 'passive house' design to open**
The world’s largest example of an office building constructed to passive house standards – using airtight construction and high levels of insulation to cut energy use – is soon to open in Boston, Massachusetts ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363708-worlds-largest-office-building-with-passive-house-design-to-open/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T16:00:00Z **New DNA tests predict your disease risk – are we ready for them?**
Polygenic tests can predict your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, but some doctors worry about the consequences for healthcare systems and for us ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734303-400-new-dna-tests-predict-your-disease-risk-are-we-ready-for-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T15:00:14Z **Cosmic Tumbles, Quantum Leaps review: Embodying Schrodinger's cat**
This physics-inspired circus performance enthralled attendees of the American Physical Society’s March Meeting, but a casual observer may have missed some of the scientific concepts that performers enacted ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363959-cosmic-tumbles-quantum-leaps-review-embodying-schrodingers-cat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T20:12:21Z **The archaeologists recreating the secrets of prehistoric technology**
It has long been unclear how ancient people built a city of wood in the New Mexico desert far from any forests. By trying prehistoric building techniques themselves, archaeologists are working it out ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364153-the-archaeologists-recreating-the-secrets-of-prehistoric-technology/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T19:35:17Z **US approves controversial Willow oil drilling project in Alaska**
The hotly debated Willow oil drilling project has been approved in Alaska, a decision that could exacerbate climate change and imperil wildlife ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364355-us-approves-controversial-willow-oil-drilling-project-in-alaska/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T19:13:35Z **Russian fighter jet collides with US military drone over the Black Sea**
The US operates drones in international airspace around Ukraine, and a Russian fighter jet has hit one – an MQ-9 Reaper drone – in an incident the US military is calling “unsafe and unprofessional” ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364358-russian-fighter-jet-collides-with-us-military-drone-over-the-black-sea/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-14T21:17:14Z **JWST took a stunning picture of a star that’s about to go supernova**
The James Webb Space Telescope has taken an astonishingly detailed image of a Wolf-Rayet star as it blows off its outer layers in preparation to go supernova ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364388-jwst-took-a-stunning-picture-of-a-star-thats-about-to-go-supernova/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T07:00:47Z **Gene-edited rice may be able to grow on Mars**
Martian soil is generally poor for growing plants, but researchers have used CRISPR to create gene-edited rice that might be able to germinate and grow despite the hostile habitat ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364154-gene-edited-rice-may-be-able-to-grow-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T05:00:39Z **Fungus that kills frogs and amphibians is rapidly spreading in Africa**
Across Africa there has been a surge in a fungus that causes heart failure in amphibians over the past two decades, which could devastate the continent’s amphibians as it has elsewhere ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364373-fungus-that-kills-frogs-and-amphibians-is-rapidly-spreading-in-africa/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T10:00:32Z **Robot snake that moves like a sidewinder could inspect sewage pipes**
A robot that mimics the motion of snakes can undulate in S-shaped bends or roll in spirals ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364216-robot-snake-that-moves-like-a-sidewinder-could-inspect-sewage-pipes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T16:00:00Z **Cave paintings of mutilated hands could be a Stone Age sign language**
Palaeolithic hand stencils with missing fingers could indicate ritual mutilation or frostbite – but new research suggests they might be trying to tell us something ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734300-900-cave-paintings-of-mutilated-hands-could-be-a-stone-age-sign-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T15:34:08Z **Caffeine linked to lower BMI and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes**
Genetic evidence supports the idea that higher blood caffeine levels lead to lower weight and less chance of type 2 diabetes ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364583-caffeine-linked-to-lower-bmi-and-reduced-risk-of-type-2-diabetes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T15:00:40Z **Jumping parasitic worms use static electricity to hit their targets**
Millimetre-long worms use powerful muscles to jump onto their bee or fly hosts to feed. But their expert leaping may be helped by an electric attraction that pulls them to their targets mid-air ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363379-jumping-parasitic-worms-use-static-electricity-to-hit-their-targets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T20:44:09Z **Earliest evidence of a meteorite hitting Earth found in Australia**
Tiny pieces of stone found in a rock formation in Western Australia may be the oldest evidence of a meteorite impact on Earth, dating back nearly 3.5 billion years ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364671-earliest-evidence-of-a-meteorite-hitting-earth-found-in-australia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-15T18:00:49Z **Notre Dame fire revealed cathedral’s innovative use of iron**
The 2019 fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris unexpectedly led to discovery of the building’s use of iron staple reinforcements throughout its structure. It’s the first Gothic cathedral known to have used such a method ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364600-notre-dame-fire-revealed-cathedrals-innovative-use-of-iron/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T16:00:17Z **Windows filled with see-through wood layer help hold in heat**
A transparent material made from cellulose nanofibres and pockets of gas could replace air in double-glazed windows to improve thermal insulation ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364723-windows-filled-with-see-through-wood-layer-help-hold-in-heat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T15:03:23Z **Umbilical blood stem cell transplant puts woman in HIV remission**
A woman is in remission for HIV after she received HIV-resistant stem cells from umbilical cord blood to treat her leukaemia ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364804-umbilical-blood-stem-cell-transplant-puts-woman-in-hiv-remission/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T13:29:42Z **Brexit law change could restrict access to UK river pollution data**
The UK's Environment Information Regulations have enabled researchers and campaigners to force water firms to publish data on river pollution, but they may be scrapped as part of the Brexit process ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364782-brexit-law-change-could-restrict-access-to-uk-river-pollution-data/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T20:41:27Z **Maternal mortality rate in the US rose drastically in 2021**
The US saw a 40 per cent rise in maternal death rates from 2020 to 2021, with the rate among Black people more than twice as high as white people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364909-maternal-mortality-rate-in-the-us-rose-drastically-in-2021/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T20:30:11Z **80,000 mouse brain cells used to build a living computer**
Tens of thousands of living brain cells have been used to build a simple computer that can recognise patterns of light and electricity. It could eventually be used in robotics ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363095-80000-mouse-brain-cells-used-to-build-a-living-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-16T18:00:56Z **How poisonous amphibians evolve bright colours to warn predators off**
Amphibians with vivid colours to warn predators they are poisonous or bad-tasting typically evolve from species that only show their colours when they flee or deliberately display them ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364724-how-poisonous-amphibians-evolve-bright-colours-to-warn-predators-off/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T08:00:36Z **Australia’s rarest bird of prey is disappearing faster than we thought**
Just 44 years ago, red goshawks were found along Australia’s eastern coastline. But the copper-feathered predators are now missing from 34 per cent of their former range ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364682-australias-rarest-bird-of-prey-is-disappearing-faster-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T12:29:30Z **'Red matter' superconductor may not be a wonder material after all**
A material called red matter, after the colour change it undergoes when subjected to pressure, was hailed as a potential room temperature superconductor, but now other researchers are finding they can't replicate the results ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364955-red-matter-superconductor-may-not-be-a-wonder-material-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T12:00:55Z **China reclaims pandas from US zoos – is the panda politics era over?**
Most of the contracts loaning giant pandas to US zoos are expiring without extensions – some say this could be a reflection of rising tensions between the US and China, though others suggest it may be coincidence ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364886-china-reclaims-pandas-from-us-zoos-is-the-panda-politics-era-over/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T11:00:41Z **Stunning new orchid species grows in lawns and parks in Japan**
It was thought that Japan was home to only one species of Spiranthes orchid, but researchers have now found another ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364865-stunning-new-orchid-species-grows-in-lawns-and-parks-in-japan/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T15:37:42Z **Covid-19 threat expected to become on par with flu this year, says WHO**
The World Health Organization says the coronavirus is likely to be no longer seen as a public health emergency within 2023, as long as a more dangerous variant does not evolve ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365004-covid-19-threat-expected-to-become-on-par-with-flu-this-year-says-who/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T15:00:50Z **Gut bacteria that break down oestrogen linked to depression in women**
A form of oestrogen known to be related to positive mood was found to be 43 per cent lower in premenopausal women with depression than those without the condition ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364915-gut-bacteria-that-break-down-oestrogen-linked-to-depression-in-women/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-17T18:29:40Z **Covid-19 may have started in raccoon dogs, new DNA evidence shows**
Swabs taken from the suspected seafood market in Wuhan contain both the coronavirus and DNA from raccoon dogs and other animals ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365055-covid-19-may-have-started-in-raccoon-dogs-new-dna-evidence-shows/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-18T06:00:22Z **Protein fragments that repair skin damage could be added to cosmetics**
When applied to skin on the forearms, two of these fragments increased levels of key structures that are known to make skin more elastic and youthful ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365006-protein-fragments-that-repair-skin-damage-could-be-added-to-cosmetics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-18T12:00:20Z **Quantum computers may finally have their first real practical use**
Methods to generate the random numbers we need for secure communications are all flawed in some way, but quantum computers that exist today could produce random numbers that can't be faked ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364482-quantum-computers-may-finally-have-their-first-real-practical-use/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-18T17:00:21Z **Quantum effects could be key to the chemistry of life on Titan**
Saturn’s moon Titan is too cold for many types of chemical reactions, but quantum tunnelling could present a loophole that would allow reactions that are crucial for life ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364910-quantum-effects-could-be-key-to-the-chemistry-of-life-on-titan/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-18T16:00:44Z **Bird flu cases are expected to surge as birds migrate in coming weeks**
H5N1 cases in birds are expected to rise in the coming weeks as migratory species wing their way across the planet. Veterinary epidemiologist Victoria Hall explains why this outbreak is different – and what it could mean for humans ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364090-bird-flu-cases-are-expected-to-surge-as-birds-migrate-in-coming-weeks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-19T09:00:49Z **Women show signs of cellular ageing at 19 that hit men at age 40**
Biopsy reports of nearly 5 million people suggest that markers that are thought to be signs of ageing, such as inflammation and the formation of giant cells, occurred two decades earlier in the female participants than in the male participants ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364272-women-show-signs-of-cellular-ageing-at-19-that-hit-men-at-age-40/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-19T12:00:37Z **Your early life shapes the mix of good and bad viruses in your gut**
We are beginning to learn how different factors influence the mixture of viruses in the guts of young children, called the gut virome, but its importance for health is still unclear ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364831-your-early-life-shapes-the-mix-of-good-and-bad-viruses-in-your-gut/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-19T16:00:24Z **Algae-farming fish help coral reefs bounce back from bleaching events**
The presence of territorial farmerfish that look after algae gardens seems to help branching corals recover after heat stress has bleached them, but we aren't sure why ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364836-algae-farming-fish-help-coral-reefs-bounce-back-from-bleaching-events/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T00:01:39Z **Seven days to a fitter you: Read our top exercise long reads for free**
To celebrate the launch of our new Essential Guide all about exercise, New Scientist editors have selected some of our most insightful premium articles about the science of physical fitness ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364739-seven-days-to-a-fitter-you-read-our-top-exercise-long-reads-for-free/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T13:00:57Z **IPCC climate change report: Can we avoid 1.5°C of global warming?**
The sixth synthesis report from the IPCC once again warns that without immediate and massive emissions reductions, limiting global warming to 1.5°C will be beyond reach ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365209-ipcc-climate-change-report-can-we-avoid-1-5c-of-global-warming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T13:00:16Z **IPCC reporting hiatus could imperil political action on climate change**
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change isn't due to produce its next report until 2028, which could allow political focus to move away from global warming, campaigners have warned ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365245-ipcc-reporting-hiatus-could-imperil-political-action-on-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T11:46:19Z **Spring equinox 2023: Why day and night aren't actually equal in length**
The 2023 vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs on 20 March, but it’s not strictly true that this means day and night are the same length ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365187-spring-equinox-2023-why-day-and-night-arent-actually-equal-in-length/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T16:00:58Z **Is someone lying to you? A lack of detail may give them away**
A lack of detail may be the best indication that someone is lying to you, according to an investigation that found this single measure was more accurate at identifying falsehoods than considering multiple factors ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365049-is-someone-lying-to-you-a-lack-of-detail-may-give-them-away/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T16:00:30Z **Astonishing 3D footage of ants recorded using 54-camera set-up**
An imaging technique has allowed researchers to record detailed three-dimensional video of small creatures, including ants, flies and zebrafish larvae ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365020-astonishing-3d-footage-of-ants-recorded-using-54-camera-set-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T16:00:29Z **Orcas in the North Pacific may be dying out due to inbreeding**
Habitat and hunting protections have helped orca numbers rebound globally, but a group in the North Pacific Ocean is still shrinking – probably because it is isolated from other populations ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364903-orcas-in-the-north-pacific-may-be-dying-out-due-to-inbreeding/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-20T19:00:29Z **Oxygen on early Earth may have come from quartz crushed by earthquakes**
Billions of years ago, crushed quartz reacting with water could have created the conditions needed for the evolution of the photosynthetic microbes responsible for most of the oxygen now in Earth’s atmosphere ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365333-oxygen-on-early-earth-may-have-come-from-quartz-crushed-by-earthquakes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T08:00:37Z **Bird flu may be making foxes and other animals behave in unusual ways**
Analysis of wild mammals infected with H5N1 bird flu in the US found that many had brain infections and neurological symptoms, including lack of fear of people ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365030-bird-flu-may-be-making-foxes-and-other-animals-behave-in-unusual-ways/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T06:00:25Z **Asteroids that speed up unexpectedly may be ‘dark comets’ in disguise**
Some asteroids appear to accelerate in ways that can’t be accounted for by gravity, suggesting they might be firing out invisible jets of gas ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364995-asteroids-that-speed-up-unexpectedly-may-be-dark-comets-in-disguise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T16:20:39Z **Mathematicians discover shape that can tile a wall and never repeat**
Aperiodic tiling, in which shapes can fit together to create infinite patterns that never repeat, has fascinated mathematicians for decades, but until now no one knew if it could be done with just one shape ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365363-mathematicians-discover-shape-that-can-tile-a-wall-and-never-repeat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T16:00:42Z **3D-printed cake made from 7 different pastes and finished by a laser**
A cake has been 3D printed using seven simple ingredients blended into pastes. The result was a layered flavour that "hits you in different waves" ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365015-3d-printed-cake-made-from-7-different-pastes-and-finished-by-a-laser/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T16:00:20Z **Samples from asteroid Ryugu contain one of the building blocks of RNA**
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft brought back samples from Ryugu in 2020, and an analysis of a tiny portion of those samples has revealed key ingredients for life ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365126-samples-from-asteroid-ryugu-contain-one-of-the-building-blocks-of-rna/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T16:00:00Z **Why we’re trapped in short-term thinking and how to take the long view**
Many of the most serious problems we face are the result of our tendency to focus on the present at the expense of the future. But we can escape this temporal myopia by confronting how we think about time ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734311-100-why-were-trapped-in-short-term-thinking-and-how-to-take-the-long-view/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T15:00:43Z **The microbiome inside the penis can be altered by vaginal sex**
The penis plays host to a collection of bacteria known as the penile microbiome, and an analysis of urethral swabs has found that men who have vaginal sex can pick up bacteria normally found in the vagina ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365466-the-microbiome-inside-the-penis-can-be-altered-by-vaginal-sex/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T18:46:42Z **Google's Bard AI chatbot has now been released to the public**
Google is now providing limited public access to its Bard AI chatbot to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT. Here's what we know so far about what it can do and how to access it ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365601-googles-bard-ai-chatbot-has-now-been-released-to-the-public/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-21T23:01:22Z **Around 2 billion people don't have access to clean drinking water**
An international pledge to ensure that all the world’s population has access to safe drinking water by 2030 is woefully off track, according to a major UN report ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365541-around-2-billion-people-dont-have-access-to-clean-drinking-water/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T11:00:45Z **Mathematician wins Abel prize for solving equations with geometry**
Luis Caffarelli has been awarded the most prestigious prize in mathematics for his work on nonlinear partial differential equations, which have many applications in the real world ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365454-mathematician-wins-abel-prize-for-solving-equations-with-geometry/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T17:00:00Z **Uganda’s first wildlife vet on her revolutionary gorilla conservation**
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka explains how her unconventional way of combining public health and conservation is helping to bring mountain gorillas back from the brink after years of population decline ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734310-300-ugandas-first-wildlife-vet-on-her-revolutionary-gorilla-conservation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T16:00:12Z **Supersized atoms could help quantum computers link to optical fibres**
A device that uses supersized rubidium atoms could make it possible to transmit outputs from quantum computers through standard optical fibres. That in turn could make it easier to build networks of quantum computers ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365576-supersized-atoms-could-help-quantum-computers-link-to-optical-fibres/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T15:00:50Z **Ludwig von Beethoven’s DNA reveals he probably died of liver damage**
Genetic sequencing of Beethoven’s hair shows that he didn’t have lead poisoning after all, but it doesn’t shed light on why he lost his hearing ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365647-ludwig-von-beethovens-dna-reveals-he-probably-died-of-liver-damage/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T15:00:41Z **The key to deeper sleep might be a high-protein diet**
Flies and mice fed a high-protein diet were less likely to be awoken by movement during sleep than animals on a regular diet ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365613-the-key-to-deeper-sleep-might-be-a-high-protein-diet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T15:00:14Z **Parasite from cat faeces killed four sea otters in California**
An unusually virulent strain of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, primarily found in cat faeces, has been reported in marine animals for the first time ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365620-parasite-from-cat-faeces-killed-four-sea-otters-in-california/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T21:09:22Z **Fissures on ocean moons may be too rare to provide conditions for life**
Fractures on the seafloors of Europa and Enceladus are thought to provide energy and nutrients crucial for any life that might exist there, but they may not experience enough stress to crack ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365625-fissures-on-ocean-moons-may-be-too-rare-to-provide-conditions-for-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T19:57:29Z **How did multicellular life evolve? Algae and yeast give some hints**
Single-celled organisms that cluster and cooperate provide tantalising insights into the origins of multicellularity, suggesting this step may not be so rare after all ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365535-how-did-multicellular-life-evolve-algae-and-yeast-give-some-hints/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T19:00:34Z **Fastest random number generator ever uses quantum fluctuations**
Variations driven by pairs of particles and antiparticles that form and then annihilate can be used to generate random numbers up to 200 times faster than available commercial devices can ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365616-fastest-random-number-generator-ever-uses-quantum-fluctuations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T18:00:36Z **Recyclable plastic made from super glue could replace polystyrene**
Long-lasting plastics made from fossil fuels could be replaced by a material derived from super glue that can be easily recycled time and time again ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365324-recyclable-plastic-made-from-super-glue-could-replace-polystyrene/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-22T18:00:05Z **Ultra-thin superconducting ink could be used in quantum computers**
A superconducting ink made through a simple process called chemical exfoliation could be used to print the cold circuits inside quantum computers and MRI machines ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365566-ultra-thin-superconducting-ink-could-be-used-in-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T09:00:14Z **Botox injections in forehead alter brain activity linked to emotions**
Brain scans show that people who have had Botox injections have altered brain activity when they look at happy and angry faces, possibly because the paralysis of muscles means they can’t mimic the expressions they see ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365129-botox-injections-in-forehead-alter-brain-activity-linked-to-emotions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T12:00:54Z **The garden dormouse glows under UV light - but we don’t know why**
Garden dormice, a small European rodent species, has joined a growing list of animals known to display photoluminescence – but the reason for the phenomenon is a mystery ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365873-the-garden-dormouse-glows-under-uv-light-but-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T12:00:05Z **How to see the moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mars line up in the sky**
Just after sunset on 24 March, it will be possible to see three planets line up with the crescent moon – and a fourth, if you have binoculars and a dark sky ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365635-how-to-see-the-moon-venus-jupiter-and-mars-line-up-in-the-sky/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T15:00:33Z **How daisies make deceptive petals that look like female flies**
South African daisies co-opt the genes they usually use to grow root hairs and transport iron to create petals that resemble female flies – enticing males to land and pollinate the plant ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365794-how-daisies-make-deceptive-petals-that-look-like-female-flies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T15:00:15Z **Hunter-gatherer genes gave European farmers an immunity boost**
An analysis of ancient genomes has revealed that the descendants of Stone Age farmers in Europe and hunter-gatherers gained more genes from the latter group than expected ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365903-hunter-gatherer-genes-gave-european-farmers-an-immunity-boost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-23T16:00:02Z **Zebrafish seem to be able to count when they are just four days old**
Just a few days after hatching, zebrafish larvae can discriminate between bigger and smaller numbers, suggesting they may have an innate numerical ability ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365966-zebrafish-seem-to-be-able-to-count-when-they-are-just-four-days-old/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T10:00:05Z **How to see the moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mars line up tonight**
Tonight, after sunset, it will be possible to see three planets line up with the crescent moon – and a fourth, if you have binoculars and a dark sky ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365635-how-to-see-the-moon-venus-jupiter-and-mars-line-up-tonight/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T08:00:07Z **City life may help Darwin's finches survive bloodsucking flies**
In the Galapagos Islands, finches that live near cities have higher survival rates against parasitic flies than those who live in the country ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365619-city-life-may-help-darwins-finches-survive-bloodsucking-flies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T15:01:08Z **Is GPT-4 already showing signs of artificial general intelligence?**
Microsoft has created a series of tests for OpenAI's GPT-4 that it claims show the artificial intelligence model is already displaying "sparks" of general intelligence ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365864-is-gpt-4-already-showing-signs-of-artificial-general-intelligence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T15:00:23Z **We may finally know why people tend to regain weight after losing it**
When mice lose weight, brain signals that trigger hunger are dialed up, making the animals eat more until they return to their starting weight ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366057-we-may-finally-know-why-people-tend-to-regain-weight-after-losing-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T14:00:45Z **Hundreds of children made to wear GPS tags by UK's Ministry of Justice**
Child offenders as young as 12 have been given GPS ankle tags as part of a scheme introduced for England and Wales by the UK's Ministry of Justice ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365642-hundreds-of-children-made-to-wear-gps-tags-by-uks-ministry-of-justice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T15:37:52Z **UK criticised for failing to join UN-backed river restoration scheme**
The Freshwater Challenge is a pledge for nations across the world to restore 300,000 kilometres of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030. Environmental groups are unhappy the UK has not signed up ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366209-uk-criticised-for-failing-to-join-un-backed-river-restoration-scheme/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-24T18:00:29Z **Electronic wound dressing releases drugs to help injuries heal**
A stretchable sticking plaster detects whether an injury is healing well and uses stimulating electrodes and microinjections of drugs to speed up the process ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365879-electronic-wound-dressing-releases-drugs-to-help-injuries-heal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-25T07:00:34Z **CERN measurement casts doubt on shocking W boson result**
A 2022 measurement of the mass of the W boson threatened to upend particle physics as we know it, but new results from CERN indicate the standard model was right all along ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366274-cern-measurement-casts-doubt-on-shocking-w-boson-result/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-25T08:00:46Z **Venus flytrap cyborg snaps shut with commands from a smartphone**
Researchers created a plant-based robotic arm by connecting a Venus flytrap equipped with soft electrodes to a metallic structure and wirelessly commanding it to grab things ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363852-venus-flytrap-cyborg-snaps-shut-with-commands-from-a-smartphone/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-25T15:00:42Z **Most detailed map of mouse brain includes 5200 different types of cell**
Researchers have mapped cell types in a mouse's brain, which could help us pinpoint the cells to target when treating various medical conditions ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365939-most-detailed-map-of-mouse-brain-includes-5200-different-types-of-cell/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home) 2023-03-25T12:00:22Z **Ancient humans may have cooked and eaten snails 170,000 years ago**
Snail shell fragments found in a cave in South Africa appear to have been heated, providing the earliest evidence for humans eating snails ⌘ [Read more](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366118-ancient-humans-may-have-cooked-and-eaten-snails-170000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home)