New Scientist - News / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2531752-possible-signs-of-ancient-life-on-mars-are-rich-in-complex-carbon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 20:00:49 +0100 An instrument on the Perseverance rover has identified large, complex carbon compounds alongside unusual patterns on the surface of rocks that resemble traces of microbial activity 2531752-possible-signs-of-ancient-life-on-mars-are-rich-in-complex-carbon|2531752 /article/2531654-all-known-homo-naledi-skeletons-seem-to-be-female/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:00:33 +0100 An analysis of tooth proteins suggests all 23 Homo naledi individuals found in the Rising Star cave in South Africa were female, which strengthens the case that they were placed there deliberately 2531654-all-known-homo-naledi-skeletons-seem-to-be-female|2531654 /article/2531732-some-of-the-last-neanderthals-were-surprisingly-genetically-diverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:00:03 +0100 Genetic analysis of Neanderthals in north-western Europe reveals that this population was surprisingly genetically diverse, hinting that inbreeding didn’t lead to the species' demise 2531732-some-of-the-last-neanderthals-were-surprisingly-genetically-diverse|2531732 /article/2531651-fluctuating-oestrogen-levels-may-alter-how-drugs-enter-womens-brains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:00:59 +0100 Oestrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, which may impact how efficiently a drug that targets the brain can reach its destination 2531651-fluctuating-oestrogen-levels-may-alter-how-drugs-enter-womens-brains|2531651 /article/2531455-hidden-black-hole-could-explain-mystery-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:33 +0100 The area surrounding our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole contains three strangely different populations of stars – but one hidden black hole could explain all of them 2531455-hidden-black-hole-could-explain-mystery-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy|2531455 /article/2531606-you-should-turn-off-fans-when-its-too-hot-but-how-hot-is-too-hot/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:50:59 +0100 Fans can make you hotter rather than cooler, but the temperature at which you should turn them off depends on several factors, including your age and the humidity level 2531606-you-should-turn-off-fans-when-its-too-hot-but-how-hot-is-too-hot|2531606 /article/2531525-huge-crater-in-australia-may-be-the-oldest-impact-structure-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:24 +0100 A study claims that the North Pole Dome crater in Western Australia was caused by an asteroid strike 3 billion years ago, but other researchers dispute the proposed age 2531525-huge-crater-in-australia-may-be-the-oldest-impact-structure-on-earth|2531525 /article/2531564-elite-maya-people-had-teeth-placed-in-a-cave-far-from-their-tombs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:00:57 +0100 A cave in Belize contains teeth from dozens of important Maya people buried elsewhere, which may attest to a ritual intended to ensure their passage to the underworld 2531564-elite-maya-people-had-teeth-placed-in-a-cave-far-from-their-tombs|2531564 /article/2531559-spacexs-secretive-plans-to-deliver-cargo-to-earth-from-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:37:25 +0100 Not much is known about Starfall, SpaceX's new delivery system, but an assessment published in May revealed its intended purpose 2531559-spacexs-secretive-plans-to-deliver-cargo-to-earth-from-space|2531559 /article/2530933-unapproved-gene-therapy-for-boosting-longevity-is-set-to-go-on-sale/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:14:33 +0100 A gene therapy that instructs cells to produce more of an anti-ageing protein called klotho is about to be offered by a US company at overseas clinics to bypass FDA rules 2530933-unapproved-gene-therapy-for-boosting-longevity-is-set-to-go-on-sale|2530933 /article/2531319-woman-with-alzheimers-starts-conversing-again-after-taking-psilocybin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:00:24 +0100 A woman with severe Alzheimer's disease who hadn't spoken more than monosyllables in years began initiating conversation after a single dose of psilocybin 2531319-woman-with-alzheimers-starts-conversing-again-after-taking-psilocybin|2531319 /article/2531317-new-to-science-spider-builds-trap-that-flings-ants-into-the-air/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:00:38 +0100 A spider living in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, builds a snare trap reminiscent of a Roman-era ballista weapon that it uses to catapult green tree ants into a web 30 centimetres above 2531317-new-to-science-spider-builds-trap-that-flings-ants-into-the-air|2531317 /article/2531254-a-promising-natural-technique-to-remove-co2-could-backfire/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:24:23 +0100 Several start-ups have tried to grow seaweed to remove atmospheric CO2, but this could affect the levels of nutrients in the ocean and hamper other CO2-sucking processes 2531254-a-promising-natural-technique-to-remove-co2-could-backfire|2531254 /article/2531050-people-training-new-ai-models-admit-they-just-get-chatbots-to-do-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:57:59 +0100 The next generation of AI models are meant to be trained by people paid to have conversations with them, but several of these workers have admitted to New Scientist that they simply get chatbots to do it instead. This "AI inbreeding" may reduce the power and usefulness of future models, warn experts 2531050-people-training-new-ai-models-admit-they-just-get-chatbots-to-do-it|2531050 /article/2531107-weve-found-a-mysterious-substance-on-titan-and-pluto/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:00:01 +0100 Something is absorbing light on the surfaces of Pluto and Saturn’s moon Titan, and figuring out what it is could be crucial to understanding Titan’s complex chemistry 2531107-weve-found-a-mysterious-substance-on-titan-and-pluto|2531107 /article/2530459-autism-may-have-two-distinct-subtypes-that-vary-by-brain-activity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:00:42 +0100 Evidence is mounting that there are distinct subtypes of autism, and now, scientists have found that the condition can vary according to the strength of people's brain connections 2530459-autism-may-have-two-distinct-subtypes-that-vary-by-brain-activity|2530459 /article/2531241-faecal-transplant-makes-the-brains-of-old-mice-act-young-again/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:48:29 +0100 Older mice that received a faecal microbiome transplant from younger animals went on to have improved brain plasticity, which suggests their brains could overcome a neurological condition that is typically successfully treated only in childhood 2531241-faecal-transplant-makes-the-brains-of-old-mice-act-young-again|2531241 /article/2530899-most-portable-air-conditioners-suck-but-theres-an-easy-fix/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:08:41 +0100 Efficiency ratings on portable air conditioners don’t give consumers the full picture, and one type of aircon unit is so inefficient that it should be banned, says Michael Le Page 2530899-most-portable-air-conditioners-suck-but-theres-an-easy-fix|2530899 /article/2531117-gas-from-uranus-reveals-it-has-an-icy-centre/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:28:38 +0100 Carbon monoxide in Uranus's deep atmosphere indicates that the planet contains more ice than rock, suggesting it formed more like Neptune than we thought 2531117-gas-from-uranus-reveals-it-has-an-icy-centre|2531117 /article/2531039-remarkable-fossils-rewrite-the-story-of-how-animals-conquered-the-land/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:31 +0100 Palaeontologists have found new evidence that the early ancestors of amphibians, reptiles and mammals did not have a larval stage with external gills like modern frogs or salamanders 2531039-remarkable-fossils-rewrite-the-story-of-how-animals-conquered-the-land|2531039 /article/2531001-almost-the-whole-of-japan-moved-eastward-after-2011-earthquake/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:18 +0100 An extremely unusual tectonic movement took place 15 minutes after the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, causing almost the whole of Japan to move 5 millimetres to the east 2531001-almost-the-whole-of-japan-moved-eastward-after-2011-earthquake|2531001 /article/2530878-why-el-ninos-impacts-on-the-uk-are-hard-to-predict/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:00:49 +0100 A planet-warming El Niño climate phase has begun, but while the phenomenon can influence Europe's weather through long-distance atmospheric teleconnections, the effects are often uncertain 2530878-why-el-ninos-impacts-on-the-uk-are-hard-to-predict|2530878 /article/2530639-complex-life-on-earth-may-last-500-million-years-longer-than-expected/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:26 +0100 As the sun expands over the coming billions of years, Earth will become inhospitable to any life more complex than a microbe – but that might take longer than we thought 2530639-complex-life-on-earth-may-last-500-million-years-longer-than-expected|2530639 /article/2530818-ancient-monument-marked-summer-solstice-centuries-before-stonehenge/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:01:16 +0100 Archaeologists have discovered traces of a wooden structure built 5000 years ago, 5 kilometres from Stonehenge, which appears to have been an even older monument for marking the summer solstice 2530818-ancient-monument-marked-summer-solstice-centuries-before-stonehenge|2530818 /article/2530733-cervical-cancer-deaths-have-plummeted-thanks-to-hpv-vaccine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:30:22 +0100 We already know the vaccine against human papillomavirus, or HPV, greatly reduces infections and cases of cervical cancer, and now we have the first evidence it prevents deaths too 2530733-cervical-cancer-deaths-have-plummeted-thanks-to-hpv-vaccine|2530733 /article/2530657-chilling-the-body-with-drugs-could-limit-brain-damage-from-stroke/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:00:21 +0100 Putting brain cells into a hibernation-like state via drugs that cool down core body temperature may help to preserve them following a stroke 2530657-chilling-the-body-with-drugs-could-limit-brain-damage-from-stroke|2530657 /article/2530606-oldest-known-plague-outbreak-killed-hunter-gatherer-children/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:00:53 +0100 DNA evidence shows that plague bacteria devastated a community in Siberia more than 5000 years ago, challenging the idea that there were no major disease outbreaks before the advent of farming and large settlements 2530606-oldest-known-plague-outbreak-killed-hunter-gatherer-children|2530606 /article/2530749-pigeons-lock-their-eyes-in-place-when-they-are-flying/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:00:11 +0100 Bird-mounted headsets and backpacks have revealed the surprising things pigeons do with their eyes when on the wing 2530749-pigeons-lock-their-eyes-in-place-when-they-are-flying|2530749 /article/2530700-autism-and-adhd-are-on-the-rise-due-to-widening-diagnostic-criteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:00:28 +0100 A study of 140,000 people suggests that a broadening of the diagnostic criteria for autism and ADHD explains the sharp rise in diagnoses, but that doesn't mean too many people are being told they are autistic or have ADHD 2530700-autism-and-adhd-are-on-the-rise-due-to-widening-diagnostic-criteria|2530700 /article/2530536-walking-shark-found-in-papua-new-guinea-is-new-to-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:41 +0100 Hemiscyllium dudgeonae is the tenth recorded species of walking shark, which use their pectoral fins to move across reef flats, and its limited range means it may be at high risk of extinction 2530536-walking-shark-found-in-papua-new-guinea-is-new-to-science|2530536 /article/2530334-sperm-have-been-made-magnetic-to-allow-ivf-inside-the-body/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:00:35 +0100 IVF could be done inside the body using a revolutionary technique that reduces the invasiveness of the traditional fertility treatment 2530334-sperm-have-been-made-magnetic-to-allow-ivf-inside-the-body|2530334 /article/2530469-arctic-ocean-reaches-tipping-point-that-could-be-dire-for-marine-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:06:16 +0100 Disappearing sea ice is letting more sunlight in the Arctic Ocean and boosting phytoplankton growth, but this has depleted a crucial nutrient, which could severely affect animals higher up the food chain 2530469-arctic-ocean-reaches-tipping-point-that-could-be-dire-for-marine-life|2530469 /article/2530341-the-social-media-ban-is-an-experiment-heres-how-it-will-be-studied/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:59:29 +0100 Scientists have long grappled with how to measure the effect of social media on children. Now, the UK government has announced a total ban for everyone under 16, and researchers are rushing to design rigorous studies before it comes into effect 2530341-the-social-media-ban-is-an-experiment-heres-how-it-will-be-studied|2530341 /article/2530349-inside-the-start-up-aiming-for-a-giant-leap-in-robot-intelligence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:50:40 +0100 Physical Intelligence is drawing on the broad knowledge of large language models to help robots understand instructions and learn to carry out any task independently 2530349-inside-the-start-up-aiming-for-a-giant-leap-in-robot-intelligence|2530349 /article/2530326-are-useful-and-error-free-quantum-computers-only-two-years-away/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:00:37 +0100 Quantum computing firm QuEra says it plans to make a fault-tolerant quantum computer and offer it to users through the cloud in 2028, which will require a real leap in engineering 2530326-are-useful-and-error-free-quantum-computers-only-two-years-away|2530326 /article/2530237-the-relationship-recession-is-even-bigger-for-gen-z-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:00:59 +0100 We know that members of Gen Z are less likely to be in a steady relationship than millennials were at their age, but previous research missed out an important factor that actually widens the relationship recession 2530237-the-relationship-recession-is-even-bigger-for-gen-z-than-we-thought|2530237 /article/2530202-el-nino-has-started-and-the-weather-could-get-weird/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:38:04 +0100 Global weather agencies have declared that El Niño has begun, and models show it is more likely than not to be a "super" El Niño. The climate pattern boosts extreme weather around the world, and could lead to record temperatures 2530202-el-nino-has-started-and-the-weather-could-get-weird|2530202 /article/2529973-quantum-computer-quickly-mines-cryptocurrency-while-using-less-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:00:40 +0100 A superconducting quantum computer is part of a network that is mining an experimental cryptocurrency called Quip, and it is able to do it faster and with better energy efficiency than conventional machines 2529973-quantum-computer-quickly-mines-cryptocurrency-while-using-less-energy|2529973 /article/2530094-first-working-nuclear-clock-heralds-a-new-era-in-timekeeping/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:09 +0100 A clock based on radioactive thorium atoms realises a long-held ambition, demonstrating a technology that could eventually beat the accuracy of today’s best atomic clocks 2530094-first-working-nuclear-clock-heralds-a-new-era-in-timekeeping|2530094 /article/2530122-global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:59 +0100 Our soils are teeming with networks of fungi, and we're starting to understand how important they are 2530122-global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks|2530122 /article/2530108-have-we-finally-worked-out-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:51 +0100 It was widely thought that the movement of water through Venus flytrap cells caused the trap to close, but detailed experiments have led scientists to propose an alternative mechanism 2530108-have-we-finally-worked-out-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut|2530108 /article/2530049-forgotten-pollutants-cause-15-per-cent-of-global-warming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:16 +0100 So-called indirect greenhouse gases, including carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds, aren’t covered by climate policies even though they heat the planet 2530049-forgotten-pollutants-cause-15-per-cent-of-global-warming|2530049 /article/2529957-toy-universe-shows-that-time-could-be-a-quantum-illusion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:00:36 +0100 An experiment with a toy universe made up of extremely cold atoms shows how time can emerge from quantum interactions, instead of existing by default 2529957-toy-universe-shows-that-time-could-be-a-quantum-illusion|2529957 /article/2529853-vaping-after-quitting-smoking-is-linked-to-lung-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:00:47 +0100 A study of 4.5 million people suggests that ex-smokers who take up vaping are more at risk of dying from lung cancer than people who quit without the use of e-cigarettes 2529853-vaping-after-quitting-smoking-is-linked-to-lung-cancer|2529853 /article/2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:23 +0100 A senior figure in the Ukrainian defence industry told New Scientist that a test took place two years ago involving fully autonomous drones set to destroy anything in a given area, with confirmed casualties 2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time|2529849 /article/2529929-wolves-seen-hunting-european-bison-in-rare-camera-trap-recording/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:39:59 +0100 Europe’s largest land animal, the bison, is thought to be relatively unthreatened by predators, but footage from Białowieża Primaeval Forest in Poland shows it does face attacks from wolves 2529929-wolves-seen-hunting-european-bison-in-rare-camera-trap-recording|2529929 /article/2529864-millions-of-fossil-whale-bones-found-in-deep-ocean-necropolis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:37 +0100 Researchers diving 7 kilometres deep in a crewed submersible have discovered a vast collection of whale bones, including fossils up to 5 million years old and species new to science 2529864-millions-of-fossil-whale-bones-found-in-deep-ocean-necropolis|2529864 /article/2529589-a-nuclear-war-between-india-and-pakistan-could-destroy-the-ozone-layer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 15:28:35 +0100 Climate models suggest a small nuclear war in the tropics would do even more damage to the ozone layer than a larger nuclear war in more northerly latitudes, increasing exposure to dangerous ultraviolet radiation all over the world 2529589-a-nuclear-war-between-india-and-pakistan-could-destroy-the-ozone-layer|2529589 /article/2529338-a-waymo-nearly-hit-me-but-im-still-optimistic-about-driverless-cars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:37:43 +0100 A near miss with a Waymo while cycling through London hasn't changed my optimistic stance on driverless cars, but we can't ever let our guard down, says Matthew Sparkes 2529338-a-waymo-nearly-hit-me-but-im-still-optimistic-about-driverless-cars|2529338 /article/2529267-robots-are-about-to-overtake-armed-soldiers-as-the-deciders-of-war/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:55 +0100 Uncrewed ground vehicles have already been tested for defending the front line by the Ukrainian military. Despite their limitations, these remotely controlled robots could be the deciding factor in many conflicts 2529267-robots-are-about-to-overtake-armed-soldiers-as-the-deciders-of-war|2529267 /article/2529799-iron-age-britons-may-have-removed-the-brains-of-the-dead/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:01:51 +0100 Scrape marks inside a skull and sharpened limb bones in a set of remains found in Scotland may be evidence of unusual Iron Age funerary rituals 2529799-iron-age-britons-may-have-removed-the-brains-of-the-dead|2529799 /article/2529635-frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:33 +0100 A complex ecosystem of woolly mammoths, bison, horses and big cats has been elucidated by studying the faeces of small rodents that probably ate the bigger animals 2529635-frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species|2529635 /article/2529627-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-site-stayed-hot-for-millions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:01:59 +0100 Drill cores at the impact site of the Chicxulub asteroid show evidence that, alongside widespread destruction, the collision created a vast underground ecosystem filled with hot water that sheltered microbial life 2529627-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-site-stayed-hot-for-millions-of-years|2529627 /article/2529403-unpicking-endometriosis-reveals-how-it-affects-more-than-the-pelvis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:00:22 +0100 Endometriosis is usually thought of as a gynaecological condition, but a huge study shows it has links with cholesterol levels, inflammation and an altered microbiome 2529403-unpicking-endometriosis-reveals-how-it-affects-more-than-the-pelvis|2529403 /article/2529590-wildlife-thrives-in-solar-farm-built-on-restored-peatland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:00:11 +0100 A diverse range of bird species has been recorded at a solar park on rewetted peatland in Germany, suggesting that combining energy generation with habitat restoration could benefit biodiversity, the climate and the economy 2529590-wildlife-thrives-in-solar-farm-built-on-restored-peatland|2529590 /article/2529562-can-apple-and-google-stop-children-from-sharing-explicit-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:02:52 +0100 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned tech firms, including Apple and Google, that they must voluntarily implement tools to stop children sharing explicit images, but experts warn this is easier said than done 2529562-can-apple-and-google-stop-children-from-sharing-explicit-images|2529562 /article/2529526-half-the-worlds-reservoirs-could-be-clogged-up-with-dirt-by-2060/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:05:57 +0100 Each decade the world is losing over 7 per cent of its freshwater storage capacity to sediment build-up, according to an analysis of over half a million reservoirs 2529526-half-the-worlds-reservoirs-could-be-clogged-up-with-dirt-by-2060|2529526 /article/2529507-you-could-get-some-of-the-benefits-of-sleep-without-having-to-nod-off/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:38:02 +0100 Mice seemed to reap some of the benefits of sleep by having their brain activity stimulated while they were awake, and the researchers plan to test the approach on people 2529507-you-could-get-some-of-the-benefits-of-sleep-without-having-to-nod-off|2529507 /article/2529355-are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:11:08 +0100 A team in the US has reported promising results after using an improved form of CRISPR to gene-edit human embryos, but a major issue remains unsolved 2529355-are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies|2529355 /article/2529420-cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:16:15 +0100 Scientists warn that the Trump administration's push to dismantle a vital network of ocean-sensing instruments will stymie crucial weather and climate monitoring in the Pacific and Atlantic 2529420-cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc|2529420 /article/2529279-a-chromosome-from-a-frozen-rat-has-been-resurrected-inside-mice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:52:40 +0100 Mice that contain cells with an added rat chromosome have been created by scientists. The next step is to try this with frozen elephant tissue – and if that works, the team will try it with frozen mammoths 2529279-a-chromosome-from-a-frozen-rat-has-been-resurrected-inside-mice|2529279 /article/2529078-mysterious-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-suggests-the-amoc-is-weakening/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:00:15 +0100 A patch of ocean south-east of Greenland is the only place on Earth that is cooling, and it could be a sign that the warm water "conveyor belt" in the Atlantic is slowing down 2529078-mysterious-cold-blob-in-the-atlantic-suggests-the-amoc-is-weakening|2529078 /article/2527761-flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:21:45 +0100 The modern world depends on open-source software maintained by volunteers, but the added demands of checking and fixing AI-written submissions are causing some to burn out and quit 2527761-flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit|2527761 /article/2529220-becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:00:21 +0100 Parents report loving their partners less within the first year of having a child, but that doesn't mean the feeling is permanent or inevitable 2529220-becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less|2529220 /article/2529026-the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:00:37 +0100 Global warming will amplify the impacts of El Niño events, and could also make them much stronger and more far-reaching 2529026-the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come|2529026 /article/2529005-stonehenges-altar-stone-probably-wasnt-transported-by-a-glacier/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:04 +0100 A glacier could have carried the giant sandstone at the centre of Stonehenge southwards from north-east Scotland, but this scenario appears unlikely 2529005-stonehenges-altar-stone-probably-wasnt-transported-by-a-glacier|2529005 /article/2528962-earth-has-a-mysterious-triple-symmetry-that-may-influence-its-climate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 A circle running along the 27° east and 153° west meridians divides the globe into two halves with equal reflectivity – and this may have implications for solar geoengineering schemes 2528962-earth-has-a-mysterious-triple-symmetry-that-may-influence-its-climate|2528962 /article/2529017-ditch-the-niceties-in-ai-prompts-to-save-energy-use-say-researchers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:16 +0100 A UN report warns of the rapid growth in AI energy consumption, but suggests users can improve efficiency by making prompts more concise 2529017-ditch-the-niceties-in-ai-prompts-to-save-energy-use-say-researchers|2529017 /article/2528922-atom-based-quantum-computers-are-catching-up-in-the-race-to-usefulness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0100 A quantum computer made from extremely cold atoms can correct its own errors during long computations, an important prerequisite for becoming truly useful 2528922-atom-based-quantum-computers-are-catching-up-in-the-race-to-usefulness|2528922 /article/2528945-keto-diet-shows-real-promise-for-anorexia-recovery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:20 +0100 Restricting carbohydrates may sound like an unlikely approach to treating anorexia, but following a ketogenic diet was linked to recovery in nearly 75 per cent of people with the eating disorder in a small trial 2528945-keto-diet-shows-real-promise-for-anorexia-recovery|2528945 /article/2528789-otzis-frozen-remains-may-harbour-metabolically-active-microbes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:00:01 +0100 Researchers studying a 5300-year-old mummified man have identified bacteria that lived in his gut when he was alive, as well as cold-tolerant fungi that colonised his body after death 2528789-otzis-frozen-remains-may-harbour-metabolically-active-microbes|2528789 /article/2528586-hidden-store-of-manganese-may-have-helped-earth-get-its-oxygen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:00:23 +0100 Computer simulations have uncovered a new manganese compound that could exist deep in Earth’s mantle and may be connected to the process that gave our atmosphere oxygen 2528586-hidden-store-of-manganese-may-have-helped-earth-get-its-oxygen|2528586 /article/2528738-transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:11:12 +0100 People with advanced pancreatic cancer taking an experimental daily pill lived nearly twice as long as those receiving chemotherapy infusions 2528738-transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time|2528738 /article/2528529-how-human-error-became-a-weapon-against-large-language-models/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:00:31 +0100 Alan Turing proposed a test for machine intelligence: could a computer convince a human it was human? We have begun conducting the same test on ourselves, writes Max Moser 2528529-how-human-error-became-a-weapon-against-large-language-models|2528529 /article/2528511-huge-study-of-alzheimers-genetics-identifies-new-drug-targets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:24 +0100 Almost 50 more genes have been flagged as being linked to Alzheimer’s, along with changes in activity in crucial cells that disappear as dementia progresses 2528511-huge-study-of-alzheimers-genetics-identifies-new-drug-targets|2528511 /article/2528409-geoengineering-can-thicken-arctic-sea-ice-but-for-how-long/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:38 +0100 Two companies are aiming to preserve Arctic ice by pumping water onto the sheet and letting it freeze, but only one of the trials found that this delayed melting in the summer 2528409-geoengineering-can-thicken-arctic-sea-ice-but-for-how-long|2528409 /article/2528235-pancreatic-cancer-halted-by-virus-injection-in-three-patients/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:56 +0100 A cancer-killing virus has stopped pancreatic tumours from growing and spreading in three people in an initial safety trial, raising hopes that it may help to beat the deadly condition 2528235-pancreatic-cancer-halted-by-virus-injection-in-three-patients|2528235 /article/2528339-photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:26 +0100 Particles of light cannot be divided into smaller particles, but if you try to snip off the end of one, instead of shortening it multiplies 2528339-photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them|2528339 /article/2528327-glaciers-in-the-roof-of-the-world-have-suddenly-started-melting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 07:00:19 +0100 Until recently, the Pamir mountains in central Asia have bucked the global melting trend, but in 2025, the region’s glaciers experienced a massive loss of ice due to extreme heat 2528327-glaciers-in-the-roof-of-the-world-have-suddenly-started-melting|2528327 /article/2528468-aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 16:20:15 +0100 According to a mathematical model of how people weigh up different outcomes, the optimal strategy is to be ambitious, but not overly so 2528468-aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise|2528468 /article/2528415-horror-video-game-gets-its-creepiness-from-a-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:58 +0100 Quantum Backrooms is a horror game in which the player explores eerie rooms. The twist is that the rooms have been generated by a quantum computer 2528415-horror-video-game-gets-its-creepiness-from-a-quantum-computer|2528415 /article/2528281-mirror-life-scientists-clash-over-threat-of-lab-engineered-bacteria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:40 +0100 Bacteria created using mirror images of natural biomolecules would pose a grave threat to life on Earth, some researchers warn, but a new study suggests they would struggle to survive in the wild 2528281-mirror-life-scientists-clash-over-threat-of-lab-engineered-bacteria|2528281 /article/2528336-were-becoming-more-individualistic-and-its-affecting-our-love-lives/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:48 +0100 We're increasingly prioritising our own needs over those of the wider community, which may be causing us to love our partners less intensely 2528336-were-becoming-more-individualistic-and-its-affecting-our-love-lives|2528336 /article/2528290-mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 May 2026 17:00:57 +0100 After an AI from OpenAI found a trick to solve an 80-year-old conjecture from Paul Erdős, mathematicians have borrowed the same technique to solve another important problem 2528290-mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem|2528290 /article/2527807-first-quantum-grandfather-clock-could-probe-where-gravity-comes-from/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:31 +0100 Researchers have designed a quantum version of a pendulum clock. It could shed light on timekeeping in the quantum realm 2527807-first-quantum-grandfather-clock-could-probe-where-gravity-comes-from|2527807 /article/2528160-start-ups-are-racing-to-revolutionise-mathematics-with-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:09 +0100 AI start-ups with hundreds of millions of dollars in funding are hiring mathematicians and building AI systems that they hope will not only solve mathematics, but also build more intelligent AI 2528160-start-ups-are-racing-to-revolutionise-mathematics-with-ai|2528160 /article/2528140-3d-printed-lymph-nodes-could-widen-access-to-car-t-cell-therapy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:29 +0100 The cost of CAR T-cell therapy means that the highly effective cancer treatment is unavailable in many parts of the world. But a new way of making these cells could dramatically drive down the cost 2528140-3d-printed-lymph-nodes-could-widen-access-to-car-t-cell-therapy|2528140 /article/2528091-millions-of-planets-might-form-around-supermassive-black-holes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:41 +0100 Massive amounts of dust swirl around active nuclei at the centres of galaxies, and these discs could give rise to vast numbers of rocky planets, some even the size of stars 2528091-millions-of-planets-might-form-around-supermassive-black-holes|2528091 /article/2527775-wealthy-people-with-environmental-ideals-are-the-biggest-emitters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 May 2026 15:00:47 +0100 Among people of high socioeconomic status, love for nature corresponds with a bigger environmental footprint – and there's an obvious reason why 2527775-wealthy-people-with-environmental-ideals-are-the-biggest-emitters|2527775 /article/2528075-nasa-plans-a-base-on-the-moon-spanning-hundreds-of-square-kilometres/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 May 2026 14:05:27 +0100 Three missions slated to launch this year will begin to search the lunar surface for a suitable base location 2528075-nasa-plans-a-base-on-the-moon-spanning-hundreds-of-square-kilometres|2528075 /article/2527765-we-may-finally-know-why-gold-stays-so-shiny/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:43 +0100 Gold is chemically inert and so doesn't tarnish, but exactly why had been a mystery 2527765-we-may-finally-know-why-gold-stays-so-shiny|2527765 /article/2527673-space-storms-could-switch-train-signals-and-cause-serious-accidents/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 May 2026 15:00:52 +0100 Critical safety equipment in many train systems is vulnerable to disruption by space weather, which could lead to fatal accidents 2527673-space-storms-could-switch-train-signals-and-cause-serious-accidents|2527673 /article/2527886-earliest-use-of-anaesthetics-uncovered-in-chinese-doctors-tomb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 May 2026 12:24:28 +0100 Residues on medical equipment reveal that physicians in China over 600 years ago used aconitine, a highly toxic plant chemical, to alleviate pain during surgical procedures 2527886-earliest-use-of-anaesthetics-uncovered-in-chinese-doctors-tomb|2527886 /article/2527583-attack-on-irans-oil-released-as-much-pollution-as-a-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:08 +0100 Airstrikes on Tehran earlier this year emitted a plume containing almost 30,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide that reached Asian countries 2527583-attack-on-irans-oil-released-as-much-pollution-as-a-volcano|2527583 /article/2527768-mars-astronauts-may-do-laundry-by-blasting-clothes-with-a-plasma-beam/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:14 +0100 There is currently no good way for astronauts in space to do laundry, but researchers may have finally come up with one: a bright purple jet of microbe-killing plasma 2527768-mars-astronauts-may-do-laundry-by-blasting-clothes-with-a-plasma-beam|2527768 /article/2527495-epic-dreaming-is-leaving-people-exhausted-and-distressed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 May 2026 16:00:38 +0100 Some people experience vivid, incessant dreams that leave them feeling exhausted the next day, with researchers calling for this "epic dreaming" to be classed as a sleep disorder 2527495-epic-dreaming-is-leaving-people-exhausted-and-distressed|2527495 /article/2526378-womens-better-memories-may-delay-alzheimers-diagnosis-by-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 May 2026 13:00:38 +0100 Women appear cognitively normal for almost three years longer than men after their brains start to develop Alzheimer’s disease, making it harder to diagnose and preventing early treatment 2526378-womens-better-memories-may-delay-alzheimers-diagnosis-by-years|2526378 /article/2527597-mercury-may-have-gained-all-of-its-unexpected-water-in-a-single-day/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 May 2026 19:00:04 +0100 Despite being the closest planet to the sun, Mercury has thick deposits of ice at its poles, and now we may understand the events that formed them over just one Mercurian day 2527597-mercury-may-have-gained-all-of-its-unexpected-water-in-a-single-day|2527597 /article/2527731-experimental-mrna-vaccine-may-protect-against-multiple-ebola-viruses/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 May 2026 18:00:37 +0100 Tests with rodents suggest an mRNA vaccine in development offers protection against three strains of Ebola virus, including the one behind the current crisis 2527731-experimental-mrna-vaccine-may-protect-against-multiple-ebola-viruses|2527731 /article/2527564-mathematicians-stunned-by-ais-biggest-breakthrough-in-mathematics-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 May 2026 17:13:12 +0100 Artificial intelligence built by OpenAI has cracked a decades-old conjecture by Paul Erdős, which mathematicians have hailed as a monumental moment for AI in mathematics 2527564-mathematicians-stunned-by-ais-biggest-breakthrough-in-mathematics-yet|2527564