51¶ŻÂț - Home / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2526127-the-distant-world-that-is-our-best-hope-of-finding-alien-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 17:00:41 +0100 A decade ago, we discovered an exceptionally exciting exoplanet that could be the best candidate for hosting alien life. Now we’re about to find out if it really is 2526127-the-distant-world-that-is-our-best-hope-of-finding-alien-life|2526127 /article/2527155-solar-farm-on-the-ocean-outperforms-land-based-solar-in-taiwan/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 17:00:37 +0100 A solar farm in a tidal bay has generated more electricity and profits than a nearby coastal solar farm, but challenges could arise as floating solar moves further offshore 2527155-solar-farm-on-the-ocean-outperforms-land-based-solar-in-taiwan|2527155 /article/2526648-wind-assisted-cargo-ships-could-more-than-halve-shipping-emissions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:13 +0100 If wind-assisted cargo ships chose routes based entirely on where the winds are better, their fuel use could be cut in half or even completely eliminated 2526648-wind-assisted-cargo-ships-could-more-than-halve-shipping-emissions|2526648 /article/2527152-colossal-claims-an-artificial-eggshell-will-help-it-bring-back-the-moa/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 13:09:59 +0100 Colossal Biosciences, the company that says it resurrected the dire wolf, now says it has developed artificial eggshells so it can replicate the huge eggs of the moa. Independent experts say this isn't nearly enough to bring back these giant birds 2527152-colossal-claims-an-artificial-eggshell-will-help-it-bring-back-the-moa|2527152 /article/2526616-odd-butterfly-molecule-could-lead-to-new-parts-of-the-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:39 +0100 An exotic new molecule is shaped like a butterfly, complete with "wings" made from electrons. The discovery could provide a gateway to completely new parts of the quantum realm 2526616-odd-butterfly-molecule-could-lead-to-new-parts-of-the-quantum-realm|2526616 /article/2527125-the-future-of-robot-armies-is-here-and-its-not-what-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 10:00:42 +0100 Robots are becoming more a part of our lives every year, and worries about a robot army rising up have long plagued the technology. But columnist Annalee Newitz talks to nanobot researchers and finds out the real robot army could be a welcome solution to medical or environmental problems 2527125-the-future-of-robot-armies-is-here-and-its-not-what-you-think|2527125 /article/2527089-mystery-of-the-ancient-giant-stone-jars-of-laos-may-have-been-solved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 May 2026 01:01:23 +0100 In central Laos, the landscape is littered with enormous stone jars, some 3 metres high, and we may be closer to understanding how and when they were used 2527089-mystery-of-the-ancient-giant-stone-jars-of-laos-may-have-been-solved|2527089 /article/2526918-floatation-tanks-deployed-to-combat-ptsd-after-devastating-wildfires/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 18:00:00 +0100 Maui in Hawaii experienced some of the worst wildfires in US history in 2023. Amid concerns of a PTSD epidemic, floatation tanks are being deployed to the island to help restore people's mental health 2526918-floatation-tanks-deployed-to-combat-ptsd-after-devastating-wildfires|2526918 /article/2526751-what-is-love-even-a-meeting-on-the-subject-cant-find-the-answer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 17:00:19 +0100 51¶ŻÂțs recently gathered for a conference called Love, Actually and in Theory, but didn't settle on a definition of the topic at hand 2526751-what-is-love-even-a-meeting-on-the-subject-cant-find-the-answer|2526751 /article/2526019-how-i-used-psychology-to-come-back-from-the-worst-year-of-my-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 17:00:16 +0100 Work, illness, divorce: life is riddled with stressors out of your control. But research is revealing new ways to cope with these challenges and find hope instead of despair 2526019-how-i-used-psychology-to-come-back-from-the-worst-year-of-my-life|2526019 /article/2526826-the-doomsday-glaciers-giant-ice-shelf-is-about-to-break-away/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 11:00:26 +0100 The floating ice shelf of world’s widest glacier – Thwaites glacier in Antarctica – is detaching, with worrying implications for global sea-level rise 2526826-the-doomsday-glaciers-giant-ice-shelf-is-about-to-break-away|2526826 /article/2526684-the-3-things-you-need-to-know-about-protein-according-to-an-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 15:00:57 +0100 Why have so many people become fixated on protein? Donald Layman is one of the people behind the research showing the benefits of getting more protein in your diet, but he thinks things have gone too far and wants to set the record straight 2526684-the-3-things-you-need-to-know-about-protein-according-to-an-expert|2526684 /article/2527072-the-ebola-emergency-shines-a-light-on-the-urgent-need-for-new-vaccines/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 14:11:15 +0100 A little-known strain of Ebola virus is behind an ongoing health emergency, prompting researchers to call for the acceleration of vaccine candidates against such infections 2527072-the-ebola-emergency-shines-a-light-on-the-urgent-need-for-new-vaccines|2527072 /article/2526726-your-body-clock-has-seasonal-rhythms-and-it-matters-for-vaccines/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 13:00:51 +0100 We think of our body clock ticking over on a 24-hour cycle, but evidence is growing that it has seasonal rhythms, which could affect our response to vaccines 2526726-your-body-clock-has-seasonal-rhythms-and-it-matters-for-vaccines|2526726 /article/2526781-the-hidden-pockets-of-the-universe-where-the-future-can-cause-the-past/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:40 +0100 Inside some very special black holes, there may be a boundary called a Cauchy horizon. Columnist Leah Crane explores the place beyond which physics breaks and anything is possible 2526781-the-hidden-pockets-of-the-universe-where-the-future-can-cause-the-past|2526781 /article/2525037-why-autism-pioneer-uta-frith-wants-to-dismantle-the-spectrum/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 17:00:40 +0100 After a career spent grappling with the neural underpinnings of autism, Uta Frith is unwavering in her controversial call to scrap our current view of the condition and start again 2525037-why-autism-pioneer-uta-frith-wants-to-dismantle-the-spectrum|2525037 /article/2524831-can-cloud-seeding-save-us-from-water-bankruptcy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:18 +0100 We’ve long tried to control the weather by engineering rainfall. Now such cloud-seeding efforts are escalating, creating conflict between countries and stoking conspiracy theories. But do they work? 2524831-can-cloud-seeding-save-us-from-water-bankruptcy|2524831 /article/2526663-himalayan-wolf-dog-hybrids-emerge-as-a-threat-to-wolves-and-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sat, 16 May 2026 09:00:50 +0100 In Ladakh, Himalayan wolves are increasingly breeding with feral dogs, giving rise to a new animal known as khipshang that could injure humans and outcompete other carnivores 2526663-himalayan-wolf-dog-hybrids-emerge-as-a-threat-to-wolves-and-people|2526663 /article/mg27035950-400-new-scientist-recommends-a-smart-new-account-of-human-exceptionalism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Why did humans decide they weren't like other animals, or animals at all? Has this exceptionalism twisted us out of shape? Michael Bond's book Animate offers a page-turning account of where we are now mg27035950-400-new-scientist-recommends-a-smart-new-account-of-human-exceptionalism|2525827 /article/2524701-where-did-the-laws-of-physics-come-from-i-think-ive-found-the-answer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 17:00:51 +0100 The rules governing gravity and other laws of nature seem like eternal truths, but cosmologist JoĂŁo Magueijo has always questioned their origins. Now, he has a bold new proposal 2524701-where-did-the-laws-of-physics-come-from-i-think-ive-found-the-answer|2524701 /article/2526197-first-test-of-co2-removal-with-green-sand-finds-no-harm-to-marine-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 15 May 2026 16:41:05 +0100 Adding olivine to the ocean could remove CO2 from the atmosphere, and a pilot project in New York state found no signs of adverse effects on seafloor organisms 2526197-first-test-of-co2-removal-with-green-sand-finds-no-harm-to-marine-life|2526197 /article/2526402-spacex-is-about-to-launch-tallest-and-most-powerful-rocket-in-history/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 15 May 2026 16:00:23 +0100 A record-breaking new version of Starship, due to launch within days, could form the basis of NASA's ambitious Artemis programme that aims to put humans back on the moon as soon as 2028 2526402-spacex-is-about-to-launch-tallest-and-most-powerful-rocket-in-history|2526402 /article/2526785-cleaning-up-air-pollution-could-weaken-vital-amoc-ocean-current/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 15 May 2026 15:40:36 +0100 Global warming already threatens to destabilise the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and new research shows that regional clean-air policies could reduce its strength further 2526785-cleaning-up-air-pollution-could-weaken-vital-amoc-ocean-current|2526785 /article/2526673-car-t-cell-therapy-bolstered-by-stiffening-up-cancer-cells-first/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:45 +0100 CAR T-cell therapy has been hugely successful in treating certain types of tumours, and stiffening up cancer cells beforehand could make it even more effective 2526673-car-t-cell-therapy-bolstered-by-stiffening-up-cancer-cells-first|2526673 /article/mg27035952-800-science-doesnt-have-a-monopoly-on-good-ideas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Scientific disciplines often shy away from asking fundamental "what if" questions. But philosophy – if unencumbered by dogma or ideology – has much to offer evidence-based enquiry mg27035952-800-science-doesnt-have-a-monopoly-on-good-ideas|2526217 /article/mg27035952-400-new-scientist-recommends-visiting-the-blooming-corpse-flower-at-kew/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that 51¶ŻÂț staff have enjoyed this week mg27035952-400-new-scientist-recommends-visiting-the-blooming-corpse-flower-at-kew|2526116 /article/2526370-where-do-you-think-your-self-is-your-answer-is-revealing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 15 May 2026 10:00:47 +0100 People who imagine their self to reside in their head or their heart have different approaches to life. Columnist David Robson explores the benefits of learning to shift where you sense your self, and how this practice could improve your relationships and decision-making 2526370-where-do-you-think-your-self-is-your-answer-is-revealing|2526370 /article/2525477-shocking-turtle-photo-reveals-efforts-to-combat-illegal-wildlife-trade/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:42 +0100 Winner of an environmental photography award, this shot of a sea turtle seen under ultraviolet light shows how forensic evidence is being used to help catch poachers and animal traffickers 2525477-shocking-turtle-photo-reveals-efforts-to-combat-illegal-wildlife-trade|2525477 /article/2526201-vocal-fry-is-more-common-in-men-actually-find-scientists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 May 2026 16:40:59 +0100 The creaky noise known as vocal fry that people generally associate with young women – and some find irritating – is actually more common in men 2526201-vocal-fry-is-more-common-in-men-actually-find-scientists|2526201 /article/2526532-will-burying-dead-trees-after-a-wildfire-keep-their-carbon-locked-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 May 2026 15:00:52 +0100 Partially burnt trees still standing after a wildfire are typically felled and burned, but a US start-up claims burying them instead will trap the carbon underground for centuries 2526532-will-burying-dead-trees-after-a-wildfire-keep-their-carbon-locked-up|2526532 /article/2526626-rebooting-stem-cells-builds-aged-muscles-and-assists-injury-recovery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:21 +0100 Muscle stem cells, which are crucial for building new muscle, don’t work as well as we get older, but giving them an artificial boost could rejuvenate them 2526626-rebooting-stem-cells-builds-aged-muscles-and-assists-injury-recovery|2526626 /article/2526072-3-things-you-need-to-know-about-quantum-computers-from-an-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:58 +0100 What use is a quantum computer? Perhaps both more and less than you think, according to quantum computing expert Shayan Majidy 2526072-3-things-you-need-to-know-about-quantum-computers-from-an-expert|2526072 /article/2526620-melting-of-greenland-ice-sheet-could-release-methane-fire-ice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:24 +0100 Seismic surveys and sediment cores suggest that dozens of deep pockmarks on the sea floor were created when Arctic methane stores were disrupted by climate change after the last glacial maximum – and scientists warn it could happen again 2526620-melting-of-greenland-ice-sheet-could-release-methane-fire-ice|2526620 /article/mg27035952-300-suzanne-simard-on-the-wood-wide-web-connectedness-and-avatar/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Rowan Hooper met ecologist Suzanne Simard under an oak tree in Kew Gardens, London, to talk about her new book, criticism of her work, and getting a call from James Cameron's people mg27035952-300-suzanne-simard-on-the-wood-wide-web-connectedness-and-avatar|2526115 /article/2526440-neanderthals-treated-a-dental-cavity-by-drilling-into-the-tooth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 20:00:51 +0100 A Neanderthal tooth shows clear signs of human intervention to treat bacterial decay, showing that the earliest dentistry began at least 59,000 years ago 2526440-neanderthals-treated-a-dental-cavity-by-drilling-into-the-tooth|2526440 /article/2526362-arctic-fires-are-releasing-carbon-stored-for-thousands-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:20 +0100 A study of soils around the Arctic and boreal forests has found that some wildfires are releasing carbon stored over millennia, meaning higher CO2 emissions than assumed 2526362-arctic-fires-are-releasing-carbon-stored-for-thousands-of-years|2526362 /article/2526328-asteroid-set-to-fly-very-close-to-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 17:08:59 +0100 Asteroid 2026JH2 has enough mass to wipe out a city and will zoom past Earth next week 2526328-asteroid-set-to-fly-very-close-to-earth|2526328 /article/2526391-ancient-teeth-hint-at-links-between-denisovans-and-homo-erectus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 17:00:26 +0100 Six teeth roughly 400,000 years old have yielded some of the first ancient proteins thought to belong to Homo erectus, providing molecular clues to their relationships with other hominins 2526391-ancient-teeth-hint-at-links-between-denisovans-and-homo-erectus|2526391 /article/2525693-natural-sunscreen-found-in-fish-eggs-can-be-made-by-e-coli-factories/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 17:00:04 +0100 Genetically altered bacteria can synthesise gadusol, a naturally occurring compound found in zebrafish eggs that could be developed as an alternative to existing sunscreen products that can harm marine life 2525693-natural-sunscreen-found-in-fish-eggs-can-be-made-by-e-coli-factories|2525693 /article/2526397-new-rules-confirm-public-has-a-right-to-see-how-uk-government-uses-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 May 2026 13:00:25 +0100 Government departments and other public bodies in the UK must consider requests to release information about AI-produced content, regulators have confirmed. The move follows a successful request by 51¶ŻÂț for the release of a minister's ChatGPT logs 2526397-new-rules-confirm-public-has-a-right-to-see-how-uk-government-uses-ai|2526397 /article/2526084-pcos-has-been-officially-renamed-pmos-and-its-a-momentous-move/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 12 May 2026 11:00:06 +0100 PCOS will now be known as PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome), and for Alice Klein, who has the condition, it's been a long time coming 2526084-pcos-has-been-officially-renamed-pmos-and-its-a-momentous-move|2526084 /article/2526051-why-do-particle-physicists-like-spending-time-in-fields/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 12 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100 The concept of a field plays a key role in particle physics, but what exactly is it? From its origins in the study of magnetism to the quantum fields of today, columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein goes exploring 2526051-why-do-particle-physicists-like-spending-time-in-fields|2526051 /article/2525921-carbon-credits-are-flawed-but-they-can-still-help-save-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 12 May 2026 13:00:42 +0100 Carbon credits bought by companies to offset their emissions really have reduced deforestation, but not by as much as credit developers claim, according to a rigorous analysis 2525921-carbon-credits-are-flawed-but-they-can-still-help-save-forests|2525921 /article/2526136-a-new-tectonic-plate-boundary-could-be-forming-in-southern-africa/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:17 +0100 Gases collected from boiling mineral springs in Zambia contain the chemical signature of having come directly from the Earth’s mantle, a sign of a rupture in the tectonic plates and the possible beginning of a new continental boundary 2526136-a-new-tectonic-plate-boundary-could-be-forming-in-southern-africa|2526136 /article/2526004-the-story-of-the-first-human-tool-the-humble-container/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 19:00:56 +0100 An analysis of ancient human artefacts finds that the container, a simple but critical tool, may have originated 500,000 years ago. Columnist Michael Marshall explores how slings, ostrich eggs and wooden trays helped our ancestors survive 2526004-the-story-of-the-first-human-tool-the-humble-container|2526004 /article/2526029-can-floating-data-centres-meet-ais-huge-energy-demand/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 19:00:13 +0100 A US start-up is putting autonomous data centres in the ocean, powered by wave energy, but experts warn that the harsh environment could make maintenance challenging 2526029-can-floating-data-centres-meet-ais-huge-energy-demand|2526029 /article/2525923-huge-study-of-ancient-british-dna-reveals-only-minor-roman-influence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 11 May 2026 13:00:50 +0100 Genetic analysis of 1039 people buried in Britain between the Bronze Age and the Norman conquest highlights the impact of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings on the island’s ancestry 2525923-huge-study-of-ancient-british-dna-reveals-only-minor-roman-influence|2525923 /article/mg27035941-200-david-attenborough-is-one-of-a-kind-for-better-or-worse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 People often ask who might replace the nature broadcaster, who turns 100 this week. The truth is that he’s irreplaceable, but a wide range of voices are attempting to fill his shoes. mg27035941-200-david-attenborough-is-one-of-a-kind-for-better-or-worse|2525394 /article/2523875-red-light-therapy-does-have-health-benefits-but-not-the-ones-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 17:00:51 +0100 Red-light therapy promises to treat everything from acne and hair loss to depression and chronic pain. Many of these claims are overhyped, but evidence suggests it can have healing powers 2523875-red-light-therapy-does-have-health-benefits-but-not-the-ones-you-think|2523875 /article/2525802-tiny-metajets-could-use-light-to-steer-sails-for-interstellar-travel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sun, 10 May 2026 08:00:11 +0100 Minuscule silicon wafers propelled by lasers could be used to steer light sails, helping them travel beyond the solar system 2525802-tiny-metajets-could-use-light-to-steer-sails-for-interstellar-travel|2525802 /article/2523438-the-50-year-quest-to-create-a-quantum-spin-liquid-may-finally-be-over/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:58 +0100 Creating quantum entanglement inside a solid material is tricky in the lab – but crystals buried in the earth could be growing it naturally. Now one scientist says he has proof he’s found them 2523438-the-50-year-quest-to-create-a-quantum-spin-liquid-may-finally-be-over|2523438 /article/2525773-there-has-been-a-sudden-increase-in-the-rate-of-sea-level-rise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 15:08:55 +0100 Satellite measurements show that in the early 2010s sea level rise suddenly accelerated to a rate of 4.1 millimetres per year, possibly in response to an increase in the rate of global warming 2525773-there-has-been-a-sudden-increase-in-the-rate-of-sea-level-rise|2525773 /article/2525888-a-vast-dam-across-the-bering-strait-could-stop-the-amoc-collapsing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sat, 09 May 2026 08:00:42 +0100 If a key ocean current collapses it could plunge northern Europe into a big freeze. Now researchers are weighing up a drastic intervention – building a 130-kilometre-wide dam between the US and Russia 2525888-a-vast-dam-across-the-bering-strait-could-stop-the-amoc-collapsing|2525888 /article/2524042-a-lost-ancient-script-reveals-how-writing-as-we-know-it-really-began/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:56 +0100 A long-overlooked writing system from 5000 years ago is still largely undeciphered, but could mark the moment humans first represented their speech with written words 2524042-a-lost-ancient-script-reveals-how-writing-as-we-know-it-really-began|2524042 /article/2525539-neanderthal-kneeprint-found-next-to-mysterious-stalagmite-circle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 11:11:57 +0100 An impression made in clay around 175,000 years ago could be a kneeprint left by one of the builders of a strange stalagmite circle found deep inside Bruniquel cave in south-west France 2525539-neanderthal-kneeprint-found-next-to-mysterious-stalagmite-circle|2525539 /article/2525984-us-government-releases-huge-batch-of-ufo-files/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 19:33:13 +0100 The US Department of Defense has released hundreds of documents and photographs related to UFOs, some of which have been declassified, in the first of many drops to come 2525984-us-government-releases-huge-batch-of-ufo-files|2525984 /article/2525806-doubling-their-genomes-may-have-helped-plants-survive-mass-extinctions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 17:00:20 +0100 Many flowering plants have duplicated genomes, which could have helped them evolve to deal with extreme stress in times of environmental upheaval 2525806-doubling-their-genomes-may-have-helped-plants-survive-mass-extinctions|2525806 /article/2525884-fire-is-spreading-in-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-after-drone-crash/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 16:07:48 +0100 A drone has crashed in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, causing a fire that has spread to 12 square kilometres of land. Dry weather, strong winds and the presence of land mines are complicating efforts to bring the blaze under control 2525884-fire-is-spreading-in-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-after-drone-crash|2525884 /article/2525847-slow-breathing-can-calm-the-mind-without-any-need-for-mindfulness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:13 +0100 How important is thinking about your breath for calming yourself down? We now know that slow breathing is effective even without conscious involvement 2525847-slow-breathing-can-calm-the-mind-without-any-need-for-mindfulness|2525847 /article/2525632-pcos-postpones-perimenopause-and-allows-pregnancies-at-older-ages/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:01 +0100 Only 3 per cent of those with polycystic ovary syndrome reach perimenopause by the age of 46, which may allow them to conceive when older 2525632-pcos-postpones-perimenopause-and-allows-pregnancies-at-older-ages|2525632 /article/2524041-new-scientist-recommends-attenborough-documentary-making-life-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:38 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that 51¶ŻÂț staff have enjoyed this week 2524041-new-scientist-recommends-attenborough-documentary-making-life-on-earth|2524041 /article/2525614-the-mathematician-who-doesnt-exist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 08 May 2026 10:00:34 +0100 A secret society of French mathematicians has been revolutionising the field of mathematics under a pseudonym for nearly a century. Columnist Jacob Aron finds that this mythic collective provided maths a rigorous and useful foundation, and did some real harm along the way 2525614-the-mathematician-who-doesnt-exist|2525614 /article/2524565-former-soviet-scientific-megastructures-captured-in-striking-photos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:28 +0100 Eric Lusito crossed the former Soviet Union to explore vast scientific sites, some of which have been deserted for years, for his new book 2524565-former-soviet-scientific-megastructures-captured-in-striking-photos|2524565 /article/2525761-hantavirus-outbreak-will-not-cause-a-covid-style-pandemic-says-who/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 17:40:22 +0100 The World Health Organization sought to quell worldwide fears over the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius and reassure the public that the risk of widespread transmission is low 2525761-hantavirus-outbreak-will-not-cause-a-covid-style-pandemic-says-who|2525761 /article/2525685-coffees-mood-boosting-effects-arent-just-down-to-caffeine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 16:00:49 +0100 A comprehensive study exploring coffee’s physiological effects finds that some of its benefits are down to polyphenols and their influence on gut bacteria 2525685-coffees-mood-boosting-effects-arent-just-down-to-caffeine|2525685 /article/mg27035940-700-what-to-read-this-week-the-excellent-beyond-belief-by-helen-pearson/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Solving society's problems with evidence is a work in progress, argues a must-read new book. The process is surprisingly new – and riddled with complexities, finds Michael Marshall mg27035940-700-what-to-read-this-week-the-excellent-beyond-belief-by-helen-pearson|2525065 /article/2525328-where-has-the-deadly-hantavirus-come-from-and-how-does-it-spread/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 14:20:10 +0100 Three passengers on the cruise ship MV Hondius have died due to an outbreak of hantavirus, a rare illness transmitted by rodents 2525328-where-has-the-deadly-hantavirus-come-from-and-how-does-it-spread|2525328 /article/2525647-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-may-2026/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:47 +0100 A guide to walking, a look at the world’s Google searches and a deep dive into the secrets of our DNA are some of the topics tackled by the popular science books out this month 2525647-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-may-2026|2525647 /article/mg27035941-100-less-nostalgia-more-pain-scientists-study-1763-eurovision-songs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback discovers that the prevailing themes of Eurovision songs may come and go, but the urge to win stays the same. mg27035941-100-less-nostalgia-more-pain-scientists-study-1763-eurovision-songs|2525069 /article/mg27035930-200-what-to-read-this-week-the-21st-century-brain-by-hannah-critchlow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Our brains need to adapt quickly to meet the challenges of our digital world, but a rigorous new book by a neuroscientist brings hope that we can do it, says Graham Lawton mg27035930-200-what-to-read-this-week-the-21st-century-brain-by-hannah-critchlow|2524220 /article/2525386-pressure-from-individual-particles-measured-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 07 May 2026 07:00:42 +0100 A device made using a tiny bead floating in a beam of light can measure extremely small pressures and could help find a mysterious kind of neutrino 2525386-pressure-from-individual-particles-measured-for-the-first-time|2525386 /article/2525520-dating-over-50-is-probably-on-the-rise-but-we-know-little-about-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:36 +0100 Research into dating has until now almost exclusively focused on younger people, but we’re finally beginning to investigate how romance changes in later life 2525520-dating-over-50-is-probably-on-the-rise-but-we-know-little-about-it|2525520 /article/2525361-bronze-age-britons-fashioned-copper-mining-tools-out-of-old-bones/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:21 +0100 An analysis of 150 artefacts from a site in Wales shows that the ancient practice of making tools out of bone persisted even after the advent of metal-working 2525361-bronze-age-britons-fashioned-copper-mining-tools-out-of-old-bones|2525361 /article/2525542-deforestation-could-trigger-amazon-tipping-point-in-the-2030s/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 17:00:19 +0100 At least 15 per cent of the Amazon has already been lost, and further destruction could unleash widespread rainforest dieback with as little as 1.5°C of global warming 2525542-deforestation-could-trigger-amazon-tipping-point-in-the-2030s|2525542 /article/2525438-huge-landslide-in-alaska-caused-481m-high-tsunami/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:01 +0100 When the slope of a mountain above Tracy Arm fjord, in Alaska, gave way on 10 August 2025, 64 million cubic metres of rock fell into the fjord, causing a 5.4 magnitude seismic event   2525438-huge-landslide-in-alaska-caused-481m-high-tsunami|2525438 /article/2525391-robin-wall-kimmerers-braiding-sweetgrass-is-still-an-essential-read/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:37 +0100 This 2013 book by an Indigenous botanist is a quietly urgent act of healing that forces Western science to look at the world in a different way 2525391-robin-wall-kimmerers-braiding-sweetgrass-is-still-an-essential-read|2525391 /article/2524987-read-the-winner-of-this-years-young-science-writer-award/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 11:00:12 +0100 Prize-winning young writer Hasset Kifle, 17, explores how the world of super-competitive running is being transformed by so-called “super shoes” – and what cost this will have on the sport 2524987-read-the-winner-of-this-years-young-science-writer-award|2524987 /article/2525306-extinct-relative-of-koalas-discovered-in-western-australia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 06 May 2026 01:01:10 +0100 Fossils reveal that there were at least two kinds of koala when humans first arrived in Australia, but one died out about 30,000 years ago when the west of the continent dried out 2525306-extinct-relative-of-koalas-discovered-in-western-australia|2525306 /article/2525315-backlash-builds-over-nhs-plan-to-hide-source-code-from-ai-hacking-risk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:06 +0100 NHS England is pulling its open-source software from the internet because of fears around computer-hacking AI models like Mythos. Opposition is growing among those who say the move is bad for transparency and efficiency, and will also do nothing to improve security 2525315-backlash-builds-over-nhs-plan-to-hide-source-code-from-ai-hacking-risk|2525315 /article/2525186-woman-in-cancer-remission-without-treatment-in-highly-unusual-case/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 11:00:47 +0100 A biopsy of a woman's cancer seems to have triggered an immune response against the tumour, putting her into remission 2525186-woman-in-cancer-remission-without-treatment-in-highly-unusual-case|2525186 /article/2525116-the-problem-of-cosmic-inflation-and-how-to-solve-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 10:00:50 +0100 One of the best-performing models in cosmology is also one with the least physical rationale behind it. Columnist Leah Crane says this leaves us with a puzzle that could make or break physics as we know it 2525116-the-problem-of-cosmic-inflation-and-how-to-solve-it|2525116 /article/2524632-man-destined-for-alzheimers-may-have-been-saved-by-accidental-therapy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:29 +0100 Doug Whitney has a genetic mutation that means he should have developed Alzheimer’s disease decades ago, but his long-term work in hot engine rooms may have protected him in a similar way to sauna therapy 2524632-man-destined-for-alzheimers-may-have-been-saved-by-accidental-therapy|2524632 /article/2525277-quantum-computers-simulated-their-biggest-molecule-yet-with-help/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 05 May 2026 06:01:57 +0100 Two quantum computers and two supercomputers teamed up to break the record for the biggest molecule yet to be simulated using quantum hardware 2525277-quantum-computers-simulated-their-biggest-molecule-yet-with-help|2525277 /article/2525272-honey-has-been-used-as-medicine-for-centuries-does-it-really-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:08:16 +0100 It is appealing to think something as simple as honey could cure a cold or prevent hay fever, but is there evidence to back up honey’s health benefits? Columnist Alice Klein finds that it has legitimate medicinal uses, depending on the type of honey you’ve got 2525272-honey-has-been-used-as-medicine-for-centuries-does-it-really-work|2525272 /article/2525175-tiny-frozen-world-unexpectedly-appears-to-have-an-atmosphere/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:46 +0100 A 500-kilometre-wide object in a similar orbit to Pluto challenges our assumptions about small bodies in the outer solar system 2525175-tiny-frozen-world-unexpectedly-appears-to-have-an-atmosphere|2525175 /article/2524958-300-year-old-experiment-could-become-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:54 +0100 An update to an experiment run by Henry Cavendish in 1773 could be a cheaper and faster way to spot a potential dark matter particle – and may be 10,000 times more sensitive 2524958-300-year-old-experiment-could-become-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector|2524958 /article/2524665-an-unorthodox-version-of-quantum-theory-could-reveal-what-reality-is/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 07:00:38 +0100 The implications of quantum mechanics suggest reality isn't as solid as we think it is, but physicist David Bohm had a spin on the theory that restores reality. Columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan explores how we could test Bohmian mechanics – and if it will ever become more widely accepted 2524665-an-unorthodox-version-of-quantum-theory-could-reveal-what-reality-is|2524665 /article/2525104-the-greatest-david-attenborough-documentaries-you-really-need-to-watch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:49 +0100 To mark David Attenborough turning 100, 51¶ŻÂț staff have been set a tricky task: pick your favourite of his many amazing documentaries... 2525104-the-greatest-david-attenborough-documentaries-you-really-need-to-watch|2525104 /article/2524950-prebiotic-chewing-gum-could-be-helpful-for-gum-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:45 +0100 A small trial found that chewing gum containing nitrate can ease the symptoms of gum disease by favouring the growth of beneficial mouth bacteria 2524950-prebiotic-chewing-gum-could-be-helpful-for-gum-disease|2524950 /article/2525189-smart-underwear-detects-lactose-intolerance-by-tracking-your-farts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 04 May 2026 07:00:07 +0100 A device you attach to your underwear reveals how often you really break wind – and it’s probably more frequently than you think 2525189-smart-underwear-detects-lactose-intolerance-by-tracking-your-farts|2525189 /article/2522448-why-dinosaurs-lived-much-more-complex-lives-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:00:22 +0100 A wave of dinosaur discoveries over the past decade has completely reshaped our understanding of these long-extinct animals. Palaeontologist Dave Hone spills the secrets of how dinosaurs lived, from how social they were to how much they really fought  2522448-why-dinosaurs-lived-much-more-complex-lives-than-we-thought|2522448 /article/2523209-is-consciousness-more-fundamental-to-reality-than-quantum-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:00:05 +0100 The idea that everything that exists can be built from the bottom up has long held sway among physicists. Now, a new kind of science is under construction that centres conscious experience – and might unravel the universe’s biggest mysteries 2523209-is-consciousness-more-fundamental-to-reality-than-quantum-physics|2523209 /article/2524419-our-verdict-on-red-mars-mostly-great-with-a-few-quibbles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:46 +0100 The 51¶ŻÂț Book Club read Kim Stanley Robinson's acclaimed science fiction story about the first settlers on Mars in April – and had a lot to say about it 2524419-our-verdict-on-red-mars-mostly-great-with-a-few-quibbles|2524419 /article/mg27035931-800-ann-leckie-continues-to-shine-with-new-sci-fi-novel-radiant-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:00 +0100 Set on a planet whose population lives underground, Radiant Star is Ann Leckie's latest Radch-universe novel. Its rich characterisation and meticulous world-building shine through, says our science-fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson mg27035931-800-ann-leckie-continues-to-shine-with-new-sci-fi-novel-radiant-star|2524392 /article/2525229-2026-will-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-leading-scientist-predicts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 18:24:54 +0100 The second half of this year will almost certainly see the start of an El Niño phase that could lead to extreme heat across much of the globe, and James Hansen expects that to make this year surpass 2024 as the hottest on record 2525229-2026-will-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-leading-scientist-predicts|2525229 /article/2523421-why-the-keto-diet-could-be-a-revolutionary-way-to-treat-mental-illness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:00:03 +0100 You may think of the high-fat, low-carb eating plan as a faddish way to lose weight. But the keto diet is now being used to tackle conditions from severe depression to bipolar disorder and anorexia, with transformative results 2523421-why-the-keto-diet-could-be-a-revolutionary-way-to-treat-mental-illness|2523421 /article/2524962-nhs-england-rushes-to-hide-software-over-ai-hacking-fears/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 13:32:04 +0100 National Health Service rules state that all software created with public money should be publicly available, but fears of computer-hacking AI models like Mythos have prompted a change in policy 2524962-nhs-england-rushes-to-hide-software-over-ai-hacking-fears|2524962 /article/2523919-the-4-biggest-myths-about-hydration-according-to-an-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:28 +0100 Should you really be drinking eight glasses of water a day? What about reaching for a sports drink after exercise? Physiologist Tamara Hew-Butler is here to bust these hydration myths and more. 2523919-the-4-biggest-myths-about-hydration-according-to-an-expert|2523919 /article/2524968-oak-trees-use-delaying-tactics-to-thwart-hungry-caterpillars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 11:00:50 +0100 An infestation of caterpillars can make an oak tree postpone when it opens its leaves next year by three days, wrong-footing the insects when they attack again 2524968-oak-trees-use-delaying-tactics-to-thwart-hungry-caterpillars|2524968 /article/2524931-why-i-explore-our-inevitable-love-for-robots-in-my-novel-luminous/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 01 May 2026 10:35:41 +0100 Silvia Park, author of the May read for the 51¶ŻÂț Book Club, reveals how a book that was originally intended to be for children took a darker route following a death in the family 2524931-why-i-explore-our-inevitable-love-for-robots-in-my-novel-luminous|2524931