Atomic clocks work by using a laser to bounce the electrons in an atom at a given frequency, while nuclear clocks would theoretically do the same for atomic nuclei, and we are a step closer to building one ⌘ Read more
Atomic clocks work by using a laser to bounce the electrons in an atom at a given frequency, while nuclear clocks would theoretically do the same for atomic nuclei, and we are a step closer to building one ⌘ Read more
Researchers are building models of everything from black holes to the big bang in tanks of liquid. Now some claim these surprisingly simple models are showing us where our theories of space-time are wrong ⌘ Read more
Virgin Orbit's failed launch in January was the start of the end for the company, which has now sold off its assets and shut down for good. But what does this mean for Richard Branson's other space firm, Virgin Galactic? ⌘ Read more
An exploding star spotted in the Pinwheel galaxy, 21 million light years from Earth, offers a rare chance to watch a supernova unfolding in real time ⌘ Read more
Antibody treatments that target amyloid plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's have shown promise in trials, but questions about their side effects and practicality remain ⌘ Read more
Four primate species in Uganda have been found to have 97 chemical pollutants in their faeces, which are associated with hormonal changes that can disrupt development and reproduction ⌘ Read more
Given a choice between two crisp packets, herring gulls pick the same colour as one a nearby human is eating from 95 per cent of the time ⌘ Read more
AI-generated ads fooled marketing experts and outperformed typical US print ads on a test that measured creativity and potential to spur emotional responses ⌘ Read more
At least one cryptocurrency based on the old version of Ethereum is still vulnerable to a software flaw that enables attackers to steal funds ⌘ Read more
The principle of least action has been a key law of physics since the 18th century, but has only now been directly observed in the quantum realm thanks to an experiment with single particles of light ⌘ Read more
Due to the corrosive effect of their faeces, bats have engineered larger caves in the iron-rich earth of Carajás National Forest in Brazil, creating more stalagmites and stalactites ⌘ Read more
Naked mole rats’ secret to a long life is an abundance of hyaluronic acid, and new research shows this substance can also help mice live longer, age slower and avert cancer ⌘ Read more
The West African liana Triphyophyllum peltatum can grow special leaves that trap insects, but we now know it only does this when the soil is lacking in phosphorus ⌘ Read more
After months of negotiations, California, Nevada and Arizona have agreed to reduce the water they take from the Colorado River, but these drastic cuts are only a temporary solution to the water crisis facing the western US ⌘ Read more
From meeting an older version of yourself in virtual reality to writing letters from the future, these evidence-based tricks can help you make better decisions today ⌘ Read more
The first covid-19 vaccines were based on the spike protein from the original virus, but including this in boosters may be hindering immunity to newer variants ⌘ Read more
A link between volcanic activity and rising bubbles of low pressure in the ionosphere has now been proven, which may be why the colossal Tonga volcano eruption in 2022 disrupted satellite communications ⌘ Read more
An alternative form of computer chip called a memcomputer could offer benefits over existing machines, and now a proof-of-principle digital memcomputer shows how these devices could be scaled up ⌘ Read more
The cells of bowhead whales seem to be better at repairing DNA than those of humans or mice, and this may explain why they live to over 200 with low rates of cancer ⌘ Read more
An AI that predicts wind changes could boost wind turbine efficiency by 0.3 per cent, which globally would amount to enough extra electricity to keep a country running ⌘ Read more
Photographs with a shallow depth of field trick the brain into assuming that the subject is small and close-up, and experiments show how effective this illusion can be ⌘ Read more
The mass extinction at the end of the Permian Period wiped out many plants. Fossils of millipedes from that era have been found alongside ancient mammal carcasses, suggesting that mass plant die-off may have driven them to be carnivorous ⌘ Read more
Injecting gene-edited heart cells into rats with damaged hearts kept more of them alive and had them exercising for longer – and tests in humans could start in 2025 ⌘ Read more
The last accepted sighting of the South Island kōkako was in 1967, and it was declared extinct in 2007 – but a potential sighting that same year led to its reclassification, and a charitable trust set up to find it has been searching for the bird ever since ⌘ Read more
Synchronised blinking may reflect a certain cognitive state that professional racers have when controlling a fast-moving car ⌘ Read more
After experimental stem cell therapy, people who required assistance walking due to symptoms of progressive multiple sclerosis saw their mobility improve ⌘ Read more
A simple mechanical system built from aluminium rods uses vibrations to encode information, mimicking quantum computing in a non-quantum system ⌘ Read more
An analysis of 30 years of monitoring data shows an upward trend in the population of insects and other invertebrates in English rivers, which may be linked to lower levels of zinc and copper ⌘ Read more
Our brain's high energy demands, particularly in certain key areas, may have enabled us to evolve uniquely advanced cognitive traits ⌘ Read more
Sensors could be added to the fingertips of prosthetic hands that then enable people with amputated arms to gauge the temperature of an object ⌘ Read more
Animals fleeing predators can take advantage of the "human shield effect" where they seek refuge in human-dominated spaces – but for bobcats and coyotes in Washington state, conflict with humans is three times as likely to lead to death ⌘ Read more
In tests with a rat, the e-skin patch conveyed touch and pressure signals to the brain, prompting the animal to move its muscles ⌘ Read more
Many sources claim sexual kissing spread worldwide from South Asia 3500 years ago, but there is evidence it was practised in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt much earlier than that ⌘ Read more
Long periods of extreme weather caused by El Niño events have a severe and long-lasting economic impact for the hardest-hit nations, an analysis has found ⌘ Read more
An octopus in an aquarium has been filmed going from deep sleep to thrashing and releasing ink - an anti-predator response that suggests it was dreaming about being attacked ⌘ Read more
Plans etched into stone tablets depict vast hunting traps called desert kites built 9000 years ago, showing a mastery of geometry long before the invention of writing ⌘ Read more
Researchers have discovered a long-standing connection between temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and the health of arid grasslands in the US Southwest – but climate change seems to have broken it ⌘ Read more
An argument that has been raging among biologists for over a decade – whether comb jellies or sponges were the first group to split off from the common ancestor of all animals – has a new twist, thanks to an analysis of genetic patterns ⌘ Read more
The ink could one day be used to provide automatic camouflage by turning green in forests and sand-coloured in deserts ⌘ Read more
A variety of drugs, including metformin, rapamycin and a host of new senolytics, are finally showing promise in clearing out zombie cells that cause age-related diseases. Here's what you need to know ⌘ Read more
The UK’s Met Office says there is now a 66 per cent chance average global temperatures will be more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in at least one of the next five years ⌘ Read more
Skywalker gibbons remember the locations of the most desirable foods and set off earlier when they want to eat fruit for breakfast ⌘ Read more
A report from the World Health Organization contradicts current mainstream health advice to choose food and drinks with sweeteners instead of sugar ⌘ Read more
A new high-definition virtual meeting pod by Finnish company Framery aims to recreate face-to-face conversations at a distance. Are these the future of video calls – and can they really reduce the need for business travel? ⌘ Read more
Tiny capsules burst open when hit with ultrasound waves, releasing chemicals that destroy films of bacteria like those found on teeth ⌘ Read more
Women with sexual dysfunction reported a large increase in arousal after half an hour of electrical stimulation ⌘ Read more
This simulation models a huge number of atoms in detail with the help of artificial intelligence ⌘ Read more
A genetic alteration that extends the life of mice can be transferred to other mice via blood stem cells, and this could soon be tested in humans as a cancer treatment ⌘ Read more
The writers' strike was initially about compensation in an era of streaming services. Now the role of AI has also become a major point of contention in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and companies such as Disney and Netflix ⌘ Read more
Certain kinds of "forever chemicals" can be dismantled using bacteria found in wastewater. This points to a possible way of making more of these compounds biodegradable ⌘ Read more
The finding suggests existing theories about the cause of dementia may need to be rethought ⌘ Read more
Many researchers thought butterflies first evolved in Asia, but a global genetic analysis suggests they arose in North America, well before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct ⌘ Read more
The Search for Lost Birds project has already tracked down two species on its top 10 list. But is this focus on a handful of potentially extinct birds really good for conservation? ⌘ Read more
Stephen Marche worked with ChatGPT and other AI tools to craft this thriller. The prose is plodding and the final twist leans heavily on a Sherlock Holmes story – but this is an interesting experiment ⌘ Read more
Alopecia makes it harder for fur seals to keep warm, and the condition may be the result of hotter temperatures making it tough to find their preferred prey ⌘ Read more
Lacking a set bed and wake time may influence our body's various psychological processes, affecting our health. Alternatively, irregular sleep habits could be caused by a pre-existing medical condition that itself raises the risk of death over a given period ⌘ Read more
Fears are growing that seismic activity known as frost quakes or ice quakes – which can cause huge cracks in roads and houses – are becoming more frequent because of climate change ⌘ Read more
The second series of this show about Earth 66 million years ago is a joy to watch - but it inspires more than it informs. A little more science would have been nice ⌘ Read more
Children aged 6 to 9 are more likely than adults to save the life of a dog, pig or chimpanzee over a person in a hypothetical “trolley problem” scenario ⌘ Read more
Stimulating nerves on the back of your hand makes it feel like you are grasping things in VR without needing to have your palms covered in material ⌘ Read more
The huge Starship rocket made its first launch attempt on 20 April, but blew up shortly after – while the mission wasn’t a complete failure, it might be a while before we see it try to get to space again ⌘ Read more
Cool and comfortable mosquito-proof clothing could become available thanks to fabrics with special knits that the insects cannot penetrate ⌘ Read more
Comparing the properties of qubits in different quantum computers is challenging, but AI can tell them apart even when the state of the qubits is 98 per cent similar ⌘ Read more
We have long known that parasitic worm infections are associated with lower rates of several conditions. Now, research in mice reveals how the worms elicit these protections ⌘ Read more
Researchers have predicted how well eight countries will do in the Eurovision Song Contest based on the physiological responses of 60 volunteers while they watched the performances ⌘ Read more
While Google and other tech giants are rolling out new AI products at speed, the European Union is working on a law to restrict them ⌘ Read more
Simulations show planets that jockey for position around their star and appear to bounce off each other could survive in stable configurations - but it is unclear if they could occur naturally ⌘ Read more
Genetic studies suggest that high levels of vitamin D are linked with lower risk of various auto-immune diseases including the skin condition psoriasis and multiple sclerosis ⌘ Read more
The most powerful explosion ever seen seems to come from a supermassive black hole devouring a colossal cloud of gas, blasting out enormous amounts of energy as it eats ⌘ Read more
Solar-powered balloons floating 20 kilometres above ground have recorded inaudible low-frequency signals that have so far not been traced back to any known source ⌘ Read more
The two main methods of measuring the expansion of the universe have always disagreed, and observations of a supernova found in 2014 have thrown another wrench in the works ⌘ Read more
Even for cold-blooded sharks, the deep ocean is frigid. To tolerate low temperatures as they dive for deep-water squid, scalloped hammerheads close their gills ⌘ Read more
Butterflies with larger wingspans may be more likely to expand their range at high latitudes because they can fly to new habitats as temperatures rise ⌘ Read more
Phosphoric acid – found in sodas like cola – may open up the sodium channels on our tongue, allowing us to better taste salty flavours ⌘ Read more
Faeces from baby kangaroos helped slash the amount of methane produced by bacteria in an artificial cow stomach ⌘ Read more
A soft robot inserted through a hole in the skull can deploy six sensor-filled legs on the surface of the brain to monitor electrical activity. The design has been tested in miniature pigs and could someday help people who experience epileptic seizures ⌘ Read more
Astronomers are still discovering new natural satellites of Saturn and Jupiter, with the latest update seeing Saturn claim the crown for the solar system's most moons ⌘ Read more
A sequence for the human genome was first published in 2001, but this original reference doesn't reflect the full genetic diversity of humanity - something a new "pangenome" attempts to solve ⌘ Read more
Better understanding the ingredients in personal care products that ward off the insects may lead to more effective mosquito repellents ⌘ Read more
A Bell test can confirm whether two systems are truly entangled – it has now been used to confirm entanglement between qubits in a superconducting circuits ⌘ Read more
A new understanding of nutrition and how our bodies use calories from food explains why balancing diet and exercise is much more complicated than you might think ⌘ Read more
Robots that magnetically attach to the ceiling can rearrange living and working spaces by controlling different objects ⌘ Read more
A mathematical model shows that even small inconsistencies in how coffee is packed into an espresso machine can lead to weaker brews and watery flavour ⌘ Read more
A face mask can release nine different scents on demand to make VR experiences more immersive and multisensory ⌘ Read more
Particles with unusual properties called anyons have long been sought after as a potential building block for advanced quantum computers, and now researchers have found one – using a quantum computer ⌘ Read more
The West Antarctic ice sheet grew back after severe thinning thousands of years ago – a sign that melting ice today could recover thanks to rising landmasses ⌘ Read more
Analysis finds the carbon footprint of cultivated meat is likely to be higher than beef if current production methods are scaled up because they are still highly energy-intensive ⌘ Read more
US healthcare organisations are trialling OpenAI’s GPT-3 for drafting clinician messages to patients. But not all patients are being informed and some AI researchers warn of errors creeping in ⌘ Read more
Clostridium difficile kills 13,000 people each year in the US alone. A new antibiotic tested in mice works better than our first-line treatments against infection – and prevents reinfection too ⌘ Read more
Thousands of offshore wells have been left uncapped in the Gulf of Mexico, which means oil or methane could leak out and harm marine ecosystems ⌘ Read more
The cells could potentially be used to treat range of medical conditions, from heart attacks to cancer, without having to be made from scratch for each person ⌘ Read more
Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to spot strange asteroid belts around the nearby star Fomalhaut, along with evidence for at least three planets ⌘ Read more
As the Elon Musk era of Twitter continues to throw up bugs and controversies, some people are looking at alternatives. The invite-only Bluesky is the latest challenger, but does it have staying power? ⌘ Read more
Many researchers thought butterflies first evolved in Asia, but a global genetic analysis suggests they arose in North America, well before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct ⌘ Read more
Many countries and territories have malaria-free status, however, this may be very difficult to achieve in parts of Africa where the parasite is endemic ⌘ Read more
By reading a rat's intentions from its brain patterns, an AI can help the rodent move objects in a virtual environment ⌘ Read more
Communal wound licking has been documented in a hoofed mammal for the first time. American bison may use the behaviour to boost social connections and reduce stress ⌘ Read more
People from Chinese or Western backgrounds reported having different tastes in wines, which may partly come down to the concentrations of their salivary proteins ⌘ Read more
Forty years ago, a strange empty shark egg case was found off the coast of Western Australia, and scientists have finally determined the species it belongs to ⌘ Read more
A VR accessory called JumpMod can make users feel like they are jumping higher or landing harder, just by moving a weight on their back ⌘ Read more