We finally have a grasp on the many different ways of thinking and how your inner mindscape affects your experience of reality ⌘ Read more
We finally have a grasp on the many different ways of thinking and how your inner mindscape affects your experience of reality ⌘ Read more
Exoplanet PDS 70b, a gas giant seven times the mass of Jupiter, appears to share an orbit with a ball of dust around the mass of Earth's moon, which could be forming a new planet ⌘ Read more
A large study found that infrequent bowel movements are associated with a 73 per cent increased risk of cognitive decline, including deficits in memory and attention ⌘ Read more
Measurements of alcohol levels in fruits collected in a Costa Rican forest reveal that those eaten by mammals contain higher levels of alcohol ⌘ Read more
An artificial intelligence trained on TikTok videos could help you take part in dance trends without moving a muscle ⌘ Read more
A new type of particle called the strange pentaquark has been found using the Large Hadron Collider. The particle could help researchers catalogue the states of exotic matter and figure out how fundamental particles stick together ⌘ Read more
Fungi can be pressed into thin sheets that resist fire by forming a protective char on the outside, and they could be turned into fireproofing materials for buildings ⌘ Read more
To celebrate the launch of our new podcast, Dead Planets Society, New Scientist editors have selected some of our most delightful premium articles about the solar system and beyond ⌘ Read more
What would happen if we pushed a sun-sized ball of water into our star? The Dead Planets Society podcast dives into the possibilities ⌘ Read more
A proposed way to measure consciousness called integrated information theory has been tested using data from human brain scans, and seems to work ⌘ Read more
A small mammal from the Cretaceous Period appears to have been preserved by volcanic debris while attacking a dinosaur three times its size ⌘ Read more
The placenta is an incredible organ that we grow for a short period of time, yet it has a surprising long-term influence on our health. Researchers are now developing tools to spot placenta problems and improve the lives of future babies ⌘ Read more
The experimental drug donanemab slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease compared with a placebo, but the effect may not be large enough to be noticed by people with the condition or their families ⌘ Read more
Using AI-generated images to train AI quickly creates a loop where the results get worse in either quality or visual diversity ⌘ Read more
Graphene, an atom-thick form of carbon, was discovered in 2004 using sticky tape and pencil graphite, but now researchers have found the first ever natural graphene in a gold mine ⌘ Read more
A treatment to prevent RSV in children up to two years old has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration ⌘ Read more
The first scientific study of 18th-century paper money printed by Benjamin Franklin reveals that the inventor developed innovations that paved the way for modern currencies ⌘ Read more
The early universe could be home to huge stars powered by dark matter annihilation instead of fusion – and the James Webb Space Telescope may have already found some ⌘ Read more
Knowing when to say “I don’t know” is a key issue for artificial intelligence tools, which a new AI for clinical decision-making developed by Google aims to address ⌘ Read more
Bolivia accounts for 9 per cent of all primary forest lost across the globe, and conservationists fear deforestation will only increase due to the government’s desire to expand agricultural production ⌘ Read more
An increased awareness of ADHD symptoms in adulthood may be prompting people to seek a diagnosis ⌘ Read more
A researcher won a bet by performing an experiment a colleague said wouldn't work. The result was the largest quasicrystal ever made ⌘ Read more
Pygmy right whales are evolutionarily distinct and may be part of a whale family long thought to be extinct ⌘ Read more
A ring wormhole is one that you could simply step through, like a portal through space – but new, more detailed models have shown that they could be a portal through time as well ⌘ Read more
The US actors’ union is striking over disagreement with Hollywood studios about using AI to create "digital twins" of actors, and the results could determine the viability of acting as a career ⌘ Read more
Regular exercise prevents neurons crucial for movement from degrading in rats with symptoms of Parkinson's disease, potentially explaining why consistent physical activity can slow the advancement of symptoms ⌘ Read more
Found in a Brazilian cave, the remarkable specimen of a ground sloth fetus inside its mother offers a rare insight into the developmental biology of the extinct mammal ⌘ 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
An experiment in which pigs showed an inclination to help other group members suggests they have an altruistic streak – but selfish motivations can’t be ruled out ⌘ Read more
India has launched its Chandrayaan-3 mission, which aims to explore the south pole of the moon by rover, completing a scientific mission that was first attempted in 2019 but ended in catastrophic failure due to a software glitch ⌘ Read more
Large numbers of dead fish have been seen in many UK rivers in recent weeks, and researchers warn that climate change will lead to more such events ⌘ Read more
Llamas are able to learn from other llamas and even more effectively from humans, possibly because thousands of years of domestication gave them the ability to read human social cues ⌘ Read more
The minuscule fluctuations of seemingly empty space can be controlled just enough to make the building blocks of a new type of computer ⌘ Read more
Genetically editing poplar trees reduces the resources required to harvest their wood's cellulose, which makes up paper ⌘ Read more
The US Food and Drug Administration approved the oral contraceptive Opill for use without a prescription. It is the first hormonal contraceptive available over the counter in the US ⌘ Read more
Faecal transplants alleviated nerve pain in people with diabetes, suggesting gut bacteria may play a role in causing such pain ⌘ Read more
A fossil has been identified as an ancient alligator species with a very short snout, ridged skull and teeth made for crushing hard shells, suggesting that it may have munched on snails along with other prey ⌘ Read more
Many northern countries including the UK must adapt homes to cope with hot weather, a study warns – but there are ways to do this without increasing energy use ⌘ Read more
Elon Musk has announced a new project called xAI that plans to “understand the true nature of the universe”. Here’s what we know so far ⌘ Read more
Contrary to Silicon Valley wisdom, training AIs on larger data sets could worsen their tendency to replicate societal biases and racist stereotypes ⌘ Read more
The Magellanic stream is a cloud of dust and gas that wraps around our galaxy. It has long been thought to host stars, but they have never been seen until now ⌘ Read more
A scheduling algorithm can help redistribute AI workloads among data centres to minimise the environmental impact on regions experiencing water shortages or fossil fuel pollution ⌘ Read more
An analysis of bones from the La Brea tar pits in California reveals that sabre-toothed tigers and dire wolves had very high rates of osteochondrosis, which may stem from a dwindling gene pool as they neared extinction ⌘ Read more
Colossal bubbles of hot gas observed around three distant, supermassive black holes are probably the result of powerful winds, which could also be preventing the formation of new stars in those galaxies ⌘ Read more
A vaccine induced an immune response against the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, which can remain dormant in the body and cause a relapse of symptoms ⌘ Read more
A group of 51 superconducting qubits have been entangled inside a quantum computer, not just in pairs but in a complex system that entangles each qubit to every other one ⌘ Read more
Plastic was found at nearly all of the 84 coral reefs studied across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans ⌘ Read more
Quantum computers have been shown to solve some problems faster than ordinary computers, but so far all these problems have had little application. A quantum Monte Carlo algorithm could change that ⌘ Read more
A handful of “rules” govern how evolution shapes life on Earth, from island gigantism to colours shifting with latitude – and offer clues about how animals and plants might adapt to a warming world ⌘ Read more
A pair of common redstarts and a pair of black redstarts were seen brooding in the same nest in Italy – a kind of cooperative breeding that has never been documented before ⌘ Read more
Preliminary studies show that psilocybin, a compound in magic mushrooms, reduces pain in people with chronic Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and migraines. But without effective control groups the evidence is far from conclusive ⌘ Read more
Researchers have identified hundreds of potential biomarkers that may be involved in the physical signs of ageing ⌘ Read more
The James Webb Telescope revealed its first images of deep space on July 12 2022 – here’s a look back at one year of awe-inspiring images and confounding scientific discoveries ⌘ Read more
Most snakes can see a limited range of colours, but the blue-banded sea snake has regained genes lost millions of years ago that may let them see ultraviolet and blue light ⌘ Read more
The bones were shaped by people using stone tools before they were fossilised, adding new evidence for humans’ arrival in the Americas before the end of the Ice Age ⌘ Read more
Magpies and crows have been seen making nests using spikes placed on buildings to deter birds from nesting ⌘ Read more
Instead of a uniform tax on carbon emissions, countries should apply higher taxes to luxury products to reduce social inequality and tackle climate change, say researchers ⌘ Read more
The lithium-ion batteries found in electric cars work best when kept within a certain temperature range, so researchers have created a blanket to keep your car cool in the sun and warm in the cold ⌘ Read more
Wegovy and Ozempic have made headlines, but a new wave of more effective drugs like Mounjaro have the potential to end obesity altogether. How will they work and are they safe? ⌘ Read more
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is sending both flying and sailing drones into the eye of hurricanes to help improve storm forecasts ⌘ Read more
A gene-editing technique makes mosquitoes produce antibodies against the malaria parasite, which could mean cases in people are also slashed ⌘ Read more
Our understanding of aromaticity, a concept that underpins life itself, has been thrown into chaos. But from the ashes have risen powerful new tools including supercharged solar cells and a Jekyll-and-Hyde material powered by "antiaromaticity" ⌘ Read more
Almost three-quarters of male macaques observed by scientists mounted other males, and the behaviour may help to strengthen alliances ⌘ Read more
Last year's summer was the hottest season ever recorded in Europe, and a new estimate shows there were over 61,000 heat-related excess deaths during this period ⌘ Read more
The discovery of low-level ripples throughout the universe called the gravitational wave background has set physicists looking for exotic explanations ⌘ Read more
This epic TV series kicks off with Inferno, the story of our planet’s biggest mass extinction. Host Chris Packham probes how Earth lost up to 90 per cent of its species in an event which began 252 million years ago ⌘ Read more
A block of granite on the far side of the moon used to be the inside of a volcano – though researchers are unsure how the volcano could have formed ⌘ Read more
Microfluidic chips have been made from water encased in nanoparticles and carved into precise shapes, and they could be used to carry out scientific tests on liquids and cells ⌘ Read more
The record for the hottest average global air temperature was broken three times this week, making the past seven days the hottest since instrumental records began in the 1850s ⌘ Read more
This intriguing extract is taken from Pod by Laline Paull, a novel told from the perspective of a spinner dolphin which is the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club ⌘ Read more
Jaguar attacks on pets and farm animals are a common problem, but after developing a drug-induced stomach ache, the big cats seem to learn not to kill certain animals ⌘ Read more
The author of the Women’s prize-shortlisted Pod reveals why she decided to write a story that initially felt too daunting – now the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club ⌘ Read more
Silicon-based solar cells have a theoretical efficiency limit of around 30 per cent, but adding a perovskite layer enables new designs to harvest more energy ⌘ Read more
As temperatures rise due to climate change, the huge amounts of corn grown in the US Midwest could be under threat, and it seems breeding for high-yielding varieties has made the crop genetically more vulnerable ⌘ Read more
People who are genetically more likely to be active in the morning have a lower risk of experiencing symptoms of depression than those who are in their element in the evenings ⌘ Read more
When given the chance to peck on symbols that carried different probabilities of getting food, carrion crows learned to choose the one with a higher probability of reward ⌘ Read more
Driverless cars can use lasers to sense objects, but reflected light from nearby vehicles or bright sunlight can interfere. A system using entangled photons could help the vehicles avoid obstacles ⌘ Read more
Proofs, the central tenet of mathematics, occasionally have errors in them. Could computers stop this from happening, asks mathematician Emily Riehl ⌘ Read more
In the face of new evidence, physicists are starting to view the cosmos not as made up of disparate layers, but as a quantum whole linked by entanglement ⌘ Read more
Objects from Norway and Sweden, some dating from AD 500 to 700, show clear evidence of encryption using runic symbols, the alphabet later used by the Vikings ⌘ Read more
Decarbonising steel production is essential if we are to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, but this energy-intensive process has been hard to clean up - until now ⌘ Read more
The average global air temperature recorded 2 metres above Earth’s surface was over 17°C (62.6°F) on 3 July, the highest that has ever been recorded ⌘ Read more
Location trackers show migratory seabirds spend much of their time looking for food near ocean garbage patches, highlighting the need for action on pollution ⌘ Read more
We are finally figuring out the subtle ways that farm and zoo animals reveal their emotional states, from anxiety to optimism and even joy. The insights are also revealing some surprising ways we can improve their lives ⌘ Read more
A process for converting scrap metal into high-quality iron, which was crucial to the Industrial Revolution, was devised by Black metallurgists who were enslaved and transported to Jamaica by the British ⌘ Read more
An artificial intelligence targeting system is better than humans at identifying valid targets, claim its makers, though the full results are classified ⌘ Read more
Sustainability researchers have serious doubts about whether the EU’s new regulation will succeed in stopping deforestation ⌘ Read more
The International Atomic Energy Agency is expected this week to approve Japan's plan to release radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean ⌘ Read more
Dedekind numbers describe the number of ways sets of logical operations can be combined, and are fiendishly difficult to calculate, with only eight known since 1991 - and now mathematicians have calculated the ninth in the series ⌘ Read more
The imminent approval of the world's first CRISPR treatment for sickle cell disease is just the start: soon this gene-editing tool could be used to tackle everything from cancer to high cholesterol and infertility ⌘ Read more
The US has seen a sharp rise in deaths during or within one year after pregnancy, with Native American and Black populations at the highest risk ⌘ Read more
A compound called “klotho”, claimed to be an anti-ageing hormone, improved cognitive function in ageing macaques16 ⌘ Read more
A plastic, wedge-shaped device could medical particle accelerators 100 times more efficient at generating the protons that can be used for cancer treatment ⌘ Read more
A phenomenon called cosmological time dilation means that events taking place in the early universe seem to evolve slower than those today ⌘ Read more
It can take up to 17 years for research findings to become part of standard medical care. Implementation scientists like Rinad Beidas are trying to close that gap ⌘ Read more
From George R. R. Martin’s new Wild Cards anthology to Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's dystopian take on America, there is a wealth of exciting science fiction out this month. Culture editor Alison Flood shares the novels she is most anticipating ⌘ Read more
A genetic analysis of thousands of Atlantic cod has revealed they all belong to one of five distinctive groups, suggesting they aren't interbreeding and belong to different species ⌘ Read more
Researchers have identified a network of structures in the brain that may help us to regulate negative emotions when we see something upsetting ⌘ Read more
Marks on stone tools found in the Tabon Caves on Palawan island in the Philippines suggest they were used for processing plant fibres, allowing the creation of ropes, baskets and other items ⌘ Read more
A strange and unfamiliar view of Saturn has been captured by the James Webb Space Telescope to help researchers identify its smaller objects and structures ⌘ Read more