Trees in rainforests that grow far away from others of the same species may be more likely to survive than close neighbours if they're protected from insects and fungal pathogens that target those specific trees ⌘ Read more
Trees in rainforests that grow far away from others of the same species may be more likely to survive than close neighbours if they're protected from insects and fungal pathogens that target those specific trees ⌘ Read more
The unprecedented scale of wildfires in Canada since May has already produced double the carbon emissions of the previous record-holding year as well as displacing tens of thousands of people from their homes ⌘ Read more
Extraordinarily high-energy gamma rays have been found emanating from the sun, and none of our theoretical models can explain why there are so many of them ⌘ Read more
A thin, multi-layered film inspired by the structure of vibrant blue butterfly wings could help vehicles reduce energy used for cooling ⌘ Read more
Honeybees exposed to continuous artificial light get much less sleep, and this may affect their ability to pollinate plants ⌘ Read more
Anemones have special cells that shoot stinging barbs for protection or to hunt prey – decisions about when to release them and where to aim is based on the activity of calcium ion channels similar to those in human neurons ⌘ Read more
US schools could nearly halve the carbon emissions of the lunches they offer by only serving beef once a month and replacing the highest emitting meal a week with a vegan option. ⌘ Read more
Shooting powerful lasers at thin gold flakes has revealed how the precious metal generates its own faint glow – and might help us better control chemical reactions used in energy storage ⌘ Read more
Disrupted brain signals have previously been linked to ADHD in children, with the link now being found in young adults, improving researchers' understanding of the condition ⌘ Read more
Deepfake audio can trick people even when they know they might be hearing an AI-generated voice – AI-powered detectors may need to step up to help people distinguish deepfakes from authentic human speech ⌘ Read more
A whale that lived around 39 million years ago could have weighed as much as 340 tonnes, according to analysis of a partial skeleton found in Peru ⌘ Read more
The Maillard reaction, which generates flavoursome compounds during cooking, probably helps lock carbon away in the seabed, boosting oxygen in the atmosphere ⌘ Read more
A different form of a gene called CHD1L found in people with African ancestry has been linked to lower HIV levels in people infected with the virus, and the discovery could open the door to improved treatments ⌘ Read more
Detecting the permanent imprints left by colliding black holes would reveal a universe saturated with infinite symmetries – and narrow the possibilities for a theory of quantum gravity. ⌘ Read more
Researchers are moving quickly to test if a material called LK-99 really is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure. Several labs have already announced results ⌘ Read more
Altering the gut microbiome via probiotics could one day help people to maintain a certain level of fitness and reduce the rate of their biological ageing ⌘ Read more
Helical bumps on artificial fibres can carry 2000 times more water than the volume of the bumps themselves, which could help people harvest drinking water from the air ⌘ Read more
By analysing charred remains of a Jerusalem building, archaeologists have uncovered details of how it was burned down by Babylonian invaders in 586 BC ⌘ Read more
A fossil discovered in Canada reveals that jellyfish developed the swimming stage of their life cycle more than half a billion years ago ⌘ Read more
After accidentally turning the Voyager 2 spacecraft away from Earth and losing contact with it, NASA engineers have now heard a “heartbeat signal” that shows it is still okay ⌘ Read more
Higher exposure to lead in childhood is associated with a greater likelihood of criminality, a review of 17 studies has found, but whether the element is causing the behaviour rather than just being associated with it is unknown ⌘ Read more
Could we bore a hole through the centre of Earth? What would it be like to fling yourself through it? The Dead Planets Society podcast digs deep into the potential hazards ⌘ Read more
From speculative novellas by Josh Malerman to a first venture into science fiction from H is for Hawk author Helen Macdonald, August brims with sci-fi potential, says culture editor Alison Flood ⌘ Read more
A new analysis of small flecks in meteorites calculates the age of the solar system as 4.5684 billion years old, rather than 4.5673 billion ⌘ Read more
Carbonic acid, an important component of amino acids, has been seen in a cloud of gas near the centre of the Milky Way, which could help us explain how life came to be on Earth ⌘ Read more
Satellite images support the claim that Arctic foxes promote the growth of the lush vegetation seen around their dens ⌘ Read more
Male nightingales respond to each other’s songs by whistling back at the same pitch when competing for territory, and they even copy the pitch of artificial whistle sounds ⌘ Read more
The UK’s plan to issue new oil and gas licences will make a minimal impact on North Sea production levels – but it will dent the country's reputation as a climate leader ⌘ Read more
The European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope launched on 1 July, and now it has delivered its first stunning pictures of stars and galaxies across the cosmos ⌘ Read more
From vitamin D to turmeric extracts and probiotics, nutritional supplements are a booming industry. But what is the evidence behind the claimed benefits? ⌘ Read more
Swimmers in open water races can reduce the amount of drag forces they experience by swimming behind or at the hip level of another swimmer ⌘ Read more
Truly convenient materials that can conduct electricity perfectly have long been sought after by researchers, but their history is one of difficult experiments, theoretical puzzles and scientific controversy ⌘ Read more
A region of the midbrain in rodents appears to be instrumental in enabling rats to engage in laughter and play ⌘ Read more
A woman may be most likely to give birth in her 30s and go through the menopause in her 50s, with these life events causing hormonal changes that may accelerate ageing ⌘ Read more
Immune cells are more effective at fending off pathogens when they use ketones – which are produced during fasting – rather than glucose for energy ⌘ Read more
People who carry a genetic variant that raises the risk of Alzheimer's disease may start to lose their sense of smell before they experience any decline in cognitive function ⌘ Read more
Buying a specific set of 27 tickets for the UK National Lottery will mathematically guarantee that you win something ⌘ Read more
From "hot tub" sea temperatures in Florida to wildfires across Greek islands, we are seeing a record-breaking season of climate extremes ⌘ Read more
There is anger over a Netflix AI job paying up to $900,000, coming as actors are still striking over the use of AI in film and TV. In other AI news, problems with training data can cause glitches or make chatbots more racist ⌘ Read more
Two cosmetic products have been identified from residues in the tomb of a non-noble woman who lived in China 2000 years ago, suggesting the widespread use of make-up ⌘ Read more
Transmitting data around the body can be tricky, but a shirt with a metal upgrade could help ⌘ Read more
A Formula E racing car made from iPhones, chargers, batteries and single-use vapes has been built in the UK to highlight the increasing problem of electronic waste ⌘ Read more
A particular strain of swine flu was first recorded in people in 2009. Since then, humans have passed the strain to pigs at least 370 times in the US ⌘ Read more
An analysis of related words in 161 languages suggests their shared roots lie in the Middle East – a conclusion that also fits with DNA evidence ⌘ Read more
Plans to extract hydrogen from underground reservoirs have been presented as climate-friendly, but it is still unclear just how much they could increase global warming ⌘ Read more
A technique for delivering mRNAs to blood stem cells should enable better and cheaper treatments for conditions from sickle cell disease to ageing ⌘ Read more
An experiment with elastic gels broke the theoretical speed limit for how fast cracks can move through materials, raising new questions about the physics of fractures ⌘ Read more
Despite testimony by David Grusch to US Congress about "non-human biologics" and UFO crash sites, there is still no evidence aliens have ever come to Earth. Why are people taking such claims seriously, asks Jacob Aron ⌘ Read more
Surgically attaching old mice to young mice to exchange their blood has previously been shown to rejuvenate the older individuals' brains, livers and muscles. Now, it has been shown to also extend their lifespan, even after the animals have been detached ⌘ Read more
Simulations of the rippling that occurs inside stars has made it possible to turn this innate twinkling into audio ⌘ Read more
Some home builders in England and Wales are allowed to buy nutrient credits to "offset" the pollution caused by new houses, but their efficacy is in doubt ⌘ Read more
Engineered immune cells called CAR T-cells are highly effective against cancer but they are also dangerous – but an upgrade could make them safer and more effective ⌘ Read more
The risk of cannabis poisoning in children increased fourfold after it became medically or recreationally legal in different locations, primarily due to edibles ⌘ Read more
Viruses and bacteria floating in the air can be sorted for further analysis using magnets and the metal gadolinium ⌘ Read more
Doctors sometimes recommend older people take a low dose of aspirin to reduce their risk of the most common type of stroke, but a study suggests this is no more effective than a placebo and raises the risk of brain bleeds ⌘ Read more
Instead of coming earlier and earlier as the climate warms, the onset of spring in the Arctic is now extremely variable from year to year, bringing challenges to wildlife ⌘ Read more
Self-driving vehicles that struggle with recognising objects at night could get a boost from a heat-assisted detection and ranging system ⌘ Read more
An ant species in Australia makes honey that killed some bacterial and fungal infections in the lab, raising hopes that its properties could be used in new drugs ⌘ Read more
Fossils unearthed in Thailand have been identified as a new species of dinosaur that fed on plants and roamed the wilds of South-East Asia ⌘ Read more
Fork-tailed drongos produce individualised patterns on their eggs, which may help them recognise their own and reject 94 per cent of cuckoo eggs ⌘ Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted water vapour in an area where planets may be forming, which could present an answer to the debate over how Earth got its water ⌘ Read more
Wood is a versatile construction material that could be used to replace carbon-intensive steel and concrete in construction, however the emissions involved may have been underestimated ⌘ Read more
From how well they work to side effects such as hair loss, here’s the skinny on new weight loss injections that work by blocking a hormone that normally reduces appetite ⌘ Read more
The large language models behind the new chatbots are trained to predict which words are most likely to appear together – but “emergent abilities” suggest they might be doing more than that ⌘ Read more
Even with the capabilities they have today, the new generation of AIs will profoundly reshape the world, and your life, over the next decade. Here’s how ⌘ Read more
A study warns that the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is close to a tipping point that would severely disrupt the climate – but other researchers say the timing is impossible to predict ⌘ Read more
From 2001: A Space Odyssey to WALL-E, Erika Nesvold picks her favourite sci-fi films set in space (and explains why E.T. missed out) ⌘ Read more
This mesmerising image of star V960 Mon spitting out gas jets to create arms larger than our entire solar system shows how massive planets may come together via gravitational instability ⌘ Read more
J. Robert Oppenheimer was instrumental in creating the first atomic bomb but afterwards spent decades campaigning against it. Christopher Nolan’s new film focuses on these later years ⌘ Read more
In the most detailed study yet of awareness during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, nearly half those who survived reported some kind of hazy memories, dreams or perceptions ⌘ Read more
Climate change made the heatwaves in North America and Europe at least 1000 times more likely and the heatwave in China around 50 times more likely ⌘ Read more
The AI that powers ChatGPT appears to be performing less well at mathematical problems than it was just a few months ago ⌘ Read more
Experiments show that people consistently underestimate the weight of their own hands – a perceptual quirk that could be important for designing prosthetics ⌘ Read more
Small studies suggest that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, may reduce the severity of eating disorders and increase people’s motivation to recover from the condition ⌘ Read more
Concerns over chemical sunscreens harming coral reefs and maybe even our health are inspiring a new generation of sun lotions that would offer greater protection that endures ⌘ Read more
Plant-based milks made from almonds, oats, rice and soya beans generally contain fewer nutrients than cow's milk ⌘ Read more
A study of more than 700,000 people found that adopting eight healthy habits by age 40 could extend life expectancy by more than two decades ⌘ Read more
We don't yet know how strong the developing El Niño climate pattern will be, but even a weak one risks severe global disruption ⌘ Read more
A 33-million-year-old layer of Earth's crust is laced with helium-3, which is normally only found in space. Now we might have an explanation for how it got there ⌘ Read more
Nearly 500 regions of the human genome appear to directly impact your dietary intake by affecting perception of flavours and food preferences ⌘ Read more
Fruits and vegetables contain prebiotics, which act as a food source for gut microbes and may boost overall health ⌘ Read more
Remnants of eight spices were found on a sandstone slab from an archaeological site in Vietnam, showing the early adoption of ingredients and techniques from south Asia ⌘ Read more
The Viking 1 and 2 Mars probes looked for evidence of quakes on Mars, but failed to find anything definitive. Now a reanalysis suggests Viking 2 found marsquakes after all ⌘ Read more
After watching deepfake movie clips that inserted Will Smith into The Matrix or put Chris Pratt in the role of Indiana Jones, 70 per cent of people thought the movie remakes actually existed ⌘ Read more
It is vital that we clean up our energy sources and shift away from fossil fuels, but rising interest rates mean green energy projects are becoming more expensive and risk being cancelled ⌘ Read more
Newton’s first law of motion says that particles move in straight lines unless influenced by a force but a new experiment shows that the quantum version of that assumption fails for quantum particles of light ⌘ Read more
Over 99 per cent of green turtles born on beaches in the northern Great Barrier Reef are now female due to nest overheating, but cooling their nests with seawater may help to rebalance the sex ratio ⌘ Read more
An analysis of GPS data has revealed a slow and otherwise undetectable slip of tectonic plates that begins two hours before an earthquake - but detecting this in advance would require more accurate sensors ⌘ Read more
Chemicals containing fluorine that are used in pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and batteries can now be made without the release of toxic hydrogen fluoride gas as part of the process ⌘ Read more
A tiny probe that can be moved deep into the brain via blood vessels could one day monitor brain activity in people with epilepsy or Parkinson's disease ⌘ Read more
Even if the planet doesn't get any warmer than it is now, melting ice in Greenland could add at least 1.5 metres to the global average sea level and possibly as much as 5 metres ⌘ Read more
Mice with obesity have fewer immune cells in their skin that protect against psoriasis-related inflammation, potentially explaining why obesity increases the risk of the condition ⌘ Read more
Two sabretooth cat species that lived 5 million years ago had 10-centimetre-long fangs, which they probably used to hunt prey in forested landscapes like leopards do ⌘ Read more
Male orcas with a surviving postmenopausal mother have fewer signs of injury than those whose mothers are dead or still reproducing ⌘ Read more
Commonly recommended ways to boost our mood – which can also include expressing gratitude or spending time in nature – are often based on small, poorly designed studies ⌘ Read more
The ability to warm up parts of their body may help basking sharks migrate long distances and overcome drag when they’re feeding ⌘ Read more
The Perseids are a major meteor shower - here is your guide to spotting them in July and August 2023 ⌘ Read more
A robot made of Lego can speed up and simplify building tiny structures out of DNA that could be used as biological machines ⌘ Read more
Analysis of a wooden stick thought to be around 300,000 years old suggests it was designed to be thrown rotationally, rather than as a spear ⌘ Read more
A strange star more than 1300 light years away appears to have two sides with completely different compositions, and astronomers aren’t sure how it ended up that way ⌘ Read more