To hold and cool computer servers, China has installed a 1300-tonne watertight cabin on the shallow seafloor – it is the first of 100 planned for an underwater data centre ⌘ Read more
To hold and cool computer servers, China has installed a 1300-tonne watertight cabin on the shallow seafloor – it is the first of 100 planned for an underwater data centre ⌘ Read more
Gene variants that have an unusally large effect on some people's heights have been discovered by analysing the genomes of more than 300,000 individuals ⌘ Read more
IBM has revealed two quantum computers. One is the second largest ever made and the other produces fewer errors than any quantum computer the company has built so far ⌘ Read more
Vaccinations could be made less painful by treating skin with a vaccine-laden liquid and using ultrasound to push it into the body ⌘ Read more
The newfound Giant Coma Stream of stars stretches nearly 1.7 million light years across the cosmos, and it could have holes blasted through it by clumps of dark matter ⌘ Read more
Carbon dioxide is the dominant driver of climate change, but countries convening at COP28 are expected to make agreements to reduce methane and other often overlooked greenhouse gases ⌘ Read more
There may be several reasons why cannabis encourages people to eat, including the fact that the psychoactive compound in the drug affects the neurons that control hunger ⌘ Read more
If another star passed close to our solar system, there is a small chance that Earth could crash into another planet, get stolen by the interloping star or even be sent hurtling towards the Oort cloud ⌘ Read more
OpenAI’s developer tool for its GPT-4 large language model can be misused to trick the AI into providing information to aid would-be terrorists, and fixing the problem won’t be easy ⌘ Read more
People found a nasal spray painkiller more effective when it caused a slight burning sensation. This suggests that deliberately increasing some drugs' unwanted side effects could enhance their therapeutic benefits ⌘ Read more
Edibles, vapes and spliffs all contain the same psychoactive compounds but the effects they have on the body vary ⌘ Read more
With climate change driving more intense dry spells, the world must invest in early warning systems and measures to conserve water, a UN report says ⌘ Read more
A novelisation of Zack Snyder’s film Rebel Moon, a new Star Wars novel and the much-anticipated second spy thriller from Terry Hayes are among the great science fiction reads out in December ⌘ Read more
Tests with an eel-inspired robot show that the unusual fish may swim most efficiently by reducing their speed ⌘ Read more
The Andromedid meteor shower is normally a quiet affair, but very occasionally it puts on an intense show - which may happen on 2 December ⌘ Read more
Most marmosets have non-identical twins or triplets, which exchange blood cells while in the uterus - and now it seems they also swap certain brain cells ⌘ Read more
Like platypuses and some sharks, bottlenose dolphins have an electric sense which they may use to navigate and search for food ⌘ Read more
While incubating their eggs, chinstrap penguins need to stay vigilant for predators – so they only sleep for a few seconds at a time ⌘ Read more
Researchers have worked out how a protein called photolyase repairs DNA using light, and their discoveries could guide the development of light-based manufacturing technologies ⌘ Read more
An enormous planet has been spotted orbiting a small star, and it could not have formed under either of our existing models of the birth of planets ⌘ Read more
A 17th century hospital crypt in Milan, Italy has yielded the first archaeological evidence of cannabis' psychoactive components in human bones ⌘ Read more
It's easier to focus on conversations when background music is playing if the song is unfamiliar to you, according to brain activity data ⌘ Read more
The sound of pouring water into a cup can be tamped down by changing the height of the pour or the diameter of the spout, but physicists have found another variable that helps silence it even more ⌘ Read more
The COP28 climate summit kicked off with a report on the many records broken in 2023, including unprecedented rises in greenhouse gases, global temperatures and sea level ⌘ Read more
The reintroduction of beavers has already transformed parts of the Scottish landscape and provided much-needed habitats for many animals, delighting conservationists but alarming some landowners ⌘ Read more
Many people take cannabis to help them sleep, but there is little evidence that the drug makes a difference ⌘ Read more
Ancient footprints found in Lesotho resemble those left by birds, but they were made around 60 million years before the ancestors of birds split from other dinosaurs ⌘ Read more
There is a surprisingly close link between the flow of nutrient-rich soil around the ancient world and growing biodiversity - which could be a problem now, as human activity is disrupting and degrading soil ⌘ Read more
We know of around 48,000 inorganic crystal structures, which provide materials with a range of properties. Now, an AI created by Google DeepMind has predicted over 2 million more possibilities ⌘ Read more
The environmental impact of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is increasingly being scrutinised, due to the vast amounts of electricity they consume. Now it seems that water use is also a big problem ⌘ Read more
The orbits of six planets around the star HD 110067 have been in a fixed pattern for billions of years, giving astronomers clues about how they formed ⌘ Read more
Physicists are coming to realise that hypothetical particles called axions could explain not only dark matter, but dark energy too, and more besides. Now there is fresh impetus to detect them ⌘ Read more
Momentum is building for an agreement at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai to triple renewable energy capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency gains by 2030 ⌘ Read more
Some scientists suspect that amino acids were transported to Earth by meteorites. A team has now found that an amino acid called carbamic acid forms at extreme cold temperatures, suggesting that it may have been created on clumps of ice in deep space ⌘ Read more
Billions of dollars are pouring into the carbon dioxide removal industry, which aims to clean up emissions and slow global warming, but few companies have delivered results. Is the technology a planetary saviour or a risky bet? ⌘ Read more
What we pay for food and other goods doesn’t reflect the environmental and social damage they cause. But a radical new approach to economics could change that ⌘ Read more
Cannabis attitudes are undergoing a seismic shift but what do really know about the drug? Our three-part special podcast series is uncovering the science of marijuana ⌘ Read more
Rather than assuming medical conditions happen because something in the body has “gone wrong”, considering evolutionary explanations for illnesses and symptoms may help us better understand how to treat them ⌘ Read more
A study comparing weather records with climate model projections suggests that the latest models are underestimating how often future rainfall extremes will occur ⌘ Read more
Some countries are pushing for an agreement to phase out fossil fuels at the COP28 summit in Dubai, but others argue that such a deal wouldn't be fair ⌘ Read more
The maximum lifespan of mammalian species such as humans can be estimated from so-called epigenetic markers - and altering those might extend our longevity ⌘ Read more
The Tiangong space station, China’s orbiting laboratory, was completed last year – now it has been photographed in full for the first time ⌘ Read more
A fundamental trade-off between the resolution of a clock and its accuracy could have important implications for quantum computers, which must measure short timescales accurately ⌘ Read more
Almost every element in the universe, including those that make up our bodies, was created by a process that began when the earliest stars exploded - and now the James Webb Space Telescope may have seen signs of those supernovae ⌘ Read more
A robot paw made from half a silicone ball could help robots keep their footing, thanks to an internal camera that monitors how its shape deforms ⌘ Read more
UK dietitians say people over 65 need more fat reserves, but why are they going against most other healthy weight guidelines? ⌘ Read more
Infected person has made full recovery but officials are investigating where they caught the virus and whether they may have passed it to other people ⌘ Read more
Almost four years after the first cases emerged, we are accumulating evidence about the physiology behind this complex condition – from microclots to viral persistence ⌘ Read more
AI and a raft of revolutionary technologies are poised to transform how we communicate, says a new book by Philip Seargeant. Vijaysree Venkatraman explores the implications ⌘ Read more
Creating a sewing pattern from an existing garment can be a time-consuming task, but now an artificial intelligence model can do the job from a photo ⌘ Read more
Background music is less distracting at parties if you're unfamiliar with the songs being played, according to brain activity data ⌘ Read more
Many artificial intelligence models available to the public are designed to refuse harmful or illegal requests, but it turns out that AIs are very good at convincing each other to break the rules ⌘ Read more
The spin of black holes may be harnessed by their magnetic fields, which release hundreds of millions of times the energy of the sun and could power their enormous jets ⌘ Read more
There is no strong evidence that taking cannabis improves our ingenuity, although it does make users feel more creative ⌘ Read more
Equipping jellyfish with artificial aids can boost their speed and could allow them to carry ocean sensors ⌘ Read more
Surplus wind power can be used to heat up water in flooded mines – a test of the idea is being planned in Scotland in 2024 ⌘ Read more
A cosmic ray dubbed Amaterasu is the second most powerful one we have ever seen, beaten only by the "Oh-My-God particle". Both have baffled astronomers and defy explanation ⌘ Read more
Studies earlier this year claimed that the extinct hominin Homo naledi buried its dead and produced rock art, but other researchers say the evidence is “non-existent” ⌘ Read more
Unexplained pneumonia cases among children in China may be a result of common respiratory infections rebounding after the country's strict covid-19 lockdowns ⌘ Read more
Cameras and a grasping arm help this robot pick up a pile of discarded clothes and put them in a laundry basket ⌘ Read more
Mice that were deprived of sleep before surgery experienced more pain and inflammation afterwards than animals that had slept enough ⌘ Read more
Mercury may have deep underground salt glaciers that encircle the whole planet and could possibly create the conditions necessary for life ⌘ Read more
The COP28 climate summit in Dubai could see countries agree on key details of a long-awaited fund to help low-income countries pay for climate-related damages ⌘ Read more
Winning entries in this year’s Environmental Photographer of the Year competition highlight humanity’s efforts to reduce our impact on the climate and adapt to a changing world ⌘ Read more
People who have gone into cardiac arrest can get treatment faster if a drone delivers a defibrillator, but there needs to be someone nearby trained in CPR, shows a trial in Sweden ⌘ Read more
A robotic construction vehicle can use 3D digital mapping and AI to learn the best placement for each stone in a wall, without instruction from a human ⌘ Read more
Newborn babies respond differently to their mother tongue, suggesting that exposure to language in the uterus may provide the foundations for learning ⌘ Read more
A fatty acid found in beef and milk attacked different types of cancerous cells in a series of lab and animal experiments ⌘ Read more
Covid-19 vaccines may offer better protection if they just target the omicron variant, rather than both omicron and the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain ⌘ Read more
Wearable technology that stimulates the brain to make you sleep more deeply promises to revolutionise your slumber – can it really lead to a better night’s rest? ⌘ Read more
Interviews with 19 centenarians reveal that they often share several personality traits – including being sociable, positive and resilient – which may have helped them reach an advanced age ⌘ Read more
The genetic mutation that causes the brain condition Huntington's disease may result in greater intelligence among young people, which could explain why evolution has selected for it ⌘ Read more
The unique patterns of dots on the front of African penguins seem to be key to their ability to pick out their partners in a crowded colony ⌘ Read more
The COP28 climate summit is taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December ⌘ Read more
Rats that experienced a simulation of microgravity and cosmic radiation showed signs of erectile dysfunction a year later ⌘ Read more
In the two-part season finale of Dead Planets Society, our hosts are turning Earth into a cube with fascinating results – walking to space, enormous sea monsters and more ⌘ Read more
To tackle global warming, we must properly grasp what is happening in the oceans. That is why, at COP28, we will be calling on world leaders to urgently ramp up marine observations, says oceanographer Margaret Leinen ⌘ Read more
A mysterious, star-like object seems to be making its nebula change colour and brightness in a rhythmic way every four years ⌘ Read more
A decade-long conservation effort spanning 14 countries has halted the decline of a key population of Egyptian vultures by preventing poisoning and insulating electrical infrastructure ⌘ Read more
Generative AI tools such as chatbots may be able to help chip designers generate code and find software bugs ⌘ Read more
Cannabis interferes with the working memory we use to keep track of what we are doing, but whether the drug causes long-lasting memory impairments is less clear ⌘ Read more
Further light has been shed on the mechanism of weight-loss injections like Wegovy and Ozempic, as the brain cells that they suppress have been found to keep track of previous eating patterns ⌘ Read more
Normally, hair increases drag whilst swimming but for shrimp hair seems to make it easier for them to move through water ⌘ Read more
Video recordings reveal that penetration does not occur when serotine bats mate; instead males use their penis to push a protective membrane out of the way ⌘ Read more
An analysis of genetic data from more than 1 million people shows that those with cannabis use disorder share similar markers ⌘ Read more
Paranthropus was an ape-like hominin that lived on in a world dominated by big-brained early humans. Recent archaeological discoveries, like stone tools, are revealing how they lived ⌘ Read more
The global average surface temperature was more than 2°C higher than pre-industrial levels on 17 November for the first time since records began, according to provisional data ⌘ Read more
The head of one of the world's leading AI companies was fired for not being 'candid' with the board, then swiftly hired by one of the company's major shareholders, Microsoft ⌘ Read more
Ultra-short laser pulses may allow us to measure entanglement in a way that answers questions about the quantum nature of the vacuum ⌘ Read more
To make a cake delightful even when eggs aren’t in attendance, it is important to account for all the roles that they play in cake batters ⌘ Read more
Some preschool children in Canada scored higher on cognitive skills tests during the pandemic than those tested before covid-19 emerged, possibly because their parents were at home more ⌘ Read more
A smart pill can accurately monitor your breathing and heart rate from inside your gut, which may be useful for detecting sleep apnoea ⌘ Read more
Cannabis does strange things to our sense of time passing, possibly by over-exciting neurons in a brain region that helps regulate our body clock ⌘ Read more
People who tested positive for the virus behind genital herpes tended to have reduced thickness of their outermost brain layer, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease ⌘ Read more
The Leonids are known for their bright, fast-moving meteors. The shower will peak on 17 and 18 November and can be seen from anywhere in the world ⌘ Read more
Megaliths, or huge stones, were used for thousands of years to build monuments, and they were far more colourful than you might think – the most common pigments used to decorate them came from reddish cinnabar and ochre ⌘ Read more
Stress hormone measurements highlight the poor welfare of monkeys trained to perform for the public in street shows, but social conditions make it challenging to end the practice ⌘ Read more
A heat-pump-like system that relies on a phenomenon called electrocaloric cooling could heat or chill a room almost twice as efficiently as standard air-con units ⌘ Read more
The convivial nature of bonobos is in stark contrast to chimpanzees and may shed light on the evolutionary origins of cooperation in humans ⌘ Read more
At a meeting between US president Biden and China president Xi, there was agreement on the need for more US-China government talks on AI safety ⌘ Read more