91av - Home / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2458514-when-and-where-did-the-covid-19-pandemic-really-begin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:00:45 +0000 Covid-19 emerged in 2019, but some questions are still unanswered as to its origins 2458514-when-and-where-did-the-covid-19-pandemic-really-begin|2458514 /article/2458531-chatbot-gives-medical-advice-to-hundreds-of-users-in-largest-trial-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 02 Dec 2024 17:29:15 +0000 Users of the healthcare app Alan whose queries were answered by a medical AI reported high satisfaction levels, but one exchange included "potentially dangerous inaccuracies" 2458531-chatbot-gives-medical-advice-to-hundreds-of-users-in-largest-trial-yet|2458531 /article/mg26435201-700-exoplanet-plate-tectonics-a-new-frontier-in-the-hunt-for-alien-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:35:00 +0000 Plate tectonics seems to be crucial for life on Earth, but we’ve never confirmed that it happens on other worlds - that may be about to change mg26435201-700-exoplanet-plate-tectonics-a-new-frontier-in-the-hunt-for-alien-life|2458487 /article/2458409-temporary-scalp-tattoo-can-be-used-to-record-brain-activity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:00:56 +0000 EEG recordings used in neurology could be made simpler by replacing the usual electrodes, wires and gels with a tattoo printed onto the scalp 2458409-temporary-scalp-tattoo-can-be-used-to-record-brain-activity|2458409 /article/2458211-antarctica-is-in-crisis-and-we-are-scrambling-to-understand-its-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:00:09 +0000 The last two years have seen unprecedented falls in the levels of sea ice around Antarctica, which serves as a protective wall for the continent's huge ice sheets. Researchers are now racing to understand the global impact of what could happen next 2458211-antarctica-is-in-crisis-and-we-are-scrambling-to-understand-its-future|2458211 /article/2458249-most-comprehensive-picture-yet-of-how-organs-age-at-different-rates/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:00:08 +0000 Our organs don't seem to age at the same rate, which could mean healthy habits are particularly important at certain times of our lives 2458249-most-comprehensive-picture-yet-of-how-organs-age-at-different-rates|2458249 /article/mg26435190-700-why-surrounding-your-plants-with-crushed-eggshells-wont-deter-slugs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Want to protect your young plants from the ravages of slugs and snails? A classic gardening tip is to use crushed eggshells to discourage them. Shame it doesn't work, says James Wong mg26435190-700-why-surrounding-your-plants-with-crushed-eggshells-wont-deter-slugs|2457570 /article/2458421-heatwaves-are-surpassing-the-extremes-predicted-by-climate-models/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:53:35 +0000 Comparing historical heat extremes with climate simulations has revealed that in parts of the world the models are underestimating how extreme heatwaves are getting 2458421-heatwaves-are-surpassing-the-extremes-predicted-by-climate-models|2458421 /article/2458397-swarms-of-cyborg-cockroaches-could-be-manufactured-by-robots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:04:52 +0000 Robotic equipment can implant electrodes into cockroaches and connect them to an electronic backpack, making it feasible to mass-produce biorobots for search missions 2458397-swarms-of-cyborg-cockroaches-could-be-manufactured-by-robots|2458397 /article/2458237-ancient-footprints-show-how-early-human-species-lived-side-by-side/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 Nov 2024 19:00:53 +0000 Footprints preserved on the shore of Lake Turkana in Kenya seem to be from two ancient human species, showing they lived there at the same time about 1.5 million years ago 2458237-ancient-footprints-show-how-early-human-species-lived-side-by-side|2458237 /article/2458263-life-on-mars-could-be-surviving-in-an-area-deep-underground/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:01:47 +0000 The Acidalia Planitia region of the Red Planet might have all the requirements for methane-burping bacteria to exist beneath the surface 2458263-life-on-mars-could-be-surviving-in-an-area-deep-underground|2458263 /article/2457984-images-reveal-how-climate-change-is-upending-life-in-moroccos-oases/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 The climate crisis is shriveling lush oases in the desert, threatening precious ecosystems and ways of life 2457984-images-reveal-how-climate-change-is-upending-life-in-moroccos-oases|2457984 /article/mg26435190-400-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-2024/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Murder in space, a sexbot, a dystopian vision of the future: our science fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson picks her top five reads of 2024 mg26435190-400-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-2024|2457567 /article/2457954-the-way-cheerios-stick-together-has-inspired-a-new-kind-of-robot/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 Nov 2024 20:00:01 +0000 Tiny robots designed to carry out environmental or industrial tasks could be powered by tricks involving surface tension 2457954-the-way-cheerios-stick-together-has-inspired-a-new-kind-of-robot|2457954 /article/2458226-social-media-algorithms-can-change-your-views-in-just-a-single-day/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 Nov 2024 18:00:11 +0000 The content you see on social media is often determined by an algorithm - and it turns out that these algorithms can rapidly change your views 2458226-social-media-algorithms-can-change-your-views-in-just-a-single-day|2458226 /article/2457953-ai-can-analyse-a-decomposing-body-to-help-pinpoint-the-time-of-death/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 Nov 2024 17:33:09 +0000 Determining when someone died based on their decomposing body is a subjective task, but artificial intelligence could bring some objectivity to the process 2457953-ai-can-analyse-a-decomposing-body-to-help-pinpoint-the-time-of-death|2457953 /article/mg26435192-400-the-forgotten-civil-engineer-with-a-vision-we-could-all-learn-from/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 John "Bud" Benson Wilbur isn't often remembered today, but his ideas about what the distant-future world of 1977 would look like are inspirational, says Annalee Newitz mg26435192-400-the-forgotten-civil-engineer-with-a-vision-we-could-all-learn-from|2457754 /article/2458070-a-little-bit-of-fear-can-bring-down-levels-of-inflammation-in-the-body/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 28 Nov 2024 13:00:43 +0000 Feeling scared seems to reduce elevated levels of inflammation, which may help explain why some people enjoy a haunted attraction 2458070-a-little-bit-of-fear-can-bring-down-levels-of-inflammation-in-the-body|2458070 /article/mg26435192-500-how-to-defeat-wild-emus-lessons-from-history/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 As two "feral and not trained" emus go on the lam in South Carolina, Feedback suggests that authorities read up on the war fought against wild emus by the Australians in 1932. They lost – but there may be some tips mg26435192-500-how-to-defeat-wild-emus-lessons-from-history|2457755 /article/2457971-dont-be-fooled-by-elon-musks-chatty-optimus-robots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 The long history of robotics should teach us to be more sceptical when it comes to autonomous humanoid robots, says Nicole Kobie 2457971-dont-be-fooled-by-elon-musks-chatty-optimus-robots|2457971 /article/mg26435190-300-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-2024/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 From a scientific take on screen time to nuclear war, a look at why we age to the future of our oceans, our writers pick their favourite popular science books of the year mg26435190-300-the-best-new-popular-science-books-of-2024|2457566 /article/2458133-bird-flu-may-be-adapting-to-become-more-infectious-to-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:20:21 +0000 Three people in North America without known animal exposures have tested positive for the bird flu virus H5N1, and samples from two of them suggest the virus is adapting to humans 2458133-bird-flu-may-be-adapting-to-become-more-infectious-to-humans|2458133 /article/2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:15:05 +0000 Rising carbon dioxide levels are driving an increase in the ocean’s acidity – and this change is sinking deeper as emissions increase, putting even more marine organisms at risk 2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters|2458149 /article/2457923-robot-balloons-are-snapping-centimetre-resolution-photos-of-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:12 +0000 Near Space Labs’s autonomous balloon fleet is already taking high-resolution images of the ground, and its range will expand to the entire continental US early next year 2457923-robot-balloons-are-snapping-centimetre-resolution-photos-of-the-us|2457923 /article/mg26435192-600-banning-scary-sounding-ideas-can-comfort-but-does-more-harm-than-good/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Recent developments in AI and neurological research may prompt concern. However, placing outright bans on such research is unlikely to be the best solution - and may hold us back mg26435192-600-banning-scary-sounding-ideas-can-comfort-but-does-more-harm-than-good|2457856 /article/2458117-how-could-ukraine-stop-russias-new-oreshnik-missile/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:58:19 +0000 Russia’s new ballistic missile flies on a high arc out of Earth’s atmosphere and releases multiple high-speed projectiles, making it challenging but not impossible to intercept 2458117-how-could-ukraine-stop-russias-new-oreshnik-missile|2458117 /article/2458090-fossilised-droppings-tell-the-story-of-dinosaurs-rise-to-power/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:00:40 +0000 An analysis of hundreds of bromalites – fossilised faeces and vomit – shows how changes in diet enabled dinosaurs to take over the world in the early Jurassic 2458090-fossilised-droppings-tell-the-story-of-dinosaurs-rise-to-power|2458090 /article/mg26435190-100-we-may-be-about-to-solve-the-greatest-riddle-of-electromagnetism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Physicists have long wondered why particles can only have an electric charge of +1, -2 or any whole number. Now we increasingly suspect that, actually, that's not true after all mg26435190-100-we-may-be-about-to-solve-the-greatest-riddle-of-electromagnetism|2457380 /article/2457910-orcas-have-begun-wearing-salmon-hats-again-and-we-may-soon-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:00:34 +0000 About 40 years ago, researchers noticed a population of orcas had begun swimming around with dead fish on their heads, and now the craze is back 2457910-orcas-have-begun-wearing-salmon-hats-again-and-we-may-soon-know-why|2457910 /article/2457948-record-breaking-diamond-storage-can-save-data-for-millions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:00:06 +0000 Researchers have used lasers to encode information in diamonds, demonstrating record-breaking data density in an ultra-stable and long-lasting system 2457948-record-breaking-diamond-storage-can-save-data-for-millions-of-years|2457948 /article/2457329-how-safe-is-the-us-food-supply/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:39:27 +0000 Food in the US has a bad rap thanks to outbreaks caused by bacteria, plus processing, additives and food dyes, but the food supply is actually much less risky than people think 2457329-how-safe-is-the-us-food-supply|2457329 /article/2456168-changing-a-single-number-among-billions-can-destroy-an-ai-model/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:00:27 +0000 Today's huge AI models are composed of several billion numbers known as weights and changing just one of them can destroy their ability to function, leading to “gibberish” output 2456168-changing-a-single-number-among-billions-can-destroy-an-ai-model|2456168 /article/2457733-forest-schools-dont-actually-boost-most-childrens-mental-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:00:04 +0000 Swapping classrooms for the woods doesn't appear to improve most children's mental health, but they may still enjoy it 2457733-forest-schools-dont-actually-boost-most-childrens-mental-health|2457733 /article/mg26435193-700-the-radical-treatments-bringing-people-back-from-the-brink-of-death/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Reperfusion technologies that can reanimate human brains are raising the possibility that death could be a reversible condition, even hours after a cardiac arrest mg26435193-700-the-radical-treatments-bringing-people-back-from-the-brink-of-death|2457867 /article/2456588-super-bright-black-holes-could-reveal-if-the-universe-is-pixelated/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:35:24 +0000 Space-time may not be continuous but instead made up of many discrete bits – and we may be able to see their effects near the edges of unusually bright black holes 2456588-super-bright-black-holes-could-reveal-if-the-universe-is-pixelated|2456588 /article/2457816-salt-batteries-are-finally-shaping-up-thats-good-for-the-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:00:50 +0000 With lithium in short supply, sodium-ion batteries might offer cheap energy storage with less environmental impact 2457816-salt-batteries-are-finally-shaping-up-thats-good-for-the-planet|2457816 /article/2457800-what-will-it-take-to-solve-our-planets-plastic-pollution-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:20:20 +0000 Countries are meeting in South Korea this week to hash out the final details of a global treaty aimed at eliminating plastic pollution — here's what experts say it needs to include 2457800-what-will-it-take-to-solve-our-planets-plastic-pollution-crisis|2457800 /article/2457782-older-people-may-have-better-immunity-against-bird-flu-virus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 18:00:42 +0000 Most people born before 1968 have antibodies against flu viruses similar to the H5N1 strain circulating today, which might lower their risk of severe illness 2457782-older-people-may-have-better-immunity-against-bird-flu-virus|2457782 /article/mg26435190-500-how-a-unique-puppy-kindergarten-lab-put-the-science-into-dog-training/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:01:00 +0000 Most dogs aren't bred to feel at ease in our homes, but scientists studying puppy cognition have found ways you can help yours adapt mg26435190-500-how-a-unique-puppy-kindergarten-lab-put-the-science-into-dog-training|2457568 /article/2457314-this-start-up-is-removing-carbon-from-a-polluted-new-york-city-river/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:00:09 +0000 Projects to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by making the oceans less acidic are popping up all over the world – 91av visited one in New York City’s East river 2457314-this-start-up-is-removing-carbon-from-a-polluted-new-york-city-river|2457314 /article/2456378-why-gene-editors-want-to-treat-fetuses-when-they-are-still-in-the-womb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:00:03 +0000 Gene editing in the womb could be more effective than the same treatment after birth, as it is easier to deliver the necessary genetic machinery to fetal cells 2456378-why-gene-editors-want-to-treat-fetuses-when-they-are-still-in-the-womb|2456378 /article/2457711-anger-over-cop29-finance-deal-threatens-progress-on-carbon-cuts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:34:29 +0000 A reluctant deal finalised at the COP29 climate summit isn't generous enough to encourage nations to submit more ambitious climate plans, delegates warn 2457711-anger-over-cop29-finance-deal-threatens-progress-on-carbon-cuts|2457711 /article/2457391-exploding-interstellar-space-rocks-could-explain-mystery-radio-flashes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:19 +0000 Enigmatic phenomena called fast radio bursts might be caused by interstellar objects colliding with highly magnetised neutron stars 2457391-exploding-interstellar-space-rocks-could-explain-mystery-radio-flashes|2457391 /article/mg26435181-100-is-this-the-pettiest-it-is-possible-to-be-in-an-academic-article/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback is in awe of the authors of a new study in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, and how they handled requests from peer reviewers mg26435181-100-is-this-the-pettiest-it-is-possible-to-be-in-an-academic-article|2456475 /article/2456542-ibm-entangled-two-quantum-chips-to-work-together-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:39 +0000 IBM has bet big on a modular approach to building quantum computers, and now it has successfully linked two quantum chips together to operate as a single device, a key step towards that goal 2456542-ibm-entangled-two-quantum-chips-to-work-together-for-the-first-time|2456542 /article/2457233-ai-simulations-of-1000-people-accurately-replicate-their-behaviour/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:55:25 +0000 Using GPT-4o, the model behind ChatGPT, researchers have replicated the personality and behaviour of more than 1000 people, in an effort to create an alternative to focus groups and polling 2457233-ai-simulations-of-1000-people-accurately-replicate-their-behaviour|2457233 /article/mg26435184-200-our-trust-in-society-is-eroding-we-need-to-fight-back/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 A recent scandal over food hygiene ratings shows how deception destroys trust within society. We need to fight back, says Jonathan R. Goodman mg26435184-200-our-trust-in-society-is-eroding-we-need-to-fight-back|2456829 /article/mg26435180-100-extreme-heat-is-now-making-cities-unlivable-how-can-we-survive-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Unbearable heat in China’s megacities reveals the future many of us face, but also suggests ways we can adapt mg26435180-100-extreme-heat-is-now-making-cities-unlivable-how-can-we-survive-it|2456335 /article/2457551-hunter-gatherers-built-a-massive-fish-trap-in-belize-4000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:00:15 +0000 Earthen channels that span more than 640 kilometres show that pre-Mayan Mesoamericans built large-scale fish-trapping facilities earlier than previously thought 2457551-hunter-gatherers-built-a-massive-fish-trap-in-belize-4000-years-ago|2457551 /article/2457640-meteorite-crystals-show-evidence-of-hot-water-on-ancient-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:00:14 +0000 A rock that formed around 4.5 billion years ago on Mars before being blasted into space by a meteor strike and making its way to Earth contains telltale evidence that it was formed in the presence of hot water 2457640-meteorite-crystals-show-evidence-of-hot-water-on-ancient-mars|2457640 /article/2456603-risk-algorithm-used-widely-in-us-courts-is-harsher-than-human-judges/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:00:34 +0000 When deciding whether to let people await trial at home or in jail, US judges can use a risk score algorithm. But it often makes harsher recommendations than humans do 2456603-risk-algorithm-used-widely-in-us-courts-is-harsher-than-human-judges|2456603 /article/2457490-bacteria-found-in-asteroid-sample-but-theyre-not-from-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:42:05 +0000 The unexpected discovery of microbial life in a piece of rock from an asteroid shows how hard it is to avoid contaminating samples brought back to Earth 2457490-bacteria-found-in-asteroid-sample-but-theyre-not-from-space|2457490 /article/mg26335052-000-the-surprising-science-of-coffee-and-its-effect-on-both-body-and-mind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +0100 The latest research on caffeine reveals why coffee and decaf can be so good for your health, but energy drinks can be lethal mg26335052-000-the-surprising-science-of-coffee-and-its-effect-on-both-body-and-mind|2444610 /article/2457077-crushed-rocks-outpace-giant-fans-in-race-to-remove-co2-from-air/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:00:26 +0000 New technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are growing in scale –though their effect on the climate remains negligible 2457077-crushed-rocks-outpace-giant-fans-in-race-to-remove-co2-from-air|2457077 /article/2457603-stunning-never-let-me-go-stage-version-asks-the-big-questions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:50:40 +0000 Kazuo Ishiguro’s heartbreaking dystopian novel of young love and organ donation has been superbly adapted for the stage 2457603-stunning-never-let-me-go-stage-version-asks-the-big-questions|2457603 /article/2457457-having-a-baby-on-mars-you-may-be-in-for-a-difficult-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:30:03 +0000 Kelly Weinersmith, co-author of A City on Mars, the latest pick for our 91av Book Club, and Cat Bohannon lay out the reasons why it might not be such a great idea to be pregnant on another planet 2457457-having-a-baby-on-mars-you-may-be-in-for-a-difficult-time|2457457 /article/2457333-majority-of-people-believe-their-devices-spy-on-them-to-serve-up-ads/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:00:51 +0000 There is no evidence that advertisers use covert recordings of conversations to target people with adverts, an accusation widely denied by the industry, and yet this belief persists 2457333-majority-of-people-believe-their-devices-spy-on-them-to-serve-up-ads|2457333 /article/mg26435184-300-striking-photos-highlight-the-stark-reality-of-arctic-glacier-melt/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 A pair of photos, taken nearly six decades apart, reveals dramatic ice loss in the Arctic linked to climate change mg26435184-300-striking-photos-highlight-the-stark-reality-of-arctic-glacier-melt|2456830 /article/2456786-what-to-know-about-creatine-the-gym-supplement-with-wide-benefits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 22 Nov 2024 07:00:31 +0000 Creatine is commonly associated with athletes and bodybuilders, but the popular supplement seems to have broad benefits on everything from ageing to brain function 2456786-what-to-know-about-creatine-the-gym-supplement-with-wide-benefits|2456786 /article/mg26435180-500-could-brain-freezing-cure-all-disease-indirectly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Neuroscientist Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston's book The Future Loves You presents a bold new take on dying mg26435180-500-could-brain-freezing-cure-all-disease-indirectly|2456469 /article/2457464-chimpanzees-seem-to-get-more-technologically-advanced-through-culture/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:00:26 +0000 Groups of wild chimpanzees with more complex tool-using behaviours tend to be genetically linked, providing evidence for cumulative culture in other apes 2457464-chimpanzees-seem-to-get-more-technologically-advanced-through-culture|2457464 /article/2457305-brainwave-experiment-shows-minke-whales-have-ultrasonic-hearing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:00:25 +0000 In the first hearing test of live baleen whales, the animals detected much higher frequency sounds than expected, forcing researchers to reconsider how these mammals respond to predators – and humans 2457305-brainwave-experiment-shows-minke-whales-have-ultrasonic-hearing|2457305 /article/2457260-worlds-thinnest-spaghetti-wont-please-gourmands-but-may-heal-wounds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:30:04 +0000 Spaghetti strands that are 200 times thinner than a human hair could be woven into bandages to help prevent infections 2457260-worlds-thinnest-spaghetti-wont-please-gourmands-but-may-heal-wounds|2457260 /article/2433037-our-writers-pick-their-favourite-science-fiction-books-of-all-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 30 May 2024 16:00:33 +0100 We asked 91av staff to pick their favourite science fiction books. Here are the results, ranging from 19th-century classics to modern day offerings, and from Octavia E. Butler to Iain M. Banks 2433037-our-writers-pick-their-favourite-science-fiction-books-of-all-time|2433037 /article/2457519-common-chemical-in-drinking-water-hasnt-been-tested-for-safety/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 21:47:30 +0000 Chloramine is used as a disinfectant in drinking water systems from the US to Australia. Research now shows it breaks down into a compound that may have negative health impacts 2457519-common-chemical-in-drinking-water-hasnt-been-tested-for-safety|2457519 /article/mg26435180-800-the-universe-could-vanish-at-any-moment-why-hasnt-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 A cataclysmic quantum fluctuation could wipe out everything at any moment. The fact that we’re still here is revealing hidden cosmic realities mg26435180-800-the-universe-could-vanish-at-any-moment-why-hasnt-it|2456472 /article/2456589-a-sliver-of-lab-grown-wood-has-been-made-from-stem-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:30:14 +0000 Growing wood directly from stem cells could offer an alternative to cutting threatened hardwood trees, but it isn't clear if it has same properties as actual wood 2456589-a-sliver-of-lab-grown-wood-has-been-made-from-stem-cells|2456589 /article/2457090-worm-like-fossil-is-the-oldest-ancestor-of-spiders-and-crustaceans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:41:50 +0000 Arthropods belong to an evolutionary branch – the ecdysozoa – that contains about half of all animal species, and the earliest fossil evidence of the group now dates back 550 million years 2457090-worm-like-fossil-is-the-oldest-ancestor-of-spiders-and-crustaceans|2457090 /article/mg26435180-200-putting-food-waste-in-the-bin-felt-wrong-until-i-learned-where-it-went/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 When I moved back to York, UK, I was shocked by its garbage system, with limited recycling and no composting. But a bit of digging showed its brilliance, says Graham Lawton mg26435180-200-putting-food-waste-in-the-bin-felt-wrong-until-i-learned-where-it-went|2456459 /article/2457273-weve-taken-a-photo-of-a-star-in-another-galaxy-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:00:12 +0000 Using four telescopes linked together, astronomers have captured an astonishing image of a huge star more than 160,000 light years away 2457273-weve-taken-a-photo-of-a-star-in-another-galaxy-for-the-first-time|2457273 /article/2457336-nectar-loving-ethiopian-wolves-may-be-the-first-carnivore-pollinators/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:17:58 +0000 Endangered Ethiopian wolves feed on the nectar of red hot poker plants, and may transport pollen from flower to flower as they do so 2457336-nectar-loving-ethiopian-wolves-may-be-the-first-carnivore-pollinators|2457336 /article/mg26435180-700-this-bold-experimental-slice-of-deep-space-sci-fi-is-just-brilliant/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 In Adam Roberts's Lake of Darkness, two spaceships meet to study a black hole. Their research comes to an abrupt halt, however, when crew members start dying horribly, says Emily H. Wilson mg26435180-700-this-bold-experimental-slice-of-deep-space-sci-fi-is-just-brilliant|2456471 /article/mg26435180-400-vaclav-smils-take-on-how-to-feed-future-populations-has-one-big-flaw/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 How to Feed the World, Vaclav Smil's "big numbers" book about future food supply, fails to address the impact of climate change mg26435180-400-vaclav-smils-take-on-how-to-feed-future-populations-has-one-big-flaw|2456468 /article/2456661-robotic-pigeon-reveals-how-birds-fly-without-a-vertical-tail-fin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:00:43 +0000 A flying robot uses its bird-like tail to maintain stability in flight – a technique that could enable more aerodynamic aircraft designs that use less fuel 2456661-robotic-pigeon-reveals-how-birds-fly-without-a-vertical-tail-fin|2456661 /article/2457150-mayors-are-the-leaders-we-need-to-help-fight-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 By 2050, 70 per cent of the world's population will live in urban centres - that's just one reason why mayors will be essential to addressing the climate crisis, making vital adaptations to cities to make them more bearable in a warming world 2457150-mayors-are-the-leaders-we-need-to-help-fight-climate-change|2457150 /article/2456782-bluesky-is-ushering-in-a-pick-your-own-algorithm-era-of-social-media/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 12:10:52 +0000 More than 20 million people have joined Bluesky, a social network that gives you fine-grained control over what you see and who you interact with. I think it is the future of social media, says Chris Stokel-Walker 2456782-bluesky-is-ushering-in-a-pick-your-own-algorithm-era-of-social-media|2456782 /article/2456887-planet-10-times-the-size-of-earth-is-one-of-the-youngest-ever-found/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:52 +0000 A large planet has been spotted orbiting a dwarf star that is just 3 million years old, offering possible clues to how the worlds in our solar system came into being 2456887-planet-10-times-the-size-of-earth-is-one-of-the-youngest-ever-found|2456887 /article/2457207-google-deepmind-ai-can-expertly-fix-errors-in-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:23 +0000 Quantum computers could get a boost from artificial intelligence, thanks to a model created by Google DeepMind that cleans up quantum errors 2457207-google-deepmind-ai-can-expertly-fix-errors-in-quantum-computers|2457207 /article/2456985-quantum-computers-hit-a-crucial-milestone-for-error-free-calculation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:30:59 +0000 The largest number of logical qubits has been linked through quantum entanglement, which is a key step towards quantum computers that can detect and correct errors 2456985-quantum-computers-hit-a-crucial-milestone-for-error-free-calculation|2456985 /article/2456682-are-calories-on-menus-doing-more-harm-than-good/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:12:40 +0000 Many restaurants in countries such as England and the US now print calories on their menus, but some researchers question whether this is really tackling their obesity problem 2456682-are-calories-on-menus-doing-more-harm-than-good|2456682 /article/2457069-see-the-sun-revealed-in-stunning-glory-by-solar-orbiter-pictures/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:00:24 +0000 The best pictures we have of the sun yet have been delivered thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft 2457069-see-the-sun-revealed-in-stunning-glory-by-solar-orbiter-pictures|2457069 /article/2456892-being-in-space-makes-it-harder-for-astronauts-to-think-quickly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 05:00:24 +0000 The effects of being in space can worsen an astronaut's working memory, processing speed and attention - which could be a problem for future missions 2456892-being-in-space-makes-it-harder-for-astronauts-to-think-quickly|2456892 /article/2456766-einsteins-theories-tested-on-the-largest-scale-ever-he-was-right/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 20 Nov 2024 01:00:36 +0000 Analysis of millions of galaxies upholds Albert Einstein’s ideas about gravity and also offers tantalising new hints of how dark energy may have evolved 2456766-einsteins-theories-tested-on-the-largest-scale-ever-he-was-right|2456766 /article/2456779-worlds-new-fastest-supercomputer-is-built-to-simulate-nuclear-bombs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:02:17 +0000 The vast computational power of the El Capitan supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California will be used to support the US nuclear deterrent 2456779-worlds-new-fastest-supercomputer-is-built-to-simulate-nuclear-bombs|2456779 /article/2456877-heart-shaped-mollusc-has-windows-that-work-like-fibre-optics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:00:33 +0000 Tiny, solid windows in the shells of heart cockles let in light for the photosynthetic algae inside them – and they could show us how to make better fibre-optic cables 2456877-heart-shaped-mollusc-has-windows-that-work-like-fibre-optics|2456877 /article/2456796-a-giant-hornet-from-asia-has-appeared-in-europe-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:58:57 +0000 Four southern giant hornets have been identified in northern Spain, leading to concerns that the species could harm native insects if it becomes widespread 2456796-a-giant-hornet-from-asia-has-appeared-in-europe-for-the-first-time|2456796 /article/2456416-wild-cavefish-can-somehow-survive-with-almost-no-sleep-at-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:00:02 +0000 Several populations of Mexican tetra fish that live in darkness have independently evolved to need hardly any sleep, but the reason why is a mystery 2456416-wild-cavefish-can-somehow-survive-with-almost-no-sleep-at-all|2456416 /article/2456674-were-starting-to-understand-why-some-people-regain-weight-they-lost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 18:36:16 +0000 Changes to the structure of DNA within fat cells may be why it is often so hard to keep weight off after you have lost it 2456674-were-starting-to-understand-why-some-people-regain-weight-they-lost|2456674 /article/2456653-ai-maths-assistant-could-help-solve-problems-that-humans-are-stuck-on/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:00:18 +0000 Most mathematicians have been reluctant to start working with artificial intelligence, but a new tool developed by researchers at Meta may change that 2456653-ai-maths-assistant-could-help-solve-problems-that-humans-are-stuck-on|2456653 /article/2455476-starship-live-watch-musk-launch-sixth-starship-test-as-trump-attends/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:32:27 +0000 Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. It aims to conduct the launch at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). Here’s everything we know so far 2455476-starship-live-watch-musk-launch-sixth-starship-test-as-trump-attends|2455476 /article/2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:00:05 +0000 A supercomputer simulation of iron and carbon atoms in Earth’s inner core may explain how a molten ball at the centre of our planet froze solid 2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core|2456287 /article/2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:59:47 +0000 The weird thermodynamics found in time crystals could be harnessed to store energy in a quantum battery-like device 2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy|2456433 /article/2456548-countries-are-cheating-their-way-to-net-zero-by-overrelying-on-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:00:25 +0000 Leading researchers warn that relying on "passive" carbon sinks such as forests to absorb ongoing carbon emissions will doom the world to continued warming 2456548-countries-are-cheating-their-way-to-net-zero-by-overrelying-on-forests|2456548 /article/2456610-vital-atlantic-ocean-current-is-already-weakening-due-to-melting-ice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:28:51 +0000 A study modelling the impact of melting ice suggests scientists have underestimated the risk that an important ocean current will shut down and cause climate chaos 2456610-vital-atlantic-ocean-current-is-already-weakening-due-to-melting-ice|2456610 /article/2456451-evidence-is-growing-that-microbes-in-your-mouth-contribute-to-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:21 +0000 The oral microbiome is increasingly being linked to head and neck cancer, but we don't yet understand its exact role 2456451-evidence-is-growing-that-microbes-in-your-mouth-contribute-to-cancer|2456451 /article/2456043-exquisite-bird-fossil-provides-clues-to-the-evolution-of-avian-brains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:00:11 +0000 Palaeontologists have pieced together the brain structure of a bird that lived 80 million years ago named Navaornis hestiae, thanks to a remarkably well-preserved fossil   2456043-exquisite-bird-fossil-provides-clues-to-the-evolution-of-avian-brains|2456043 /article/mg26435171-000-how-i-learned-to-love-looking-at-the-moon-and-you-can-too/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 The moon's glare can frustrate astronomers, but Leah Crane is a big fan of the jagged, cratered details of the lunar surface these days mg26435171-000-how-i-learned-to-love-looking-at-the-moon-and-you-can-too|2455465 /article/mg26435170-700-why-we-now-think-the-myopia-epidemic-can-be-slowed-or-even-reversed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:05:00 +0000 Rates of near-sightedness are rising all over the world. But solutions to the epidemic are coming into focus and could be simpler than you think mg26435170-700-why-we-now-think-the-myopia-epidemic-can-be-slowed-or-even-reversed|2455462 /article/2456291-people-prefer-ai-generated-poems-to-shakespeare-and-dickinson/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:00:19 +0000 Readers give higher ratings to AI-generated poetry than the works of poets such as William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson – perhaps because they often have more straightforward themes and simpler structure 2456291-people-prefer-ai-generated-poems-to-shakespeare-and-dickinson|2456291 /article/2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:00:52 +0000 With the help of a ruby cube and two laser beams, researchers made one ray of light cast a shadow when illuminated by the other 2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow|2456023