91av - Home / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2486024-flashes-of-brilliance-and-frustration-i-let-an-ai-agent-run-my-day/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 17:00:07 +0100 Ordering takeaway food, writing emails, reworking presentations: AI assistants are promoted as a way of outsourcing mundane tasks to free up your time for more interesting pursuits. So, what are they actually good for – and what are the risks? 2486024-flashes-of-brilliance-and-frustration-i-let-an-ai-agent-run-my-day|2486024 /article/2488095-how-government-use-of-ai-could-hurt-democracy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 23:00:14 +0100 Countries are eager to use AI to automate some government processes, but this risks eroding citizens’ trust and feelings of democratic control – because AI mistakes can ruin their lives 2488095-how-government-use-of-ai-could-hurt-democracy|2488095 /article/2487950-we-may-have-finally-solved-an-ultra-high-energy-cosmic-ray-puzzle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:30:28 +0100 The IceCube neutrino detector has allowed researchers to resolve a debate about what types of particles make up ultra-high-energy cosmic rays – but much remains unknown about these rare events 2487950-we-may-have-finally-solved-an-ultra-high-energy-cosmic-ray-puzzle|2487950 /article/2487784-artificial-cooling-urgent-for-great-barrier-reef-after-warming-spike/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:00:48 +0100 A drop in shipping emissions has caused a surge in warming at the Great Barrier Reef, fuelling calls for drastic actions such as marine cloud brightening to lower the risk of coral bleaching 2487784-artificial-cooling-urgent-for-great-barrier-reef-after-warming-spike|2487784 /article/2487738-climate-could-warm-another-0-5c-if-we-fail-to-capture-far-more-co2/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:46 +0100 Models suggest that meeting climate targets will be virtually impossible without steep emissions cuts paired with a huge expansion of carbon management technologies 2487738-climate-could-warm-another-0-5c-if-we-fail-to-capture-far-more-co2|2487738 /article/2487804-trees-on-city-streets-cope-with-drought-by-drinking-from-leaky-pipes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:09 +0100 Urban trees lining streets fare better in dry spells than those in parks – now it seems that leaky water pipes are the reason for their endurance 2487804-trees-on-city-streets-cope-with-drought-by-drinking-from-leaky-pipes|2487804 /article/2487736-astronomers-found-a-completely-new-type-of-plasma-wave-near-jupiter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:00:11 +0100 Observations from NASA’s Juno spacecraft reveal that Jupiter’s strong magnetic field and the unique properties of its plasma can produce a truly novel kind of extraterrestrial wave near its poles 2487736-astronomers-found-a-completely-new-type-of-plasma-wave-near-jupiter|2487736 /article/2486955-stunningly-intimate-octopus-image-wins-aquatic-photography-prize/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:59 +0100 Kat Zhou has won the Aquatic Life category in the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition, while a shot of a death-defying leap by a lemur took the top prize 2486955-stunningly-intimate-octopus-image-wins-aquatic-photography-prize|2486955 /article/mg26735512-200-slay-the-new-slang-check-out-a-guide-to-social-medias-baffling-lingo/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Language is evolving rapidly in a world of social media. Our millennial reviewer finds Adam Aleksic's Algospeak to be a much-needed helping hand mg26735512-200-slay-the-new-slang-check-out-a-guide-to-social-medias-baffling-lingo|2487264 /article/2487841-hay-fever-relief-could-come-in-the-form-of-a-nasal-molecular-shield/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:00:27 +0100 Mice experienced far fewer hay fever symptoms when a pollen-blocking antibody was applied within their nose 2487841-hay-fever-relief-could-come-in-the-form-of-a-nasal-molecular-shield|2487841 /article/2487733-why-bizarre-cold-war-hoverboats-are-making-a-comeback/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:56:11 +0100 Sea-skimming crafts – which fly just above the water – were once considered Cold War relics of a failed Soviet experiment. Now, China and the US are resurrecting the technology as a possible Pacific conflict looms 2487733-why-bizarre-cold-war-hoverboats-are-making-a-comeback|2487733 /article/2487742-fatal-genetic-disorder-treated-by-replacing-the-brains-immune-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 20:00:46 +0100 Microglia replacement therapy helps treat people with a rare genetic condition called ALSP, suggesting the approach could also work for other neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s 2487742-fatal-genetic-disorder-treated-by-replacing-the-brains-immune-cells|2487742 /article/2485338-rapid-bursts-of-ageing-are-causing-a-total-rethink-of-how-we-grow-old/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:00:08 +0100 Suddenly feeling old? Evidence now suggests that rather than a long, steady decline, we dramatically age around three specific times in our lives. Might it be possible to stay younger for longer? 2485338-rapid-bursts-of-ageing-are-causing-a-total-rethink-of-how-we-grow-old|2485338 /article/2487370-inhaled-insulin-may-free-children-with-type-1-diabetes-from-injections/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:00:11 +0100 Inhaled insulin is effective for controlling blood sugar levels in children with diabetes, providing them with a faster-acting, needle-free option to manage their condition 2487370-inhaled-insulin-may-free-children-with-type-1-diabetes-from-injections|2487370 /article/2487747-peculiar-plant-could-help-us-reconstruct-ancient-earths-climate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 16:00:20 +0100 Something strange happens to water as it moves through the stems of horsetail plants – and this unique process provides valuable clues for understanding past and present ecosystems 2487747-peculiar-plant-could-help-us-reconstruct-ancient-earths-climate|2487747 /article/mg26735510-100-the-cosmos-is-vast-so-how-do-we-measure-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The awe-inspiring distances of the cosmos are hard to visualise, so how can we be certain we are measuring them correctly? Chanda Prescod-Weinstein explains mg26735510-100-the-cosmos-is-vast-so-how-do-we-measure-it|2487153 /article/2487772-interstellar-visitor-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-comet-ever-seen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:33:13 +0100 Astronomers tracking an interstellar object flying through the solar system think it comes from a star at least 8 billion years old, almost twice the age of our sun 2487772-interstellar-visitor-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-comet-ever-seen|2487772 /article/mg26735512-700-is-this-the-raciest-conference-invite-ever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback has been invited to an event next year in Shaoxing, China. It's an academic conference promising "revolutionary thinkers who are redefining human intimacy through cutting-edge robotics and AI" mg26735512-700-is-this-the-raciest-conference-invite-ever|2487269 /article/mg26735514-300-plans-to-genetically-screen-newborns-for-rare-diseases-are-problematic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The UK's health secretary has announced a 10-year plan to check newborns for a huge range of rare conditions. There are major medical and ethical issues with this, argues neurologist Suzanne O'Sullivan mg26735514-300-plans-to-genetically-screen-newborns-for-rare-diseases-are-problematic|2487399 /article/mg26735512-100-provocative-new-book-says-we-must-persuade-people-to-have-more-babies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The population is set to plummet and we don't know how to stop it, warn Dean Spears and Michael Geruso in their new book, After the Spike mg26735512-100-provocative-new-book-says-we-must-persuade-people-to-have-more-babies|2487263 /article/2487575-surgical-robots-take-step-towards-fully-autonomous-operations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:00:30 +0100 An AI system trained on videos of operations successfully guided a robot to carry out gall bladder surgery on a dead pig, with minimal human assistance 2487575-surgical-robots-take-step-towards-fully-autonomous-operations|2487575 /article/mg26735512-800-will-we-ever-feel-comfortable-with-ais-taking-on-important-tasks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 An example from the history of mathematics shows how views on the trustworthiness of artificial intelligence can quickly start to change mg26735512-800-will-we-ever-feel-comfortable-with-ais-taking-on-important-tasks|2487384 /article/2487710-antidepressant-withdrawal-symptoms-may-be-less-common-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:32:04 +0100 Previous estimates have suggested that more than half of people who stop taking antidepressants experience withdrawal symptoms, but now a review of the evidence suggests this isn't the case, at least for short-term use. 2487710-antidepressant-withdrawal-symptoms-may-be-less-common-than-we-thought|2487710 /article/2487669-exercise-helps-fight-cancer-and-we-may-finally-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:00:11 +0100 Exercise seems to help prevent cancer and reduce the growth of tumours, and that protective effect may be due to the way working out changes the gut microbiome 2487669-exercise-helps-fight-cancer-and-we-may-finally-know-why|2487669 /article/2487702-oldest-proteins-yet-recovered-from-18-million-year-old-teeth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:00:04 +0100 The oldest protein fragments ever recovered have been extracted from fossilised teeth found in Kenya's Rift Valley, revealing the remains belonged to the ancient ancestors of rhinoceroses and elephants 2487702-oldest-proteins-yet-recovered-from-18-million-year-old-teeth|2487702 /article/2487573-why-falling-in-love-with-an-ai-isnt-laughable-its-inevitable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:00:25 +0100 It’s easy to sneer at people who say they’ve fallen in love with ChatGPT. But we've been developing confusing feelings for bots for decades longer than you might think, writes Alex Wilkins. With so many people feeling lonely, can that be a good thing? 2487573-why-falling-in-love-with-an-ai-isnt-laughable-its-inevitable|2487573 /article/2487550-colossals-plans-to-de-extinct-the-giant-moa-are-still-impossible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:08:13 +0100 After a controversial project claiming to have resurrected the dire wolf, Colossal Biosciences has now announced plans to bring back nine species of the extinct moa bird 2487550-colossals-plans-to-de-extinct-the-giant-moa-are-still-impossible|2487550 /article/2487356-70000-years-ago-humans-underwent-a-major-shift-thats-why-we-exist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:00:52 +0100 Ancient humans in Africa changed their behaviour in a major way 70,000 years ago, which could explain how their descendants managed to people the rest of the world 2487356-70000-years-ago-humans-underwent-a-major-shift-thats-why-we-exist|2487356 /article/2487460-a-youthful-brain-and-immune-system-may-be-key-to-a-long-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:00:41 +0100 Maintaining good overall health is key to living a long life, but we may want to particularly focus on the state of our brain and immune system 2487460-a-youthful-brain-and-immune-system-may-be-key-to-a-long-life|2487460 /article/2487523-1500-deaths-in-the-recent-european-heatwave-were-due-to-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:00:52 +0100 We now have the ability to rapidly assess the death toll of climate change after extreme heat – a first-of-its-kind analysis has shown that it nearly tripled the death toll from the most recent European heatwave 2487523-1500-deaths-in-the-recent-european-heatwave-were-due-to-climate-change|2487523 /article/2487470-herpes-virus-could-soon-be-approved-to-treat-severe-skin-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:00:43 +0100 A cancer-killing virus could soon be approved for use after shrinking tumours in a third of people with late-stage melanoma 2487470-herpes-virus-could-soon-be-approved-to-treat-severe-skin-cancer|2487470 /article/2487055-the-truth-about-ivermectins-supposed-health-benefits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:12:59 +0100 Interest in the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin skyrocketed during the covid-19 pandemic, but evidence for many of its supposed health claims are lacking 2487055-the-truth-about-ivermectins-supposed-health-benefits|2487055 /article/2487362-what-will-be-the-climate-fallout-from-trumps-big-beautiful-bill/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:06:21 +0100 The “One Big Beautiful Bill” just signed by President Trump will slash support for clean energy, leaving the US far short of its Paris Agreement pledge 2487362-what-will-be-the-climate-fallout-from-trumps-big-beautiful-bill|2487362 /article/2487346-geoengineering-could-avoid-climate-tipping-points-but-not-if-we-delay/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:00:25 +0100 Putting aerosols in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight could prevent the shutdown of key ocean currents, but only if it is done soon, a computer model suggests 2487346-geoengineering-could-avoid-climate-tipping-points-but-not-if-we-delay|2487346 /article/2487058-mathematicians-are-chasing-a-number-that-may-reveal-the-edge-of-maths/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:00:21 +0100 Some numbers are so unimaginably large that they defy the bounds of modern mathematics, and now mathematicians are closing in on a number that may mark the edge of this bizarre abyss 2487058-mathematicians-are-chasing-a-number-that-may-reveal-the-edge-of-maths|2487058 /article/2487069-forests-vanishing-snow-is-also-bad-news-for-carbon-storage/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:00:38 +0100 The loss of snow cover in temperate forests is set to slow their growth and reduce their ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere, an overlooked consequence of climate change 2487069-forests-vanishing-snow-is-also-bad-news-for-carbon-storage|2487069 /article/2487252-did-something-just-hit-saturn-astronomers-are-racing-to-find-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:10:12 +0100 Around seven asteroids or comets are thought to hit Saturn every year, but we have never spotted one in the act. Now, it seems one astronomer may have caught the moment of impact and the hunt is on for other images to verify the discovery 2487252-did-something-just-hit-saturn-astronomers-are-racing-to-find-out|2487252 /article/2487026-vapour-sniffing-drug-detector-tested-at-the-us-mexico-border/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:00:49 +0100 Drugs and explosive chemicals are difficult to detect, but a device more sensitive than a dog’s nose can pick up their traces in seconds 2487026-vapour-sniffing-drug-detector-tested-at-the-us-mexico-border|2487026 /article/2487198-ai-could-be-about-to-completely-change-the-way-we-do-mathematics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:00:33 +0100 Computers can help ensure that mathematical proofs are correct, but translating traditional maths into a machine-readable format is an arduous task. Now, the latest generation of artificial intelligence models is taking on the job, and could change the face of maths research 2487198-ai-could-be-about-to-completely-change-the-way-we-do-mathematics|2487198 /article/2487213-hybrid-skull-may-have-been-a-child-of-neanderthal-and-homo-sapiens/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 07 Jul 2025 10:45:27 +0100 The skull of a 5-year-old girl who lived 140,000 years ago has similarities with modern Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, suggesting her parents might have belonged to different species 2487213-hybrid-skull-may-have-been-a-child-of-neanderthal-and-homo-sapiens|2487213 /article/mg26635501-000-can-a-microbe-in-soil-alter-your-brain-chemistry-to-improve-your-mood/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Many claims are being made about Mycobacterium vaccae, a microbe that is found naturally in soil. James Wong sees if they stand up mg26635501-000-can-a-microbe-in-soil-alter-your-brain-chemistry-to-improve-your-mood|2486147 /article/2487119-fig-trees-may-benefit-climate-by-turning-carbon-dioxide-into-stone/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Sun, 06 Jul 2025 01:01:42 +0100 Some carbon dioxide absorbed by fig trees gets turned into calcium carbonate within the wood and the surrounding soil, ensuring that the carbon is kept out of the air for longer 2487119-fig-trees-may-benefit-climate-by-turning-carbon-dioxide-into-stone|2487119 /article/2487187-ancient-mass-extinction-shows-how-earth-turned-into-a-super-greenhouse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 18:00:26 +0100 A study of fossils from the Permian-Triassic extinction event 252 million years ago shows that forests in many parts of the world were wiped out, disrupting the carbon cycle and ensuring that Earth remained hot for millions of years 2487187-ancient-mass-extinction-shows-how-earth-turned-into-a-super-greenhouse|2487187 /article/2487089-cyberattacks-could-exploit-home-solar-panels-to-disrupt-power-grids/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:00:19 +0100 The growth of domestic solar installations opens the possibility of hackers targeting their smart inverter devices as a way to cause widespread power-system failures 2487089-cyberattacks-could-exploit-home-solar-panels-to-disrupt-power-grids|2487089 /article/2486903-we-finally-understand-why-quasicrystals-can-exist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:00:56 +0100 Not quite crystals and not quite a glass, quasicrystals are an oddity whose properties are not well understood – but now we know how they can remain stable 2486903-we-finally-understand-why-quasicrystals-can-exist|2486903 /article/2486900-quantum-enhanced-supercomputers-are-starting-to-do-chemistry/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:00:58 +0100 Working in tandem, a quantum computer and a supercomputer modelled the behaviour of several molecules, paving the way for useful applications in chemistry and pharmaceutical research 2486900-quantum-enhanced-supercomputers-are-starting-to-do-chemistry|2486900 /article/2486915-meteorite-causes-rethink-of-how-and-when-our-solar-system-formed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:19:14 +0100 Rocky bodies called protoplanets were thought to have formed slightly earlier in the inner solar system than those beyond the asteroid belt, but now a meteorite from the outer solar system is rewriting that view 2486915-meteorite-causes-rethink-of-how-and-when-our-solar-system-formed|2486915 /article/2486843-carbon-offset-schemes-arent-prepared-for-forests-to-burn/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:00:48 +0100 Forest-based carbon-offset projects need a buffer to guarantee their climate benefits will last – but they may not have nearly enough in reserve 2486843-carbon-offset-schemes-arent-prepared-for-forests-to-burn|2486843 /article/2486963-the-14-best-science-and-tech-documentaries-of-2025-so-far/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 11:00:35 +0100 From David Attenborough to Hannah Fry via Bryan Johnson, our TV columnist Bethan Ackerley selects her favourite science and technology documentaries of the year to date 2486963-the-14-best-science-and-tech-documentaries-of-2025-so-far|2486963 /article/2486560-energy-drinks-could-cause-less-dental-damage-with-a-simple-addition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:00:01 +0100 The acidity of drinks like Red Bull can erode dental enamel, but a lab experiment suggests this could be avoided via calcium fortification 2486560-energy-drinks-could-cause-less-dental-damage-with-a-simple-addition|2486560 /article/mg26635500-300-meet-the-storm-chasers-on-the-hunt-for-extreme-hail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 These dramatic images show the researchers out to understand the storms that produce the biggest hail mg26635500-300-meet-the-storm-chasers-on-the-hunt-for-extreme-hail|2486129 /article/mg26635500-500-the-best-science-fiction-books-of-2025-so-far/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From generation ships to climate change, there has been some stellar sci-fi out in the past six months. Our columnist Emily H. Wilson picks her favourites mg26635500-500-the-best-science-fiction-books-of-2025-so-far|2486131 /article/2486233-3d-printing-could-enable-a-long-term-treatment-for-type-1-diabetes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:00:07 +0100 Small, 3D-printed devices, designed to be implanted directly under the skin, could allow people with type 1 diabetes to produce their own insulin 2486233-3d-printing-could-enable-a-long-term-treatment-for-type-1-diabetes|2486233 /article/2486991-quantum-computers-are-surprisingly-random-but-thats-a-good-thing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:00:12 +0100 While randomising a deck of cards gets more difficult as you add more cards, it turns out that the same isn't true for the qubits of quantum computers, which may prove surprisingly useful 2486991-quantum-computers-are-surprisingly-random-but-thats-a-good-thing|2486991 /article/2486985-do-we-grow-new-brain-cells-as-adults-the-answer-seems-to-be-yes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:00:08 +0100 Scientists have found evidence of new brain cells sprouting in adults - a process that many thought only occurred in children 2486985-do-we-grow-new-brain-cells-as-adults-the-answer-seems-to-be-yes|2486985 /article/2486659-how-vaccine-recommendations-have-changed-in-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:51:29 +0100 The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in June to stop recommending certain kinds of flu vaccines, a notable shift in vaccine guidance 2486659-how-vaccine-recommendations-have-changed-in-the-us|2486659 /article/2486826-weird-harmless-microbes-may-play-a-pivotal-role-in-colorectal-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Single-celled organisms called archaea aren't generally thought to cause human disease, but one species has been implicated in colorectal cancer 2486826-weird-harmless-microbes-may-play-a-pivotal-role-in-colorectal-cancer|2486826 /article/mg26635500-200-could-hormone-implants-allow-us-to-boost-focus-endurance-and-libido/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In this latest instalment of Future Chronicles, an imagined history of future inventions, we journey to the 2030s, when hormone implants enabled users to boost everything from pain tolerance to libidos, writes Rowan Hooper mg26635500-200-could-hormone-implants-allow-us-to-boost-focus-endurance-and-libido|2486128 /article/2486785-prehistoric-spanish-people-transported-2-tonne-stone-by-boat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:00:10 +0100 An analysis of the provenance of the Matarrubilla stone, a large megalith at Valencina in Spain, indicates that the monument’s builders must have had advanced seafaring technology 2486785-prehistoric-spanish-people-transported-2-tonne-stone-by-boat|2486785 /article/mg26635502-800-can-ai-make-novels-better-not-if-these-attempts-are-anything-to-go-by/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback is horrified to see AI's attempts at reworking classic novels, and is concerned that the computers might not quite understand the point of literature mg26635502-800-can-ai-make-novels-better-not-if-these-attempts-are-anything-to-go-by|2486252 /article/mg26635500-100-the-dangers-of-so-called-ai-experts-believing-their-own-hype/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Beware the tech leaders making grandiose statements about artificial intelligence. They have lost sight of reality, says Philip Ball mg26635500-100-the-dangers-of-so-called-ai-experts-believing-their-own-hype|2486127 /article/2486543-nighttime-light-exposure-linked-to-heart-disease-in-largest-study-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:00:08 +0100 Light exposure at night may disrupt our body's internal clocks, or circadian rhythms, that keep physiological processes ticking along 2486543-nighttime-light-exposure-linked-to-heart-disease-in-largest-study-yet|2486543 /article/2486621-the-foolproof-way-to-win-any-lottery-according-to-maths/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:00:05 +0100 How can you guarantee a huge payout from any lottery? Take a cue from combinatorics, and perhaps gather a few wealthy pals, says Jacob Aron 2486621-the-foolproof-way-to-win-any-lottery-according-to-maths|2486621 /article/mg26635500-400-the-best-popular-science-books-of-2025-so-far/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The downsides of diagnosis and an epic trek following a Slovenian wolf are among our culture editor's top popular science books of the year to date, featuring a range of authors from Robert MacFarlane to Suzanne O'Sullivan mg26635500-400-the-best-popular-science-books-of-2025-so-far|2486130 /article/2486653-bioplastic-habitats-on-mars-could-be-built-from-algae/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:00:55 +0100 A lab experiment that simulated Mars conditions showed that green algae can grow in plastic containers made from the same algae, setting the stage for a self-sustaining system to build habitats on the planet 2486653-bioplastic-habitats-on-mars-could-be-built-from-algae|2486653 /article/2486858-emojis-give-your-friends-a-better-impression-of-you/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:00:50 +0100 Red heart or thumbs up? Sending emojis to close friends makes them see you as more attentive and likeable than text-only messages do – no matter which emojis you use 2486858-emojis-give-your-friends-a-better-impression-of-you|2486858 /article/2486691-neanderthals-had-a-fat-factory-where-they-processed-bones-for-grease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:00:40 +0100 An ancient human site in Germany features animal bones that were smashed into small pieces and heated to extract fat 125,000 years ago, showing that Neanderthal culinary skills were surprisingly sophisticated 2486691-neanderthals-had-a-fat-factory-where-they-processed-bones-for-grease|2486691 /article/2486794-fresh-understanding-of-how-mouths-heal-may-lead-to-a-scar-free-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:00:14 +0100 We have now learned why wounds in our mouth don't scar, which could lead to treatments that prevent such blemishes on the skin 2486794-fresh-understanding-of-how-mouths-heal-may-lead-to-a-scar-free-world|2486794 /article/mg26635502-900-the-australia-tuvalu-climate-migration-treaty-is-a-drop-in-the-ocean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Australia has offered a lifeline to the people of Tuvalu, whose island is threatened by rising sea levels. But the deal comes with strings attached – and there will be millions more climate migrants in need of refuge by 2050 mg26635502-900-the-australia-tuvalu-climate-migration-treaty-is-a-drop-in-the-ocean|2486406 /article/2486823-new-horizons-images-enable-first-test-of-interstellar-navigation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:12:47 +0100 By looking at the shifting of stars in photos from the New Horizons probe, astronomers have calculated its position in the galaxy – a technique that could be useful for interstellar missions 2486823-new-horizons-images-enable-first-test-of-interstellar-navigation|2486823 /article/2486509-vegan-cheese-could-be-about-to-get-a-lot-closer-to-the-real-thing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:00:55 +0100 A key milk protein for making cheese and yoghurt has been produced in bacteria for the first time, paving the way for better tasting but more sustainable animal-free products 2486509-vegan-cheese-could-be-about-to-get-a-lot-closer-to-the-real-thing|2486509 /article/2486737-an-ancient-egyptians-complete-genome-has-been-read-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:00:32 +0100 The genome of a man who lived in Egypt over 4500 years ago offers a new window on the ancient society and hints at connections with Mesopotamia 2486737-an-ancient-egyptians-complete-genome-has-been-read-for-the-first-time|2486737 /article/2485021-youve-been-sold-a-giant-myth-when-it-comes-to-improving-your-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Diet and exercise will only get you so far, but there is a magic bullet that could make us all live longer, says professor of global public health Devi Sridhar 2485021-youve-been-sold-a-giant-myth-when-it-comes-to-improving-your-health|2485021 /article/2486546-ancient-dna-reveals-make-up-of-roman-empires-favourite-sauce/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:01:00 +0100 Bones found at the site of an ancient fish-processing plant were used to genetically identify the species that went into a fish sauce, often known as garum, eaten throughout the Roman Empire 2486546-ancient-dna-reveals-make-up-of-roman-empires-favourite-sauce|2486546 /article/2486670-interstellar-comet-hurtling-through-solar-system-named-3i-atlas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:24:15 +0100 An object from another star has been seen entering the solar system at high speed, and is expected to whip around the sun in the coming months 2486670-interstellar-comet-hurtling-through-solar-system-named-3i-atlas|2486670 /article/2486512-stunning-image-of-a-supernova-reveals-a-dead-star-that-exploded-twice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:00:52 +0100 Pictures of a distant supernova remnant show two concentric rings, providing clear evidence that exploding white dwarf stars go boom twice in the blink of an eye 2486512-stunning-image-of-a-supernova-reveals-a-dead-star-that-exploded-twice|2486512 /article/2486355-where-does-time-actually-come-from/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:00:47 +0100 The arrow of time can teach us more about how the universe began – and how it will end, says quantum columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan 2486355-where-does-time-actually-come-from|2486355 /article/2486210-breaking-the-laws-of-thermal-radiation-could-make-better-solar-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 22:00:14 +0100 It is possible to make a material emit more radiation than it absorbs, violating the laws of physics in a way that could make energy-harvesting devices more efficient 2486210-breaking-the-laws-of-thermal-radiation-could-make-better-solar-cells|2486210 /article/2486631-a-crucial-methane-tracking-satellite-has-died-in-orbit/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:30:27 +0100 Operators lost contact with the MethaneSAT satellite on 20 June, a significant blow to efforts to track – and stop – methane emissions 2486631-a-crucial-methane-tracking-satellite-has-died-in-orbit|2486631 /article/2484276-solving-the-250-year-old-puzzle-of-how-static-electricity-works/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:00:35 +0100 You may think you know static electricity, but its true nature has long eluded scientists. We’ve now made a huge leap towards finally figuring it out 2484276-solving-the-250-year-old-puzzle-of-how-static-electricity-works|2484276 /article/2486306-a-neanderthal-shaped-skull-may-explain-why-some-people-get-headaches/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:00:28 +0100 People with Chiari malformations have a skull shape similar to Neanderthals, suggesting that the condition may be caused by DNA inherited from archaic humans 2486306-a-neanderthal-shaped-skull-may-explain-why-some-people-get-headaches|2486306 /article/2486426-shrinking-antarctic-sea-ice-is-warming-the-ocean-faster-than-expected/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 14:30:42 +0100 Antarctic sea ice extent has fallen dramatically in recent years – the effects include accelerated ocean warming, faster loss of inland ice sheets and severe impacts on wildlife 2486426-shrinking-antarctic-sea-ice-is-warming-the-ocean-faster-than-expected|2486426 /article/2486181-protocells-self-assembling-on-micrometeorites-hint-at-origins-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:20:36 +0100 Micrometeorites are thought to shower down on planets throughout the universe, so the discovery that they help protocells form could tell us something about the chances of life elsewhere 2486181-protocells-self-assembling-on-micrometeorites-hint-at-origins-of-life|2486181 /article/2486387-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-july-2025/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:00:03 +0100 From Austin Taylor to Nadia Afifi, there is lots to look forward to in the sci-fi out this month - including a novel which might be our culture editor Alison Flood's pick of the year so far 2486387-the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-july-2025|2486387 /article/2486325-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-may-be-passed-on-via-chemical-tags-on-dna/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:01:11 +0100 Eggs and embryos from people with polycystic ovary syndrome have altered patterns of so-called epigenetic tags, which could explain how the condition is inherited 2486325-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-may-be-passed-on-via-chemical-tags-on-dna|2486325 /article/2486372-typos-and-slang-spur-ai-to-discourage-seeking-medical-care/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 30 Jun 2025 22:00:40 +0100 AI models change their medical recommendations when people ask them questions that include colourful language, typos, odd formatting and even gender-neutral pronouns 2486372-typos-and-slang-spur-ai-to-discourage-seeking-medical-care|2486372 /article/2486216-orcas-are-bringing-humans-gifts-what-does-it-mean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:00:38 +0100 Researchers have documented orcas seemingly gifting rays, seals and fish to scientists and divers, which could suggest they have theory of mind and engage in altruism – even across species 2486216-orcas-are-bringing-humans-gifts-what-does-it-mean|2486216 /article/2486276-single-antiviral-shot-could-offer-better-protection-than-flu-vaccines/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:00:44 +0100 A long-lasting formulation of an antiviral drug greatly reduced people’s risk of a symptomatic flu infection in a trial, and should even be effective against new strains 2486276-single-antiviral-shot-could-offer-better-protection-than-flu-vaccines|2486276 /article/2484740-the-remarkable-tale-of-how-humans-nearly-didnt-conquer-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 30 Jun 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Over tens of thousands of years, waves of Homo sapiens set out across Europe and Asia, only for their societies and cultures to mysteriously vanish. At last, ancient DNA is revealing why 2484740-the-remarkable-tale-of-how-humans-nearly-didnt-conquer-the-world|2484740 /article/2486184-mathematicians-create-a-tetrahedron-that-always-lands-on-the-same-side/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:47:31 +0100 With the help of powerful computers, researchers discovered a four-sided shape that naturally rests on one side, and built a real-life version from carbon fibre and tungsten 2486184-mathematicians-create-a-tetrahedron-that-always-lands-on-the-same-side|2486184 /article/2486207-altered-gut-microbiome-linked-to-fertility-issues-in-people-with-pcos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:01:45 +0100 People with PCOS who struggle to conceive tend to have lower levels of a gut microbe that has been linked to endometrial function 2486207-altered-gut-microbiome-linked-to-fertility-issues-in-people-with-pcos|2486207 /article/2483232-the-deep-lessons-quasiparticles-teach-us-about-the-nature-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:51 +0100 We have discovered legions of strange particles that seem to only have a ghostly existence inside materials. Even so, they are the basis of much modern technology - so are they actually real? 2483232-the-deep-lessons-quasiparticles-teach-us-about-the-nature-of-reality|2483232 /article/2483988-how-quantum-superposition-forces-us-to-confront-what-is-truly-real/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:58 +0100 What are quantum particles doing before we measure them? Getting to grips with this century-old debate takes us to the heart of whether there is an objective reality 2483988-how-quantum-superposition-forces-us-to-confront-what-is-truly-real|2483988 /article/2483956-how-symbiosis-made-earth-what-it-is-and-why-its-key-to-our-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:37 +0100 Two life forms living together helped spark the evolution of all complex life. By learning to appreciate this process more fully, we might be able to harness it to heal our planet too 2483956-how-symbiosis-made-earth-what-it-is-and-why-its-key-to-our-future|2483956 /article/mg26635490-700-the-maths-hack-that-can-help-you-count-things/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 It is tricky to count things that are moving around – but this handy maths technique can help, says Katie Steckles, whether it is animals or vanishing spoons that you're trying to keep track of mg26635490-700-the-maths-hack-that-can-help-you-count-things|2485229 /article/2484041-how-the-science-of-friendships-can-help-make-yours-better/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:32 +0100 From acquaintances to besties, our relationships fall on a wide continuum. Research into the ingredients for meaningful and lasting connections can help you strengthen them 2484041-how-the-science-of-friendships-can-help-make-yours-better|2484041 /article/2483940-why-you-should-assume-that-even-the-simplest-animals-are-conscious/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:15 +0100 There is mounting evidence that even surprisingly simple animals, like invertebrates, have a level of consciousness - but not in the way you might think 2483940-why-you-should-assume-that-even-the-simplest-animals-are-conscious|2483940 /article/2483993-what-is-a-mindset-and-can-you-cultivate-a-better-one/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:12 +0100 Concepts like the “growth mindset” are much misunderstood. But learn to cultivate certain beliefs about your future potential, and evidence suggests it really can foster success and bring health benefits 2483993-what-is-a-mindset-and-can-you-cultivate-a-better-one|2483993 /article/mg26635490-600-this-daringly-experimental-thriller-is-a-puzzle-lovers-delight/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Packed with puzzles and narrative threads, Matt Wixey's novel Basilisk is an exhilarating read that is hard to put down mg26635490-600-this-daringly-experimental-thriller-is-a-puzzle-lovers-delight|2485228 /article/2484176-at-last-we-are-discovering-what-quantum-computers-will-be-useful-for/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:10 +0100 Quantum computers have been hyped as machines that can solve almost any problem. Yet it is becoming clearer that their near-term utility will be narrower 2484176-at-last-we-are-discovering-what-quantum-computers-will-be-useful-for|2484176