Physicists find ultimate limit for how accurate clocks can be

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 12 months ago

Glimpse of the earliest supernovae could reveal our cosmic origins

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 12 months ago

Robots with squidgy paws could navigate uneven terrain

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 12 months ago

Where is the iceberg that broke off Antarctica and is it a threat?

An iceberg more than four times the size of New York City began drifting again after being stuck on the seafloor for nearly 40 years | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 12 months ago

Why it's healthy for older people to be slightly overweight

UK dietitians say people over 65 need more fat reserves, but why are they going against most other healthy weight guidelines? | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

H1N2 swine flu: UK's first human case recovers after mild illness

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

‘Insect-eye’ compass can navigate by the sun even on a cloudy day

By mimicking how some insects use polarised light to navigate, a light-detecting compass can tell where magnetic north is even if clouds are covering the sun | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Long covid: What we now know about its causes and possible treatments

Almost four years after the first cases emerged, we are accumulating evidence about the physiology behind this complex condition – from microclots to viral persistence | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

The Future of Language review: Powerful tech will change everything

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

AI can figure out sewing patterns from a single photo of clothing

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

It's easier to chat at parties if you don't know the music playing

Background music is less distracting at parties if you're unfamiliar with the songs being played, according to brain activity data | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

It is easier to chat at parties if you don't know the music playing

Background music is less distracting at parties if you are unfamiliar with the songs being played, according to brain activity data | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

AIs can trick each other into doing things they aren't supposed to

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Strange way black holes lose energy could help solve cosmic puzzle

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

People feel more creative after using cannabis – they aren't

There is no strong evidence that taking cannabis improves our ingenuity, although it does make users feel more creative | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Cyborg jellyfish have a swimming cap and electric propulsion system

Equipping jellyfish with artificial aids can boost their speed and could allow them to carry ocean sensors | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Abandoned coal mines could store wind energy

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

A mysterious, incredibly energetic cosmic ray has smashed into Earth

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Did Homo naledi bury its dead? Debate rages over human relative

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” | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Pneumonia in China: Everything we know so far about mystery illness

Unexplained pneumonia cases among children in China may be a result of common respiratory infections rebounding after the country's strict covid-19 lockdowns  | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

AI cleaning robot can tidy up clothes in a messy bedroom

Cameras and a grasping arm help this robot pick up a pile of discarded clothes and put them in a laundry basket | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Not sleeping enough before surgery may increase pain during recovery

Mice that were deprived of sleep before surgery experienced more pain and inflammation afterwards than animals that had slept enough | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Mercury has salt glaciers that could provide the conditions for life

Mercury may have deep underground salt glaciers that encircle the whole planet and could possibly create the conditions necessary for life | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

COP28: Countries agree on how to fund climate ‘loss and damage’

The COP28 climate summit in Dubai opened with an agreement on key details of a long-awaited fund to help low-income countries pay for climate-related damages, but how much money will flow is still unclear | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

What is ‘loss and damage’ and why is it a central issue at COP28?

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Squishy inflatable tubes could make programmable soft robots

Soft elastic tubes that change shape in predictable ways when filled with air could be used for making robotic grippers | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Breathtaking images from Environmental Photographer of the Year awards

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Drone delivers defibrillators for cardiac arrest faster than ambulance

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Construction robot builds massive stone walls on its own

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Babies may start to learn language before they are born

Newborn babies respond differently to their mother tongue, suggesting that exposure to language in the uterus may provide the foundations for learning | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

For All Mankind season four review: Space race drama still a winner

This alternate history saga is as riveting as ever, but with added gravitas as it tackles questions also facing us in our world – such as how to convince people to act for future generations, says Bethan Ackerley | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Troubled by Faith review: How delusion marked psychology's beginnings

How did people with irrational beliefs fare in psychology's early days? Owen Davies's new book has great insights | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

See a very special spruce - the Tree of Life in Washington state

Anna Beeke's shot of this huge spruce, which has become a landmark on the Pacific shoreline, is part of a stunning new book of photographs highlighting trees and woodlands around the world | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Our hunt for alien life needs solid guidelines for clear-cut success

A proposed framework to assess and communicate the credibility of detections of extraterrestrial life is vital to deliver results we can all believe in | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

New black hole discovered in New Zealand toilet

After bringing the world news of the Black Hole Lane near a reader's home in Hereford, UK, last month, Feedback is delighted to learn of the existence of the Black Hole Public Toilet in Nelson, New Zealand | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Trust and safety – the most important tech job you’ve never heard of

Trust and safety teams at tech firms are all too easy to overlook, but the rise of propaganda and online harassment makes them vitally important, says Annalee Newitz | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

How to spot this year's Geminid meteor shower

The peak of the spectacular Geminids meteor shower is on the night of 14 and 15 December, but the shower is active from 4 December, says Abigail Beall | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Why has the death of Matthew Perry affected so many of us so much?

Friends actor Matthew Perry died last month, and the public outpouring of grief has been huge. Why can celebrity deaths be so upsetting, asks Sara Novak | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

How do two new books on consciousness close in on the elusive field?

The Four Realms of Existence by Joseph LeDoux and Consciousness by John Parrington tell us a lot about human cognition, brain structure and evolution – but most of all they demonstrate how far this most tricky of quests still has to go | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Nutrient found in beef and milk shows promise against several cancers

A fatty acid found in beef and milk attacked different types of cancerous cells in a series of lab and animal experiments | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Covid-19 vaccines should target only omicron for best immune response

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

How to get a better night's sleep by hacking your brainwaves

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? | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Eight personality traits may help people live to 100 and beyond

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Mutation behind Huntington's linked to higher childhood intelligence

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

African penguins recognise their partners by the spots on their chest

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 | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

COP28: When is the climate summit and why is it being held in Dubai?

The COP28 climate summit is taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Space flight may increase erectile dysfunction among astronauts

Rats that experienced a simulation of microgravity and cosmic radiation showed signs of erectile dysfunction a year later | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago

Some unbreakable encryption keys are accidentally leaking online

A widely used form of encryption called RSA is thought to be unbreakable, but an analysis of more than 5 billion server records has found that, in some cases, hardware errors can lead to secret keys being exposed | Continue reading


@newscientist.com | 1 year ago