New Scientist Space - Space Headlines

The origins of plate tectonics on Earth are hotly debated, but evidence from Australia now shows that parts of the crust moved in relation to each other as early as 3.5 billion years ago

Researchers have found the first new type of magnet in nearly a century. Now, these strange "altermagnets" could help us build an entirely new type of computer

In children with anorexia nervosa or other restrictive eating disorders, changes in the brain’s outer layer don’t seem to be due to lack of nutrition alone – and some mirror those seen in other neurological conditions

Parents may discourage naps out of concern that their child won't then sleep at night, but research suggests that is not actually the case

Mathematicians have solved a decades-old problem in knot theory, discovering that linking two knots together can actually produce a knot that is easier to untie – the opposite of what was expected

Without enough liquid water on the surface, a planet's atmosphere can become choked with carbon dioxide, raising temperatures to a level beyond what is survivable for all known life

Proposed budget cuts in the US will lead to the loss of vital carbon dioxide measurements, but no other countries are preparing to step in so far, researchers warn

Adding fire-suppressing chemicals into batteries can prevent overheating, fires and explosions, cutting the risks for electric vehicles and portable electronics

Much like hurricanes further south, the strongest storms to pummel the US north-east are getting even stronger as sea surface temperatures rise

People with disrupted access to GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, still seem to lose substantial amounts of weight

Ambitious projects aim to put dire wolves, woolly mammoths and passenger pigeons back into our ecosystems. But with so many technical and ethical hurdles, what is the real motivation?

UK company Superdielectrics says its polymer technology could make batteries cheaper and easier to recycle, but its energy density must improve to compete with lithium-ion devices

Satellite data suggests cloud darkening is responsible for much of the warming since 2001, and the good news is that it is a temporary effect due to a drop in sulphate pollution

A puzzling gravitational wave was detected, and astronomers have determined that it comes from a record-breaking black hole merger

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

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

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

Models suggest that meeting climate targets will be virtually impossible without steep emissions cuts paired with a huge expansion of carbon management technologies

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

Mice experienced far fewer hay fever symptoms when a pollen-blocking antibody was applied within their nose