New Scientist Space - Space Headlines
Is a robot programmed to prank you annoying? Yes
Feedback discovers a robot that can mimic Turkish ice cream vendors, who are known for playing tricks on their customers. Researchers concluded that customers, perhaps predictably, don't trust it
Categories: Astronomy
Human minds abhor uncertainty. This is a problem for liberal democracy
Neurologically, the flexibility of the future promised by liberal democracy can be a challenge because it brings with it uncertainty. But there are solutions, say Florence Gaub and Liya Yu
Categories: Astronomy
This book is a great insight into the new science of microchimerism
Lise Barnéoud's Hidden Guests shows how this fascinating new field brings with it profound implications for medicine, and even what it means to be human, finds Helen Thomson
Categories: Astronomy
Deep-space sci-fi novel is delightful, profound and not to be missed
A planet is about to be destroyed by the collapse of a binary star system in Slow Gods, Claire North’s first venture into classic science fiction. Read it! says Emily H. Wilson
Categories: Astronomy
Lumpy ‘caterpillar wormholes’ may connect entangled black holes
A mathematical model suggests that when a pair of black holes gets quantum entangled, this can give rise to a lumpy space-time tunnel between them
Categories: Astronomy
What we’re learning about consciousness from master meditators’ brains
Neuroscientist Matthew Sacchet is revealing how mastering meditation can not only enable transcendental states of bliss, but also reshape how we experience pain and emotion
Categories: Astronomy
Toxic algae blighting South Australia could pose a global threat
Researchers warn that the alga Karenia cristata, which has killed around a million animals in Australian waters in one of the biggest algal blooms ever seen, could harm marine life elsewhere
Categories: Astronomy
Ancient DNA may rewrite the story of Iceland's earliest settlers
Biochemical evidence suggests Norse people settled in Iceland almost 70 years before the accepted arrival date of the 870s, and didn't chop down the island's forests
Categories: Astronomy
COP30: What’s on the agenda at the Belém climate summit
Initiatives on the table at COP30 aim to evaluate which countries are most vulnerable, support efforts to clean up industries and pay for the protection of tropical forests
Categories: Astronomy
Covid raises risk of heart issues in children more than vaccination
Getting covid-19 for the first time slightly increased the risk of heart inflammation, blood clots and bleeding disorders among children, whereas being vaccinated against the virus was much safer and sometimes protective
Categories: Astronomy
The fascinating story of the ultimate cosmic law
How do we know the speed of light – and why does it have a speed limit at all? Leah Crane explores the history of one of the most important numbers in the universe
Categories: Astronomy
We're closing in on how genetics may influence your PCOS risk
In the largest genetic analysis of polycystic ovary syndrome to date, scientists have identified new variants linked to the condition, which could help us treat it more effectively
Categories: Astronomy
How preppers plan to save us if the whole internet collapses
Recent outages have revealed how vulnerable the internet is, but there seems to be no official plan in the event of a catastrophic failure. Meet the team of hackers who are ready to jump into action
Categories: Astronomy
COP30: Can Brazil summit get climate negotiations back on track?
Expectations are low for the UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, but the host’s pragmatic approach could help make progress on implementation
Categories: Astronomy
Advanced quantum network could be a prototype for the quantum internet
Building a working quantum internet would require overcoming a host of technical challenges, but researchers who have built one of the most advanced quantum networks to date say they think it is possible
Categories: Astronomy
Brightest black hole flare ever caused by huge star being ripped apart
A distant black hole has been caught releasing the brightest flare ever, which is the result of it ripping apart and devouring an enormous star
Categories: Astronomy
Cavities could be prevented by a gel that restores tooth enamel
Enamel does not naturally regenerate, which can lead to painful cavities, but a gel that harnesses some of the properties of saliva could restore the hard, shiny layer to teeth
Categories: Astronomy
Walking 3000 steps a day seems to slow Alzheimer's-related decline
Alzheimer's-related cognitive decline could be slowed by taking as few as 3000 steps a day, possibly due to the effects of regular exercise on brain health
Categories: Astronomy
Antarctic glacier's alarming retreat is the fastest ever seen
Hektoria glacier on the Antarctic Peninsula retreated 25 kilometres in just 15 months. Its rapid melt could have implications for other glaciers and the rate of sea level rise
Categories: Astronomy
Does the family tree of ancient humans need a drastic rewrite?
Anthropologist Christopher Bae has recently suggested we add two new species of ancient human to our family tree. The plans break the conventions for how species should be named – but Bae argues the rules themselves are flawed
Categories: Astronomy

