New Scientist Space - Cosmology
How the XB-1 aircraft went supersonic without a sonic boom
When the experimental XB-1 aircraft achieved supersonic speeds on a test flight, it did not create a disruptive sonic boom – thanks to a physics phenomenon called the Mach cutoff
Categories: Astronomy
There’s a tiny chance the asteroid headed for Earth could hit the moon
If asteroid 2024 YR4 does smash down on the lunar surface, the explosion might be visible from Earth and would leave a new crater on the near side of the moon
Categories: Astronomy
Have we already breached the 1.5°C global warming target?
Although the climate goals set by the Paris Agreement are based on the long-term average temperature, one year of high temperatures might be a sign that the 1.5°C threshold has already been reached
Categories: Astronomy
Forces deep underground seem to be deforming Earth's inner core
Seismic waves suggest the planet's solid inner core is being pulled out of shape – and it has undergone these changes over just a few decades
Categories: Astronomy
How cosmic stasis may drastically rewrite the history of the universe
Unexpected epochs of stillness that punctuate the cosmic timeline could offer a natural explanation for dark matter and many other unsolved astronomical mysteries
Categories: Astronomy
Distant exoplanet may be the most volcanic world ever found
A rocky planet less than half the mass of Earth seems to have an atmosphere made almost entirely of sulphur dioxide – this could be due to a huge amount of volcanic activity
Categories: Astronomy
How meteorites are rewriting the history of the solar system
There are many theories about how dynamics in the early solar system led to the cosmic neighbourhood we now inhabit, but beyond computer simulations, direct evidence to support them is hard to come by – that's where meteorites come in
Categories: Astronomy
Engineered bacteria could break down unrecyclable nylon in clothes
Clothes and fishing nets that are made of nylon often end up in landfill or dumped in oceans, but a new way to break down the plastic could improve recycling
Categories: Astronomy
Stunning image shows the closest ever Einstein ring
Albert Einstein himself thought that the eponymous Einstein ring would be impossible to observe, but the Euclid telescope has picked one up just 600 million light years from Earth
Categories: Astronomy
Astronomers have spotted the largest known object in the universe
The Quipu superstructure is enormous, spanning 1.4 billion light years – and it could violate one of our fundamental assumptions about the universe
Categories: Astronomy
Robot made from pig gelatin biodegrades when no longer needed
Pig gelatin can be used to make a robotic arm that safely biodegrades, rather than adding to landfill
Categories: Astronomy
We are all bad at choosing random numbers in our own unique way
An experiment in which people were asked to choose random numbers or boxes on a grid, then do the same a year later, has revealed that we each have our own unique approach to randomness - and we're generally very bad at it
Categories: Astronomy
Old fighter jets can be melted down and 3D printed into new ones
Turning old fighter jets into a fine powder and using that to 3D print new components is a more sustainable way to build the RAF's next-generation aircraft – and it avoids sourcing materials from Russia
Categories: Astronomy
Is Elon Musk's DOGE going to break decades-old US government software?
Elon Musk's DOGE task force is reportedly being given unchecked access to the computers that run the US government, and experts warn that it risks bringing down systems and leaking sensitive data
Categories: Astronomy
Is the UK about to force Apple to reveal all of your encrypted data?
A report in The Washington Post says that the UK government has ordered Apple to reveal encrypted data held by any user, anywhere in the world – here is what you need to know
Categories: Astronomy
Dexterous and light prosthetic hand can tie knots and comb hair
A prosthetic hand that weighs about half that of a human hand also enables wearers to carry out intricate tasks, such as tying knots
Categories: Astronomy
The ocean is losing its ability to store heat as the planet warms up
Until now, 90 per cent of the excess heat created by greenhouse gas emissions has been drawn down into the ocean, but this capacity for heat absorption is now being lost, which could lead to longer marine heatwaves and harm ocean life
Categories: Astronomy
AI chip smaller than a grain of salt uses light to decode data
A tiny chip on the tip of a fibre-optic cable can passively harness light to perform AI computations, dramatically reducing the amount of energy and computing power required
Categories: Astronomy
Humpback whale songs have patterns that resemble human language
The sounds that make up humpback whale songs follow some of the same statistical rules seen in human languages, which may be because of how they are learned
Categories: Astronomy
London Underground mutant mosquitoes have surprisingly ancient origins
Genetic analysis suggests a form of mosquito found in urban subway systems evolved in the Middle East thousands of years ago
Categories: Astronomy