New Scientist Space - Cosmology
OpenAI's o3 model aced a test of AI reasoning – but it's still not AGI
The latest AI model from OpenAI achieved an “impressive leap in performance” but it still hasn’t demonstrated what experts classify as human-level intelligence
Categories: Astronomy
Is solar geoengineering research having its moment?
There is more research than ever focused on reflecting sunlight away from the planet to cool the climate – but there are still far more questions than answers about the effects
Categories: Astronomy
How the US Supreme Court and Trump could stop a TikTok ban
A US ban on the video-sharing app TikTok is set to take effect in early 2025 – but the country's Supreme Court and President-elect Donald Trump could still change that
Categories: Astronomy
Quantum teleportation can survive through busy internet cables
An experiment showing that quantum and classical communication can be carried out through the same fibre at the same time may open the door to building a quantum internet with existing infrastructure
Categories: Astronomy
Will an mRNA vaccine target the norovirus strain behind surging cases?
A new type of norovirus is causing a very high number of cases in countries like England, just as a large trial of an mRNA vaccine is starting up
Categories: Astronomy
NASA’s Mars helicopter was grounded in 2024 after surprise success
The Ingenuity autonomous helicopter surpassed all expectations to fly dozens of missions over several years on the Red Planet, only stopping this year when an accident damaged one of its rotors
Categories: Astronomy
Hundreds of small websites may shut down due to UK's Online Safety Act
Hundreds of community websites run for fans of everything from cycling to Sunderland AFC may be forced to shut down by the UK's Online Safety Act, which is designed to protect children from harmful content
Categories: Astronomy
Hairy ‘orangutan pitcher plant’ discovered in Borneo
A newly described species of giant pitcher plant is one of the biggest ever found, with leaves covered in fur the same colour as orangutans
Categories: Astronomy
Engaging new podcast asks what the big things are that make us human
Blazing the Trail, a new podcast from the Australian Museum, delves into topics from how language evolved to the implications of harnessing fire
Categories: Astronomy
Our writers pick the 26 best science fiction short stories of all time
We asked New Scientist writers to pick their favourite sci-fi short story. From H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine to Octavia E. Butler’s Bloodchild, via stories from George R. R. Martin and Ursula K. Le Guin, here are the results
Categories: Astronomy
Stonehenge may have been built to unify people of ancient Britain
Recent findings show that Stonehenge’s stones came from all over Britain – and this offers clues to the monument’s purpose, say archaeologists
Categories: Astronomy
AI beats human experts at distinguishing American whiskey from Scotch
Using descriptions of flavours or chemical data, artificial intelligence can tell apart whiskies from different countries and identify their constituent aromas
Categories: Astronomy
The most inspiring conservation success stories in 2024
Endangered skates and kingfishers were brought back from the brink this year and scientists found a way to protect frogs from deadly infections
Categories: Astronomy
Genetic tweak to three key crops massively boosts their growth
A simple change to maize, sorghum and sugarcane that allows them to take advantage of rising CO2 levels can boost their growth by around a fifth
Categories: Astronomy
Is AI finally ready to replace your doctor?
Advances in artificial intelligence mean that machines can now perform certain diagnostic tasks with far better accuracy than human doctors - but the picture is more complicated than you might think
Categories: Astronomy
How to make the biggest splash in a pool, according to science
Analysing footage of what happens when people jump into water, and using a robot to mimic them, has revealed how do the perfect dive-bomb using a Maori technique called the Manu
Categories: Astronomy
The best space images from 2024
This year has delivered some awe-inspiring imagery of space, from the James Webb Space Telescope’s stunning shots of faraway stars and galaxies to images of the skies taken from here on planet Earth
Categories: Astronomy
Swarms of tiny robots coordinate to achieve ant-like feats of strength
Small robots directed by magnetic fields can cooperatively lift heavy objects, form floating rafts and push through clogs. They may one day deliver drugs within the human body
Categories: Astronomy
Ultra-thin diamond wafers for electronics made using sticky tape
Electronics made using diamond-based chips would have many advantages, but have been hard to make – a new technique involving sticky tape could change that
Categories: Astronomy
Ancient hominin Lucy was a lousy runner, simulations show
Researchers have tried to work out how fast Australopithecus afarensis could run by creating a 3D digital robot of the ancient hominin
Categories: Astronomy