"I have looked farther into space than ever a human being did before me."

— William Herschel

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Updated: 6 hours 2 min ago

Mars once had a vast sea the size of the Arctic Ocean

7 hours 1 min ago
Spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet have helped researchers map out an ancient coastline that surrounded a large ocean billions of years ago
Categories: Astronomy

Sunscreens made from ground-up wood reach an SPF of over 180

9 hours 1 min ago
Concerns around common sunscreen chemicals have prompted the search for natural alternatives, with lignin from wood being one of the most promising candidates
Categories: Astronomy

Why a tool-using cow could change how we see farm animals

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
A pet cow has learned to scratch herself with a broom, showing creative problem-solving skills that make it harder to ignore the fact that these animals have minds, says Marta Halina
Categories: Astronomy

New Scientist’s guide to the 21 best ideas of the 21st century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
A quarter of a century in, this is our definitive pick of the ideas in science and technology that are already transforming the world
Categories: Astronomy

The 5 worst ideas of the 21st century – and how they went wrong

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
They offered so much promise, but ultimately turned sour. These are the most disappointing ideas since the turn of the millennium
Categories: Astronomy

Barnacle gloop could improve inflammatory bowel disease treatments

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 10:32am
A "living glue" used by barnacles to attach to underwater surfaces could also seal gut wounds caused by inflammatory bowel disease
Categories: Astronomy

Should Europe boycott US tech over Greenland, and is it even possible?

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 9:05am
As tensions over Greenland rise, some Europeans are asking whether it is time to disentangle themselves from US tech dominance – but from smartphones to cloud services, rejecting US tech is easier said than done
Categories: Astronomy

Star appears to have vanished in a failed supernova

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 9:00am
It is theoretically possible for a particularly massive star to collapse in on itself to form a black hole rather than exploding in a supernova, and we might now have seen the process in action
Categories: Astronomy

The most important second in the entire history of the universe

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 8:00am
In the 13.8 billion years that our universe has been around, some moments stand out over others – for the most exciting and impactful one, we have to go back to the very beginning, says cosmology columnist Leah Crane
Categories: Astronomy

Giving astronauts tardigrade toughness will be harder than we hoped

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 7:00am
The protein that protects tardigrade DNA from radiation and mutagenic chemicals was thought to be harmless, but can in fact have major downsides
Categories: Astronomy

Volcanoes had lower greenhouse gas emissions in Earth's past

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 5:00am
Eruptions from volcanic arcs, found where tectonic plates converge, are one of the major drivers of natural carbon emissions, but a model of Earth’s ancient carbon cycle suggests this is a relatively recent phenomenon
Categories: Astronomy

First treaty to protect the high seas comes into force

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 7:01pm
A United Nations agreement to protect the open oceans from unsustainable fishing practices has now taken effect, in a huge win for marine conservation
Categories: Astronomy

Meat may play an unexpected role in helping people reach 100

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 11:00am
Longevity diets often focus on going plant-based, but a study in China has linked eating meat to a long lifespan, particularly among older people who are underweight
Categories: Astronomy

Amateur mathematicians solve long-standing maths problems with AI

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 10:24am
Professional mathematicians have been stunned by the progress amateurs have made in solving long-standing problems with the assistance of AI tools, and say it could lead to a new way of doing mathematics
Categories: Astronomy

How to finally get a grasp on quantum computing

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 10:00am
If your New Year’s resolution is to understand quantum computing this year, take a cue from a 9-year-old podcaster talking to some of the biggest minds in the field, says quantum columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan
Categories: Astronomy

Cancelling plans may be more socially acceptable than you think

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 9:00am
Volunteers consider it relatively unacceptable to cancel social plans – but they are more forgiving if it's someone else cancelling the plans
Categories: Astronomy

Earliest ever supernova sheds light on the first stars

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 7:00am
The James Webb Space Telescope has picked up the light from a massive star that exploded about a billion years after the birth of the universe
Categories: Astronomy

A leading use for quantum computers might not need them after all

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 7:00am
Understanding a molecule that plays a key role in nitrogen fixing – a chemical process that enables life on Earth – has long been thought of as problem for quantum computers, but now a classical computer may have solved it
Categories: Astronomy

Cheating just three times massively ups the chance of winning at chess

Fri, 01/16/2026 - 3:00am
Using a chess computer to advise you on just three moves during a game dramatically increases your chances of winning in a way that is difficult for others to spot
Categories: Astronomy

Lithium-ion batteries could last longer with chemical tweak

Thu, 01/15/2026 - 3:00pm
It's difficult to form a protective coating that prolongs battery life at the battery's cathode, but there may be a low-cost chemical solution
Categories: Astronomy