These earthly godfathers of Heaven's lights, that give a name to every fixed star, have no more profit of their shining nights than those that walk and know not what they are.

— William Shakespeare

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Updated: 8 hours 7 min ago

We can block the spread of HIV: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
The “enormous revelation” that drugs can be used to prevent catching HIV has benefitted millions and helped slash transmission rates
Categories: Astronomy

The electrification of everything: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable power is crucial. The opening of Tesla's first "gigafactory", which used economies of scale to electrify our transport and energy systems, marked a turning point in this endeavour
Categories: Astronomy

Our solar system is extremely weird: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Realising that our solar system isn’t like most others out there has helped astronomers rewrite the story of how it formed
Categories: Astronomy

Crowdsourcing Wikipedia’s encyclopedia: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
The internet is typically defined by conflict. Yet a crowdsourced encyclopedia, open for anyone to edit, has transformed into one of the world's most essential knowledge hubs
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

Smartphones (yes, really): Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Some might say smartphones have caused more harm than good. Here’s why putting a powerful computer into every pocket was a good idea
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

Realising the importance of our microbiome: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Humans have been inadvertently using microbes to influence our health for thousands of years. But only recently has the microbiome rocketed to the forefront of healthcare
Categories: Astronomy

We can rewrite our genetic code: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Our genomes are filled with errors that were once impossible to correct. But in CRISPR, we finally found an extraordinarily powerful tool for treating genetic disease – and perhaps making better versions of ourselves
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