New Scientist Space - Cosmology
SpaceX’s Starship created a volcano-like explosion in first launch
The Starship rocket destroyed its launch pad during its first launch attempt in 2023, and the explosion resembled a powerful volcanic eruption, spraying sand and chunks of debris over a huge area
Categories: Astronomy
Organic farms seem to trigger more pesticide use on conventional farms
Insects tend to be more abundant on organic farms than conventional ones, which may cause the pests to spill over into neighbouring fields, prompting these farmers to increase their pesticide use
Categories: Astronomy
Pig kidney transplanted into living human for the first time
A genetically modified pig kidney has been successfully transplanted into a living human – and the recipient is expected to leave hospital soon
Categories: Astronomy
Sulphur dioxide from Iceland volcano eruption has reached the UK
A huge plume of sulphur dioxide from the latest eruption in Iceland is drifting across Europe, but it isn't expected to cause any significant harm
Categories: Astronomy
Teen sweat has distinct chemical make-up with notes of musk and urine
Teenagers and babies produce different chemicals in their sweat, which may be why infants are generally considered to smell sweeter
Categories: Astronomy
Food costs more because of climate change - and it will get worse
Rising temperatures are predicted to drive up food inflation by between 0.9 and 3.2 per cent a year by 2035, as crop yields suffer from extreme heat
Categories: Astronomy
Why 2024 Abel prize winner Michel Talagrand became a mathematician
After losing an eye at the age of 5, the 2024 Abel prize winner Michel Talagrand found comfort in mathematics
Categories: Astronomy
Has Neuralink made a breakthrough in brain implant technology?
Elon Musk's brain-computer interface firm Neuralink has released a video of its first patient, Noland Arbaugh, controlling a computer cursor with his thoughts - is this the future?
Categories: Astronomy
Fluffy beetle discovered in Australia may be the world's hairiest
The exceptionally long white hairs on the newly named longhorn beetle Excastra albopilosa may deceive predators into thinking it is covered in fungus
Categories: Astronomy
How to take a stunning photograph of April’s total eclipse
Photographing the eclipse isn't as easy as taking a selfie, but with a bit of preparation anyone can capture a memorable image
Categories: Astronomy
Ozempic and Wegovy linked to a lower risk of cannabis use disorder
An analysis of almost 700,000 people with type 2 diabetes or obesity found that those prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy were about half as likely to develop cannabis use disorder as those taking other medications
Categories: Astronomy
These four common medicines could help prolong your life
Viagra, HRT, a statin and a painkiller slightly lowered people’s chances of dying over a 12-year study, suggesting they may have life-extending properties
Categories: Astronomy
Blue tits shared a tree hollow with bird-eating bats – and survived
A pair of blue tits were seen nesting in a tree cavity that was also inhabited by about 25 greater noctule bats, which commonly eat blue tits, but the birds lived to tell the tale
Categories: Astronomy
Why falling birth rates will be a bigger problem than overpopulation
Birthrates are projected to have fallen below the replacement level, of 2.1 per woman, in more than three quarters of countries by 2050
Categories: Astronomy
Extinct freshwater dolphin from the Amazon was largest of all time
A dolphin that lived in the Amazon 16 million years ago grew to a length of 3.5 metres – larger than any other freshwater dolphin
Categories: Astronomy
Ancient canoes hint at bustling trade in Mediterranean 7000 years ago
Italian canoes capable of transporting people and goods have been dated to the Neolithic period, suggesting there was a bustling trade across the Mediterranean Sea
Categories: Astronomy
Why we need to invoke philosophy to judge bizarre concepts in science
Theories of mind and cosmos are inevitably preposterous - knowing how to weigh competing implausibilities can help us decide which we should back
Categories: Astronomy
Try these mathematical magic tricks that are guaranteed to work
There are no rabbits pulled out of hats here – these tricks rely on mathematical principles and will never fail you, says Peter Rowlett
Categories: Astronomy
3 Body Problem review: Cixin Liu's masterpiece arrives on Netflix
Cixin Liu's novel The Three-Body Problem has been turned into an eight-part series for Netflix by the Game of Thrones team. There is much to admire so far, but will the adaptation stay on track, wonders Bethan Ackerley
Categories: Astronomy
Astonishing photograph of last year's annular solar eclipse in Utah
Pieced together digitally from thousands of images, this shot of last October's annular eclipse, from Andrew McCarthy and Daniel Stein, is a curtain-raiser for next month's total solar eclipse in North America
Categories: Astronomy