New Scientist Space - Space Headlines
5 extraordinary ideas about the mind and what it means to be conscious
To celebrate the launch of our new event series in the US, kicking off with a masterclass on the brain and consciousness, we have unlocked five incredible long reads
Categories: Astronomy
Rare mutation that causes short stature may shed light on ageing
The genetic variant, which causes people to be insensitive to growth hormone, may also protect people from heart disease
Categories: Astronomy
Alpacas are the only mammals known to directly inseminate the uterus
When alpacas mate, males deposit sperm directly into the uterus, a reproductive strategy not confirmed in any other mammals
Categories: Astronomy
Asteroid that broke up over Berlin was fastest-spinning one ever seen
Before it shattered over Germany, the asteroid 2024 BX1 was clocked rotating once every 2.6 seconds – the fastest spin we have observed
Categories: Astronomy
Global warming could make tides higher as well as raising sea levels
In addition to the overall rise in sea level, the heights of tides are also changing as the oceans warm and separate into more distinct layers
Categories: Astronomy
Deepfake politicians may have a big influence on India’s elections
Political campaigns are deploying AI-generated deepfake versions of politicians to reach hundreds of millions of eligible voters in India’s 2024 election – the world’s largest ever
Categories: Astronomy
Two medicines for opioid addiction also help with compulsive gambling
The medicines nalmefene and naltrexone helped compulsive gamblers reduce their betting activities, trials have shown
Categories: Astronomy
Swarm of nanorobots can remove tiny plastic fragments from water
In just 2 hours, small metal robots can capture most nanoscopic plastic particles from a sample of water
Categories: Astronomy
Wasps use face-recognition brain cells to identify each other
The neurons in wasp brains that help them recognise hive mates are similar to those in the brains of primates, including humans
Categories: Astronomy
Supermassive black holes may provide a nursery for mini ones to grow
The supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies may capture smaller black holes. Not only does this prove a place for the small black holes to grow, it also makes the supermassive ones look even bigger and brighter
Categories: Astronomy
Birthplace of red asteroid Kamo‘oalewa pinned to specific moon crater
The redness of asteroid 469219 Kamo‘oalewa marks it out as probably originating on the moon, and now we might know the exact impact crater it was launched from
Categories: Astronomy
Rat neuron injection lets mice that can’t smell sniff out cookies
Mice that had been genetically modified to lack the ability to smell could sniff out hidden cookies when sensory neurons from rats were grown in their brains
Categories: Astronomy
Modern rose hybrids have a worrying lack of genetic diversity
Intensive breeding since the 19th century has created thousands of varieties of rose, but a reduction in genetic diversity could leave them vulnerable to diseases and climate change
Categories: Astronomy
Brain activity seems to be more complex in baby girls than boys
When fetuses and babies were exposed to sound stimuli, their brains' subsequent activity appeared to be more complicated in the females than the males
Categories: Astronomy
India’s healthcare system falls short despite Modi’s improvements
More than 1.4 billion people live in India, giving its healthcare system a major role in planetary well-being. In the past 10 years, prime minister Narendra Modi has worked to improve India's healthcare, but there is still much work to be done
Categories: Astronomy
Can India build a world-leading computer chip industry from scratch?
India currently has a fairly small chip-manufacturing industry, but prime minister Narendra Modi wants the country to become a dominant player in the sector in just a few years
Categories: Astronomy
Japan’s SLIM moon lander has shockingly survived a third lunar night
Almost all moon landers break down during the extraordinary cold of lunar night, but Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon has astonishingly survived three nights
Categories: Astronomy
Quantum forces used to automatically assemble tiny device
The very weak forces of attraction caused by the Casimir effect can now be used to manipulate microscopic gold flakes and turn them into a light-trapping tool
Categories: Astronomy
Culling predatory starfish conserves coral on the Great Barrier Reef
Targeted culling of crown-of-thorns starfish has resulted in parts of the Great Barrier Reef maintaining and even increasing coral cover, leading researchers to call for the programme to be dramatically scaled up
Categories: Astronomy
These photos show how a warmer climate is damaging Earth's waters
Photographer Diane Tuft has documented how global warming is affecting bodies of water around the world
Categories: Astronomy
