New Scientist Space - Space Headlines
Asthma treated in mice using offshoot of CAR T-cell cancer therapy
A single dose of genetically engineered immune cells reduced asthma symptoms in mice for at least a year
Categories: Astronomy
Active lava flows on Venus raise the stakes for future exploration
Observations made by the Magellan spacecraft in the 1990s include signs of recent lava flows, highlighting possible exploration targets for probes heading to Venus in the 2030s
Categories: Astronomy
Quantum 'arrow of time' suggests early universe had no entanglement
One way to explain why time only moves forward is the quantum arrow of time, and it has major implications for both the universe's early period and its eventual demise
Categories: Astronomy
Is North America set for another bad wildfire smoke season?
Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada and Mexico is already worsening air quality in the US, but some signs suggest clearer skies than last year
Categories: Astronomy
Fossil trove reveals three new species of ancient egg-laying mammals
A set of Australian fossils offers a rare glimpse of the ancient relatives of platypuses and echidnas that lived alongside the dinosaurs 100 million years ago
Categories: Astronomy
Tamiflu seems to relieve noise-induced hearing loss in mice
Mice that were given a high dose of the antiviral drug oseltamivir phosphate, better known as Tamiflu, after prolonged and excessive noise exposure showed fewer signs of hearing loss compared with those not given the medication
Categories: Astronomy
Hungry deer may have driven tiny plant evolution on Japanese island
On Yakushima island, sika deer might have forced flora to shrink as small as a tenth of the size of their mainland counterparts
Categories: Astronomy
AI can predict landmine areas from satellite images
An AI model can identify landmine areas with up to 92 per cent accuracy, which could help to speed up the removal of the deadly devices
Categories: Astronomy
Tiny black holes hiding in the sun could trace out stunning patterns
If our solar system and even our sun contain tiny black holes formed just after the big bang, they should be orbiting in elaborate patterns
Categories: Astronomy
An amazing great bustard gets ready for a new nature exhibition
Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre, now on view at London’s Natural History Museum, showcases the extraordinary qualities of Earth’s “ultimate survivors”
Categories: Astronomy
Sci-fi author Martha Wells on what a machine intelligence might want
The author of All Systems Red, the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club, on why her novella takes on the thorny topic of what a machine intelligence might do, if it could make its own choices
Categories: Astronomy
Don't forget birds and bats when renovating or building new homes
As newer homes are built or older homes are renovated, empty attic spaces are disappearing – this eliminates a vital refuge for birds and bats during a biodiversity crisis
Categories: Astronomy
Read an extract from All Systems Red by Martha Wells
In this dramatic opening to Martha Wells' All Systems Red, the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club, we are introduced to her character Murderbot, a sentient machine intelligence
Categories: Astronomy
Three years of high temperatures will mean we have breached 1.5°C
The aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C is based on long-term average temperatures, but analysis shows that if three years cross the threshold, it is almost certain that the target has been missed
Categories: Astronomy
Hot Atlantic sets the stage for extreme hurricane season
This year could bring up to 25 named tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean due to a shift to La Niña conditions, says the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Categories: Astronomy
Male birth control injection causes reversible infertility in mice
Male mice injected with a molecule that affects sperm movement were temporarily unable to impregnate a female, showing promise for a new type of birth control drug for people
Categories: Astronomy
Ants learn faster on caffeine
A dose of caffeine helped ants locate a sweet reward 30 per cent faster, suggesting the drug boosts learning in the insects
Categories: Astronomy
Earth-like exoplanet found just 40 light years away – the closest yet
A nearby planet named Gliese 12 b has an estimated surface temperature of 42°C (108°F), making it a promising candidate for liquid water and maybe life
Categories: Astronomy
El Niño is ending after a year of driving extreme weather
The warm El Niño pattern in the Pacific Ocean combined with global warming and other factors to create the hottest year on record – and this year may not be any cooler
Categories: Astronomy
Amazing new images of galaxies and nebulae caught by Euclid telescope
The European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope has taken images of galaxies, galaxy clusters and newborn stars in unprecedented detail
Categories: Astronomy