New Scientist Space - Space Headlines
Pacific Ocean changes may 'lock in' US megadrought for decades
A major cycle of Pacific Ocean temperatures is shifting due to climate change, and that could drive decades of megadrought in the western US
Categories: Astronomy
6 of the most fascinating moments in the life of our solar system
Travel through time to witness some of the most remarkable episodes in our solar system's history, uncovering its ancient origins and glimpsing the destiny that awaits it in the distant future
Categories: Astronomy
Tiny discs can levitate in the upper atmosphere using sunlight alone
A physics phenomenon discovered 150 years ago allows tiny objects to levitate using just sunlight – and now it could enable swarms of sensors to explore part of Earth’s long-neglected upper atmosphere
Categories: Astronomy
Fossil teeth may come from a new species of early hominin
Some 2.6-million-year-old teeth found in Ethiopia hint that an unknown species from the Australopithecus genus coexisted with one of our Homo relatives, but it is hard to draw firm conclusions from the evidence
Categories: Astronomy
GPT-5's modest gains suggest AI progress is slowing down
OpenAI’s latest large language model has achieved seemingly underwhelming improvements in performance, leading to questions about whether the AI industry can make significant advancements with its current designs
Categories: Astronomy
Couples who meet online may have lower relationship satisfaction
Meeting online may be the norm in today's dating scene, but connecting offline initially may lead to better relationship outcomes
Categories: Astronomy
Vape mouthpieces could be swarming with fungi that harm airways
Fungal species, one of which caused chronic bronchitis in mice, were collected from the mouthpieces of e-cigarettes used by daily vapers
Categories: Astronomy
DNA analysis reveals West African ancestry in early medieval England
An unrelated pair of people buried in cemeteries in 7th-century Britain probably had grandparents from West Africa
Categories: Astronomy
Why a mysterious group of ancient humans doesn’t have a species name
An extinct group of humans that were once widespread in Asia don’t have an official species name – part of the reason is archaeological, and part is a legal question
Categories: Astronomy
The real reason why we lost the ability to make vitamin C
The textbooks say our ancestors lost the ability to make vitamin C because we didn't need it, but the loss may have protected us from some parasites
Categories: Astronomy
These ants are one of the most effective teams in the natural world
Typically, individuals work less effectively in bigger teams, but weaver ants buck this trend by increasing their power output when they pull together
Categories: Astronomy
How AI poisoning is fighting bots that hoover data without permission
The web is awash with bots that scrape data without permission. Now content creators are poisoning the well of artificial intelligence – but similar technology can also be used to spread misinformation
Categories: Astronomy
Social media toxicity can't be fixed by changing the algorithms
Experiments involving AI chatbots interacting on a simulated social media platform suggest efforts to design out antagonistic user behaviour will not succeed
Categories: Astronomy
Vanishing Y chromosomes seem to be driving heart disease in men
Men typically lose Y chromosomes from their cells as they get older, which could be affecting their heart health
Categories: Astronomy
Trees may be getting more flammable because of climate change
Researchers are testing whether increasing UV radiation is altering chemistry of tree leaves, increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires
Categories: Astronomy
Microwaving rocks could help mining operations pull CO2 out of the air
A carbon dioxide removal company in Canada is experimenting with ways to treat mining waste to capture and store more CO2
Categories: Astronomy
Working past the age of retirement may improve your life satisfaction
Having a full-time job in later life has been linked to improved emotional, financial and general life satisfaction - but the results vary a lot between men and women
Categories: Astronomy
Psychedelic drug ibogaine may treat PTSD by slowing brainwaves
In people with traumatic brain injury, administering the psychedelic drug ibogaine seems to slow down brainwaves, which may explain why it helps treat PTSD
Categories: Astronomy
Lost researcher's remains found on Antarctic glacier after 66 years
Bone fragments found on King George Island have been identified as Dennis "Tink" Bell, a British meteorologist who fell into a crevasse in 1959
Categories: Astronomy
A new measure of health is revolutionising how we think about ageing
Life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past century, but our years of good health appear not to have kept pace. Now, a new lens on what it means to age well is reshaping our view of our golden years
Categories: Astronomy