Science & Space
Science and spaceflight, from rocket launches and planetary exploration to astronomy, physics and discoveries that change our understanding of the world.
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This reading list brings together items from the sources selected for Science & Space. Open each item at its original source for the complete article, episode or video. This is a selection of current coverage, not a complete archive.
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Antarctica’s ‘doomsday’ glacier will keep melting even if oceans cool
Computer models suggest that unrealistically cold oceans would be insufficient to stop Thwaites glacier retreating, although a neighbouring glacier might begin to grow
Why a high school in Virginia is getting a quantum computer
Starting in January, students attending Skyview High School in Virginia will learn about the building blocks and principles underlying quantum computers by working with one directly
Google showcases way to fix quantum computer errors more efficiently
Error-proofing the most important operations performed on a quantum computer has so far required lots of resources, but a new experiment shows a more efficient way to make the devices reliable
Towering glacial ice cliffs may collapse in fits and starts
We still don't know for sure how the ice cliffs looming over the sea at the leading edge of some glaciers will behave as the climate warms, but satellite data offers some clues
Probiotic cuts risk of respiratory infections in formula-fed babies
Babies who are formula fed are more prone to infections, but the addition of a probiotic supplement containing sugars from breast milk slashed the risk of such infants catching respiratory viruses
Neanderthal skeleton found with horrific injuries
A 75,000-year-old skeleton offers a glimpse into the violent world in which Neanderthals lived, but also offers hints that they cared for one another
A quarter of male soldiers in the US could have low testosterone
Newly introduced testosterone screening in the US Army could find more than 100,000 male soldiers with low testosterone
4 of the most memorable biotech moments in modern scientific history
On the eve of New Scientist’s 70th anniversary, newsroom legend Andy Coghlan reveals four of the most dramatic and surprising moments from his storied career
Whalefall review: Worth watching for the bits inside a sperm whale
Based on Daniel Kraus’s novel, this film about a diver swallowed by a sperm whale is terrifically gruesome – and far too sentimental, says Bethan Ackerley
Russia and China are using AI to stage relentless cyberattacks against the UK
AI is increasing the speed of attacks against infrastructure in the UK but also being used to help defend against it
Ancient shipwreck discovered off Turkey claimed to be world’s oldest
A ship that probably sank in the Early Bronze Age was carrying jars of olive oil and may have been on its way to the ancient city of Troy when it sank
Self-replicating AIs are a great digital horror story – here’s the reality
Anthropic announced that an AI could self-replicate inside smart devices within months, stoking fear around the internet. Columnist Jacob Aron explains the technical limitations that make this spook story less than likely
We can rescue the AMOC after its collapse – but it won’t be easy
An AMOC weakened by climate change can be revived by cooling global temperatures, but we don't have the technology to remove huge quantities of CO2 and drive that cooling
Twisteddoodles on life before the study began…
This week’s cartoon from Twisteddoodles
Why don’t dogs look up when a low-flying plane passes overhead? part 5
This question was posed as part of New Scientist’s Last Word series, in which readers give scientific answers to each other’s questions. Here’s what our readers had to say
Is it faster to jog up the stairs or take them two at a time?
This question was posed as part of New Scientist’s Last Word series, in which readers give scientific answers to each other’s questions. Here’s what our readers had to say
Are humans the only animals that cry? If so, why?
This question was posed as part of New Scientist’s Last Word series, in which readers give scientific answers to each other’s questions. Here’s what our readers had to say
Microplastics may produce harmful molecules if they enter our blood
In a lab experiment, microplastics generated harmful molecules when exposed to blood, which may damage cells
Flightless ancient bird complicates our picture of wing evolution
Fossils of a ground-dwelling, carnivorous bird with wing anatomy similar to that of a pheasant may force a rewrite of the role of flight in the early evolution of birds
Giant bacteria could be living in your gut
Bacteria that are visible without a microscope are generally found in mangroves and fish, but an analysis of different species from around the world suggests they also reside in the human gut
Hannah Fry: How OpenAI has caused an existential crisis in mathematics
OpenAI has been throwing everything at solving long-standing maths problems. This should have been a glorious moment for mathematicians – but instead we're having a massive collective wobble, says New Scientist's new columnist, professor Hannah Fry
Rare cancer spread between twins in utero
In a very rare case, a fetus developed cancer in the uterus, and these tumour cells spread to her twin sister
How El Niño could spark a worldwide food crisis
Droughts and flooding brought by El Niño threaten crops around the world, raising the risk of increased prices and famines
Dinosaur named new species 102 years after fossil found on Isle of Wight
Invictibellatrix amberina, a predator in the megaraptoran group of dinosaurs, lived in what is now Britain 120 million years ago and may have had claws 20 centimetres long
Brain training shows promise for short-term depression relief
Training that encourages people to alter their brain's activity seems to reduce negative emotions among people with depression, but not in the way researchers expected
Cells from your mother could stay in your brain your whole life
Most people seem to have cells that crossed the placenta from their mother into their developing brain in utero, even if they're now in their 80s
The land’s ability to store carbon has bounced back after two bad years
Carbon absorption by forests and grasslands bounced back in 2025 thanks to favourable growing conditions, but El Niño could lead to another sharp slump next year
Will we observe dark matter as a particle or a wave?
We have arguably already discovered dark matter, says columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. To observe it, we will need to figure out whether we expect it to act like a particle or a wave.
The Monte Verde controversy is back: who first lived in the Americas?
The Monte Verde sites in Chile have been the source of arguments among archaeologists for decades. Columnist Michael Marshall finds the row is heating up again – and could change our understanding of the first peoples in the Americas
Do AIs already process information in a way that gives rise to consciousness?
A leading theory of consciousness explains experience as information flowing through a global workspace in the mind. On board a luxury yacht, neuroscientists and philosophers recently debated signs of a similar workspace in the chatbot Claude
Why the worst El Niño killed millions – and how we can avoid a repeat
The world hasn't experienced an El Niño this strong since the 1870s, when it sparked a terrible global famine. Are we better prepared this time?
Two large asteroids found spinning as fast as a fairground ride
Rocks in the asteroid belt rotating at ultra-fast speeds suggest our understanding of asteroid structure might be wrong
Does each new covid-19 variant pose a significant threat?
Most covid-19 cases are caused by a particular type of variant, but do we need to worry every time a new one emerges?
Tattoos could be turned on and off with light
A new type of ink could overcome one of the main downsides of tattoos: the inability to make them invisible
Nearly 1 in 10 young adults could have fatty, narrow arteries
Atherosclerosis, the build-up of fatty plaque in arteries, usually affects people older than 50, but a "meaningful" proportion of younger adults also have the condition
Rising water is creating inland ghost forests in the US
Forests full of dead trees aren’t just found by the US coasts – they are also appearing far from the sea around freshwater lakes
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