Science
Read an extract from Kim Stanley Robinson's sci-fi classic Red Mars
This is the opening of Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, the New Scientist Book Club read for April, as humans...
Rare Andean bear captured in stunning photograph
Shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards, this image by photographer Sebastian Di Domenico was taken...
First glimpse of sperm whale birth reveals teamwork to support newborn
A female sperm whale has been filmed giving birth for the first time, supported by 10 adult females who lifted...
Computer finds flaw in major physics paper for first time
A computer language designed to robustly verify mathematical theorems and expose logical flaws has been turned...
Fossils discovered in Egypt may be the closest ancestor of all apes
Pieces of jawbone and teeth found in Egypt have been identified as a new early ape species named Masripithecus...
Temperature gets a new definition using a quantum device
A device that relies on quantum effects and oversized atoms may be a more reliable way to measure temperature...
How big is a 'shedload'? Let's ask the nuclear physicists
Feedback is prompted by readers to investigate the size of the shed in the term 'shedload', and gets down and...
A variety of jungle animals all use one type of tree as a latrine
In the cloud forest of Costa Rica, many canopy-dwelling animals do their business in strangler fig trees, perh...
What to read this week: the persuasive How Flowers Made Our World
We shouldn't dismiss flowers as merely ornamental – these blooms are world-changers, argues a vivid new book b...
Meta and YouTube fined $3 million for harming mental health
In a landmark trial, social media giants Meta and YouTube were found negligent and ordered to pay for harming...
The brain's cleaning system can be boosted to rid Alzheimer's proteins
A duo of drugs that boosts our glympathic system, which clears waste from our brain, also improves the removal...
How working out like an astronaut can reduce back pain and slow ageing
The same principles that help astronauts stay strong in microgravity can help us all resist the slow collapse...
Landmark experiment reveals a big unexpected problem with cloning
A 20-year study has shown that, like photocopying photocopies, cloning doesn't produce perfect copies – with b...
Oldest known dog extends the genetic history of our canine companions
The remains of dogs from more than 14,000 years ago have been found in Turkey and the UK, revealing that domes...
Ancient elephant bones reveal vivid details of a Neanderthal hunt
Researchers have re-analysed a set of elephant bones and a wooden spear found in Germany in 1948, which provid...
The Selfish Gene: Still one of the most thrilling evolution books ever
Fifty years ago, Richard Dawkins shared an irresistible scientific metaphor with the world that modernised and...
Cancer-causing chemical found to be leaking from gas cookers
One in 10 homes tested in the UK, Italy and the Netherlands have dangerous levels of benzene because of slow l...
Genetic clues tell the story of Neanderthals' decline
The Neanderthal population shrank during a cold spell around 75,000 years ago, and the loss of genetic diversi...