New Scientist - Features New Scientist - Features https://www.newscientist.com/ New Scientist - Features https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 Why virtual particles don’t exist but do explain reality – for now https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834383-000-why-virtual-particles-dont-exist-but-do-explain-reality-for-now/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 So-called virtual particles aren't particles at all. Some argue that they are merely mathematical figments, and that we need to find a better way to understand particle interactions mg25834383-000-why-virtual-particles-dont-exist-but-do-explain-reality-for-now|2372494 Why the causes of poor mental health may share a common root https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834383-200-why-the-causes-of-poor-mental-health-may-share-a-common-root/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 The neat picture we once had about the causes of mental illness has turned out to be wrong, but we are building an understanding of a new single underlying factor mg25834383-200-why-the-causes-of-poor-mental-health-may-share-a-common-root|2372496 Why symmetry is so fundamental to our understanding of the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-600-why-symmetry-is-so-fundamental-to-our-understanding-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 The symmetries of matter are deeper and stranger than they first appear, and they have driven many of the biggest breakthroughs in particle physics. But have we exhausted their usefulness? mg25834382-600-why-symmetry-is-so-fundamental-to-our-understanding-of-the-universe|2372490 Why the origins of life remain a mystery – and how we will crack it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-700-why-the-origins-of-life-remain-a-mystery-and-how-we-will-crack-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 To explain how life on Earth began, the big challenge is to identify the molecules and processes that enable non-living chemical systems to become more complex mg25834382-700-why-the-origins-of-life-remain-a-mystery-and-how-we-will-crack-it|2372491 To create a wormhole that doesn't collapse, you need exotic matter https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-800-to-create-a-wormhole-that-doesnt-collapse-you-need-exotic-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Making a wormhole that a human could theoretically travel through would require an upside-down universe and negative energy mg25834382-800-to-create-a-wormhole-that-doesnt-collapse-you-need-exotic-matter|2372492 What is the AI alignment problem and how can it be solved? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-000-what-is-the-ai-alignment-problem-and-how-can-it-be-solved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Artificial intelligence systems will do what you ask but not necessarily what you meant. The challenge is to make sure they act in line with human’s complex, nuanced values mg25834382-000-what-is-the-ai-alignment-problem-and-how-can-it-be-solved|2372484 Emergence: The mysterious concept that holds the key to consciousness https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-300-emergence-the-mysterious-concept-that-holds-the-key-to-consciousness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 A better understanding of emergent phenomena like the wetness of water, where the properties of a system can't be explained by those of its constituent parts, could unravel some big mysteries mg25834382-300-emergence-the-mysterious-concept-that-holds-the-key-to-consciousness|2372487 What is longtermism and why do its critics think it is dangerous? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-400-what-is-longtermism-and-why-do-its-critics-think-it-is-dangerous/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Longtermism is an increasingly influential branch of moral philosophy. At its most extreme, it can justify ignoring problems like homelessness and climate change – but other versions are available mg25834382-400-what-is-longtermism-and-why-do-its-critics-think-it-is-dangerous|2372488 The mental tricks you can use in your lifelong pursuit of happiness https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-200-the-mental-tricks-you-can-use-in-your-lifelong-pursuit-of-happiness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Evidence-based tweaks to the way you think about your day are the secret of how to be happy over the course of your life mg25834382-200-the-mental-tricks-you-can-use-in-your-lifelong-pursuit-of-happiness|2372486 Why the mind-body connection is vital to understanding consciousness https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-500-why-the-mind-body-connection-is-vital-to-understanding-consciousness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 The key to solving the hard problem of consciousness could lie in the body not the brain, with our gut and heart being key players in building our conscious experience mg25834382-500-why-the-mind-body-connection-is-vital-to-understanding-consciousness|2372489 The weird truth about calories and why food labels get them so wrong https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834383-100-the-weird-truth-about-calories-and-why-food-labels-get-them-so-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 A new understanding of nutrition and how our bodies use calories from food explains why balancing diet and exercise is much more complicated than you might think mg25834383-100-the-weird-truth-about-calories-and-why-food-labels-get-them-so-wrong|2372495 Ageing is inevitable, but we may soon treat it like any other disease https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-900-ageing-is-inevitable-but-we-may-soon-treat-it-like-any-other-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Getting older is a fact of life, but there are promising signs that we may be able to intervene to slow – and possibly even stop – the molecular processes that lead to numerous age-related conditions mg25834382-900-ageing-is-inevitable-but-we-may-soon-treat-it-like-any-other-disease|2372493 Secrets of a long and healthy life reside in your gut microbiome https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133540-700-secrets-of-a-long-and-healthy-life-reside-in-your-gut-microbiome/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:05:00 +0100 How long you live and how well you age rests on many factors beyond your control, but the discovery that gut microbes play a key role means what you eat can make a difference mg25133540-700-secrets-of-a-long-and-healthy-life-reside-in-your-gut-microbiome|2291778 Nobody can agree about antidepressants. Here’s what you need to know https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23931980-100-nobody-can-agree-about-antidepressants-heres-what-you-need-to-know/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:00:00 +0100 For some they are lifesavers, for others ineffective and even addictive. Our special report looks at why even experts disagree on antidepressants, and what the real truth is mg23931980-100-nobody-can-agree-about-antidepressants-heres-what-you-need-to-know|2181135 The radical new theory that wrinkles actually cause ageing https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366093-the-radical-new-theory-that-wrinkles-actually-cause-ageing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Forget vanity, there is a much better reason to care about your laughter lines – wrinkles may be driving ageing in your body and brain via zombie-like senescent cells 2366093-the-radical-new-theory-that-wrinkles-actually-cause-ageing|2366093 How we could discover quantum gravity without rebuilding space-time https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834382-100-how-we-could-discover-quantum-gravity-without-rebuilding-space-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 10 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 In the search for a theory that unites general relativity and quantum physics, many have tried to rethink space-time. But what if space-time emerges naturally, like a hologram? mg25834382-100-how-we-could-discover-quantum-gravity-without-rebuilding-space-time|2372485 Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834372-200-do-we-live-in-a-hologram-why-physics-is-still-mesmerised-by-this-idea/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 03 May 2023 14:00:00 +0100 The holographic universe theory still grips physicists 25 years since it was first published. Here’s what it is all about mg25834372-200-do-we-live-in-a-hologram-why-physics-is-still-mesmerised-by-this-idea|2371469 ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834372-000-adhd-whats-behind-the-recent-explosion-in-diagnoses/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 02 May 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are rocketing, but what's the cause? Fortunately, we now have a better understanding of the condition - and how to identify those who have it mg25834372-000-adhd-whats-behind-the-recent-explosion-in-diagnoses|2371467 The 7 primes of life: Why each decade comes with its own superpowers https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25033413-100-the-7-primes-of-life-why-each-decade-comes-with-its-own-superpowers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 30 Jun 2021 16:20:00 +0100 You might think we peak in our 20s or 30s before enduring a slow decline, but each era of our lives brings new strengths – even old age. Here's how to make the most of them mg25033413-100-the-7-primes-of-life-why-each-decade-comes-with-its-own-superpowers|2282627 These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834370-100-these-bizarre-lights-in-the-sky-hint-at-a-way-to-predict-earthquakes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 03 May 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Semi-mythical "earthquake lights" may be accompanied by changes to Earth's magnetic field. Now researchers say these changes could be used to forecast major tremors mg25834370-100-these-bizarre-lights-in-the-sky-hint-at-a-way-to-predict-earthquakes|2371286 How do we decide what counts as trauma – and have we got it all wrong? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433801-000-how-do-we-decide-what-counts-as-trauma-and-have-we-got-it-all-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 30 Mar 2022 19:00:00 +0100 What qualifies as trauma has become a hotly debated issue, with implications for treating people who experience PTSD – and the way we respond to things like the pandemic and police killings mg25433801-000-how-do-we-decide-what-counts-as-trauma-and-have-we-got-it-all-wrong|2313802 The physicist betting that space-time isn't quantum after all https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734301-000-the-physicist-betting-that-space-time-isnt-quantum-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Most experts think we have to tweak general relativity to fit with quantum theory. Physicist Jonathan Oppenheim isn't so sure, which is why he’s made a 5000:1 bet that gravity isn’t a quantum force mg25734301-000-the-physicist-betting-that-space-time-isnt-quantum-after-all|2363984 How ultra-processed food harms your health and how to fix the problem https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834361-600-how-ultra-processed-food-harms-your-health-and-how-to-fix-the-problem/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Ultra-processed foods contain artificial ingredients that impact our health in ways that we are only just beginning to understand, says Chris van Tulleken mg25834361-600-how-ultra-processed-food-harms-your-health-and-how-to-fix-the-problem|2370458 What we can do to let the UK’s tamed rivers flow wild and free again https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834361-500-what-we-can-do-to-let-the-uks-tamed-rivers-flow-wild-and-free-again/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 25 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0100 In the UK, 97 per cent of rivers have been modified, blocked and otherwise corralled to suit our needs - with enormous damage to wildlife. Here’s how we can reverse the damage we’ve done mg25834361-500-what-we-can-do-to-let-the-uks-tamed-rivers-flow-wild-and-free-again|2370457 The truth behind melatonin and why it may not help you sleep https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634181-000-the-truth-behind-melatonin-and-why-it-may-not-help-you-sleep/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 27 Dec 2022 16:00:00 +0000 Millions of people take melatonin to help them nod off, treat jet lag and cope with night shifts, but new evidence suggests we may have misunderstood the hormone and how to use it effectively mg25634181-000-the-truth-behind-melatonin-and-why-it-may-not-help-you-sleep|2352225 Why the vaginal microbiome may be key to treating bacterial vaginosis https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734260-400-why-the-vaginal-microbiome-may-be-key-to-treating-bacterial-vaginosis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Vaginal microbiome transplants are helping treat bacterial vaginosis and shedding light on the importance of this intimate ecosystem in women's health mg25734260-400-why-the-vaginal-microbiome-may-be-key-to-treating-bacterial-vaginosis|2359099 Timeline: The evolution of life https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17453-timeline-the-evolution-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:06:00 +0100 The story of evolution spans over 3 billion years and shows how microscopic single-celled organisms transformed Earth and gave rise to complex organisms like animals dn17453-timeline-the-evolution-of-life|1937806 What was the universe's first second like? These particles can tell us https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834360-100-what-was-the-universes-first-second-like-these-particles-can-tell-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 24 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0100 If we could detect them, cosmic neutrinos would paint a picture of the universe in the instant after it began. Physicist Martin Bauer has come up with a plan to do just that mg25834360-100-what-was-the-universes-first-second-like-these-particles-can-tell-us|2370261 Your essential guide to the many breathtaking wonders of the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533970-300-your-essential-guide-to-the-many-breathtaking-wonders-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Sat, 22 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100 An abridged inventory of everything there is in the universe – from rogue planets and exomoons to supernovae, supermassive black holes and the cosmic web. mg25533970-300-your-essential-guide-to-the-many-breathtaking-wonders-of-the-universe|2330521 Restoring the brain’s mitochondria could slow ageing and end dementia https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734290-100-restoring-the-brains-mitochondria-could-slow-ageing-and-end-dementia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 The discovery that faulty metabolism is at the root of many brain diseases suggests a surprising transplant could be the way to protect our brains from the ravages of ageing mg25734290-100-restoring-the-brains-mitochondria-could-slow-ageing-and-end-dementia|2362696 How smart is ChatGPT really – and how do we judge intelligence in AIs? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834351-800-how-smart-is-chatgpt-really-and-how-do-we-judge-intelligence-in-ais/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 19 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Following claims that an AI has shown "sparks of artificial general intelligence", what are we to make of the hype surrounding this technology? AI expert Melanie Mitchell is your guide mg25834351-800-how-smart-is-chatgpt-really-and-how-do-we-judge-intelligence-in-ais|2369265 Quantum batteries: Strange technology that could provide instant power https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25534030-800-quantum-batteries-strange-technology-that-could-provide-instant-power/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 07 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0100 By leveraging a bizarre property of quantum mechanics called entanglement, quantum batteries could theoretically recharge in a flash. Now, progress is being made towards making them a reality. mg25534030-800-quantum-batteries-strange-technology-that-could-provide-instant-power|2336579 Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433861-200-fascia-the-long-overlooked-tissue-that-shapes-your-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 11 May 2022 13:00:00 +0100 The connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and organs, known as fascia, has always been ignored – but new insights suggest it holds the key to tackling chronic pain and immune dysfunction mg25433861-200-fascia-the-long-overlooked-tissue-that-shapes-your-health|2319367 We know how kids learn to read, so why are we failing to teach them? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834350-200-we-know-how-kids-learn-to-read-so-why-are-we-failing-to-teach-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Researchers are finally getting to grips with how children's brains pick up reading. Now the challenge is to apply this to the classroom to help kids reach their potential in literacy mg25834350-200-we-know-how-kids-learn-to-read-so-why-are-we-failing-to-teach-them|2368944 The quantum world: A concise guide to the particles that make reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 05 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0100 Get to grips with the deepest layer of reality we know of with our inventory of the subatomic realm, from known particles like quarks and the Higgs boson to hypotheticals including the fifth force and strings in 11 dimensions 2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality|2367423 How hacking your metabolism can help you burn fat and prevent disease https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634071-000-how-hacking-your-metabolism-can-help-you-burn-fat-and-prevent-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0100 Hacking your metabolism to help your body burn fats and carbs more efficiently may be key to helping you lose weight, run for longer and reduce the risk of conditions like type two diabetes mg25634071-000-how-hacking-your-metabolism-can-help-you-burn-fat-and-prevent-disease|2340670 The amazing ways electricity in your body shapes you and your health https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360290-the-amazing-ways-electricity-in-your-body-shapes-you-and-your-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:40:00 +0000 Your cells crackle with electric signals that guide embryonic development and heal wounds. If we can learn to tweak this “bioelectric code”, we might be able to prevent cancer and even grow new limbs 2360290-the-amazing-ways-electricity-in-your-body-shapes-you-and-your-health|2360290 How indoor air pollution affects your health and what to do about it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834350-100-how-indoor-air-pollution-affects-your-health-and-what-to-do-about-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 17 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0100 The latest evidence suggests that indoor air quality can be as bad as a city street at rush hour. The good news is that making a few simple changes at home can help reduce the risks to your health mg25834350-100-how-indoor-air-pollution-affects-your-health-and-what-to-do-about-it|2368943 How do we know that therapy works, and which kind is best for you? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834340-900-how-do-we-know-that-therapy-works-and-which-kind-is-best-for-you/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0100 Psychotherapy has never been more available and yet, with so many options, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, researchers are getting to grips with what really works and why mg25834340-900-how-do-we-know-that-therapy-works-and-which-kind-is-best-for-you|2368174 The shocking decline of Earth’s microbiome – and how to save it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834344-900-the-shocking-decline-of-earths-microbiome-and-how-to-save-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 12 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Bacteria, fungi and other microbes, which are vital to life on Earth, were long thought impervious to threats endangering larger lifeforms. Now biologists are warning of a microbial extinction event mg25834344-900-the-shocking-decline-of-earths-microbiome-and-how-to-save-it|2368662 Physicist David Wolpert on how to study concepts beyond imagination https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834340-100-physicist-david-wolpert-on-how-to-study-concepts-beyond-imagination/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0100 There is probably a plane of knowledge beyond the grasp of human minds. But mathematician and physicist David Wolpert says it is still possible to explore this unimaginable realm mg25834340-100-physicist-david-wolpert-on-how-to-study-concepts-beyond-imagination|2367947 My Amazon family’s gut microbes may help us fight inflammatory disease https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734331-400-my-amazon-familys-gut-microbes-may-help-us-fight-inflammatory-disease/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 04 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0100 The Yanomami people of the Amazon have the world’s most diverse gut microbiome – and David Good, who is half Yanomami, thinks it might hold the clues to better health mg25734331-400-my-amazon-familys-gut-microbes-may-help-us-fight-inflammatory-disease|2367262 Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734280-300-should-you-have-children-the-true-costs-and-benefits-of-parenthood/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:30:00 +0000 Whether or not you have children can have a big impact on your health and happiness, not to mention the planet – and some do regret their decisions. Here’s how the evidence can guide you mg25734280-300-should-you-have-children-the-true-costs-and-benefits-of-parenthood|2361227 Middle-age spread isn't down to metabolism, but we know how to beat it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25333774-900-middle-age-spread-isnt-down-to-metabolism-but-we-know-how-to-beat-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 09 Mar 2022 12:40:00 +0000 It's a myth that extra belly fat in middle age is due to a slowing metabolism – and now we know what really causes the dreaded spread we can also fix it mg25333774-900-middle-age-spread-isnt-down-to-metabolism-but-we-know-how-to-beat-it|2311580 Neil Turok on the case for a parallel universe going backwards in time https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-100-neil-turok-on-the-case-for-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 To explain the cosmos without invoking cosmic inflation, physicist Neil Turok has proposed the existence of a mirror-image universe going backwards in time from the big bang. He tells us why the idea is so compelling mg25734230-100-neil-turok-on-the-case-for-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time|2355713 Why we fall for wellness, even when the science says it doesn't work https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365983-why-we-fall-for-wellness-even-when-the-science-says-it-doesnt-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:30:28 +0100 The wellness industry tells us we can be healthier and more productive through quick fixes and supplements. Author Colleen Derkatch investigated why, even when we know it sounds too good to be true, wellness can be irresistible 2365983-why-we-fall-for-wellness-even-when-the-science-says-it-doesnt-work|2365983 The food and drink that really can boost your immune system https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-600-the-food-and-drink-that-really-can-boost-your-immune-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Whether it is immune-boosting smoothies or bacteria-laden yogurts, there is a whole world of products that claim to improve your immune system – but these are the ones that actually work mg25734243-600-the-food-and-drink-that-really-can-boost-your-immune-system|2357140 How the secrets of ancient cuneiform texts are being revealed by AI https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533981-400-how-the-secrets-of-ancient-cuneiform-texts-are-being-revealed-by-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0100 Much of the world’s first writing, carved into clay tablets, remains undeciphered. Now AI is helping us piece together this ancient Mesopotamian script, revealing the incredible stories of men, women and children at the dawn of history mg25533981-400-how-the-secrets-of-ancient-cuneiform-texts-are-being-revealed-by-ai|2331700 Do we need nuclear power in the energy mix to stop climate change? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433881-800-do-we-need-nuclear-power-in-the-energy-mix-to-stop-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 25 May 2022 13:00:00 +0100 Some say it is indispensable if we are serious about hitting net-zero emissions targets. Others insist it is unnecessary and unconscionable. Here is what you need to know about nuclear energy now mg25433881-800-do-we-need-nuclear-power-in-the-energy-mix-to-stop-climate-change|2321707 What is pain, how does it work and what happens when it goes wrong? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634132-200-what-is-pain-how-does-it-work-and-what-happens-when-it-goes-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:55:00 +0000 With a growing number of people living with pain, we desperately need to understand it – but we are still unravelling the mysterious mechanisms behind the phenomenon mg25634132-200-what-is-pain-how-does-it-work-and-what-happens-when-it-goes-wrong|2346983 Nalini Nadkarni, the ecologist revealing the secrets of cloud forests https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734320-100-nalini-nadkarni-the-ecologist-revealing-the-secrets-of-cloud-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0100 How a pioneering canopy researcher unlocked the mysteries of an extraordinary ecosystem and the unlikely tree-dwelling plants it depends on mg25734320-100-nalini-nadkarni-the-ecologist-revealing-the-secrets-of-cloud-forests|2365910 The hunt for black holes older than the universe itself https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734320-300-the-hunt-for-black-holes-older-than-the-universe-itself/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Primordial black holes older than the big bang could rewrite cosmology by providing evidence for a previous universe. It's a wild idea, but some physicists think we've got a chance of finding them mg25734320-300-the-hunt-for-black-holes-older-than-the-universe-itself|2366091 Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433861-400-have-we-been-measuring-the-expansion-of-the-universe-wrong-all-along/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 11 May 2022 19:00:00 +0100 For decades, measurements of the universe's expansion have suggested a discrepancy known as the Hubble tension, which threatens to transform cosmology. But a new method suggests the tension may not exist after all mg25433861-400-have-we-been-measuring-the-expansion-of-the-universe-wrong-all-along|2319369 Carlo Rovelli on the bizarre world of relational quantum mechanics https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634080-300-carlo-rovelli-on-the-bizarre-world-of-relational-quantum-mechanics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0100 Physicist Carlo Rovelli explains the strange principles of relational quantum mechanics - which says objects don't exist in their own right - and how it could unlock major progress in fundamental physics mg25634080-300-carlo-rovelli-on-the-bizarre-world-of-relational-quantum-mechanics|2341443 Vegan pet food: Can cats and dogs be happy and healthy without meat? https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-vegan-pet-food-can-cats-and-dogs-be-happy-and-healthy-without-meat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:30:44 +0100 Emerging research suggests vegan pet food may be able to keep dogs and even cats healthy and happy, reducing the massive impact that traditional pet food has on the environment 0-vegan-pet-food-can-cats-and-dogs-be-happy-and-healthy-without-meat|2338338 Stephen Hawking's final theorem turns time and causality inside out https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734310-200-stephen-hawkings-final-theorem-turns-time-and-causality-inside-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:30:00 +0000 In his final years, Stephen Hawking tackled the question of why the universe appears fine-tuned for life. His collaborator Thomas Hertog explains the radical solution they came up with mg25734310-200-stephen-hawkings-final-theorem-turns-time-and-causality-inside-out|2364934 The state of Britain's rivers: Slurry, silage and sewage https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734311-000-the-state-of-britains-rivers-slurry-silage-and-sewage/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000 The majority of the UK's waterways are suffering, even those that look like they are in good health, but some restoration projects have started to tackle the issues, and much more can be done mg25734311-000-the-state-of-britains-rivers-slurry-silage-and-sewage|2365233 Uganda’s first wildlife vet on her revolutionary gorilla conservation https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734310-300-ugandas-first-wildlife-vet-on-her-revolutionary-gorilla-conservation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka explains how her unconventional way of combining public health and conservation is helping to bring mountain gorillas back from the brink after years of population decline mg25734310-300-ugandas-first-wildlife-vet-on-her-revolutionary-gorilla-conservation|2364935 Cave paintings of mutilated hands could be a Stone Age sign language https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734300-900-cave-paintings-of-mutilated-hands-could-be-a-stone-age-sign-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Palaeolithic hand stencils with missing fingers could indicate ritual mutilation or frostbite – but new research suggests they might be trying to tell us something mg25734300-900-cave-paintings-of-mutilated-hands-could-be-a-stone-age-sign-language|2363983 Why we’re trapped in short-term thinking and how to take the long view https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734311-100-why-were-trapped-in-short-term-thinking-and-how-to-take-the-long-view/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Many of the most serious problems we face are the result of our tendency to focus on the present at the expense of the future. But we can escape this temporal myopia by confronting how we think about time mg25734311-100-why-were-trapped-in-short-term-thinking-and-how-to-take-the-long-view|2365234 The lowdown on stretching: How flexible do you actually need to be? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133430-300-the-lowdown-on-stretching-how-flexible-do-you-actually-need-to-be/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:00:00 +0100 Many people strive to touch their toes or do the splits, but it is perfectly possible to get all the benefits of stretching without pushing your body to its limits mg25133430-300-the-lowdown-on-stretching-how-flexible-do-you-actually-need-to-be|2283903 Is running or walking better for you? Here’s what the science says https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24532730-100-is-running-or-walking-better-for-you-heres-what-the-science-says/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 11 Mar 2020 06:00:00 +0000 Does pounding the pavement damage your joints? Can you get away with just walking? Sports engineer Steve Haake pits running against walking and dispels some abiding myths mg24532730-100-is-running-or-walking-better-for-you-heres-what-the-science-says|2236721 How many steps a day do you really need? Spoiler: It isn't 10,000 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24232340-300-how-many-steps-a-day-do-you-really-need-spoiler-it-isnt-10000/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 12 Jun 2019 13:00:00 +0100 Forget 10,000 steps a day. Modern sports science and evolutionary biology now tell us how much exercise the human body really needs mg24232340-300-how-many-steps-a-day-do-you-really-need-spoiler-it-isnt-10000|2206028 Why doing more exercise won't help you burn more calories https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24132130-400-why-doing-more-exercise-wont-help-you-burn-more-calories/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 16 Jan 2019 18:00:00 +0000 Forget the idea that to lose weight you just need to work off more calories than you consume. The truth is far weirder mg24132130-400-why-doing-more-exercise-wont-help-you-burn-more-calories|2190503 How curiosity can supercharge your brain and boost your success https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634080-200-how-curiosity-can-supercharge-your-brain-and-boost-your-success/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 12 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0100 Curiosity can boost memory and creativity for sharper thinking, yet it can also lead to distraction and procrastination. The trick is to know when and how to use it mg25634080-200-how-curiosity-can-supercharge-your-brain-and-boost-your-success|2341442 Who is Ancestor X? The biggest mystery in human evolution https://www.newscientist.com/article/2335613-who-is-ancestor-x-the-biggest-mystery-in-human-evolution/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:14:15 +0100 The search for the direct ancestor of humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans has been protracted and puzzling. Now, fresh clues are adding a surprising twist to the tale 2335613-who-is-ancestor-x-the-biggest-mystery-in-human-evolution|2335613 Beyond tired: Why fatigue sets in and how to tackle it https://www.newscientist.com/article/2336427-beyond-tired-why-fatigue-sets-in-and-how-to-tackle-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 06 Sep 2022 18:30:52 +0100 A renewed focus on fatigue in light of long covid means we now have a better understanding of the body-brain pathways that cause it, offering fresh targets for new treatments 2336427-beyond-tired-why-fatigue-sets-in-and-how-to-tackle-it|2336427 How postbiotics could boost your health and even help reverse ageing https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634150-200-how-postbiotics-could-boost-your-health-and-even-help-reverse-ageing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 29 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 Postbiotics are the newest gut health trend promising to improve our skin, boost our strength and even reverse signs of ageing. But what are they and do they live up to the hype? mg25634150-200-how-postbiotics-could-boost-your-health-and-even-help-reverse-ageing|2348670 The cosmologist who claims to have evidence for the multiverse https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-the-cosmologist-who-claims-to-have-evidence-for-the-multiverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:21:00 +0000 Cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton says our universe is one of many – and she argues that we have already seen signs of those other universes in the cosmic microwave background, the light left over from the big bang 0-the-cosmologist-who-claims-to-have-evidence-for-the-multiverse|2344810 Nature, nurture, luck: Why you are more than just genes and upbringing https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25534050-900-nature-nurture-luck-why-you-are-more-than-just-genes-and-upbringing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 21 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0100 Your genes and environment play a big part in forming you, but there is an unexplored third element at play too: luck. The chance events that shape your brain in the womb may influence who you become as much as your genetics, and perhaps even more than the effect of parenting mg25534050-900-nature-nurture-luck-why-you-are-more-than-just-genes-and-upbringing|2338493 Surprising new research on cats will make you see yours in a new light https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734290-300-surprising-new-research-on-cats-will-make-you-see-yours-in-a-new-light/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:15:00 +0000 Cats have a reputation for being aloof and untamed, but recent studies suggest they may be more attuned to humans than we realise. We may even have solved the mystery of why cats love boxes mg25734290-300-surprising-new-research-on-cats-will-make-you-see-yours-in-a-new-light|2362698 Infinity has long baffled mathematicians – have we now figured it out? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433822-900-infinity-has-long-baffled-mathematicians-have-we-now-figured-it-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 13 Apr 2022 13:00:00 +0100 Mathematicians have long known infinity comes in many sizes, but how do they relate to one another? The key lies in a 150-year-old mystery known as the continuum hypothesis mg25433822-900-infinity-has-long-baffled-mathematicians-have-we-now-figured-it-out|2315855 Daydreaming has a dark side – is your fantasising holding you back? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533970-700-daydreaming-has-a-dark-side-is-your-fantasising-holding-you-back/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0100 Mind wandering can boost creativity and memory, but it can also damage your mental health. Now we are learning to recognise the dangers of maladaptive daydreaming mg25533970-700-daydreaming-has-a-dark-side-is-your-fantasising-holding-you-back|2330525 Growing younger: Radical insights into ageing could help us reverse it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433843-000-growing-younger-radical-insights-into-ageing-could-help-us-reverse-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:00:00 +0100 New insight into how we age suggests it may be driven by a failure to switch off the forces that build our bodies. If true, it could lead to a deeper understanding of ageing – and the possibility of slowing it mg25433843-000-growing-younger-radical-insights-into-ageing-could-help-us-reverse-it|2317553 How to be happy, according to the longest-running study of happiness https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734211-800-how-to-be-happy-according-to-the-longest-running-study-of-happiness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 09 Jan 2023 20:11:00 +0000 Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger leads a study that has tracked hundreds of people over 80 years to see what makes a happy and meaningful life. Here's what he has learned mg25734211-800-how-to-be-happy-according-to-the-longest-running-study-of-happiness|2353861 New DNA tests predict your disease risk – are we ready for them? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734303-400-new-dna-tests-predict-your-disease-risk-are-we-ready-for-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 14 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Polygenic tests can predict your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, but some doctors worry about the consequences for healthcare systems and for us mg25734303-400-new-dna-tests-predict-your-disease-risk-are-we-ready-for-them|2364173 How to take control of your self-narrative for a better, happier life https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634204-800-how-to-take-control-of-your-self-narrative-for-a-better-happier-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:30:00 +0000 The story you tell about yourself, known as your narrative identity, has a big influence on your well-being and ability to achieve personal goals. Here's how to harness it to your advantage mg25634204-800-how-to-take-control-of-your-self-narrative-for-a-better-happier-life|2353365 Why spending time near water gives us a powerful mental health boost https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533950-700-why-spending-time-near-water-gives-us-a-powerful-mental-health-boost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 13 Jul 2022 19:00:00 +0100 We have long known that connecting with nature in green spaces is great for our mental health. Now fresh research is showing that time near water - by the coast, rivers and even fountains in the park - is even more restorative mg25533950-700-why-spending-time-near-water-gives-us-a-powerful-mental-health-boost|2328003 5 mind-bending numbers that could reveal the secrets of the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533992-700-5-mind-bending-numbers-that-could-reveal-the-secrets-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 09 Aug 2022 18:00:00 +0100 From the exceedingly big to the unfathomably small, cosmologists are trying to unravel a bizarre set of figures that may reveal what happens inside a black hole, why the Higgs boson is so light and the chances of you having a doppelgänger mg25533992-700-5-mind-bending-numbers-that-could-reveal-the-secrets-of-the-universe|2332837 A longevity diet that hacks cell ageing could add years to your life https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533930-400-a-longevity-diet-that-hacks-cell-ageing-could-add-years-to-your-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 28 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0100 A new diet based on research into the body's ageing process suggests you can increase your life expectancy by up to 20 years by changing what, when and how much you eat mg25533930-400-a-longevity-diet-that-hacks-cell-ageing-could-add-years-to-your-life|2326149 How to improve your digital diet for greater well-being https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634090-300-how-to-improve-your-digital-diet-for-greater-well-being/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 17 Oct 2022 18:30:00 +0100 Online activities like gaming, social media and video calls have unique "nutritional" values that will influence our mood, concentration and energy levels. This is how to optimise yours mg25634090-300-how-to-improve-your-digital-diet-for-greater-well-being|2342522 Roger Penrose: "Consciousness must be beyond computable physics" https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:41:00 +0000 The mathematician shares his latest theories on quantum consciousness, the structure of the universe and how to communicate with civilisations from other cosmological aeons mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics|2346668 We are finally waking up to the causes of insomnia and how to treat it https://www.newscientist.com/article/2339328-we-are-finally-waking-up-to-the-causes-of-insomnia-and-how-to-treat-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:00:25 +0100 Millions of people struggle with insomnia, but the sleep disorder is now a solvable problem – and the most effective therapy might involve your smartphone rather than sleeping pills 2339328-we-are-finally-waking-up-to-the-causes-of-insomnia-and-how-to-treat-it|2339328 The surprisingly useful liquids that mop up gases like a sponge https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734290-200-the-surprisingly-useful-liquids-that-mop-up-gases-like-a-sponge/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Creating a porous liquid long seemed impossible. But now we are making them in earnest and they could prove exceedingly handy in industrial chemistry, greenhouse gas storage and even emergency medicine mg25734290-200-the-surprisingly-useful-liquids-that-mop-up-gases-like-a-sponge|2362697 How to tell if your immune system is weak or strong https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-100-how-to-tell-if-your-immune-system-is-weak-or-strong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 New blood tests can reveal whether your immune system is fighting fit by looking at the balance of different immune cells, but there may be a simpler way of gauging your immune health mg25734243-100-how-to-tell-if-your-immune-system-is-weak-or-strong|2357135 We are finally starting to understand brain fog and how to treat it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433902-300-we-are-finally-starting-to-understand-brain-fog-and-how-to-treat-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0100 Brain fog – which encompasses memory problems, lack of mental clarity and an inability to focus – had eluded scientific scrutiny until covid-19 thrust it into the spotlight. Now, we're starting to learn more about what exactly it is and how we can beat it mg25433902-300-we-are-finally-starting-to-understand-brain-fog-and-how-to-treat-it|2323208 Fresh ideas about the causes of depression are bringing new treatments https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734220-100-fresh-ideas-about-the-causes-of-depression-are-bringing-new-treatments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 By upending the idea that a chemical imbalance in the brain is behind depression, we are starting to understand some of its mysteries and develop better treatments mg25734220-100-fresh-ideas-about-the-causes-of-depression-are-bringing-new-treatments|2354675 This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734280-900-this-new-version-of-quantum-theory-is-even-stranger-than-the-original/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:15:00 +0000 An idea called almost quantum theory predicts particles could have stronger correlations than we've ever observed. If tests show it to be true, it would be a huge scientific upset mg25734280-900-this-new-version-of-quantum-theory-is-even-stranger-than-the-original|2361407 Lake levels are rising across the world and climate change is to blame https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734280-400-lake-levels-are-rising-across-the-world-and-climate-change-is-to-blame/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Water levels at lakes in East Africa are rising alarmingly fast, flooding homes and farmland and displacing people. It is an unanticipated consequence of global warming – and it is being repeated around the globe mg25734280-400-lake-levels-are-rising-across-the-world-and-climate-change-is-to-blame|2361228 Understanding human intentions will be the next big breakthrough in AI https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734260-500-understanding-human-intentions-will-be-the-next-big-breakthrough-in-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 With the recent news that the ChatGPT AI can pass a theory of mind test, how far away are we from an artificial intelligence that fully understands the goals and beliefs of others? mg25734260-500-understanding-human-intentions-will-be-the-next-big-breakthrough-in-ai|2359100 The CERN particle accelerator that will breathe new life into physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360299-the-cern-particle-accelerator-that-will-breathe-new-life-into-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 A new breed of collider, called plasma wakefield accelerators, can study fundamental physics in new ways by doing something the Large Hadron Collider cannot do: colliding electrons 2360299-the-cern-particle-accelerator-that-will-breathe-new-life-into-physics|2360299 How climate change is forcing animals that mate for life to break up https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734270-200-how-climate-change-is-forcing-animals-that-mate-for-life-to-break-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 20 Feb 2023 16:45:00 +0000 Many animals enter into long monogamous relationships to raise offspring, but we know they can break up – and new research suggests global warming is sometimes to blame mg25734270-200-how-climate-change-is-forcing-animals-that-mate-for-life-to-break-up|2360072 We're hurtling into a new region of interstellar space. What now? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2359129-were-hurtling-into-a-new-region-of-interstellar-space-what-now/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 As we speed towards a mysterious new bubble of interstellar space, new insights are revealing its exotic chemistry, strange waves and vast bubbles, and their ramifications for life on Earth 2359129-were-hurtling-into-a-new-region-of-interstellar-space-what-now|2359129 The truth behind how to reduce your energy use and still live well https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734251-200-the-truth-behind-how-to-reduce-your-energy-use-and-still-live-well/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 In theory, it’s possible to live well while using energy at a rate of just 2000 watts – a quarter of the average for people in the US. Our environment reporter took on the challenge. Here’s what he discovered mg25734251-200-the-truth-behind-how-to-reduce-your-energy-use-and-still-live-well|2357986 What a meandering moose says about US wildlife protection efforts https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358123-what-a-meandering-moose-says-about-us-wildlife-protection-efforts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 07 Feb 2023 21:28:25 +0000 To prevent extinctions and protect habitats, the US has started building wildlife corridors around major roads and cities. A moose spotting is the latest sign that these efforts seem to be paying off 2358123-what-a-meandering-moose-says-about-us-wildlife-protection-efforts|2358123 The hunt for dark matter: The universe's mysterious gravitational glue https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734254-700-the-hunt-for-dark-matter-the-universes-mysterious-gravitational-glue/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Wed, 08 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000 In pursuit of dark matter, researchers are doing everything from burying vats of xenon deep underground to sending a balloon floating above the Antarctic. When will their creativity pay off? mg25734254-700-the-hunt-for-dark-matter-the-universes-mysterious-gravitational-glue|2358451 The evolutionary origin of paranoia and why it is becoming more common https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734251-300-the-evolutionary-origin-of-paranoia-and-why-it-is-becoming-more-common/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:45:00 +0000 Psychologists are forging a new understanding of paranoia, which is helping to explain why more of us are prone to the condition in today’s uncertain world mg25734251-300-the-evolutionary-origin-of-paranoia-and-why-it-is-becoming-more-common|2357987 How genetically engineered immune cells are beating some cancers https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-300-how-genetically-engineered-immune-cells-are-beating-some-cancers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 In some cases, it is now possible to genetically engineer the immune system to banish cancers like T-cell leukaemia that were previously unresponsive to treatments mg25734243-300-how-genetically-engineered-immune-cells-are-beating-some-cancers|2357137 The AI immune system that's changing our understanding of human health https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-700-the-ai-immune-system-thats-changing-our-understanding-of-human-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Artificial immune systems are intelligent algorithms based on how the immune system learns and remembers and could transform our ability to protect ourselves from biological – and technological - invaders mg25734243-700-the-ai-immune-system-thats-changing-our-understanding-of-human-health|2357141 Why do some people appear to have a naturally strong immune system? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734243-500-why-do-some-people-appear-to-have-a-naturally-strong-immune-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=features Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 We all know someone who never seems to get sick. Now scientists are discovering what makes some people’s immune systems stronger than others mg25734243-500-why-do-some-people-appear-to-have-a-naturally-strong-immune-system|2357139