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Europa’s underground ocean seems to have the carbon necessary for life

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have shown carbon dioxide on the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa – that’s a good sign for the habitability of its buried seas

21/09/2023

Last chance to see comet Nishimura before it vanishes for 400 years

The comet Nishimura is heading away from the sun and on to the outer reaches of the solar system, so you'll need to be quick if you want to catch a glimpse

21/09/2023

Exquisite spider fossils from Australia offer clues to their evolution

A large brush-footed trapdoor spider and a small jumping spider from the Miocene Epoch between 11 and 16 million years ago show how different arachnids responded to rapidly changing climate

21/09/2023

New Scientist Live: What we are most looking forward to seeing in 2023

Here’s what members of the New Scientist editorial team are keenest to catch at the world’s greatest festival of ideas and discovery, which runs from 7 to 9 October

21/09/2023

'Dark earth' made by Amazon farmers stores carbon for centuries

Nutrient-rich soil known as “dark earth” has been cultivated by Indigenous farmers in the Amazon for centuries, leaving behind a large and still uncounted store of carbon

20/09/2023

Corkscrew-shaped microbot could use sound to spiral through human body

Microscopic helical robot travels through narrow tubes when exposed to sound, and could eventually be used to deliver drugs inside of the body by spiralling through its vasculature.

20/09/2023

Suppressing worrying thoughts may improve our mental health

Rather than recalling and focusing on fearful thoughts, it might sometimes be useful to avoid these imaginings to boost our well-being and avoid symptoms of mental health conditions like depression or PTSD

20/09/2023

Prehistoric people in Spain may have made tools from human bones

The Cueva de los Marmoles cave in Granada, Spain, was used as a prehistoric human burial site. Researchers have found that nearly a third of the bones that remain were altered by tools, possibly to make bowls, cups or spatulas

20/09/2023

Silkworms genetically engineered to produce pure spider silk

Spider silk has been seen as a greener alternative to artificial fibres like nylon and Kevlar, but spiders are notoriously hard to farm. Now researchers have used CRISPR to genetically engineer silkworms that produce pure spider silk

20/09/2023