Science News
World's first tunnel to a magma chamber could unleash unlimited energy
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 16:00
In Iceland, scientists are planning to drill two boreholes to a reservoir of liquid rock. One will give us our first direct measurements of magma - the other could supercharge geothermal power
Sharks can be deterred from beaches by catching and releasing them
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 14:44
A non-lethal method of catching great white sharks and releasing them 500 metres further out to sea can make the predators steer clear of beaches where people swim
Severe covid-19 infections linked to increased risk of schizophrenia
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 12:00
People with severe covid-19 infections are more than 4 times as likely to later be diagnosed with schizophrenia than people who have not been infected, though the risk of developing the condition is relatively low
How the Growing Brain Processes Surprises
Neuroscience News - 3 Jan 2024 23:40
Researchers studied mice to understand how the brain processes unexpected stimuli during development. They found that the brain's response to surprises changes as we grow, becoming more efficient in categorizing stimuli ...
Poor Sleep Quality in Middle Age Linked to Future Cognitive Decline
Neuroscience News - 3 Jan 2024 23:17
New research suggests that disrupted sleep in one's 30s and 40s may lead to memory and cognitive problems a decade later. While the study doesn't establish a causal relationship, it highlights an association between slee...
Ear Infections Can Impact Children's Language Skills Long-Term
Neuroscience News - 3 Jan 2024 22:59
A new study highlights the long-term impact of chronic ear infections on children's language development. The study reveals that repeated, temporary hearing loss caused by ear infections can lead to deficits in auditory ...
Total solar eclipse April 2024: The 10 biggest cities within the path of totality
Live Science - 3 Jan 2024 20:54
On April 8, 2024, more than 31 million people in North America will witness a total solar eclipse, around a third of them in just 10 cities.
Massive pliosaur skull sheds light on ancient sea reptile
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
The subject of a new David Attenborough documentary, a stunning pliosaur fossil unearthed in the UK is teaching us more about these deadly predators
'This century is special': Martin Rees on the vast span of time
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
Cosmology has transformed our understanding of time past and the aeons to come, pointing to a deep future in which life may morph into incredible forms, says Astronomer Royal Martin Rees
Celebrating dark skies at a festival in deepest Denmark
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
At a novel sci-art festival celebrating the many cultural and scientific needs for dark skies in a time of serious light pollution, Alex Wilkins looks for hope
How Bulgarian yogurt could help us colonise Mars
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
Feedback reads up on the latest research into how Bulgarian-style yogurt could enhance astronauts' performance during missions to Mars - but might affect flatulence frequency
Molecular Storms review: Unsung physics helps unpick life's complexity
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
Liam Graham's book is an ambitious, sometimes technical bid to explain how unflashy thermodynamics answers deep questions about the structure of our cells, Earth and the universe
Spare a moment to think about the possibilities in our eternal future
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 20:00
Cosmology has transformed our understanding of time past and the aeons to come, pointing to a deep future in which life may morph into incredible forms, says astronomer royal Martin Rees
1.75-billion-year-old fossils help explain how photosynthesis evolved
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 18:00
Fossilised bacteria from Australia contain the earliest evidence of photosynthetic structures called thylakoids, which may have driven the accumulation of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere
Membrane-destroying drug works against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 18:00
A newly discovered drug treated infections in mice caused by a strain of bacteria that is resistant to most available antibiotics
Most large fishing boats go untracked as 'dark vessels'
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 18:00
An AI analysis of satellite images reveals fishing, shipping and offshore development activities worldwide by monitoring boats that don't publicly broadcast their location
Supernova neutrinos could break physics - if we can make sense of them
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 18:00
Neutrinos produced inside an exploding star could betray exotic particles that would lead to a deeper theory of physics. Will our detectors be ready in time for the next nearby supernova?
Nanotyrannus vs. T. rex saga continues: Controversial study 'doesn't settle the question at all'
Live Science - 3 Jan 2024 17:27
A new study of long-debated dinosaur fossils has found growth patterns inconsistent with those of T. rex, suggesting the bones belong to a distinct species, but other experts aren't convinced.
Non-toxic quantum dots pave the way towards CMOS shortwave infrared image sensors for consumer electronics
Phys.org - 3 Jan 2024 17:01
Invisible to our eyes, shortwave infrared (SWIR) light can enable unprecedented reliability, function and performance in high-volume, computer vision first applications in service robotics, automotive and consumer electr...
Psychedelic Drugs Are Rushing Towards Approval for Therapy. Here's What's Next
Singularity Hub - 3 Jan 2024 17:00
Psychedelics made their mark this year--not as counterculture party drugs, but as a new paradigm in mental health therapy. In June, Australia became the first country to greenlight MDMA, popularly known as molly or ecsta...
The use of deep learning for phase recovery
Phys.org - 3 Jan 2024 16:22
Light, as an electromagnetic field, has two essential components: amplitude and phase. However, optical detectors, usually relying on photon-to-electron conversion (such as charge-coupled device sensors and the human eye...
How to spot the Quadrantids meteor shower on 3 and 4 January
New Scientist - 3 Jan 2024 16:00
The 2024 Quadrantids meteor shower will peak on 3 and 4 January. While moonlight may get in the way, here's what to do for your best chance of spotting it