A blazar may have blasted dark matter at Earth M. Weiss/CfA/NASA An extremely high-energy particle that was spotted tearing through Earth has left scientists flummoxed ever since it was discovered. While many researchers believe the particle was an unusual neutrino, some are now suggesting it may be something even wilder: a particle of dark matter…
How can the strange properties of quantum particles be exploited to perform extremely accurate measurements? This question is at the heart of the research field of quantum metrology. One example is the atomic clock, which uses the quantum properties of atoms to measure time much more accurately than would be possible with conventional clocks. However,…
CT scan of the front of a skate, showing the hard, tooth-like denticles (orange) on its skin Yara Haridy Teeth first evolved as sensory organs, not for chewing, according to a new analysis of animal fossils. The first tooth-like structures seem to have been sensitive nodules on the skin of early fish that could detect…
An artist’s impression of a Dyson sphere Aicrovision/Shutterstock If advanced alien civilisations are building vast satellite swarms designed to harvest a star’s energy, we should be able to see them – so why haven’t we? One answer might be that these structures, known as Dyson spheres, will likely destroy themselves before we can spot one,…
One of the modified grey wolves created by Colossal Colossal Biosciences The dire wolf is “the world’s first successfully de-extincted animal”, Colossal Biosciences claimed on 7 April. And many people seemed to believe it. New Scientist was one of the few media outlets to reject the claim, pointing out that the animals created by Colossal…
Adelie penguins on sea ice off the Antarctic Peninsula Ashley Cooper pics/Alamy Fumes of ammonia rising from piles of droppings in Antarctica’s crowded penguin colonies help boost the formation of clouds, which have a cooling effect by reflecting sunlight away from the surface. “This demonstrates a deep connection between the ecosystem and atmospheric processes,” says Matthew…
A map showing anomalies in the moon’s gravitational field, based on data from NASA’s GRAIL mission NASA/JPL-Caltech/MIT/GSFC Earth’s gravitational pull on the moon has revealed that our satellite’s interior is warmer on its near side, the one facing our planet, suggesting its insides are uneven. We have known that the moon’s near side looks different…
The Prince of Wales has described Sir David Attenborough as a “big inspiration” to him growing up, and the motivation behind his new wildlife documentary highlighting the work of rangers. In an unexpected appearance at a screening earlier this week, Prince William credited the veteran nature presenter with “being able to present wonderful parts of…
New research has found that those who consume a diverse range of foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples, could lower their risk of developing serious health conditions and have the potential to live longer. The study was led by a team of researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, Edith Cowan…
BBC Listen to this article. I step into the booth with some trepidation. I am about to be subjected to strobe lighting while music plays – as part of a research project trying to understand what makes us truly human. It’s an experience that brings to mind the test in the science fiction film Bladerunner,…
