New Scientist - News https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458812-killer-cells-explain-differences-in-immunity-between-the-sexes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 06:00:37 +0000 Women are more susceptible to autoimmune conditions than men, but also more protected against infections - and we are starting to understand why 2458812-killer-cells-explain-differences-in-immunity-between-the-sexes|2458812 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458540-these-are-the-most-mind-melting-physics-discoveries-of-2024/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:00:13 +0000 We collected some of the wildest physics that New Scientist covered in 2024, findings that are forcing scientists – and us – to rethink reality 2458540-these-are-the-most-mind-melting-physics-discoveries-of-2024|2458540 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458952-mesopotamians-felt-happiness-in-their-liver-and-anger-in-their-thighs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:00:50 +0000 An analysis of ancient cuneiform texts suggests people thought of emotions in a different way almost 3000 years ago, showing how culture influences our most intimate experiences 2458952-mesopotamians-felt-happiness-in-their-liver-and-anger-in-their-thighs|2458952 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458211-antarctica-is-in-crisis-and-we-are-scrambling-to-understand-its-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:00:09 +0000 The last two years have seen unprecedented falls in the levels of sea ice around Antarctica, which serves as a protective wall for the continent's huge ice sheets. Researchers are now racing to understand the global impact of what could happen next 2458211-antarctica-is-in-crisis-and-we-are-scrambling-to-understand-its-future|2458211 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459102-ai-found-a-new-way-to-create-quantum-entanglement/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 06 Dec 2024 21:30:14 +0000 In a surprise discovery, researchers found a new way to generate quantum entanglement for particles of light, which could make building quantum information networks easier 2459102-ai-found-a-new-way-to-create-quantum-entanglement|2459102 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458932-melting-permafrost-makes-drunken-forests-store-less-carbon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 06 Dec 2024 17:00:50 +0000 As the Arctic ground thaws due to climate change, trees are struggling to stay upright – and this slows their growth and makes them store less carbon 2458932-melting-permafrost-makes-drunken-forests-store-less-carbon|2458932 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459158-mathematicians-have-discovered-a-mind-blowing-new-kind-of-infinity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:00:57 +0000 It may sound strange, but mathematicians have created an entire ladder of infinities, each larger than the next. Now a new kind of infinity threatens to upset that order, and perhaps redefine the structure of the mathematical universe 2459158-mathematicians-have-discovered-a-mind-blowing-new-kind-of-infinity|2459158 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459154-conservationists-are-collecting-semen-from-endangered-wild-sharks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:00:07 +0000 Scuba divers will attempt to collect semen from at least nine wild male leopard sharks for the first time, for use in captive breeding programmes aiming to boost wild populations 2459154-conservationists-are-collecting-semen-from-endangered-wild-sharks|2459154 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458862-we-finally-have-an-explanation-for-2023s-record-breaking-temperatures/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 19:00:01 +0000 A decline in low-lying cloud cover means Earth is absorbing more solar radiation, which could explain 0.2°C of missing heat scientists have been struggling to account for 2458862-we-finally-have-an-explanation-for-2023s-record-breaking-temperatures|2458862 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459134-why-scientists-scanned-giant-hailstones-in-a-dentists-office/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 06 Dec 2024 05:00:14 +0000 A high-resolution view of hailstones the size of tennis balls can reveal how they form – and help researchers better forecast which storms will generate these destructive pieces of ice 2459134-why-scientists-scanned-giant-hailstones-in-a-dentists-office|2459134 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459077-h5n1-bird-flu-is-closer-to-gaining-pandemic-potential-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 19:00:50 +0000 The flu virus currently circulating in birds and dairy cows is already better at infecting people than earlier variants, and a single mutation would allow it to bind to key human receptors 2459077-h5n1-bird-flu-is-closer-to-gaining-pandemic-potential-than-we-thought|2459077 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459008-plants-laced-with-a-variety-of-fungi-are-more-popular-with-bees/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 16:00:09 +0000 Bees visited flowers on plants inoculated with diverse fungi more than plants without this treatment – but not every combination of fungus had the same effect 2459008-plants-laced-with-a-variety-of-fungi-are-more-popular-with-bees|2459008 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458860-tencent-seems-unaffected-by-us-ai-chip-export-ban-research-shows/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:00:24 +0000 A US ban on exporting high-end chips used for AI development to China doesn't seem to have affected Tencent, as US researchers suggest they may have found signs of the tech giant still using the chips 2458860-tencent-seems-unaffected-by-us-ai-chip-export-ban-research-shows|2458860 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459001-robotic-rat-uses-ai-to-befriend-real-rodents/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:00:52 +0000 A robotic wheeled rat that was trained with AI learned how to play and fight with real rodents – and could one day offer companionship to lab rats 2459001-robotic-rat-uses-ai-to-befriend-real-rodents|2459001 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458778-implant-made-with-living-neurons-connects-to-mouse-brains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 04 Dec 2024 21:00:47 +0000 In a unique demonstration of brain implants that incorporate living cells, the devices were able to connect with the brains of live mice 2458778-implant-made-with-living-neurons-connects-to-mouse-brains|2458778 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458844-toddler-bones-show-mammoths-were-the-main-food-of-the-first-americans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:00:53 +0000 The bones of a child who died nearly 13,000 years ago suggest that the people who moved from Asia into North America at this time ate a lot of mammoth 2458844-toddler-bones-show-mammoths-were-the-main-food-of-the-first-americans|2458844 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458465-deepmind-ai-predicts-weather-more-accurately-than-existing-forecasts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:00:48 +0000 The latest weather forecasting AI model from Google DeepMind can beat the leading providers more than 97 per cent of the time, and it is quicker and cheaper to run 2458465-deepmind-ai-predicts-weather-more-accurately-than-existing-forecasts|2458465 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458864-flying-robot-leaps-upwards-and-then-takes-to-the-air-like-a-bird/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:00:17 +0000 A bird-inspired robot called RAVEN can walk, hop and jump into flight, an ability that could help people develop fixed-wing drones that can take off and land anywhere 2458864-flying-robot-leaps-upwards-and-then-takes-to-the-air-like-a-bird|2458864 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458586-new-forms-of-animals-made-by-fusing-several-comb-jellies-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 03 Dec 2024 19:00:26 +0000 Parts from dozens of different individual comb jellies have been fused together to create strange new animals unlike anything seen before 2458586-new-forms-of-animals-made-by-fusing-several-comb-jellies-together|2458586 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458602-a-small-asteroid-hit-earth-and-burned-up-over-siberia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 03 Dec 2024 11:54:49 +0000 Astronomers spotted a 70-centimetre asteroid hours before it hit the atmosphere above northern Siberia, making a fireball in the sky 2458602-a-small-asteroid-hit-earth-and-burned-up-over-siberia|2458602 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458514-when-and-where-did-the-covid-19-pandemic-really-begin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:00:45 +0000 Covid-19 emerged in 2019, but some questions are still unanswered as to its origins 2458514-when-and-where-did-the-covid-19-pandemic-really-begin|2458514 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458531-chatbot-gives-medical-advice-to-hundreds-of-users-in-largest-trial-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 02 Dec 2024 17:29:15 +0000 Users of the healthcare app Alan whose queries were answered by a medical AI reported high satisfaction levels, but one exchange included "potentially dangerous inaccuracies" 2458531-chatbot-gives-medical-advice-to-hundreds-of-users-in-largest-trial-yet|2458531 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458409-temporary-scalp-tattoo-can-be-used-to-record-brain-activity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:00:56 +0000 EEG recordings used in neurology could be made simpler by replacing the usual electrodes, wires and gels with a tattoo printed onto the scalp 2458409-temporary-scalp-tattoo-can-be-used-to-record-brain-activity|2458409 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458249-most-comprehensive-picture-yet-of-how-organs-age-at-different-rates/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:00:08 +0000 Our organs don't seem to age at the same rate, which could mean healthy habits are particularly important at certain times of our lives 2458249-most-comprehensive-picture-yet-of-how-organs-age-at-different-rates|2458249 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458421-heatwaves-are-surpassing-the-extremes-predicted-by-climate-models/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:53:35 +0000 Comparing historical heat extremes with climate simulations has revealed that in parts of the world the models are underestimating how extreme heatwaves are getting 2458421-heatwaves-are-surpassing-the-extremes-predicted-by-climate-models|2458421 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458397-swarms-of-cyborg-cockroaches-could-be-manufactured-by-robots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:04:52 +0000 Robotic equipment can implant electrodes into cockroaches and connect them to an electronic backpack, making it feasible to mass-produce biorobots for search missions 2458397-swarms-of-cyborg-cockroaches-could-be-manufactured-by-robots|2458397 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458237-ancient-footprints-show-how-early-human-species-lived-side-by-side/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Nov 2024 19:00:53 +0000 Footprints preserved on the shore of Lake Turkana in Kenya seem to be from two ancient human species, showing they lived there at the same time about 1.5 million years ago 2458237-ancient-footprints-show-how-early-human-species-lived-side-by-side|2458237 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458263-life-on-mars-could-be-surviving-in-an-area-deep-underground/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:01:47 +0000 The Acidalia Planitia region of the Red Planet might have all the requirements for methane-burping bacteria to exist beneath the surface 2458263-life-on-mars-could-be-surviving-in-an-area-deep-underground|2458263 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457954-the-way-cheerios-stick-together-has-inspired-a-new-kind-of-robot/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Nov 2024 20:00:01 +0000 Tiny robots designed to carry out environmental or industrial tasks could be powered by tricks involving surface tension 2457954-the-way-cheerios-stick-together-has-inspired-a-new-kind-of-robot|2457954 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458226-social-media-algorithms-can-change-your-views-in-just-a-single-day/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Nov 2024 18:00:11 +0000 The content you see on social media is often determined by an algorithm - and it turns out that these algorithms can rapidly change your views 2458226-social-media-algorithms-can-change-your-views-in-just-a-single-day|2458226 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457953-ai-can-analyse-a-decomposing-body-to-help-pinpoint-the-time-of-death/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Nov 2024 17:33:09 +0000 Determining when someone died based on their decomposing body is a subjective task, but artificial intelligence could bring some objectivity to the process 2457953-ai-can-analyse-a-decomposing-body-to-help-pinpoint-the-time-of-death|2457953 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458070-a-little-bit-of-fear-can-bring-down-levels-of-inflammation-in-the-body/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 28 Nov 2024 13:00:43 +0000 Feeling scared seems to reduce elevated levels of inflammation, which may help explain why some people enjoy a haunted attraction 2458070-a-little-bit-of-fear-can-bring-down-levels-of-inflammation-in-the-body|2458070 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458133-bird-flu-may-be-adapting-to-become-more-infectious-to-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:20:21 +0000 Three people in North America without known animal exposures have tested positive for the bird flu virus H5N1, and samples from two of them suggest the virus is adapting to humans 2458133-bird-flu-may-be-adapting-to-become-more-infectious-to-humans|2458133 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:15:05 +0000 Rising carbon dioxide levels are driving an increase in the ocean’s acidity – and this change is sinking deeper as emissions increase, putting even more marine organisms at risk 2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters|2458149 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457923-robot-balloons-are-snapping-centimetre-resolution-photos-of-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:00:12 +0000 Near Space Labs’s autonomous balloon fleet is already taking high-resolution images of the ground, and its range will expand to the entire continental US early next year 2457923-robot-balloons-are-snapping-centimetre-resolution-photos-of-the-us|2457923 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458117-how-could-ukraine-stop-russias-new-oreshnik-missile/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:58:19 +0000 Russia’s new ballistic missile flies on a high arc out of Earth’s atmosphere and releases multiple high-speed projectiles, making it challenging but not impossible to intercept 2458117-how-could-ukraine-stop-russias-new-oreshnik-missile|2458117 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458090-fossilised-droppings-tell-the-story-of-dinosaurs-rise-to-power/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:00:40 +0000 An analysis of hundreds of bromalites – fossilised faeces and vomit – shows how changes in diet enabled dinosaurs to take over the world in the early Jurassic 2458090-fossilised-droppings-tell-the-story-of-dinosaurs-rise-to-power|2458090 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457910-orcas-have-begun-wearing-salmon-hats-again-and-we-may-soon-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:00:34 +0000 About 40 years ago, researchers noticed a population of orcas had begun swimming around with dead fish on their heads, and now the craze is back 2457910-orcas-have-begun-wearing-salmon-hats-again-and-we-may-soon-know-why|2457910 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457948-record-breaking-diamond-storage-can-save-data-for-millions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:00:06 +0000 Researchers have used lasers to encode information in diamonds, demonstrating record-breaking data density in an ultra-stable and long-lasting system 2457948-record-breaking-diamond-storage-can-save-data-for-millions-of-years|2457948 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457329-how-safe-is-the-us-food-supply/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:39:27 +0000 Food in the US has a bad rap thanks to outbreaks caused by bacteria, plus processing, additives and food dyes, but the food supply is actually much less risky than people think 2457329-how-safe-is-the-us-food-supply|2457329 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456168-changing-a-single-number-among-billions-can-destroy-an-ai-model/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:00:27 +0000 Today's huge AI models are composed of several billion numbers known as weights and changing just one of them can destroy their ability to function, leading to “gibberish” output 2456168-changing-a-single-number-among-billions-can-destroy-an-ai-model|2456168 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457733-forest-schools-dont-actually-boost-most-childrens-mental-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:00:04 +0000 Swapping classrooms for the woods doesn't appear to improve most children's mental health, but they may still enjoy it 2457733-forest-schools-dont-actually-boost-most-childrens-mental-health|2457733 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456588-super-bright-black-holes-could-reveal-if-the-universe-is-pixelated/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:35:24 +0000 Space-time may not be continuous but instead made up of many discrete bits – and we may be able to see their effects near the edges of unusually bright black holes 2456588-super-bright-black-holes-could-reveal-if-the-universe-is-pixelated|2456588 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457816-salt-batteries-are-finally-shaping-up-thats-good-for-the-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:00:50 +0000 With lithium in short supply, sodium-ion batteries might offer cheap energy storage with less environmental impact 2457816-salt-batteries-are-finally-shaping-up-thats-good-for-the-planet|2457816 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457800-what-will-it-take-to-solve-our-planets-plastic-pollution-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:20:20 +0000 Countries are meeting in South Korea this week to hash out the final details of a global treaty aimed at eliminating plastic pollution — here's what experts say it needs to include 2457800-what-will-it-take-to-solve-our-planets-plastic-pollution-crisis|2457800 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457782-older-people-may-have-better-immunity-against-bird-flu-virus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 18:00:42 +0000 Most people born before 1968 have antibodies against flu viruses similar to the H5N1 strain circulating today, which might lower their risk of severe illness 2457782-older-people-may-have-better-immunity-against-bird-flu-virus|2457782 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457314-this-start-up-is-removing-carbon-from-a-polluted-new-york-city-river/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:00:09 +0000 Projects to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by making the oceans less acidic are popping up all over the world – New Scientist visited one in New York City’s East river 2457314-this-start-up-is-removing-carbon-from-a-polluted-new-york-city-river|2457314 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456378-why-gene-editors-want-to-treat-fetuses-when-they-are-still-in-the-womb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:00:03 +0000 Gene editing in the womb could be more effective than the same treatment after birth, as it is easier to deliver the necessary genetic machinery to fetal cells 2456378-why-gene-editors-want-to-treat-fetuses-when-they-are-still-in-the-womb|2456378 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457711-anger-over-cop29-finance-deal-threatens-progress-on-carbon-cuts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:34:29 +0000 A reluctant deal finalised at the COP29 climate summit isn't generous enough to encourage nations to submit more ambitious climate plans, delegates warn 2457711-anger-over-cop29-finance-deal-threatens-progress-on-carbon-cuts|2457711 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457391-exploding-interstellar-space-rocks-could-explain-mystery-radio-flashes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:19 +0000 Enigmatic phenomena called fast radio bursts might be caused by interstellar objects colliding with highly magnetised neutron stars 2457391-exploding-interstellar-space-rocks-could-explain-mystery-radio-flashes|2457391 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456542-ibm-entangled-two-quantum-chips-to-work-together-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:39 +0000 IBM has bet big on a modular approach to building quantum computers, and now it has successfully linked two quantum chips together to operate as a single device, a key step towards that goal 2456542-ibm-entangled-two-quantum-chips-to-work-together-for-the-first-time|2456542 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457233-ai-simulations-of-1000-people-accurately-replicate-their-behaviour/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:55:25 +0000 Using GPT-4o, the model behind ChatGPT, researchers have replicated the personality and behaviour of more than 1000 people, in an effort to create an alternative to focus groups and polling 2457233-ai-simulations-of-1000-people-accurately-replicate-their-behaviour|2457233 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457551-hunter-gatherers-built-a-massive-fish-trap-in-belize-4000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:00:15 +0000 Earthen channels that span more than 640 kilometres show that pre-Mayan Mesoamericans built large-scale fish-trapping facilities earlier than previously thought 2457551-hunter-gatherers-built-a-massive-fish-trap-in-belize-4000-years-ago|2457551 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457640-meteorite-crystals-show-evidence-of-hot-water-on-ancient-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:00:14 +0000 A rock that formed around 4.5 billion years ago on Mars before being blasted into space by a meteor strike and making its way to Earth contains telltale evidence that it was formed in the presence of hot water 2457640-meteorite-crystals-show-evidence-of-hot-water-on-ancient-mars|2457640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456603-risk-algorithm-used-widely-in-us-courts-is-harsher-than-human-judges/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:00:34 +0000 When deciding whether to let people await trial at home or in jail, US judges can use a risk score algorithm. But it often makes harsher recommendations than humans do 2456603-risk-algorithm-used-widely-in-us-courts-is-harsher-than-human-judges|2456603 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457490-bacteria-found-in-asteroid-sample-but-theyre-not-from-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:42:05 +0000 The unexpected discovery of microbial life in a piece of rock from an asteroid shows how hard it is to avoid contaminating samples brought back to Earth 2457490-bacteria-found-in-asteroid-sample-but-theyre-not-from-space|2457490 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457077-crushed-rocks-outpace-giant-fans-in-race-to-remove-co2-from-air/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:00:26 +0000 New technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are growing in scale –though their effect on the climate remains negligible 2457077-crushed-rocks-outpace-giant-fans-in-race-to-remove-co2-from-air|2457077 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457333-majority-of-people-believe-their-devices-spy-on-them-to-serve-up-ads/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:00:51 +0000 There is no evidence that advertisers use covert recordings of conversations to target people with adverts, an accusation widely denied by the industry, and yet this belief persists 2457333-majority-of-people-believe-their-devices-spy-on-them-to-serve-up-ads|2457333 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456786-what-to-know-about-creatine-the-gym-supplement-with-wide-benefits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 22 Nov 2024 07:00:31 +0000 Creatine is commonly associated with athletes and bodybuilders, but the popular supplement seems to have broad benefits on everything from ageing to brain function 2456786-what-to-know-about-creatine-the-gym-supplement-with-wide-benefits|2456786 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457464-chimpanzees-seem-to-get-more-technologically-advanced-through-culture/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:00:26 +0000 Groups of wild chimpanzees with more complex tool-using behaviours tend to be genetically linked, providing evidence for cumulative culture in other apes 2457464-chimpanzees-seem-to-get-more-technologically-advanced-through-culture|2457464 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457305-brainwave-experiment-shows-minke-whales-have-ultrasonic-hearing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:00:25 +0000 In the first hearing test of live baleen whales, the animals detected much higher frequency sounds than expected, forcing researchers to reconsider how these mammals respond to predators – and humans 2457305-brainwave-experiment-shows-minke-whales-have-ultrasonic-hearing|2457305 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457260-worlds-thinnest-spaghetti-wont-please-gourmands-but-may-heal-wounds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:30:04 +0000 Spaghetti strands that are 200 times thinner than a human hair could be woven into bandages to help prevent infections 2457260-worlds-thinnest-spaghetti-wont-please-gourmands-but-may-heal-wounds|2457260 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457519-common-chemical-in-drinking-water-hasnt-been-tested-for-safety/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 21:47:30 +0000 Chloramine is used as a disinfectant in drinking water systems from the US to Australia. Research now shows it breaks down into a compound that may have negative health impacts 2457519-common-chemical-in-drinking-water-hasnt-been-tested-for-safety|2457519 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2457478-icelands-reykjanes-volcanic-eruption-captured-in-stunning-drone-shots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:20:08 +0000 A new volcanic eruption has occurred on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula, the seventh this year 2457478-icelands-reykjanes-volcanic-eruption-captured-in-stunning-drone-shots|2457478 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456589-a-sliver-of-lab-grown-wood-has-been-made-from-stem-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:30:14 +0000 Growing wood directly from stem cells could offer an alternative to cutting threatened hardwood trees, but it isn't clear if it has same properties as actual wood 2456589-a-sliver-of-lab-grown-wood-has-been-made-from-stem-cells|2456589 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457090-worm-like-fossil-is-the-oldest-ancestor-of-spiders-and-crustaceans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:41:50 +0000 Arthropods belong to an evolutionary branch – the ecdysozoa – that contains about half of all animal species, and the earliest fossil evidence of the group now dates back 550 million years 2457090-worm-like-fossil-is-the-oldest-ancestor-of-spiders-and-crustaceans|2457090 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457273-weve-taken-a-photo-of-a-star-in-another-galaxy-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:00:12 +0000 Using four telescopes linked together, astronomers have captured an astonishing image of a huge star more than 160,000 light years away 2457273-weve-taken-a-photo-of-a-star-in-another-galaxy-for-the-first-time|2457273 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457336-nectar-loving-ethiopian-wolves-may-be-the-first-carnivore-pollinators/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:17:58 +0000 Endangered Ethiopian wolves feed on the nectar of red hot poker plants, and may transport pollen from flower to flower as they do so 2457336-nectar-loving-ethiopian-wolves-may-be-the-first-carnivore-pollinators|2457336 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456661-robotic-pigeon-reveals-how-birds-fly-without-a-vertical-tail-fin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:00:43 +0000 A flying robot uses its bird-like tail to maintain stability in flight – a technique that could enable more aerodynamic aircraft designs that use less fuel 2456661-robotic-pigeon-reveals-how-birds-fly-without-a-vertical-tail-fin|2456661 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456887-planet-10-times-the-size-of-earth-is-one-of-the-youngest-ever-found/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:52 +0000 A large planet has been spotted orbiting a dwarf star that is just 3 million years old, offering possible clues to how the worlds in our solar system came into being 2456887-planet-10-times-the-size-of-earth-is-one-of-the-youngest-ever-found|2456887 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457207-google-deepmind-ai-can-expertly-fix-errors-in-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:23 +0000 Quantum computers could get a boost from artificial intelligence, thanks to a model created by Google DeepMind that cleans up quantum errors 2457207-google-deepmind-ai-can-expertly-fix-errors-in-quantum-computers|2457207 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456985-quantum-computers-hit-a-crucial-milestone-for-error-free-calculation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:30:59 +0000 The largest number of logical qubits has been linked through quantum entanglement, which is a key step towards quantum computers that can detect and correct errors 2456985-quantum-computers-hit-a-crucial-milestone-for-error-free-calculation|2456985 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456682-are-calories-on-menus-doing-more-harm-than-good/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:12:40 +0000 Many restaurants in countries such as England and the US now print calories on their menus, but some researchers question whether this is really tackling their obesity problem 2456682-are-calories-on-menus-doing-more-harm-than-good|2456682 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457069-see-the-sun-revealed-in-stunning-glory-by-solar-orbiter-pictures/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:00:24 +0000 The best pictures we have of the sun yet have been delivered thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft 2457069-see-the-sun-revealed-in-stunning-glory-by-solar-orbiter-pictures|2457069 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456892-being-in-space-makes-it-harder-for-astronauts-to-think-quickly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 05:00:24 +0000 The effects of being in space can worsen an astronaut's working memory, processing speed and attention - which could be a problem for future missions 2456892-being-in-space-makes-it-harder-for-astronauts-to-think-quickly|2456892 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456766-einsteins-theories-tested-on-the-largest-scale-ever-he-was-right/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 20 Nov 2024 01:00:36 +0000 Analysis of millions of galaxies upholds Albert Einstein’s ideas about gravity and also offers tantalising new hints of how dark energy may have evolved 2456766-einsteins-theories-tested-on-the-largest-scale-ever-he-was-right|2456766 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456779-worlds-new-fastest-supercomputer-is-built-to-simulate-nuclear-bombs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:02:17 +0000 The vast computational power of the El Capitan supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California will be used to support the US nuclear deterrent 2456779-worlds-new-fastest-supercomputer-is-built-to-simulate-nuclear-bombs|2456779 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456877-heart-shaped-mollusc-has-windows-that-work-like-fibre-optics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:00:33 +0000 Tiny, solid windows in the shells of heart cockles let in light for the photosynthetic algae inside them – and they could show us how to make better fibre-optic cables 2456877-heart-shaped-mollusc-has-windows-that-work-like-fibre-optics|2456877 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456796-a-giant-hornet-from-asia-has-appeared-in-europe-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:58:57 +0000 Four southern giant hornets have been identified in northern Spain, leading to concerns that the species could harm native insects if it becomes widespread 2456796-a-giant-hornet-from-asia-has-appeared-in-europe-for-the-first-time|2456796 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456416-wild-cavefish-can-somehow-survive-with-almost-no-sleep-at-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:00:02 +0000 Several populations of Mexican tetra fish that live in darkness have independently evolved to need hardly any sleep, but the reason why is a mystery 2456416-wild-cavefish-can-somehow-survive-with-almost-no-sleep-at-all|2456416 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456674-were-starting-to-understand-why-some-people-regain-weight-they-lost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 18:36:16 +0000 Changes to the structure of DNA within fat cells may be why it is often so hard to keep weight off after you have lost it 2456674-were-starting-to-understand-why-some-people-regain-weight-they-lost|2456674 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456653-ai-maths-assistant-could-help-solve-problems-that-humans-are-stuck-on/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:00:18 +0000 Most mathematicians have been reluctant to start working with artificial intelligence, but a new tool developed by researchers at Meta may change that 2456653-ai-maths-assistant-could-help-solve-problems-that-humans-are-stuck-on|2456653 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455476-starship-live-watch-musk-launch-sixth-starship-test-as-trump-attends/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:32:27 +0000 Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. It aims to conduct the launch at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). Here’s everything we know so far 2455476-starship-live-watch-musk-launch-sixth-starship-test-as-trump-attends|2455476 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:00:05 +0000 A supercomputer simulation of iron and carbon atoms in Earth’s inner core may explain how a molten ball at the centre of our planet froze solid 2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core|2456287 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:59:47 +0000 The weird thermodynamics found in time crystals could be harnessed to store energy in a quantum battery-like device 2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy|2456433 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456548-countries-are-cheating-their-way-to-net-zero-by-overrelying-on-forests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:00:25 +0000 Leading researchers warn that relying on "passive" carbon sinks such as forests to absorb ongoing carbon emissions will doom the world to continued warming 2456548-countries-are-cheating-their-way-to-net-zero-by-overrelying-on-forests|2456548 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456610-vital-atlantic-ocean-current-is-already-weakening-due-to-melting-ice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:28:51 +0000 A study modelling the impact of melting ice suggests scientists have underestimated the risk that an important ocean current will shut down and cause climate chaos 2456610-vital-atlantic-ocean-current-is-already-weakening-due-to-melting-ice|2456610 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456451-evidence-is-growing-that-microbes-in-your-mouth-contribute-to-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:21 +0000 The oral microbiome is increasingly being linked to head and neck cancer, but we don't yet understand its exact role 2456451-evidence-is-growing-that-microbes-in-your-mouth-contribute-to-cancer|2456451 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456043-exquisite-bird-fossil-provides-clues-to-the-evolution-of-avian-brains/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:00:11 +0000 Palaeontologists have pieced together the brain structure of a bird that lived 80 million years ago named Navaornis hestiae, thanks to a remarkably well-preserved fossil   2456043-exquisite-bird-fossil-provides-clues-to-the-evolution-of-avian-brains|2456043 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456291-people-prefer-ai-generated-poems-to-shakespeare-and-dickinson/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:00:19 +0000 Readers give higher ratings to AI-generated poetry than the works of poets such as William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson – perhaps because they often have more straightforward themes and simpler structure 2456291-people-prefer-ai-generated-poems-to-shakespeare-and-dickinson|2456291 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:00:52 +0000 With the help of a ruby cube and two laser beams, researchers made one ray of light cast a shadow when illuminated by the other 2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow|2456023 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455790-how-a-single-gopher-restored-a-landscape-devastated-by-a-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Mon, 11 Nov 2024 18:00:53 +0000 Never underestimate what a single gopher can achieve in a day: one of the burrowing mammals helped boost soil fungi in an area blanketed by ash from the explosive eruption of Mount St Helens in Washington state 2455790-how-a-single-gopher-restored-a-landscape-devastated-by-a-volcano|2455790 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456510-australia-wants-to-ban-social-media-for-under-16s-but-it-wont-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:00:12 +0000 Attempts to prevent Australian children from accessing social media are likely to fail, and could do more harm than good 2456510-australia-wants-to-ban-social-media-for-under-16s-but-it-wont-work|2456510 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455818-how-we-misunderstood-what-the-lucy-fossil-reveals-about-ancient-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:00:39 +0000 It has been 50 years since archaeologists discovered Lucy, perhaps the most famous ancient hominin ever found. But the scientists who have studied her say that this fossil gave us a misleading image of the nature of her species 2455818-how-we-misunderstood-what-the-lucy-fossil-reveals-about-ancient-humans|2455818 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455173-ai-models-work-together-faster-when-they-speak-their-own-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:00:06 +0000 Letting AI models communicate with each other in their internal mathematical language, rather than translating back and forth to English, could accelerate their task-solving abilities 2455173-ai-models-work-together-faster-when-they-speak-their-own-language|2455173 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455806-theres-a-new-twist-on-the-famous-invisible-gorilla-psychology-study/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 09:00:04 +0000 A classic study found that people can fail to notice a gorilla when they are focusing on something else, but new experiments suggest this "inattentional blindness" might not tell the whole story 2455806-theres-a-new-twist-on-the-famous-invisible-gorilla-psychology-study|2455806 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456488-satellites-spot-methane-leaks-but-super-emitters-dont-fix-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:00:28 +0000 Governments and companies almost never take action when satellites alert them about large methane leaks coming from oil and gas infrastructure 2456488-satellites-spot-methane-leaks-but-super-emitters-dont-fix-them|2456488 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456438-cop29-host-azerbaijan-faces-climate-disaster-as-caspian-sea-dries-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:00:20 +0000 Water levels in the Caspian Sea are set to fall dramatically as the climate gets hotter, posing a major threat to economic activity and ecosystems in the region 2456438-cop29-host-azerbaijan-faces-climate-disaster-as-caspian-sea-dries-up|2456438 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455919-a-200-year-old-mystery-about-newts-has-finally-been-solved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:00:01 +0000 A genetic flaw dooms half of all crested newts to die before they hatch – now we know how this baffling evolutionary quirk came about 2455919-a-200-year-old-mystery-about-newts-has-finally-been-solved|2455919 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456391-a-unique-pair-of-galactic-lenses-may-help-solve-a-cosmological-riddle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=news Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:07:15 +0000 Two massive galaxies are bending light from the same distant quasar, creating a so-called Einstein zigzag lens that could help astronomers pin down how quickly the universe is expanding 2456391-a-unique-pair-of-galactic-lenses-may-help-solve-a-cosmological-riddle|2456391