Stay informed about scientific discoveries, research developments and new findings from around the world.
The Active Denial System uses millimeter waves to heat people’s skin from as far as a kilometer away
Last week, Tesla unveiled a new "flying" edition of its Roadster electric vehicle. While some experts remain skeptical that the new "Rocket" EV is feasible in the real world, the demonstration reignited a long-standing debate about whether flying cars could soon become a reality. In response to this demonstration, Live Science polled its readers on whether they think flying cars will be available to consumers in the next five years. Over 280 readers responded, with the largest voting group, 34% of readers, picking "No, we need more than five years for flying cars to take off." The next-highest voting bloc was even more skeptical with 23% of readers choosing "No, flying cars will never happen...
In people being treated for blood cancer, consuming sugar while on antibiotics boosted harm to the diversity of the gut microbiome.
A scanning electron micrograph of a melanoma cellScience Photo Library/Alamy A personalised mRNA vaccine for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is expected to be approved for use in the US, Europe and the UK next year. The vaccine is designed to stimulate immune responses against genetic mutations that are unique to an individual’s cancer. When used alongside standard treatment in a late-stage trial, it substantially cut the risk of cancer recurrence or death within the next two years. “I think approval could be quick, and next year sounds reasonable,” says Alan Melcher at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, who wasn’t involved in the trial. Read more Rare cancer spread bet...
Supporters of Lula protest at Meta’s headquarters in DublinNatalia Campos/Getty Images A deluge of AI-generated content and unfair treatment by social media platforms could prove pivotal in Brazil’s presidential election, according to supporters of the left-wing incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula will face off against right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro on 25 October in the second round of the contest. Lula’s campaign has formally accused Meta – which owns WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook – of favouring Bolsonaro by suspending Lula’s campaign advertising account, suppressing posts and blocking AI-generated content. Read more The truth about social media and screen time’s impact on ...
Autoimmune conditions are much more common in women than men, which could partly be due to the fluctuating body temperatures that occur during the menstrual cycle and menopause
Switching to an electric stove from a lung-irritating gas one may improve asthma symptoms. But if you’re stuck with gas, reducing exposure may help.
It is possible to take lessons from exposure therapy and apply them outside the clinic, experts say
Deep beneath Japan’s Kikai caldera, a massive magma reservoir is refilling 7,300 years after one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in Earth's recent geological history. Scientists used underwater seismic surveys to reveal a vast store of magma that appears to have accumulated since the ancient catastrophe. The discovery could help explain how supervolcanoes like Yellowstone and Toba rebuild their magma supplies.
Researchers have uncovered a surprising reason dental implant infections often resist antibiotics: the implants themselves can contribute to the problem. Bacteria corrode titanium implants, releasing microscopic particles that hijack immune cells, trigger destructive inflammation, and accelerate jawbone loss.
A newly FDA-cleared PTSD treatment uses personalized brain mapping and magnetic stimulation to target abnormal brain activity, with a clinical trial reporting a 52% reduction in symptoms and 68% remission. Researchers believe the technology could transform PTSD care and pave the way for more precise treatments for other mental health conditions.
Although Phobos and Deimos may look like lumpy space potatoes, they’re actually moons of Mars. No one knows how they formed, but a newly launched spacecraft should soon offer answers
MIT engineers have built a paper-thin swimming robot powered by living muscle cells that respond to flashes of light, allowing it to swim and steer through water. The breakthrough could pave the way for tiny, self-healing biological robots capable of exploring fragile environments that ordinary machines cannot safely navigate.
Researchers have solved a long-standing challenge in understanding how tiny defects in materials like diamond and silicon carbide behave when exposed to light. Their new computational method revealed a surprisingly important energy-loss mechanism in silicon carbide that scientists had previously underestimated. The finding helps explain a mystery that has puzzled researchers for years and could improve the design of quantum computers and sensors.
A seven-year study found that people with Parkinson’s disease who were more physically active experienced slower declines in memory, thinking, and movement abilities. Those exercising more than eight hours per week showed almost no average cognitive decline, suggesting that staying active may offer important benefits as the disease progresses.
A definition would help Americans eat healthier food, experts say. It's turned out to be harder than expected
The science of handling uncertainty, anxiety and stress
With artificial intelligence (AI), scientists have a powerful new tool for creating never-before-seen proteins, which can be used to make either groundbreaking new medicines or devastating bioweapons. To help guard against nefarious uses of these proteins, scientists have recently figured out a way to "watermark" them without compromising their function. A team from Google DeepMind developed this technique to better track the provenance of AI-designed proteins."This has the potential to reduce biosecurity threats, such as unauthorized toxin creation, and may help with database curation, preventing artificial designs from cluttering the standard databases," said Roy Sleator, a biology profess...
Switzerland’s glaciers are disappearing at an alarming rate, losing more than 5% of their ice volume in 2026 alone. Some of the country’s most famous glaciers experienced their worst melting on record, while several smaller glaciers vanished completely. Nearly 20% of Switzerland’s glacier ice has disappeared in just five years, driven by unusually snowless winters and extreme summer heat.
Emily St. John Mandel, best known for her prescient flu pandemic novel Station Eleven, joined the New Scientist Book Club to talk about her latest book, the science-fiction novel Exit Party. Emily discussed everything from why she is compelled to write about the aftermath of disaster – this latest book takes place in a near-future US, after a civil war – to how hard it was to keep ahead of the US news cycle as she wrote. Read more Read an extract from Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel
A tiny region deep within the brain has surprised scientists by revealing a remarkably sophisticated communication system. Previously thought to broadcast the same chemical signal throughout the brain, this region actually sends targeted messages that help control learning, attention, and behavior, according to new research in mice.
What exactly is a mathematical proof? Columnist Jacob Aron breaks down how mathematicians plot a course to answer open questions, and how finding several solutions to the same problem is an important part of the whole endeavour of maths
Forty years after the Chornobyl disaster, tiny radioactive particles still linger in the soil, carrying a dangerous legacy. Using powerful X-rays, scientists discovered that some of these particles have remained surprisingly stable, trapping radioactive substances inside instead of releasing them into the environment.
A massive analysis of 2,884 exploding stars has uncovered new evidence that dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the universe’s expansion, may change over time. The findings challenge a cornerstone of modern cosmology and could reshape our understanding of how the universe works.