Feedback isn’t entirely convinced by a new piece of research that claims by 2339 “there will be no humans”, even though the authors used three methods to make their calculation
Author: hatman
There is a major psychological flaw in how society punishes people
Our experiments have revealed that we’re getting it wrong when it comes to crime and punishment. This is undermining society, say Raihan Alam and Tage Rai
New Scientist recommends Sheri S. Tepper’s science fiction novel Grass
The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week
Del Toro’s Frankenstein is a sumptuous take on a classic parable
With enthralling visuals and intense performances, this version of Mary Shelley’s sci-fi tale reminds us to ask not only if we can create life, but if we can live with our creations, says Davide Abbatescianni
Why the next generation of mRNA vaccines is set to be even better
Scientists are designing mRNA vaccines to produce virus-like nanoparticles, which should lead to a more robust immune response with even fewer side effects than either of these immunisation approaches on their own
Ancient lead exposure may have influenced how our brains evolved
Lead poisoning isn’t just a modern phenomenon: fossil teeth show signs that it affected ancient hominids, and Homo sapiens may have coped better than our close relatives
Dinosaur fossil rewrites the story of how sauropods got long necks
A 230-million-year-old fossil found in Argentina shows that the evolution of sauropod dinosaurs’ long necks began earlier than previously thought
The 30-year fight over how many numbers we need to describe reality
In 1992, three physicists began an argument about how many numbers we need to fully describe the universe. Their surprisingly long-running quarrel takes us to the heart of what’s truly real
CO2 levels in Earth’s atmosphere jumped by a record amount in 2024
The global average concentration of CO2 surged by 3.5 parts per million to reach 423.9 ppm last year, fuelling worries that the planet’s ability to soak up excess carbon is weakening
The AI bubble is heading towards a burst but it won’t be the end of AI
Economists, bankers and even the boss of OpenAI are warning of a rapidly inflating AI bubble. If and when it bursts, what will happen to the technological breakthroughs of the past few years?