We may need a fourth law of thermodynamics for living systems 25. November 2025 (20:11) The laws of thermodynamics don't accurately account for the complex processes in living cells – do we need a new one to accurately measure the ways living systems are out of equilibrium?(New Scientist)
The long-overlooked insects that could save our crops 25. November 2025 (17:00) Hoverflies, often mistaken for bees and wasps, pollinate three quarters of our crops. Now we’re discovering we can train them to be even more efficient(New Scientist)
Easily taxed grains were crucial to the birth of the first states 25. November 2025 (11:00) The cultivation of wheat, barley and maize, which are easily stored and taxed, seems to have led to the emergence of large societies, rather than agriculture generally(New Scientist)
Have we found a greener way to do deep-sea mining? 24. November 2025 (13:15) There are widespread concerns that deep-sea mining for metals will damage fragile ecosystems. But if mining ever goes ahead, hydrogen plasma could shrink the carbon footprint of smelting the metal ores(New Scientist)
Sperm's evolutionary origins go back before multicellular animals 24. November 2025 (13:00) Analysis of the DNA and proteins of a range of animals has revealed that sperm’s molecular toolkit arose in our single-celled ancestors, perhaps more than a billion years ago(New Scientist)
COP30 keeps climate cooperation alive but hanging by a thread 24. November 2025 (12:02) The 194 countries still taking part in UN climate negotiations reaffirmed the Paris Agreement following the US withdrawal, even if they agreed on little else(New Scientist)
