What is a galaxy? That's a surprisingly difficult question to answer 10. March 2026 (13:00) Figuring out what really counts as a galaxy could give us insights into dark matter and potentially shake up astrophysics, cosmology and particle physics, says columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein(New Scientist)
Mathematics is undergoing the biggest change in its history 10. March 2026 (13:00) The speed at which artificial intelligence is gaining in mathematical ability has taken many by surprise. It is rewriting what it means to be a mathematician(New Scientist)
Why is black rain falling on Iran and how dangerous is it? 09. March 2026 (20:11) US-Israeli strikes on oil facilities have caused black rain to fall on Tehran, but the black smoke filling the air is likely to be a bigger health risk(New Scientist)
We’ve only just confirmed that Homo habilis really existed 09. March 2026 (19:00) Their species name is well known, but until recently we’ve understood very little for certain about Homo habilis. Columnist Michael Marshall reveals what new fossils are telling us about the hominins that have been considered the first humans(New Scientist)
Frailty sets in far earlier than you’d expect, but you can reverse it 09. March 2026 (17:00) We’re learning that frailty can quietly arrive decades before old age, with some people in their 30s or 40s unknowingly in a pre-frail state. There are surprising ways to stay strong – and it’s not all about weight training(New Scientist)
A daily multivitamin may slightly slow rates of ageing 09. March 2026 (17:00) Taking a multivitamin every day might slightly slow the rate of ageing, but the extent to which this is relevant to our health is unclear(New Scientist)
'Singing' dogs may show the evolutionary roots of musicality 09. March 2026 (15:00) Some Samoyeds adjust the pitch of their howls depending on the music being played, showing a form of vocal ability they might have inherited from their wolf ancestors(New Scientist)
The first apes to walk upright may have evolved in Europe 09. March 2026 (13:07) A single femur found in Bulgaria appears to represent an ape or early hominin that walked on two legs before any known African hominin, but the evidence is far from conclusive(New Scientist)
SETI may have missed alien signals because of space weather 09. March 2026 (12:26) SETI has spent decades listening for a sharp, well-defined radio signal that could indicate it was sent by distant intelligent life. Now researchers believe that space weather could distort and blur such signals – meaning SETI has been scanning for the wrong thing(New Scientist)
