Complex knots can actually be easier to untie than simple ones 15. July 2025 (13:00) Mathematicians have solved a decades-old problem in knot theory, discovering that linking two knots together can actually produce a knot that is easier to untie – the opposite of what was expected(New Scientist)
Water might be even more important for alien life than we thought 15. July 2025 (11:00) Without enough liquid water on the surface, a planet's atmosphere can become choked with carbon dioxide, raising temperatures to a level beyond what is survivable for all known life(New Scientist)
Built-in fire extinguishers can prevent battery explosions 14. July 2025 (22:00) Adding fire-suppressing chemicals into batteries can prevent overheating, fires and explosions, cutting the risks for electric vehicles and portable electronics(New Scientist)
Nor'easters slamming New England are growing more powerful 14. July 2025 (22:00) Much like hurricanes further south, the strongest storms to pummel the US north-east are getting even stronger as sea surface temperatures rise(New Scientist)
The truth about de-extinction: is it even possible, and why do it? 14. July 2025 (18:00) Ambitious projects aim to put dire wolves, woolly mammoths and passenger pigeons back into our ecosystems. But with so many technical and ethical hurdles, what is the real motivation?(New Scientist)
Are batteries based on contact lenses the future of energy storage? 14. July 2025 (15:00) UK company Superdielectrics says its polymer technology could make batteries cheaper and easier to recycle, but its energy density must improve to compete with lithium-ion devices(New Scientist)
Most warming this century may be due to air pollution cuts 14. July 2025 (12:00) Satellite data suggests cloud darkening is responsible for much of the warming since 2001, and the good news is that it is a temporary effect due to a drop in sulphate pollution(New Scientist)
