Fake pills ease PMS symptoms even when you know they're placebos 25. March 2025 (23:30) Women with premenstrual syndrome reported big improvements in their symptoms after taking placebo pills, despite knowing they did not contain any active ingredients(New Scientist)
Leading AI models fail new test of artificial general intelligence 25. March 2025 (16:02) A new test of AI capabilities consists of puzzles that humans are able to solve without too much trouble, but which all leading AI models struggle with. To improve and pass the test, AI companies will need to balance problem-solving abilities with cost.(New Scientist)
Foie gras made without force-feeding thanks to molecular mimicry 25. March 2025 (16:00) Scientists have replicated the luxurious mouthfeel of foie gras using the liver and fat of ducks reared and slaughtered normally, avoiding the controversial techniques involved in traditional production(New Scientist)
Ex-UK cyber chief says asking Apple to break encryption was 'naive' 25. March 2025 (12:55) Ciaran Martin, the former head of cyber security at GCHQ, says the UK government was "naive" to expect a request for Apple to weaken its encryption services to remain secret. He thinks governments must come to terms with the fact that uncrackable encryption is here to stay.(New Scientist)
Smartphones may be beneficial to children – if they avoid social media 25. March 2025 (11:00) In the ongoing debate over the benefits and harms of smartphone use in children, initial data from a US survey suggests the devices can actually improve well-being and social connections, but social media use may be more harmful(New Scientist)
Even moderate CO2 emissions could lead to 7°C of warming by 2200 24. March 2025 (18:32) There's a small chance of very high warming even with moderate future emissions, according to a computer model exploring what could happen in the next thousand years(New Scientist)
How a surprising twist on rewilding could help settle our carbon debt 24. March 2025 (17:00) We’ve pumped huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that needs to be paid back. Large animals like wolves, bison and whales may already be tackling the problem(New Scientist)
Water can turn into a superacid that makes diamonds 24. March 2025 (12:00) Simulations suggest that water can become a superacid under extremely high heat and pressure conditions. This may also explain how planets like Uranus and Neptune get diamond rain(New Scientist)
Greenland has gained over 1600 km of new coastline as glaciers retreat 24. March 2025 (11:01) Melting ice is revealing new coastal zones in the Arctic, but while this new landscape might fuel speculation about natural resources, it is vulnerable to rockfalls and landslides that can cause dangerous tsunamis(New Scientist)
