Unapproved gene therapy for boosting longevity is set to go on sale 23. June 2026 (14:14) A gene therapy that instructs cells to produce more of an anti-ageing protein called klotho is about to be offered by a US company at overseas clinics to bypass FDA rules(New Scientist)
New-to-science spider builds trap that flings ants into the air 22. June 2026 (18:00) A spider living in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, builds a snare trap reminiscent of a Roman-era ballista weapon that it uses to catapult green tree ants into a web 30 centimetres above(New Scientist)
‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next? 22. June 2026 (17:40) Researchers say a surgery that let pigs with completely severed spinal cords walk again may lead to human trials, and then perhaps even full head or brain transplants. Columnist Helen Thomson is intrigued but sceptical of whether the technique can be successful in humans(New Scientist)
A promising natural technique to remove CO2 could backfire 22. June 2026 (17:24) Several start-ups have tried to grow seaweed to remove atmospheric CO2, but this could affect the levels of nutrients in the ocean and hamper other CO2-sucking processes(New Scientist)
People training new AI models admit they just get chatbots to do it 22. June 2026 (12:57) The next generation of AI models are meant to be trained by people paid to have conversations with them, but several of these workers have admitted to New Scientist that they simply get chatbots to do it instead. This "AI inbreeding" may reduce the power and usefulness of future models, warn experts(New Scientist)
