Physicists can now take control of 'hidden' friction in devices 09. February 2026 (12:00) One type of friction can waste energy even when two perfectly smooth surfaces move against each other, but researchers are getting a handle on how to attenuate or stop it completely(New Scientist)
Seafarers were visiting remote Arctic islands over 4000 years ago 09. February 2026 (01:01) The first people to reach the Kitsissut Islands off the north-west coast of Greenland were Indigenous peoples, who crossed over 50 kilometres of treacherous water(New Scientist)
Weakening ice shelf has caused crucial Antarctic glacier to accelerate 06. February 2026 (19:00) The flow of ice at Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica has sped up dramatically due to the disintegration of the ice shelf in front of it, and this could lead to faster sea level rise(New Scientist)
Physicists warn of 'catastrophic' impact from UK science cuts 06. February 2026 (18:44) Science funding cuts in the UK are expected to be a "devastasting blow" for physics research, affecting international projects such as particle detection experiments at CERN(New Scientist)
Synchronised volcanic eruptions on Io hint at a spongy interior 06. February 2026 (15:00) Five volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io erupted simultaneously, spewing a mind-boggling amount of lava onto the surface and giving us clues to what may lie underneath(New Scientist)
Moving inductions to early morning could shorten labour by 6 hours 06. February 2026 (10:00) By matching uterine contractions up with the body’s natural circadian rhythms, inducing labour in the early morning is linked to shorter labour and fewer emergency c-sections(New Scientist)
The toxic burden of pesticides is growing all around the world 05. February 2026 (20:00) Pesticides are becoming more toxic and just about every country is using more of them year after year, despite a UN target to halve the overall risk by 2030(New Scientist)
