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)
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again 19. June 2026 (19:48) Older mice that received a faecal microbiome transplant from younger animals went on to have improved brain plasticity, which suggests their brains could overcome a neurological condition that is typically successfully treated only in childhood(New Scientist)
We've found a mysterious substance on Titan and Pluto 19. June 2026 (19:00) Something is absorbing light on the surfaces of Pluto and Saturn’s moon Titan, and figuring out what it is could be crucial to understanding Titan’s complex chemistry(New Scientist)
Most portable air conditioners suck – but there's an easy fix 19. June 2026 (18:08) Efficiency ratings on portable air conditioners don’t give consumers the full picture, and one type of aircon unit is so inefficient that it should be banned, says Michael Le Page(New Scientist)
Gas from Uranus reveals it has an icy centre 19. June 2026 (15:28) Carbon monoxide in Uranus's deep atmosphere indicates that the planet contains more ice than rock, suggesting it formed more like Neptune than we thought(New Scientist)
