Realising the importance of our microbiome: Best ideas of the century 19. January 2026 (17:00) Humans have been inadvertently using microbes to influence our health for thousands of years. But only recently has the microbiome rocketed to the forefront of healthcare(New Scientist)
We can rewrite our genetic code: Best ideas of the century 19. January 2026 (17:00) Our genomes are filled with errors that were once impossible to correct. But in CRISPR, we finally found an extraordinarily powerful tool for treating genetic disease – and perhaps making better versions of ourselves(New Scientist)
Should Europe boycott US tech over Greenland, and is it even possible? 19. January 2026 (15:05) As tensions over Greenland rise, some Europeans are asking whether it is time to disentangle themselves from US tech dominance – but from smartphones to cloud services, rejecting US tech is easier said than done(New Scientist)
Star appears to have vanished in a failed supernova 19. January 2026 (15:00) It is theoretically possible for a particularly massive star to collapse in on itself to form a black hole rather than exploding in a supernova, and we might now have seen the process in action(New Scientist)
The most important second in the entire history of the universe 19. January 2026 (14:00) In the 13.8 billion years that our universe has been around, some moments stand out over others – for the most exciting and impactful one, we have to go back to the very beginning, says cosmology columnist Leah Crane(New Scientist)
Volcanoes had lower greenhouse gas emissions in Earth's past 19. January 2026 (11:00) Eruptions from volcanic arcs, found where tectonic plates converge, are one of the major drivers of natural carbon emissions, but a model of Earth’s ancient carbon cycle suggests this is a relatively recent phenomenon(New Scientist)
First treaty to protect the high seas comes into force 17. January 2026 (01:01) A United Nations agreement for the “conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity” in the open oceans has now taken effect(New Scientist)
Meat may play an unexpected role in helping people reach 100 16. January 2026 (17:00) Longevity diets often focus on going plant-based, but a study in China has linked eating meat to a long lifespan, particularly among older people who are underweight(New Scientist)
