How I Used Psychology to Come Back From the Worst Year of My Life
Freelance writer Daniel Cossins recounts a turbulent year marked by job loss, divorce, and his father's Alzheimer's diagnosis, prompting him to explore psychological research on mindset. He consulted Stanford psychologist Alia Crum, whose work shows that deliberate mindset shifts can alleviate stress and improve health. By applying self‑affirmation and reframing techniques, Cossins transformed his perception of crisis into an opportunity for growth. The article highlights emerging evidence that mental framing can materially affect wellbeing during personal upheavals.
The Ebola Emergency Shines a Light on the Urgent Need for New Vaccines
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda are facing a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, with the U.S. CDC reporting 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths as of 17 May. The WHO declared a public‑health emergency of international concern, but its response is...
The Hidden Pockets of the Universe Where the Future Can Cause the Past
Leah Crane explains that certain rotating or charged black holes contain a Cauchy horizon—a theoretical boundary beyond the event horizon where classical physics ceases to predict outcomes. Inside this region, spacetime geometry could permit information from the future to affect...
CAR T-Cell Therapy Bolstered by Stiffening up Cancer Cells First
Researchers have discovered that pre‑treating cancer cells to increase their stiffness markedly improves the effectiveness of CAR T‑cell therapy in mouse models of aggressive melanoma. The physical alteration of tumor mechanics enhances immune cell infiltration and tumor killing, offering a novel...
Rebooting Stem Cells Builds Aged Muscles and Assists Injury Recovery
Researchers at Duke University have demonstrated that extracting, rejuvenating, and re‑implanting muscle stem cells in old mice leads to larger muscle fibers and faster injury repair. The ex‑vivo “reboot” restores stem‑cell function to levels seen in young animals. These results...
Arctic Fires Are Releasing Carbon Stored for Thousands of Years
A new study of Arctic and boreal soil cores reveals that recent wildfires are igniting peat that stores carbon up to 5,000 years old. The smoldering of these ancient organic layers releases significant amounts of CO₂ and black carbon, a...
Suzanne Simard on the Wood Wide Web, Connectedness – and Avatar
Ecologist Suzanne Simard, famed for uncovering the underground fungal networks that link trees, discussed her new book and recent criticism during an interview at Kew Gardens. Her 1997 Nature paper revealed that trees exchange nutrients via a “wood wide web,”...
New Scientist Recommends a Smart New Account of Human Exceptionalism
New Scientist recommends Michael Bond’s book *Animate*, which argues that human exceptionalism is a cultural construct rooted in our evolving relationship with animals. The review traces this shift from visceral Paleolithic cave art, where humans and beasts were indistinguishable, to Neolithic...
Asteroid Set to Fly Very Close to Earth
Near‑Earth asteroid 2026JH2 is slated to fly past Earth next week at an estimated distance of 90,917 kilometres, roughly a quarter of the Moon’s orbit. The object’s mass is sufficient to cause city‑scale devastation if it were to impact. Astronomers...
Can Cloud Seeding Save Us From Water Bankruptcy?
Cloud‑seeding firms are scaling up operations as drought pushes the U.S. West toward a so‑called water bankruptcy. In Utah, drone‑based company Rainmaker sprayed silver‑iodide to trigger rain and curb dust from the shrinking Great Salt Lake. Over 50 nations are...
A New Tectonic Plate Boundary Could Be Forming in Southern Africa
Researchers analyzing gases from five hot springs and three geothermal wells in Zambia’s Kafue Rift have identified mantle‑derived helium‑3 and carbon isotopes, indicating deep mantle fluids are reaching the surface. The findings provide the first geochemical proof of an active,...
Where Did the Laws of Physics Come From? I Think I've Found the Answer
Cosmologist João Magueijo has unveiled a bold new framework that argues the laws of physics were not fixed at the universe’s birth but fluctuated wildly during its earliest moments before stabilizing into the constants we observe today. The proposal challenges...
A Vast Dam Across the Bering Strait Could Stop the AMOC Collapsing
Researchers from Utrecht University have floated a radical geoengineering concept: constructing a 130‑kilometre dam across the Bering Strait to modulate the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC, which powers the Gulf Stream, underpins Europe’s mild climate, and its projected...
There Has Been a Sudden Increase in the Rate of Sea Level Rise
Satellite altimetry shows global sea level accelerated to about 4.1 mm per year around 2012 and has stayed elevated since. The jump coincides with a sharp increase in global warming, suggesting a possible climate‑driven response. Over the past 15 years the ocean...
Pressure From Individual Particles Measured for the First Time
Researchers at Yale have built an optical‑trap sensor that suspends a 100‑nanometre silica bead in a laser beam, allowing them to measure the pressure exerted by a single particle for the first time. The device detects forces at the femto‑newton...
What to Read This Week: The Excellent Beyond Belief by Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson’s new book *Beyond Belief* makes the case for evidence‑based policy, showing how experiments and systematic reviews can improve outcomes in development, policing and corporate management. The reviewer praises its readable, punchy style that turns a typically dry subject...
Extinct Relative of Koalas Discovered in Western Australia
Researchers at the Western Australian Museum have identified a second extinct koala species, *Phascolarctos sulcomaxillaris*, from fossils dated 137,000 to 31,000 years ago. The new species differed from the modern eastern koala in skull shape, jaw mechanics and chewing muscles,...
The 50-Year Quest to Create a Quantum Spin Liquid May Finally Be Over
Scientists have presented evidence that herbertsmithite, a mineral first isolated from the 1970s Kali Kafi mine in Iran, behaves as a quantum spin liquid—a state of matter where electron spins remain entangled and fluid at absolute zero. The finding suggests that...
Woman in Cancer Remission without Treatment in Highly Unusual Case
A woman with a connective‑tissue tumor in her arm entered remission without any conventional treatment after a diagnostic biopsy appears to have sparked an immune attack on the cancer. The case is one of only nine documented instances where a...
The Problem of Cosmic Inflation and How to Solve It
Leah Crane’s New Scientist piece revisits cosmic inflation, the theory that the universe expanded by roughly 10³⁰ times in the first 10⁻³⁶ seconds after the Big Bang before stopping abruptly. While inflation elegantly resolves the horizon, flatness and monopole problems of classic...
Man Destined to Get Alzheimer’s Saved by Accidental Heat Therapy
Doug Whitney, who carries the high‑risk Presenilin 2 mutation that typically triggers early‑onset Alzheimer’s in the late 40s, has remained symptom‑free into his 50s. Researchers suspect his prolonged exposure to extreme heat while working as a ship‑engine mechanic provided an accidental...
2026 Will Be the Hottest Year on Record, Leading Scientist Predicts
Leading climate scientist predicts 2026 will become the hottest year on record, surpassing the 2024 benchmark of 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels, driven by accelerating anthropogenic warming and an anticipated strong El Niño. The El Niño is expected to develop in the second...
NHS England Rushes to Hide Software over AI Hacking Fears
The National Health Service in England is pulling all of its publicly funded software from GitHub and other open‑source platforms, citing the risk of AI‑driven hacking. New guidance mandates that every repository be private by default, with public access only...
Oak Trees Use Delaying Tactics to Thwart Hungry Caterpillars
Researchers at the University of Würzburg found that oak trees delay leaf‑bud opening by about three days after a severe caterpillar outbreak. The postponement was detected using Sentinel‑1 radar imagery over 2,400 km² of Bavarian forest between 2017 and 2021. Trees...
Will Colombia Summit Kick-Start the End of the Fossil Fuel Era?
A coalition of 57 nations convened in Santa Marta, Colombia, to create roadmaps for moving away from fossil fuels after COP30 stalled on the issue. Hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, the gathering included the EU, the UK, Canada, Nigeria...
Why I Explore Our Inevitable Love for Robots in My Novel Luminous
Silvia Park’s novel *Luminous*, the May 2026 New Scientist Book Club pick, began as a children’s story but turned dark after the death of her dog. The grief sparked an exploration of how humans may bond with robot children that serve as...
Read an Extract From Luminous by Silvia Park
The excerpt from Silvia Park’s novel *Luminous* paints a near‑future Seoul where a young woman, Ruijie, battles a progressive neuro‑degenerative disease with titanium‑braced exoskeletons. She scavenges a junkyard of decommissioned war machines, including the hulking SADARM‑1000, while confronting the blurred line...
An Unorthodox Version of Quantum Theory Could Reveal What Reality Is
Physicist David Bohm’s pilot‑wave interpretation, an unorthodox take on quantum mechanics, is gaining renewed attention. The approach posits a real guiding wave that determines particle behavior, sidestepping the probabilistic collapse of the Copenhagen view. Recent experimental setups have demonstrated phenomena...
'Green' Cryptocurrency Uses 18 Times More Energy than Makers Claim
Chia Network, a cryptocurrency billed as a green alternative to Bitcoin, has been found to consume roughly 18 times more electricity than the company originally claimed. The protocol relies on proof‑of‑space‑and‑time, using idle hard‑disk capacity instead of Bitcoin’s energy‑hungry proof‑of‑work...
Your Oral Microbiome Could Affect Your Weight, Liver and Diabetes Risk
The study, one of the largest to date, examined the oral microbiome of thousands of participants and found distinct bacterial signatures associated with obesity, pre‑diabetes and non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease. Researchers identified specific taxa whose abundance correlated with insulin resistance...
Doubts Cast over 'Wild' Claim that Magnetic Control Can Turn on Genes
Researchers in South Korea announced a magnetically controlled switch that can turn on genes inside cells using an electromagnetic signal, a development touted as a potential breakthrough for non‑invasive therapies. The study appeared in a leading journal but has been...
The Best New Science Fiction Books of May 2026
May 2026 brings a robust slate of new science‑fiction titles, ranging from the eighth Murderbot novel by Martha Wells to debut generation‑ship epic "The Republic of Memory" by Mahmud El Sayed. Established voices Matt Haig, Ann Leckie and Alan Moore also release fresh...
Our Verdict on Red Mars: Mostly Great, with a Few Quibbles
The New Scientist Book Club challenged its 25,000‑strong community to read Kim Stanley Robinson’s 600‑page classic *Red Mars* in 30 days, sparking lively Discord discussions. Readers lauded the novel’s vivid Martian landscapes and ambitious world‑building, while many found the love‑triangle...
Ann Leckie Continues to Shine with New Sci-Fi Novel Radiant Star
Ann Leckie’s newest Radch‑universe novel, Radiant Star, arrives this month, set on the underground world of planet Aaa after its star vanished. The book continues her reputation for meticulous world‑building and complex alien cultures, building on the critical acclaim of the...
Is an AI Version of Mark Zuckerberg – or Any Boss – a Good Plan?
Meta’s Superintelligence Labs is developing "ZuckGPT," an artificial‑intelligence replica of CEO Mark Zuckerberg that can converse with employees. The model is being trained on the founder’s public statements, policies, tone and mannerisms to simulate his leadership style. Meta says the...
Simple Treatment Tweak Drastically Reduces Blood Loss From Severe Cuts
Researchers at McGill University have engineered red blood cells to form rapid, durable clots, stopping severe bleeding in rat liver wounds within five seconds. Treated rats lost only 24 mg of blood versus nearly 2,000 mg in controls, and the clots remained...
Weird 'Transdimensional' State of Matter Is neither 2D nor 3D
Physicists at Nanjing University have identified a new quantum state of matter they term the transdimensional anomalous Hall effect (TDAHE). In carbon films only 2–5 nm thick, electrons exhibit simultaneous horizontal and vertical looping motions when subjected to two perpendicular magnetic...
Why Dinosaurs Lived Much More Complex Lives than We Thought
A surge of dinosaur discoveries over the past decade is overturning long‑held assumptions about their behavior. Palaeontologist Dave Hone argues that evidence for pack hunting, elaborate displays and frequent combat is scant, urging a more nuanced view of dinosaur life....
Cancer Is Increasing in Young People and We Still Don't Know Why
Recent research shows colorectal cancer among young adults is climbing sharply, with a 50% increase since the 1990s in several high‑income nations. A UK study identified 11 cancer types rising in people aged 20‑49, attributing only a small share of...
Humanoid Robots May Be About to Break the 100-Metre Sprint Record
In April 2026, Chinese smartphone maker Honor unveiled a humanoid robot that eclipsed the human half‑marathon record, while robotics firm Unitree fielded a biped that ran the 100‑metre dash within a second of the world‑record pace. Both feats highlight rapid...
How I Pay Almost Nothing to Power My House and Electric Car
Australian households are slashing electricity costs by pairing rooftop solar with subsidized home batteries. A federal incentive has enabled roughly 300,000 homes to install storage, letting owners like the author pay only about US$16 per month even while charging an...
We May Finally Have a Cure for Many Different Autoimmune Conditions
A novel cancer immunotherapy is being repurposed to eliminate rogue T‑cells that drive autoimmune diseases. Early trials show it can eradicate the pathogenic cells rather than merely suppressing symptoms, delivering faster and more durable remission. Dozens of global studies are...
Coral Reefs on a Remote Archipelago Shrugged Off a Massive Heatwave
In early 2025 a severe marine heatwave devastated reefs worldwide, yet the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago off Western Australia remained largely unaffected despite enduring 22 °C‑weeks of heat stress. Researchers from the University of Western Australia documented near‑100 % survival at 16 °C‑weeks and...
Why the Keto Diet Could Be a Revolutionary Way to Treat Mental Illness
The ketogenic diet, traditionally marketed for weight loss, is now being explored as a treatment for severe mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, anorexia, and even schizophrenia. Early case studies and small clinical trials suggest that high‑fat, low‑carb nutrition...
10,000 New Planets Found Hidden in NASA Telescope Data
Astronomers have uncovered more than 10,000 candidate exoplanets in NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) data, the largest single discovery to date. The haul was revealed through a machine‑learning reanalysis of the full mission archive, adding roughly 20% to the...
Gravity's Strength Measured More Reliably than Ever Before
Physicists at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology have released the most precise measurement of the gravitational constant, known as big G, using an advanced torsion‑balance apparatus. The new experiment reports an uncertainty of just 0.01%, narrowing the long‑standing...
Symptoms of Early Dementia Reversed by Bespoke Treatment Plans
A new personalized approach that targets nutritional gaps, infections, and environmental toxins has shown measurable improvements in memory and daily functioning for people with mild cognitive decline or early‑stage dementia. The bespoke treatment plans combine medical interventions with lifestyle changes...
Is Stem Cell Therapy About to Transform Medicine and Reverse Ageing?
Stem cell therapy is re‑emerging as a credible route to tissue regeneration and age‑reversal after a decade of failed anti‑ageing bets. Researchers are now demonstrating partial cellular reprogramming that restores youthful function without erasing cell identity. Early‑stage human trials from...
Striking Photo Essay Examines Deadly Spread of Dengue Fever in Nepal
Photographer Yuri Segalerba’s essay documents Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes discovered at 2,438 m in Chandannath, marking the highest altitude recorded for dengue vectors in Nepal. Climate change and increased travel have pushed dengue into 76 of the country’s 77...
98 per Cent of Meat and Dairy Sustainability Pledges Are Greenwashing
Animal agriculture drives about 16.5% of global greenhouse‑gas emissions, prompting the sector’s biggest meat and dairy firms to issue a wave of sustainability pledges. Researchers from the University of Miami examined 33 leading companies' reports from 2021‑2024, cataloguing 1,233 environmental...