A surprisingly quick enzyme could shift our understanding of evolution
Biological processes such as DNA replication or cellular structure formation may become more accurate when done as quickly as possible, offering new hints into life’s origins ⌘ Read more

Bacteria evolve to get better at evolving in lab experiment
When bacteria were put in alternating environments, some became better at evolving to cope with the changes – evidence that “evolvability” can be gained through natural selection ⌘ Read more

Cosmic cloud exposed Earth to interstellar space 3 million years ago
The protective bubble around the sun retreated dramatically after colliding with a freezing interstellar cloud, leaving much of the solar system exposed to radiation that shaped our evolution, a study suggests ⌘ Read more

The word ‘bot’ is increasingly being used as an insult on social media
The meaning of the word “bot” on Twitter/X seems to have shifted over time, with people originally using it to flag automated accounts, but now employing it to insult people they disagree with ⌘ Read more

Starliner and Starship launches propel space industry into a new era
SpaceX successfully launched its Starship rocket on the same day that Boeing’s Starliner craft made its first crewed flight, a sign that the space industry is hotting up ⌘ Read more

What is a heat dome and are they getting worse with climate change?
Mexico and the southern US have seen extreme temperatures due to a heat dome, a weather phenomenon that will become more intense with climate change ⌘ Read more

Writers accept lower pay when they use AI to help with their work
When writers are allowed to get help from ChatGPT, they accept lower pay, fuelling fears that AI will lower the value of skilled workers ⌘ Read more

Physicists want to drill a 5-kilometre-deep hole on the moon
Going deep into lunar rock could give us an opportunity to see if protons can decay into something else – a finding that could help us unify conflicting physics theories ⌘ Read more

Male lemurs grow bigger testicles when there are other males around
Dominant male Verreaux’s sifakas always have the largest testicles in their group to make the most sperm, and they can grow their gonads to make sure of it ⌘ Read more

Atoms at temperatures beyond absolute zero may be a new form of matter
Physicists have coaxed a cloud of atoms into having a temperature beyond absolute zero and placed them in a geometric structure that could produce an unknown form of matter ⌘ Read more

Would an AI judge be able to efficiently dispense justice?
Judges are only human and can make mistakes, so could an artificial intelligence make better and more efficient decisions? ⌘ Read more

Single-celled predator extends its ‘neck’ with the help of origami
The mystery of how a single-celled predator extends its “neck” by more than 30 times its overall length has finally been solved ⌘ Read more

Origins of modern horses traced to breeding revolution 4200 years ago
A genetic analysis of ancient horses reveals that breeding techniques developed by people in the Pontic-Caspian steppes enabled the rapid spread of horse-powered travel ⌘ Read more

Starship launch: Fourth test succeeds as both stages splash into sea
SpaceX’s Starship has been to orbit and back in its fourth flight test, with both rocket stages soft landing in the ocean, though parts of the spacecraft appeared to be damaged during descent ⌘ Read more

Sweetener xylitol linked to higher risk of heart attacks and strokes
People who had higher levels of xylitol in their blood were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years, with lab experiments suggesting the sweetener promotes blood clotting ⌘ Read more

These are the best new science fiction books to read this June 2024
New books from Adrian Tchaikovsky and the late Michael Crichton (with James Patterson) are among the great new sci-fi novels out this month ⌘ Read more

Dutch police trial AI-powered robot dog to safely inspect drug labs
The Dutch police force is already using a remotely controlled Spot robot dog made by Boston Dynamics to examine drug labs in raids, and now it wants to make the robot fully autonomous ⌘ Read more

Starship launch 4: What time is the SpaceX flight today?
SpaceX is getting ready to launch its massive Starship rocket today at 12.30pm UK time and we have all the details on the mission ⌘ Read more

Does coming off antidepressants really cause withdrawal symptoms?
People who stop taking antidepressants may get mental and physical symptoms as their bodies adjust to the lack of medicines - now we know how common this is ⌘ Read more