The Yunxian 2 skull was squashed, but has now been reconstructed and appears to be an early Denisovan Gary Todd (CC0) The origins of our species may lie much further back in time than we thought, and the same may be true of our extinct Neanderthal and Denisovan cousins. According to a new analysis of…
Pipes made from PVC plastic could be improved by adding nanoparticles valentyn semenov/Alamy A sprinkling of nanoparticles could be the solution to a problem that has long plagued plastics manufacturers – namely, how do you make a material that is both strong, tough and easy to work with? Hu-Jun Qian at Jilin University in China…
One of the cheetah mummies inside the cave it was found in Ahmed Boug et al. 2025/National Centre for Wildlife, Saudi Arabia The mummified remains of seven cheetahs, some dating back thousands of years, have been reported in caves in Saudi Arabia – the first naturally mummified big cats ever found by scientists. Cheetahs (Acinonyx…
Nowaczyk/Shutterstock The average size of trees in the Amazon rainforest has been steadily increasing as carbon dioxide levels have risen, meaning these larger trees play a more important role in determining whether the forest can remain a carbon sink. How forests will react to a changing climate is an open question. For example, one hypothesis…
Brugmansia suaveolens Jill Pflugheber and Steven F. White From ayahuasca and cannabis to psilocybin mushrooms and tobacco, people have been using mind-altering plants and fungi in spiritual rituals and ceremonies for thousands of years to filter and change their view of the world. Justicia pectoralis Jill Pflugheber and Steven F. White Now the lens has…
Ludovic Slimak helped uncover the remains of Thorin, a Neanderthal Laure Metz The Last NeanderthalLudovic Slimak (translated by Andrew Brown) (Polity Press (UK, 26 September; US, 24 November)) A Neanderthal skeleton spotted by chance under some leaves, calcified soot and a trove of remarkably tiny arrowheads. These assorted finds from Grotte Mandrin in France have…
“Solar panels today will eventually reach the end of their life and need recycling or disposing of” Jacques Hugo/Getty Images By the mid 2020s, solar power had become the cheapest form of electricity generation in history and the fastest-growing type of energy supply. The lifespan of solar panels had increased significantly, to 30 or 40…
Josie Ford Feedback is New Scientist’s popular sideways look at the latest science and technology news. You can submit items you believe may amuse readers to Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com A Swift botany lesson We never miss a beat, so Feedback, prompted by assistant news editor and Swiftie Alexandra Thompson, has been taking a close…
“Refuting the idea of rigid personality types could make us all happier” Simone Rotella There is a meme in modern therapy culture saying that you shouldn’t try to change – you are perfectly imperfect, and that the right people will accommodate your every idiosyncrasy. Relatedly, personality has traditionally been defined as a pretty stable collection…
A Javan slow loris reacts while receiving treat at Ujung Kulon National Park Garry Lotulung These photos tell an unusual rescue story – the release of Javan slow lorises into Ujung Kulon National Park on Java Island, Indonesia, last month. Photojournalist Garry Lotulung joined a team from the Indonesian branch of International Animal Rescue, the…