Search for radio signals finds no hint of alien civilisation on K2-18b 20. February 2026 (10:00) Planet K2-18b, an apparent water world 124 light years away, has been seen as a promising location in the search for aliens, but telescopes on Earth failed to pick up any radio transmissions(New Scientist)
Ultra-processed foods could be making you age faster 20. February 2026 (10:00) We’ve been missing an important contributor to ageing, says columnist Graham Lawton. Ultra-processed foods are known to be associated with many chronic health problems, but studies have now shown they may also speed up ageing(New Scientist)
Atmospheric pollution caused by space junk could be a huge problem 19. February 2026 (17:00) After a Falcon 9 rocket stage burned up in the atmosphere, vaporised lithium and other metals drifted over Europe. This growing type of pollution could destroy ozone and form climate-warming clouds(New Scientist)
Is our galaxy’s black hole actually made of dark matter? 19. February 2026 (13:00) An exotic type of dark matter could explain some of the characteristics of our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, but many cosmologists are leery of the idea(New Scientist)
Microbe with the smallest genome yet pushes the boundaries of life 19. February 2026 (10:00) Symbiotic bacteria living inside insect cells have lost much of their DNA over hundreds of millions of years, much like the ancient microbes that evolved into mitochondria(New Scientist)
More dog breeds found to have high risk of breathing condition 18. February 2026 (20:00) An assessment of nearly 900 dogs has identified 12 breeds prone to brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which can affect dogs' ability to sleep and exercise(New Scientist)
Paediatricians’ blood used to make new treatments for RSV and colds 18. February 2026 (20:00) Antibodies harvested from the blood of paediatricians are up to 25 times better at protecting against the common respiratory infection RSV than existing antibody therapies, and are now being developed as preventative treatments(New Scientist)
