Psychedelic causes similar brain state to meditation 04. February 2026 (18:08) The psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT seemed to induce similar patterns of brain activity in a lama - a revered spiritual teacher in Tibetan Buddhism - as meditation, advancing our understanding of the drug's neurological effects(New Scientist)
Why is childbirth so hard for humans – and is it getting even harder? 04. February 2026 (17:00) Some think the rise of C-sections means that one day all births will require serious medical intervention. But a surprising new understanding of the pelvis suggests a different story(New Scientist)
Record-breaking quantum simulator could unlock new materials 04. February 2026 (17:00) An array of 15,000 qubits made from phosphorus and silicon offers an unprecedentedly large platform for simulating quantum materials such as perfect conductors of electricity(New Scientist)
A social network for AI looks disturbing, but it's not what you think 04. February 2026 (15:55) A social network where humans are banned and AI models talk openly of world domination has led to claims that the "singularity" has begun, but the truth is that much of the content is written by humans(New Scientist)
Forever chemical TFA has tripled due to ozone-preserving refrigerants 04. February 2026 (15:00) Chemicals used in refrigeration break down in the atmosphere to produce trifluoroacetic acid, a persistent pollutant that could be harmful to humans and aquatic life(New Scientist)
Dutch air force reads pilots' brainwaves to make training harder 03. February 2026 (19:00) While pilots are flying in a VR simulation, their brainwave patterns can be fed into an AI model that assesses how challenging they are finding a task and adjusts the difficulty accordingly(New Scientist)
The weird rules of temperature get even stranger in the quantum realm 03. February 2026 (19:00) Can a single particle have a temperature? It may seem impossible with our standard understanding of temperature, but columnist Jacklin Kwan finds that it’s not exactly ruled out in the quantum realm(New Scientist)
Nobel laureate says he'll build world’s most powerful quantum computer 03. February 2026 (17:00) John Martinis has already revolutionised quantum computing twice. Now, he is working on another radical rethink of the technology that could deliver machines with unrivalled capabilities(New Scientist)
Why did SpaceX just apply to launch 1 million satellites? 03. February 2026 (15:06) SpaceX says it wants to deploy an astronomical number of data centres in orbit to supply power for artificial intelligence, but the proposal might not be entirely serious(New Scientist)
How to live a meaningful life, according to science 03. February 2026 (13:12) The meaning of life has puzzled philosophers for millennia, but new research suggests it could be as simple as lending a helping hand(New Scientist)
