Can AI understand a flower without being able to touch or smell? 04. June 2025 (12:00) AI may be limited by a lack of taste, touch and smell which prevents it from fully understanding concepts in the same way as humans - suggesting that more advanced models may need to have a robot body(New Scientist)
Crafty cockatoos learn to use public drinking fountains 04. June 2025 (02:01) Sulphur-crested cockatoos are waiting in line at public drinking fountains in Sydney to have their daily drinks of water in the latest example of cultural evolution in urban birds(New Scientist)
Infant RSV shot may be more effective than vaccines during pregnancy 03. June 2025 (23:03) When an RSV vaccine became available for use during pregnancy, it offered a natural experiment between various countries to see how it compared to a one-time antibody injection(New Scientist)
NASA is facing the biggest crisis in its history 03. June 2025 (20:10) Widespread proposed budget cuts have left the US space agency facing an uncertain future at the same time as NASA’s intended new leader has been withdrawn by the Trump administration(New Scientist)
Why it's taking a century to pin down the speed of the universe 03. June 2025 (20:00) The Hubble constant, a set number that connects a galaxy’s speed to its distance from Earth and tells us how fast the universe is expanding, was first described more than a hundred years ago – but astronomers have debated it ever since(New Scientist)
Super-invasive termites could spread from Florida around the world 03. June 2025 (19:32) Two of the most destructive invasive termite species are interbreeding in the US – they can survive a wider range of temperatures and could easily spread across the globe(New Scientist)
Discovering the marvels of mucus is inspiring amazing new medicines 03. June 2025 (18:00) Mucus does far more than just act as a protective barrier. Emerging research reveals ways to harness its power and deliver treatments for everything from yeast infections to inflammatory bowel disease(New Scientist)
Quarter of people follow rules even with no downside to breaking them 03. June 2025 (10:00) Why do we follow rules? A series of experiments with more than 14,000 people reveals that around a quarter of us will follow rules unconditionally, even if obeying them harms us and there is no downside to breaking them(New Scientist)
