AI scientists are sceptical that modern models will lead to AGI 14. March 2025 (12:00) In a survey of AI researchers, most say current AI models are unlikely to lead to artificial general intelligence with human-level capabilities, even as companies invest billions of dollars in this goal(New Scientist)
How cloud-seeding could help us predict when it will snow 14. March 2025 (11:00) These brilliant images show how researchers in Switzerland are using weather-modification techniques to understand how ice crystals form in clouds, an important and poorly understood factor in climate and weather models(New Scientist)
More than half of life on Earth experiencing unprecedented conditions 14. March 2025 (11:00) An analysis of changes to global ecosystems has revealed that almost nowhere is untouched by the influence of humanity, with more than 50 per cent of the planet's land mass experiencing "novel" conditions(New Scientist)
Why the long history of calculating pi will never be completed 14. March 2025 (10:00) Building the full value of pi has been a project thousands of years in the making, but just how much of this infinite number do we actually need, asks our maths columnist Jacob Aron(New Scientist)
Adding extra protein to ultra-processed foods helps reduce overeating 13. March 2025 (21:33) The health problems associated with ultra-processed foods may be explained by the way the products encourage overeating. Adding more protein to the foods might help people limit their intake – but it isn’t a complete solution(New Scientist)
NOAA cancels monthly climate and weather update calls 13. March 2025 (21:30) The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it is discontinuing its regular update calls due to staffing problems, but its researchers may also fear political retaliation for discussing climate change(New Scientist)
Fossils reveal what the fur of early mammals looked like 13. March 2025 (19:00) A study of the fossilised fur of six mammals from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods has found they were all greyish-brown in colour, which would have helped them hide from dinosaurs(New Scientist)
Destruction of Ukraine’s Kakhovka dam left behind a toxic legacy 13. March 2025 (19:00) The 2023 breach of the Kakhovka dam drained a huge reservoir and exposed a vast area of toxic sediment, creating a debate about how best to rebuild after the Russia-Ukraine war(New Scientist)
NASA may have to cancel major space missions due to budget cuts 13. March 2025 (18:57) Potential cuts of up to 50 per cent of NASA's science budget could mean cancelling missions including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Voyager probes(New Scientist)
