Why it’s so hard to tell when Homo sapiens became a distinct species 18. February 2025 (15:00) The more we discover about our species' family tree, the harder it becomes to pinpoint when exactly Homo sapiens emerged, raising questions over what it really means to be human(New Scientist)
Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2032 have fallen again 18. February 2025 (13:11) Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but as astronomers make more observations about its trajectory, the odds of a collision are being refined(New Scientist)
How the drone battles of Ukraine are shaping the future of war 18. February 2025 (13:00) As the Russia-Ukraine war reaches its third anniversary, militaries around the world are watching the evolution of drone warfare and planning for future conflicts(New Scientist)
When did time begin? Hint: It wasn’t at the big bang 18. February 2025 (13:00) You may think that time started 13.8 billion years ago at the birth of the universe, but physicists with alternative definitions of time have other ideas(New Scientist)
The 7 most consequential moments in the history of everything 18. February 2025 (13:00) From the beginning of time to the origins of life, our "when" special series tackles the timing of crucial events and the surprising new discoveries we are making about them(New Scientist)
Earth’s oceans may have been green for billions of years 18. February 2025 (11:39) Some cyanobacteria have pigments that specialise in harvesting green light to power photosynthesis, which may be because they evolved at a time when the oceans were iron-rich and green-tinged(New Scientist)
AI-generated optical illusions can sort humans from bots 17. February 2025 (19:00) Artificial intelligences fail to identify optical illusions in images created by other AIs – so these images could form the basis of a new kind of CAPTCHA test(New Scientist)
From headaches to tics, how mass nocebo effects spread real symptoms 17. February 2025 (17:00) Social media is enabling health symptoms and mass psychogenic illnesses to spread quickly around the world. But by knowing how it happens, you can protect yourself(New Scientist)
Pompeii’s streets show how the city adapted to Roman rule 17. February 2025 (09:00) Pompeii only came under Roman control around 160 years before its destruction – and its traffic-worn streets show how the locals adjusted their business operations(New Scientist)
