Will reprogramming technique one day help people?
Data from citizen scientists reveal a worrying growth in light pollution over the past decade
An anthropologist argues that experimental communities in Madagascar influenced the European Enlightenment
Highlights from the Science family of journals
New Scientist Magazine – 21 January 2023:
There’s a lot of hype surrounding the idea of a decentralised version of the internet that would give more power to ordinary users. Here’s what it would take to make it happen
By upending the idea that a chemical imbalance in the brain is behind depression, we are starting to understand some of its mysteries and develop better treatments
Where European eels start and end their lives was long a mystery, but an audacious expedition has finally revealed the last details of their incredible migration
A century ago, the discovery of hafnium confirmed the validity of the periodic table — but only thanks to scientists who stood up for evidence at a time of global turmoil.
A metal–polymer composite conducts electricity and conforms to the skin, making it suitable for medical devices applied directly to the body.
Dwarf planet Eris’ rotation is constrained by its large moon Dysnomia, named after the Greek goddess of lawlessness.
Analysis of more than one million people suggests that roughly 16% of the condition can be attributed to genetic factors.
For the first time, US scientists have achieved a fusion reaction with net energy gain. But the dream of limitless zero-carbon energy is still a long way from reality.
Video timeline: 00:00 – What powers the universe 01:04 – ITER: the biggest experiment in human history 04:28 – What is fusion? 06:38 – Replicating the sun 08:38 – The US breakthrough 13:46 – The investors 20:40 – A new class of magnet 24:30 – Dream or reality?
The FT’s Simon Mundy meets scientists and investors in the UK, France and US, to see how close we really are to commercial fusion power.
Read more at https://on.ft.com/3GJl1JF
Habitable Worlds Observatory would be designed for robotic servicing
Silt overload and mercury pollution endanger river ecosystems—and the people who depend on them
Agency warns about brain swelling and bleeding on drug’s label, but imposes few restrictions on lecanemab’s use
It also shows that restoring the integrity of the epigenome reverses age-related symptoms.
Learn more at https://hms.harvard.edu/news/loss-epi…
In this episode, reporter Miryam Naddaf joins us to talk about the big science events to look out for in 2023.
We’ll hear about vaccines, multiple Moon missions and new therapeutics, to name but a few.
Science Magazine – January 6, 2023 Issue:
Official death tolls are impossibly low, and some worry new variants may escape detection
New studies suggest early Asgards evolved into eukaryotes
Lawmakers can’t resist steering cash to universities and research projects back home
Finds may support coastal route hypothesis for first settlers
Ropes, drones, insects, and dust cloths could make monitoring faster, safer, and cheaper
Moon landings, mRNA vaccines and climate finance are among the developments set to shape research in the coming year.
Researchers have zeroed in on nine sites that could describe a new geological time, marked by pollution and other signs of human activity.
A class of drugs that quash hunger have shown striking results in trials and in practice. But can they help all people with obesity — and conquer weight stigma?
New Scientist Magazine – January 7, 2023 issue:
Which inventions should we prioritize to safeguard the environment and human health and happiness? From better batteries and photovoltaic paint to a universal vaccine precursor
Takashi Taniguchi and Kenji Watanabe create high-quality crystals that offer the perfect substrate on which to tailor-make two-dimensional materials with amazing electronic properties. They tell New Scientist how they grow their world-renowned crystals
Stone Age people in Europe appear to have recorded the reproductive habits of animals with markings on cave paintings, hinting at the early origins of writing
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