Paleo in the News

Vipers have the fastest strikes, but snakes from other families can give some slower vipers stiff competition.

Microbes high in Earth’s stratosphere produce pigments to protect them from UV light – so similar molecules could be biosignatures of life elsewhere in the galaxy

Google says its quantum computer achieved a verifiable calculation that classic computers cannot. The work could point to future applications.

Thousands of at-risk manta and devil rays become accidental bycatch in tuna fishing nets every year. A simple sorting grid could help save them.

Naturalist Chris Packham speaks at New Scientist Live about the six species that changed his life

Biomedical engineer Erika Moore investigates diseases that disproportionately affect women of color.

A new look at cuts on a giant kangaroo bone reveal First Peoples as fossil collectors, not hunters who helped drive species extinct, some scientists argue.

At an effective temperature of 13 million kelvins, the jiggling glass sphere could help scientists understand physics at the microscale.

Using a scratch-and-sniff test, researchers discovered that smell loss after COVID-19 may linger for more than two years.

Comparing animals’ susceptibility to optical illusions can show how perception evolved.

While ultramarathoners are capable of huge energy spurts, overall the athletes top out at 2.5 times the metabolic rate needed for basic body functions.

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute explores the science behind major questions on food and health — from the addictive potential of ultraprocessed foods to the high-protein diet craze to the drawbacks of keto.

From fluorescent ferns to sprawling neurons, this year’s winning photos reveal the structures and artistry of life seen through a microscope.

As evidence of alcohol's harms mounts, some people are testing out sobriety. Look to ancient civilizations' ways for a reset, scholars suggest.

As orcas continue to attack boats in the Strait of Gibraltar, those studying them think they know why

A study that screened young children in Gaza for malnutrition found that nearly 16 percent suffered from wasting in August 2025.

Long before humans built cities or wrote words, our ancestors may have faced a hidden threat that shaped who we became. Scientists studying ancient teeth found that early humans, great apes, and even Neanderthals were exposed to lead millions of years ago. This toxic metal can damage the brain, yet modern humans developed a tiny genetic change that protected our minds and allowed language and intelligence to flourish.

Long before humans built cities or wrote words, our ancestors may have faced a hidden threat that shaped who we became. Scientists studying ancient teeth found that early humans, great apes, and even Neanderthals were exposed to lead millions of years ago. This toxic metal can damage the brain, yet modern humans developed a tiny genetic change that protected our minds and allowed language and intelligence to flourish.

Blazes sparked in wild lands are devastating communities worldwide. The only way to protect them, researchers say, is to re-engineer them.

Chilli powder is touted as a cheap, easy, safe option to protect your garden from foxes and squirrels. James Wong casts a scientific eye on this popular remedy