How a radical new view of life could reveal its origin – and aliens 26. May 2026 (18:00) We've been looking at nature the wrong way, argues Rowan Hooper. If we stop focusing on the individual, we get a whole new picture of how life on Earth – and elsewhere – may have begun(New Scientist)
Earliest use of anaesthetics uncovered in Chinese doctor’s tomb 26. May 2026 (13:24) Residues on medical equipment reveal that physicians in China over 600 years ago used aconitine, a highly toxic plant chemical, to alleviate pain during surgical procedures(New Scientist)
Will lab-grown sperm let infertile men have children of their own? 26. May 2026 (11:00) Men who do not produce sperm can’t be helped by existing fertility treatments, but a start-up is now claiming it can grow their sperm in the lab. Columnist Michael Le Page suspects this technique will have to be combined with gene editing if it is to help many men(New Scientist)
Why your brain needs plenty of “Aha!” moments 25. May 2026 (11:00) In the age of AI, instant answers to our questions are readily available. But columnist Helen Thomson finds that continuing to encourage those delicious flashes of insight that come from your own thoughts may be beneficial both for your everyday life and your long-term brain health(New Scientist)
