Hand-powered device disinfects drinking water with nanoparticles 20. October 2025 (12:31) Turning the crank on a simple device filled with nanoparticles can remove serious pathogens from water in seconds, making it suitable for areas without electricity(New Scientist)
Neanderthal-human hybrids may have been scourged by a genetic mismatch 20. October 2025 (11:00) When Homo sapiens and Neanderthals interbred, a genetic variation affecting red blood cells may have hindered reproduction in women who were hybrids, and this might have played a part in Neanderthals’ demise(New Scientist)
mRNA covid vaccines spark immune response that may aid cancer survival 19. October 2025 (15:45) An analysis of patient records suggests that mRNA covid-19 vaccines boost the immune response to cancerous tumours when given soon after people start a type of immunotherapy, extending their lives(New Scientist)
‘Nightmare’ calculation may be too tricky for even quantum computers 17. October 2025 (22:01) Quantum computers hold great potential for solving many problems more quickly or efficiently than conventional computers, but researchers are starting to identify where they could falter(New Scientist)
We can use ordinary sugar in the search for dark matter 17. October 2025 (17:59) Physicists have tried so many different ways to find dark matter, but none has been successful. Now an unexpected contender has entered the arena - ordinary table sugar.(New Scientist)
Record-breaking chip sidesteps Moore’s law by growing upwards 17. October 2025 (12:00) A new chip design includes 41 vertical layers of semiconductor and insulator materials, which allow it to outrun the limits of miniaturisation(New Scientist)
There's a simple way we could drastically cut AI energy use 16. October 2025 (19:00) If users chose the most efficient model each time they performed a task with AI, researchers calculate it would slash energy consumption by more than a quarter(New Scientist)
