People training new AI models admit they just get chatbots to do it 22. June 2026 (12:57) The next generation of AI models are meant to be trained by people paid to have conversations with them, but several of these workers have admitted to New Scientist that they simply get chatbots to do it instead. This "AI inbreeding" may reduce the power and usefulness of future models, warn experts(New Scientist)
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again 19. June 2026 (19:48) Older mice that received a faecal microbiome transplant from younger animals went on to have improved brain plasticity, which suggests their brains could overcome a neurological condition that is typically successfully treated only in childhood(New Scientist)
We've found a mysterious substance on Titan and Pluto 19. June 2026 (19:00) Something is absorbing light on the surfaces of Pluto and Saturn’s moon Titan, and figuring out what it is could be crucial to understanding Titan’s complex chemistry(New Scientist)
Most portable air conditioners suck – but there's an easy fix 19. June 2026 (18:08) Efficiency ratings on portable air conditioners don’t give consumers the full picture, and one type of aircon unit is so inefficient that it should be banned, says Michael Le Page(New Scientist)
Gas from Uranus reveals it has an icy centre 19. June 2026 (15:28) Carbon monoxide in Uranus's deep atmosphere indicates that the planet contains more ice than rock, suggesting it formed more like Neptune than we thought(New Scientist)
Can prebiotics, probiotics or postbiotics help your ageing microbiome? 19. June 2026 (11:00) The disruption of your gut microbiome is a major consequence, and possible cause, of ageing. Columnist Graham Lawton looks into recent trials examining whether it can be replenished through diet and prebiotics, probiotics or postbiotics(New Scientist)
Remarkable fossils rewrite the story of how animals conquered the land 18. June 2026 (21:00) Palaeontologists have found new evidence that the early ancestors of amphibians, reptiles and mammals did not have a larval stage with external gills like modern frogs or salamanders(New Scientist)
Almost the whole of Japan moved eastward after 2011 earthquake 18. June 2026 (21:00) An extremely unusual tectonic movement took place 15 minutes after the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, causing almost the whole of Japan to move 5 millimetres to the east(New Scientist)
Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World is still supremely relevant today 18. June 2026 (15:00) Beautifully written, this guide to distinguishing between truth, misinformation and lies, first published in 1995, remains an essential read for anyone who considers themselves a critical thinker, says Leah Crane(New Scientist)
