Category Science

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A Nearby Planet May Have Formed the Moon Following a Collision With Early Earth: Study

A new analysis of Apollo samples and Earth rocks suggests that a nearby rocky planet, not a distant object, collided with early Earth and formed the moon. The study argues that this lost planet, Theia, originated in the inner solar system and shared Earth’s early neighbourhood, offering fresh insight into one of the most important events in our planet’s history.

The best science and nature books of 2025

From the threat of superintelligent AI to the secrets of a longer life; plus the evolution of language and the restless genius of Francis Crick

This felt like the year that AI really arrived. It is on our phones and laptops; it is creeping into digital and corporate infrastructure; it is changing the way we learn, work and create; and the global economy rests on the stratospheric valuations of the corporate giants vying to control it.

But the unchecked rush to go faster and further could extinguish humanity, according to the surprisingly readable and chillingly plausible If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies (Bodley Head), by computer scientists Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, which argues against creating superintelligent AI able to cognitively outpace Homo sapiens in all departments. “Even an AI that cares about understanding the universe is likely to annihilate humans as a side-effect,” they write, “because humans are not the most efficient method for producing truths … out of all possible ways to arrange matter.” Not exactly cheery Christmas reading but, as the machines literally calculate our demise, you’ll finally grasp all that tech bro lingo about tokens, weights and maximising preferences.

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NASA’s Perseverance Records First-Ever Mini-Lightning on Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured the first confirmed mini-lightning sparks in Mars’ dusty atmosphere. Using its sensitive microphone, the rover recorded 55 tiny electrical discharges during dust storms over two Martian years. These sparks generate reactive chemicals that can break down organic molecules, affecting future life-detection efforts. The discovery...

Indian Team Finds 53 Massive Quasars Blasting Jets Millions of Light-Years Long

Astronomers in India have identified 53 previously unknown giant radio quasars powered by supermassive black holes, each releasing enormous plasma jets reaching up to 7.2 million light-years—nearly 50 times the Milky Way’s diameter. Using GMRT data, the team expanded the catalog of known giant quasars and offered valuable clues about how black holes grow, merge, a...

Scientists Warn Southern Ocean Could ‘Burp’ Stored Heat, Delaying Global Cooling for 100 Years

New modelling suggests the Southern Ocean could one day release the vast heat it has stored from greenhouse gas pollution. If CO₂ levels were pushed to net-negative, deep convection may trigger a sudden “thermal burp” that warms the planet for decades. Though idealised, the study shows how Antarctica’s surrounding seas could shape long-term climate outcomes.

James Webb Space Telescope Finds Unexpected Ultraviolet Radiation Around Young Protostars

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected unexpected ultraviolet radiation around five young protostars in the Ophiuchus molecular cloud. Since infant stars are not expected to emit UV light, the finding challenges long-standing star-formation models. Researchers ruled out external illumination from nearby stars, concluding the UV must originate w...