Disability Approval Gaps Tied to Applicant Circumstances, Not Bias
A new study finds that most racial and ethnic differences in U.S. disability insurance approval rates stem from socioeconomic and health disparities, not the determination process.
Science
Space, physics, materials, and general research.
Butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions that fool predators
New research suggests the vivid stripes and spots on butterfly wings act as 'motion dazzle' camouflage, confusing predators' perception of speed and direction.
Medieval English coins hint at privileged Anglo-Saxon status in Rome
A small hoard of English coins found near the Vatican suggests Anglo-Saxon visitors to medieval Rome enjoyed special treatment.
Historic scientific building listed for sale on RightMove
A historic scientific building has hit the UK property market, prompting a science columnist to lament its sale and muse about a museum.
Haunting Novella Shows Science Unraveling Our Grasp on Reality
Benjamin Labatut's 'When We Cease to Understand the World' uses real scientists to explore the limits of understanding reality, according to a New Scientist review.
Why humans keep their hair: a new book explores the paradox
A review of Judy Wearing's 'Anxious and Hairy' finds a curious, enthusiastic tour of the evolution and culture of human hair.
New Scientist Book Club Finds Edge of Space-Time a Wild Ride
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's book takes readers on a challenging but enjoyable trip to the frontiers of physics, according to New Scientist's book club.
Tom Gauld cartoon imagines an audience with a theoretical scientist
A New Scientist cartoon uses the idea of an audience with a great theorist for a lighthearted science-culture gag.
Photographer's Aerial Shots Expose Environmental Damage
A new exhibition by J. Henry Fair uses aerial photography to make the scale of human impact on landscapes visible.
Open Questions: Canine Obedience and the Big Bang's Edge
New Scientist's latest column poses two unanswered questions about animal behaviour and the limits of astronomical observation.
Whole-person care is key to modern medicine
A modern approach to healthcare should treat the mind and body together, not just prescribe pills.
Cartoon Marks Discovery of New Cat Species
A New Scientist cartoon by Twisteddoodles playfully responds to the announcement of a newly identified cat species.
Moonfish Animation Shows the Human Toll of Asteroid Mining
A tiny-budget, black-and-white animation uses a space miner's tragedy to explore the emotional isolation of working on an asteroid.
Fire Plume Chemistry: Smoke Transforms as It Travels
A new review explains how chemical reactions inside wildfire smoke plumes alter pollutants before they reach downwind communities.
New Sci-Fi Books for October 2026 Feature Time Travel and Top Authors
A roundup of October 2026's science-fiction releases highlights established authors and a recurring time-travel theme.
Pompeii Eruption Offers Precise Benchmark for Dating Ancient Geological Events
A new technique uses the precise date of Vesuvius' 79 CE eruption to improve the accuracy of dating major geological events like impacts and extinctions.
Bats May Have Originated in Europe 65 Million Years Ago
A new genomic and fossil analysis places the origin of bats in Europe, with flight and echolocation evolving early in their history.
Black Hole Jets May Shape Galaxy Fate by Heating Gas
Powerful jets from supermassive black holes can heat and push star-forming gas far beyond a galaxy's visible edge, potentially deciding whether the galaxy lives or dies.