Tennesine - Periodic science news

A robot controlled by a neural network algorithm that was trained in a video game-like simulation is better able to navigate difficult terrain in real life

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic

A new analysis of the recent observations that seemed to show phosphine gas on Venus - a potential sign of life - suggests that the original claimed detection might be a statistical error

A new superwhite paint is so reflective that it can cool a surface to below the surrounding air temperature, even under sunlight. It could help reduce the use of energy-intensive air conditioning in hot countries

The diabolical ironclad beetle is almost uncrushable thanks to two newly discovered features of its exoskeleton. Mimicking these could help us build tougher structures

When it comes to covid-19, we all have different levels of risk we're comfortable with. Setting a weekly "contact budget" can make it easier to decide which risks are worth taking

Whatever the outcome of the US presidential election, Donald Trump is likely to have a lasting impact on the nation's health, environmental regulations and space exploration

So far, we haven't seen much change in the coronavirus, but as we develop more therapies and potentially a vaccine it could mutate

Baffling statistics and their impact on our emotions can make it hard to evaluate risk in this pandemic. But there are simple steps you can take to put risk in context and feel more confident in your decisions

To boost their chances of fertilising a nest-load of eggs, male dusky frillgoby fish use their tailfin to fan away the sperm deposited by rivals

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic

The UK’s flagship covid-19 infection tracking survey has been deluged by complaints, with volunteers calling it an “absolute shambles” and “disappointing and frustrating”

Measurements of phosphine in Venus’s clouds have sparked speculation that it could have come from life, but a new analysis of infrared measurements from 2015 has failed to find the gas

A UK trial that involves intentionally infecting healthy volunteers with the coronavirus will start in January if approved by health authorities. The aim is to establish the minimum infectious dose before testing potential vaccines

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is about to extend its robotic arm and bounce off the asteroid Bennu, collecting a sample of dust and rocks to bring back to Earth in 2023

The coronavirus pandemic has made it harder for people in India to access healthcare for tuberculosis and almost 88,000 additional deaths due to TB are expected this year

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic

The plastic bottles used to feed babies shed an average of 4 million microplastic particles per litre into infant formula, but the impact on child health is unclear

Facebook has developed an AI that can translate directly between any pair of 100 languages without having to go through an English translation first, as many existing systems do

Planning regular two-week lockdowns could be better than reacting to changing covid-19 case numbers, some scientists argue – but the UK may have left it too late for this strategy