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New Scientist covers the latest developments in science and technology that will impact your world. New Scientist employs and commissions the best writers in their fields from all over the world. Our editorial team provide cutting-edge news, award-winning features and reports, written in concise and clear language that puts discoveries and advances in the context of everyday life today and in the future.

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Welcome, science • Methane’s climate impact was just one of the truths finally acknowledged at COP26

New Scientist Australian Edition

Omicron emerges • The discovery of a highly mutated coronavirus variant in South Africa has triggered a global scramble, reports Adam Vaughan

Booster shots prove very effective • Third doses are pushing covid-19 protection to impressive heights

A better way to extract uranium from seawater

Arctic precipitation may be mostly rain by 2060

US prisons put large numbers of Black men in solitary confinement

Cryptocurrency traders are buying from themselves

Mini black holes could spell trouble • Merging black holes may create bubbles capable of swallowing the entire universe

Genetic diversity of heirloom tomatoes is surprisingly low

Pendant is truly ancient • Mammoth ivory ornament covered in dots is 41,500 years old

Feeding dogs once a day might help them age better

AI finally learns to read the time on clocks with hands

NHS England to test antibiotic subscription service

Red light therapy could improve eyesight that has declined due to age

Vapour cushions make levitating droplets antisocial

It’s time to take methane seriously • Methane plays a big role in global warming and we already have the tools to curb its emission, reports Graham Lawton

Warmer water may have got into Arctic over a century ago

Baby Neanderthals got toothy sooner

Probiotic averts sepsis risk in mice

Really brief

Living ink can deliver drug or trap chemical

New type of diamond created by crushing buckyballs in lab

You just can’t keep a good super gel down

AI for all • Nearly 200 countries have signed UNESCO’s agreement on AI ethics. This could help make the technology fairer for everyone, says Gabriela Ramos

Does plastic deserve its bad rap? • Campaigns to ditch plastic packaging on fresh produce might be well meaning, but the right wrapping can be better for the planet, writes James Wong

A star is born

Your letters

The best books of the year • Here is our pick of non-fiction books from 2021 to brighten those long winter nights. There’s still time to add them to your wishlist, says Simon Ings

A year of great sci-fi

Lights, camera, activism • Hawaiian Soul is an uplifting short film that shows what can be achieved when people turn to passion and music to help protect what they love, says Simon Ings

Don’t stress about it • Stress can be dangerous for your mind and body, but with some smart hacks we can avoid its worst effects and even turn it into a positive force, says Catherine de Lange

The myth of the wild • Our misconception of nature is harming all life, including ourselves, says Emma Marris

Shaken and stirred • Discoveries in distant solar systems are disrupting ideas of why our own backyard looks like it does, says Stuart Clark

When solar systems collide

How to feed your soil • Like your gut bacteria, the microorganisms in your soil need care, so give them a winter helping of organic matter, says Clare Wilson

Puzzles

Almost the last word

Tom Gauld for New Scientist

Feedback

Twisteddoodles for New Scientist