SYED ZAIN UMAR

A crisis in cosmology may mean hidden dimensions really exist

on March 2, 2026 at 4:00 pm

Physicists are scrambling to understand why dark energy is weakening. In a surprising twist, we must now reconsider the possibility that our reality contains extra dimensions

The bombshell results that demand a new theory of the universe

on March 2, 2026 at 4:00 pm

Last year, our most detailed map of the universe yet suggested our understanding of dark energy has been wrong for decades. The shock result is reigniting the search for a better cosmic story   

A bizarre type of black hole could solve three cosmic mysteries in one

on March 2, 2026 at 4:00 pm

Black holes that turn matter into energy could explain dark energy and answer two other cosmic questions. Now, the challenge is to find them

Crisis in cosmology: If we’ve got dark energy wrong, what could it be?

on March 2, 2026 at 4:00 pm

This is a New Scientist special package about shock results that have upended cosmology. What do they mean for our models of the universe, and what are the alternative explanations?

Spreading crushed rock on farms could absorb 1 billion tonnes of CO2

on March 2, 2026 at 3:00 pm

Putting silicate rocks from mine waste on fields could improve crops and limit global warming, but some researchers question where all that rock is going to come from

Ants capture carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into armour

on March 2, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Fungus-farming ants have evolved a remarkable solution to the danger of excess carbon dioxide inside their nests – which could inspire ways for humans to capture CO2

People who eat a lot of fibre spend more time in deep sleep

on March 2, 2026 at 10:41 am

The most comprehensive study to date has revealed what we need to eat throughout the day to sleep well that night

The best new science fiction books of March 2026

on March 2, 2026 at 10:30 am

The latest in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series is out this month, along with a speculative retelling of Moby-Dick and a forgotten classic from 1936

Inside the company selling quantum entanglement

on March 2, 2026 at 9:00 am

Cables underneath New York City are teeming with entangled quantum particles of light thanks to Qunnect, a company that has spent a decade working on building an unhackable quantum internet

Can magnesium supplements improve sleep, energy and concentration?

on March 2, 2026 at 9:00 am

Magnesium has been called the “super mineral of the moment”, hailed for its supposed benefits for the brain and body. But columnist Alice Klein finds that the evidence is lacking for many of these claims

NASA’s Artemis moon exploration programme is getting a major makeover

on February 27, 2026 at 4:24 pm

As it faces yet another set of delays, NASA’s Artemis programme is being shaken up, delaying an actual moon landing in favour of smaller, faster steps forward

Frailty can be eased with an infusion of stem cells from young people

on February 27, 2026 at 3:00 pm

Frailty can typically only be lessened through lifestyle changes, but a stem cell therapy seems to target the underlying causes of the condition, boosting the mobility of frail older people

Human brain cells on a chip learned to play Doom in a week

on February 27, 2026 at 3:00 pm

Neuron-powered computer chips can now be easily programmed to play a first-person shooter game, bringing biological computers a step closer to useful applications

Ocean geoengineering trial finds no evidence of harm to marine life

on February 27, 2026 at 11:08 am

Pouring 65,000 litres of sodium hydroxide into the Gulf of Maine removed up to 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere without harming wildlife, according to the researchers behind an ocean alkalinity enhancement test

How worried should you be about an asteroid smashing into Earth?

on February 27, 2026 at 10:38 am

The dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid, but does that mean we risk suffering the same fate – and should you be worried about the possibility? Leah Crane sets the matter straight

Our verdict on Juice by Tim Winton: Australian climate novel is a hit

on February 27, 2026 at 9:10 am

The New Scientist Book Club enjoyed our February read, Tim Winton’s far-future-set Juice. Head of books Alison Flood rounds up member thoughts

‘If a drug had the same benefits as the arts, we’d take it every day’

on February 27, 2026 at 9:00 am

As the New Scientist Book Club embarks on its read for March, Art Cure, author Daisy Fancourt gives a sneak preview into the myriad ways in which the arts can improve our health

Read an extract from Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt

on February 27, 2026 at 9:00 am

In this extract from Daisy Fancourt’s Art Cure, the March read for the New Scientist Book Club, we learn about how art classes transformed life for Russell after he had a stroke

We all harbour 9 secrets and they are eating us up inside

on February 27, 2026 at 9:00 am

Secret-keeping evolved to maintain social harmony, but it can weigh heavily on us when we can’t stop thinking about them. So, what is the best way to deal with things that we don’t want anyone else to know?

Could a niche 80s technology be the key to better quantum computers?

on February 27, 2026 at 9:00 am

Superconducting computing circuits were briefly heralded as the future of computing in the 1980s. Columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan visits a quantum chip foundry where one company is betting this technology’s second act will revolutionise quantum computers

Eamonn Holmes claims ex Ruth Langsford ‘painted him as villain’ in her new book

on March 3, 2026 at 8:16 am

Eamonn Holmes claims ex Ruth Langsford ‘painted him as villain’ in her new bookRuth Langsford’s estranged husband Eamonn Holmes is reportedly furious over her decision to speak out about their breakup.The former This Morning host claims that Ruth “painted him as the villain” in her newly…

Elderly mom of Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping suspect tells story of six-hour long raid on her home

on March 3, 2026 at 7:58 am

Elderly mother of Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping suspect tells story of six-hour long raid on her homeThe mother of the man that’s been accused of kidnapping the elderly woman, due to their ‘similar’ statures and heights, lives just two miles away.For those unversed with the…

Watch: Luke Thompson teach Jimmy Fallon a romantic Bridgerton dance

on March 3, 2026 at 7:07 am

Watch: Luke Thompson teach Jimmy Fallon a romantic Bridgerton danceThis season’s Bridgerton brother Luke Thompson just sat down on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and whipped out a romantic dance that he just taught the host. The actor, whose attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic…

Angelina Jolie, Louis Garrel’s relationship status finally revealed

on March 3, 2026 at 5:56 am

Angelina Jolie, Louis Garrel’s relationship status finally revealedAngelina Jolie is not dating French actor Louis Garrel.On Monday, an insider confirmed to TMZ that the Maleficent actress and the Innocent actor are “just friends.”Angelina and Louis’ dating rumors began after the two were spotted…

Watch: Nancy Guthrie’s suspect break his silence after being dubbed masked kidnapper

on March 3, 2026 at 5:34 am

Watch: Nancy Guthrie’s suspect break his silence after being dubbed masked kidnapperThe man recently taken into custody and investigated for any connection with Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping has finally come forward to deliver his account. The man was taken into custody alongside his…

Justin Timberlake moves to block release of body cam footage from DWI arrest

on March 3, 2026 at 4:19 am

Justin Timberlake has filed a petition seeking to stop the release of police body camera footage from his June 2024 arrest on a drink-driving charge.The 45-year-old was arrested on 18 June 2024 after leaving the American Hotel in Sag Harbor, New York. He was initially charged with one count of…

Priyanka Chopra reveals why her late dad would have ‘loved’ Nick Jonas

on March 3, 2026 at 2:39 am

Priyanka Chopra gets emotional remembering late fatherPriyanka Chopra is remembering her late dad in a rare confession.The Bollywood actress, whose father, Ashok Chopra, passed away in 2013 due to years-long battle with cancer, confessed that if her father was alive, he would have given his seal…

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs set for early prison release amid appeal

on March 3, 2026 at 2:20 am

Sean Combs will be released from prison a month and a half early while he appeals his four-year sentence. His release date has been moved from 4 June 2028 to 25 April 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.The development comes as Combs was accepted into a residential drug-abuse…

Zendaya’s Mom breaks silence over Tom Holland wedding confession

on March 3, 2026 at 2:02 am

Zendaya’s mom breaks silence over Tom Holland wedding confessionZendaya’s mom spoke for the first time following the actress’s stylist, Law Roach’s claim, The longtime stylist claimed on the Actor Awards red carpet on March 1 that Zendaya and Tom Holland secretly tied the knot.The Dune actress’s…

Dax Shepard set to make shocking revelation about childhood sexual abuse in new memoir

on March 3, 2026 at 1:51 am

Dax Shepard is opening up about some difficult topics in his new memoir.The Hit and Run actor, 51, spoke on the matter with Marcus Mumford during a March 2 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast. “I want to bond with you on this experience, which is, I have for years on here been…

Dax Shepard proves he’s Kristen Bell’s biggest cheerleader despite colonoscopy prep

on March 3, 2026 at 1:00 am

Dax Shepard proves he’s Kristen Bell’s biggest cheerleader despite colonoscopy prepDax Shepard proved that he is always there to support his wife Kristen Bell.The actor and comedian, who was scheduled to undergo a colonoscopy a day after Kristen’s hosting gig at the 2026 Actor Awards on March 1,…

Cillian Murphy gets honest about Voldemort rumours in ‘Harry Potter’

on March 3, 2026 at 12:26 am

Cillian Murphy shuts down Voldemort casting rumours in ‘Harry Potter’Cillian Murphy, for a while, has been rumoured to play Lord Voldemort in the forthcoming Harry Potter TV show.Chris Columbus, director of the first two Potter films, also earlier supported him as a popular fan cast choice of He…

Josh Duhamel finally reveals why marriage to ex wife Fergie broke

on March 3, 2026 at 12:23 am

Josh Duhamel finally reveals why marriage to ex wife Fergie brokeJosh Duhamel took a moment to reflect on his divorce from ex-wife FergieThe Transformer actor opened up about his separation from Fergie, revealing that he and the Fergalicious singer parted ways due to their “different” outlook…

‘The Mummy 4’ directors hint at soft reboot with Rachel Weisz comeback

on March 2, 2026 at 11:18 pm

‘The Mummy 4’ directors on the canon reset after Rachel Weisz rejoined the franchise In The Mummy threequel, Rachel Weisz was replaced by Maria Bello. Now, as the former is making a comeback in the fourth instalment, fans asked a genuine question: is the dead Chinese emperor and his…

Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple Martin gushes over dad Chris: ‘My hero’

on March 2, 2026 at 11:06 pm

Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple Martin gushes over dad Chris: ‘My hero’Apple Martin could not hold back herself from expressing her love for her dad, Chris Martin.The 21-year-old aspiring model, who dropped out of her law school to follow her mother Gwyneth Paltrow’s footsteps, took to her…

Harrison Ford shares rule he’s set in his third marriage

on March 2, 2026 at 10:52 pm

Harrison Ford has shared the guiding principle behind his long marriage to Calista Flockhart. Speaking on the red carpet at the 2026 Actor Awards in Los Angeles on 1 March, the 83-year-old actor said his approach is not telling his wife what to do.That philosophy applies at home and to their…

Harrison Ford’s emotional speech feels like end of an era?

on March 2, 2026 at 10:37 pm

Harrison Ford’s emotional speech feels like end of an era?Hollywood legend Harrison Ford has sparked concern among fans after emotional speech at Actor Awards.While receiving the Life Achievement Award on March 1, the actor gave unusually emotional speech.Appearing visibly teary-eyed, Ford, known…

Jennifer Hudson reveals financial advice she gives her teen son

on March 2, 2026 at 9:51 pm

Jennifer Hudson is making sure her son understands money long before he reaches adulthood. The Oscar winner, 44, recently revealed she has been speaking with her 16-year-old son, David Daniel Otunga Jr., about credit scores, bills, and financial discipline as part of a new partnership with…

What will happen to HBO Max after the Paramount-Warner Bros merger?

on March 2, 2026 at 9:18 pm

Paramount unveils plans for HBO Max after the Warner Bros mergerHBO Max has a distinct brand value, but on the horizon of the Paramount-Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, questions arise over its future.But assuaging doubts and uncertainty, the company said HBO will “operate with…

Machine Gun Kelly honors daughter Saga with new hand tattoo

on March 2, 2026 at 9:12 pm

MGK gets ‘Saga’ ink as tribute to daughterMachine Gun Kelly is a proud girl dad.The rapper paid a sweet tribute to his and Meghan Fox’s daughter, Saga, by dedicating a new ink to her.MGK’s tattoo artist took to his Instagram account on Sunday to share a glimpse of Kelly’s new tattoo he got.The…

Trump says ‘special relationship is obviously not what it was’ after Starmer’s refusal to back Iran strikes – UK politics live

by Yohannes Lowe on March 3, 2026 at 9:25 am

US president doubles down on criticism of the prime minister, saying ‘he has not been helpful’ Asked whether the so-called “special relationship” had changed, Darren Jones told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:The UK-American relationship is important. It has been for a long time and will continue to be, and we’re working in collaboration right now in the Middle East on defensive action to protect British citizens.I think the President’s frustration, from the way he’s articulated it, has been that we were not involved in the initial American and Israeli strikes in Iran, but as the prime minister said to the House of Commons yesterday, we will only engage British armed forces when it’s in British interests with a clear plan and on a legal basis.That’s just, that’s not right. The UK will act in the interests of British citizens, regardless of their faith or where they are in the United Kingdom.I think the public would rightly say they don’t want to be involved in a wider war in the Middle East, but they would expect us to do whatever we can to defend British citizens. Continue reading…

Spring forecast: Reeves to insist she has ‘right economic plan’; Markets plunge as Middle East crisis drives up oil and gas prices – live updates

by Graeme Wearden on March 3, 2026 at 9:24 am

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, including the UK’s spring forecastRachel Reeves’s plans could be hit by Middle East conflict, say economistsUK grocery price inflation has risen, showing that people are being hit in the pocket even before the surge in energy prices feeds through to the economy.Data provider Worldpanel by Numerator has reported that annual grocery inflation rose to 4.3% in February, after four consecutive months of falls, in a blow for households. That’s up from 4% in January.Sentiment towards BP and Shell has strengthened significantly off the back of oil price spikes. But it’s a complex picture. Neither company has production in Iran. But BP’s significant production in Iraq and Abu Dhabi risks being bottlenecked through disruption to the Strait of Hormuz. For Shell the same applies to its LNG facilities in Qatar and the Emirates. If a moderate sustainable regime is established in Iran, there is the potential for substantial derisking, and for prices to be rebased downwards. If sanctions are removed, it also opens the door for investment into Iranian oil fields.But uncertainty remains high. This could prove to be highly profitable for both Shell and BP’s trading arms with Shell’s optimisation capabilities in LNG transit likely to be in particularly strong demand. Shell’s balance sheet strength also leaves it better placed to deal with any prolonged volatility and while BP’s buybacks remain on pause, we’re expecting Shell’s generous payouts are likely to continue this year. Continue reading…

‘Peak Greggs’? Bakery chain’s profits slump and sales slow

by Guardian staff and agencies on March 3, 2026 at 9:20 am

Retailer known for its sausage rolls and steak bakes says it has been resilient in a challenging marketBusiness live – latest updatesGreggs has reported a slump in profits as it bemoaned “challenging” market conditions hitting consumer confidence and disposable income, amid pressure to prove the UK has not hit “peak Greggs”.The high street bakery chain, known for its sausage rolls and steak bakes, said statutory pre-tax profits fell by 17.9% to £167.4m for the year to 27 December, compared with a year earlier. It also reported a slowdown in sales growth over the start of the new year. Continue reading…

Middle East crisis live: Israel launches fresh attacks on Tehran and Beirut

by Vivian Ho (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) on March 3, 2026 at 9:20 am

Israeli airforce attacking cities simultaneously with a ‘wave of extensive strikes’ as soldiers are deployed on the ground in southern LebanonUS strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to launch attack, Rubio saysAnger with Hezbollah boils as war returns to weary BeirutUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has claimed the US attacked Iran after learning that Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces.“We knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” he told reportersThe Air Force is now attacking Tehran and Beirut simultaneouslyThe Air Force has now begun a wave of extensive strikes against the Iranian terror regime and the Hezbollah terror organization. Continue reading…

They by Helle Helle review – a novel to make the reader slow down and take notice

by Jude Cook on March 3, 2026 at 9:00 am

Minimalist but never austere, this mother-daughter portrait from the Danish author finds its power in everyday detailThe Danish author Helle Helle’s They, published in the UK in a pin-sharp translation by Martin Aitken, charts the subtle and shifting bond between a teenage daughter and an ailing mother in prose that is minimalist but never austere. It’s one of those novels where little is spoken but everything, by the end, gets said.The unnamed mother and 16-year-old daughter live above a hairdresser’s in a Danish backwater on the island of Lolland, where nothing much goes on. They walk across the spring-awoken fields, they shop for groceries, they join an evening class. Details of their past are scanty, fugitive: a few house moves, but nothing about the daughter’s father, who exerts a vague apophatic presence. Mostly, they enjoy a frictionless, symbiotic closeness: “They sit by the window a lot, and on the settee, and with the free local weekly … They lift their mugs, sip synchronous mouthfuls.” Continue reading…

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved review – sword, sorcery and smartphones

by Phil Hoad on March 3, 2026 at 9:00 am

Those not up to speed on the Miss Kobayashi manga may struggle with the full nuance of this dimension hopping anime, but the visuals are stunningly to look atYou know fantasy has a different constituency these days when, at a pivotal point in this candy-coloured, realm-hopping anime, the protagonist casts a spell that temporarily boosts local mobile-phone signal. During the climactic battle, it’s salarywoman Miss Kobayashi (voiced by Mutsumi Tamura) who is dialling up extra help from Kanna (Maria Naganawa), the moony, bobby-soxed poppet who’s one of the dragons in human guise that have invaded her life (and demanded a smartphone).Kanna is very much sought after: with a big smackdown brewing between the forces of chaos and harmony in the dragon dimension, her father Kimun Kamui (Fumihiko Tachiki) turns up at Kobayashi’s flat to demand either his daughter return to fight, or give him the dragon orb into which she has loaded her manna. Offended by his saurian sangfroid, Kobayashi refuses to give Kanna up; when her posse start digging around in the other realm, it appears that human mage Azad (Nobunaga Shimazaki) has been stoking tensions between the two factions. Continue reading…

Some flights depart Middle East amid travel chaos as US urges its citizens to leave region

by Staff and agencies on March 3, 2026 at 8:28 am

Select departures organised as US state department warns Americans to leave on commercial flights ‘due to safety risks’US-Israel war on Iran – live updatesTravellers stranded by a widening war in the Middle East began departing the United Arab Emirates onboard a small number of evacuation flights on Monday, as governments around the world worked to extract their citizens from the region.Etihad Airways and Emirates, the airlines based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively, and the budget carrier FlyDubai said they would operate limited flights after the chaos and damaged caused by Iranian missiles and drones. Continue reading…

Councils’ temporary housing costs to more than double by 2029-30, says LGA

by Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent on March 3, 2026 at 8:27 am

Exclusive: Local Government Association says figure to house homeless people in England will reach almost £4bnThe cost to councils of providing temporary accommodation for homeless people in England is projected to more than double to almost £4bn by 2029–30, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.The national membership body for councils found that since 2017-18, local authorities across England had spent almost £1.5bn more on temporary accommodation (TA) than had been reimbursed in housing benefit from the government. Continue reading…

Why Frankenstein should win the best picture Oscar

by Ann Lee on March 3, 2026 at 8:00 am

Guillermo del Toro has overcome the Academy’s aversion to fantasy before and with this heartfelt telling of the monster classic he should do it againGuillermo del Toro has spent his career humanising monsters, once calling them the “patron saints of our blissful imperfection”, so his adaptation of Frankenstein was always going to be a match made in heaven. The Mexican film-maker’s passion project turns Mary Shelley’s famous novel about the dangers of hubris and playing God into a touching tale about generational trauma, parental abandonment and the healing power of forgiveness. It’s a meticulously crafted, visually sumptuous and powerfully told story that deserves to take home that best picture Oscar.But it’s not going to be easy. The gothic fantasy seamlessly blends horror, sci-fi and melodrama in its opulent retelling; here Oscar Isaac plays the eccentric scientist, Victor, who brings a hulking creature (Jacob Elordi) made up of dead body parts to life. Fantasy, horror and sci-fi, however, are genres that notoriously don’t do well at the Academy Awards, apart from in the technical categories. Yes, Del Toro is one of the few film-makers to get a best picture Oscar for a fantasy/sci-fi film in 2018 for his amphibian love story, The Shape of Water, but that win was an exception, not the rule. Continue reading…

My sexual freedom odyssey: what ancient African wisdom can teach us about pleasure today

by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah on March 3, 2026 at 8:00 am

By speaking to women across the continent, I discovered how reclaiming pre-colonial rites and rituals can help us find joy in our bodiesIn the kitchen of my Airbnb in Dar es Salaam I stripped down to my underwear and wrapped a colourful kanga cloth around my hips. It was day three of my dance lessons with Zaishanga, but I was showing no improvement. Zaishanga, or Auntie Zai as I called her, is a traditional sex educator, known locally as a somo or kungwi. She told me that learning to dance seductively would ensure that, “no man would ever want to leave you, unless you want him gone”. I never did master the dance, and I really don’t care much if a man chooses to leave me, but my time with Auntie Zai was enlightening.Dance is just one of a range of seduction tips and tricks that Zaishanga teaches at her “kitchen parties”. She also counsels women on how to maintain a healthy marriage, and gives advice on the importance of self-care, and the need to maintain a standard of beauty and style. These gatherings, where experienced older women – aunties, big sisters, grandmothers – share advice with brides-to-be are rooted in traditional rites of passage into womanhood that date back centuries. Continue reading…

Minorities in adverts are menaced, footballers observing Ramadan are booed. Is this the Britain we want? | Jason Okundaye

by Jason Okundaye on March 3, 2026 at 8:00 am

Intolerance is in vogue and leaders are failing to meet the moment. When King Charles seems the best and bravest hope, the problem is clearHow should the UK deal with the increasing fracturing of multiculturalism right now, and how we are all being pitted against each other? This idea was on the mind of a man named Steve, who featured on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions on Friday in the aftermath of the Gorton and Denton byelection. Steve asked if the Green victory was an indication that Labour needed to “get back to its roots”, adding, to great applause, that “we’re a relatively wealthy country, we should not be demonising minority groups to square the balance”.Listening, I was struck by the response of one of the panellists, New Labour minister David Blunkett, who criticised Labour’s current technocratism, but did not reflect on what Steve said about demonisation. It was especially striking considering Blunkett’s earlier comments, that when listening to the victorious Green MP Hannah Spencer’s speech, he thought: “I could have delivered that speech back in 1987 … What is it that has driven this young woman … to join the Greens rather than the Labour party?” Continue reading…

Lucy Letby case expert witness was under fitness to practise investigation during trial

by Felicity Lawrence and David Conn on March 3, 2026 at 7:30 am

Exclusive: Jury was never told about inquiry into key prosecution witness Peter Hindmarsh, which looked into allegations including of harm to patientsA doctor who gave crucial expert evidence about insulin poisoning for the prosecution of the nurse Lucy Letby was under investigation by the medical regulator at the time due to serious concerns about his fitness to practise.The General Medical Council (GMC) opened an investigation into concerns about Prof Peter Hindmarsh, including that he had harmed patients, on the first day he gave evidence at Letby’s trial in late 2022. Continue reading…

I paid off my mortgage – so why did my credit score plummet?

by Anna Tims on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Paying off a loan can sometimes spook the algorithms that people’s calculate creditworthinessMy credit score dropped from well above average to well below average after I paid off my mortgage. As well as bizarre, it’s yet another example of how our lives are affected by arbitrary decisions made by faceless corporate giants.PB London Continue reading…

Want to go skiing in Switzerland without breaking the bank? Here’s where to go …

by Ailsa Sheldon on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Hitting the piste in Verbier doesn’t come cheap, but in laid-back La Tzoumaz you can access the same pistes without such a steep price tagI’m standing at 3,330 metres on a tall metal platform with a heavy harness strapped to my back, gazing in awe at the snow-covered Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and the Dents du Midi ridge. It’s a gorgeous distraction while I wait to be clipped in and launched down the valley at 120 kilometres an hour. This is the Mont Fort zip line, the highest in the world. I sit with my legs dangling over the precipice, then with a stomach-churning clunk the mechanism releases and I speed through the air over tiny figures skiing below. It’s exhilarating and over too soon. I’m grinning ear to ear, my lungs full of high mountain air.I’m in Verbier, one of Switzerland’s most famous ski resorts. With access to 410km of pristine piste, excellent alpine food and a legendary après-ski culture, what’s not to like? Well, for many, the price. Verbier has long been favoured by A-listers and royalty, with eye-watering prices to match. Happily, there is a way to enjoy the same slopes, with much less of a financial hit. Stay in the village of La Tzoumaz (pronounced La Tsoo-mah), where accommodation can be half the price of Verbier, and you’re one chairlift away from the entire Four Valleys ski area. And as I discover, this “back door” resort has plenty of its own charms too. Continue reading…

Ian Holloway: ‘If you can’t hear other people, you are isolated from the world’

by Ben Fisher on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

To mark World Hearing Day, the Swindon manager talks about wearing hearing aids, his family’s experience of deafness and communication in footballIan Holloway is talking about one of the telltale signs, away from frontline management, that led to him wearing hearing aids. “I became more and more aware how loud I was having to put the volume on the telly,” he says, before delivering the punchline. “My neighbours must be delighted.” The other giveaway came courtesy of his wife, Kim. “How often I had to say: ‘Sorry? Pardon?’ It started to really annoy both of us. At first I thought I was just deliberately not listening after 37 years of marriage.”This Saturday, when his Swindon side visit Crawley hoping to maintain their League Two promotion push, Holloway, who turns 63 this month, plans to wear his hearing aids at a game for the first time. “Unfortunately ageing happens to all of us – your body does deteriorate – so put the ego down and get the best hearing you can. I want to be the best I can be for as long as I can be.” Continue reading…

The Last Kings of Hollywood by Paul Fischer review – the rise and reign of Spielberg, Lucas and Coppola

by Peter Bradshaw on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

An epic account of how three demigod directors, in pursuit of indie freedom, redefined American film-makingHere we are once more: back to the glory days of the New Hollywood that emerged from the ashes of the old studio system in the 1960s and 70s. Our cast is filled with brilliant hotshots and creative risk-takers, energised by the French New Wave, the American counterculture and the industry’s own amazing entrepreneurial past.Peter Biskind’s breezy, bleary, cynical book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls ranged freely across the 1970s, with controversial anecdotes about egos and drugs (though maybe the definitive book about the role of cocaine in film production has yet to be written). Mark Harris’s Scenes from a Revolution had the witty idea of looking at the five films Oscar-nominated for best picture in the transitional year of 1968, from the supercool Bonnie and Clyde to the squaresville Dr Doolittle, to see what they told us about America’s cinematic mind at the time. Continue reading…

‘Now they only deport’: Afghans trapped in Pakistan arrested and sent back after ‘open war’ breaks out

by Zahra Nader and Freshta Ghani for Zan Times on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Journalists and activists who fled Taliban rule are living in fear as Pakistani police hunt and deport refugees after escalating cross-border clashesAt midnight on Saturday, Alma* stood at the check-in counter at Karachi airport in Pakistan with her husband and three-year-old son, holding tickets she believed would finally take the refugee family to safety.The Afghan journalist, who fled the Taliban in October 2024, had already been stopped from boarding two days earlier, on 26 February. Since they were flying with a tourist visa to a country in Africa, they had booked a flight from Karachi with a return leg that they did not plan to use. But the Pakistani officials at the airport refused to let them board. Continue reading…

Want a better job and a pay rise? Eleven ways to progress at work – and avoid a ‘dry promotion’

by Sarah Phillips on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Keep your boss happy, develop your ‘personal boardroom’, ask for honest feedback, don’t take the notes in every meeting and remember: no one gets promoted for inbox zeroThere is nothing worse than feeling stuck in a job. What are the best ways to progress without having to resort to shameless self-promotion? Here, career coaches explain how to make sure you are first in line for a promotion – and a pay rise. Continue reading…

Obex review – surreal Lynchian vibes in inventive retro gaming tribute

by Phil Hoad on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Director and star Albert Birney goes through the looking glass to tackle a Zelda-esque dog rescue quest inside his 80s gaming machine in endearingly imaginative fantasyIf David Lynch had been born 20 years later and fetishised 1980s home-computing tech, this is the kind of film he might have made: black-and-white analogue surrealism, with smudges of dot-matrix horror. Director Albert Birney stars as “Computer Conor”, a shut-in who makes a living from virtuosically tapping out ASCII reproductions of people’s favourite photos and, on his downtime, watching several VHSs simultaneously on his three-television-high stack.Outside is Mary (Callie Hernandez), an unseen grocery-delivery girl, and the unsettling writhings of the biological world in the shape of an emerging cicada brood. But Conor is invaded from within when he subscribes to Obex, a mail-order sword-and-sorcery video game that allows you to personalise your own avatar. Initially disappointed, he becomes more enveloped when his printer of its own accord spits out a command: “Remove your skin.” And then the game’s radiant demon Ixaroth arrives in his apartment and spirits away Conor’s pooch, Sandy. Continue reading…

Everton fans left in the dark with need to find home comfort at new stadium

by Andy Hunter on March 3, 2026 at 7:00 am

Dockside site will transform club’s finances, but fans are frustrated with kick-off times and results at venue so farDavid Moyes has numerous theories on why Everton do not yet feel completely at home at Hill Dickinson Stadium, beyond the fact that change is inevitably strange after 133 years at Goodison Park. Wins would be instrumental, but his team have managed only five in 16 matches. Supporters connecting to the magnificent venue through a new matchday routine would help too, but for many that is proving nigh on impossible.One season-ticket holder, who lives in the south of England, said on social media recently that they expect to miss seven or eight home games this season owing to the curse of the modern fixture schedule. The club are aware that this is not an isolated case. The problem is not new nor confined to Everton, who of course reap the benefits of every game that is switched for live television purposes and, let’s be frank, have not held as much appeal for broadcasters in recent years as they do this season. But in their inaugural campaign at a new home, Everton’s schedule has proved to be peculiar and, in turn, detrimental to fans adapting to new surroundings. Continue reading…

STAT+: FDA grants ‘breakthrough’ status to generative AI chatbot for surgical patients

by Katie Palmer on March 3, 2026 at 9:30 am

The FDA’s decision on a chatbot for patients recovering from surgery could offer clues on how the agency plans to regulate generative AI tools.

STAT+: MAHA goes global: Inside the rise of the Make Europe Healthy Again movement

by Gabriela Galvin on March 3, 2026 at 9:30 am

A new “Make Europe Healthy Again” movement ties U.S. MAHA figures to European anti-vaccine and far-right networks, raising public health concerns.

Opinion: STAT+: 6 key dilemmas as human embryo models get ever closer to the real thing

by Paul Knoepfler on March 3, 2026 at 9:30 am

6 core challenges that researchers must consider as the race to create models that are ever closer to real human embryos heats up.

STAT+: CMS halts enrollment in Elevance’s Medicare Advantage plans, citing years of misconduct

by Bob Herman on March 2, 2026 at 6:06 pm

CMS said Elevance had “substantial and persistent noncompliance” with requirements to submit information about its customers.

STAT+: Aetna’s ACA hospital prices, and a new Cigna deal

by Bob Herman on March 2, 2026 at 5:28 pm

The health insurer paid higher prices for hospital care than some rivals in the ACA insurance market.

STAT+: A Merck cancer drug to watch

by Meghana Keshavan on March 2, 2026 at 2:41 pm

UniQure seeks approval, Novartis settles Henrietta Lacks lawsuit, and more biotech stories

A swine flu case to keep tabs on

by Theresa Gaffney on March 2, 2026 at 2:20 pm

The “godfather of vaccines,” a case of swine flu, and other health news from Morning Rounds

STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s MFN deals, 340B program controversies, and much more

by Ed Silverman on March 2, 2026 at 1:52 pm

The most-favored nation drug pricing deals the Trump administration reached with 16 drugmakers end after three years in some cases, according to SEC filings

STAT+: UniQure plans to seek approval for Huntington’s therapy still blocked by FDA

by Adam Feuerstein on March 2, 2026 at 12:36 pm

UniQure said plans to seek approval for its Huntington’s disease treatment with the FDA remain blocked.

Opinion: I analyzed 6 months of Reddit discussion about at-home ketamine therapy. The findings alarmed me

by Michael Alvear on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

“Telehealth ketamine has crossed the line from innovation to abdication of care,” writes Michael Alvear.

STAT+: Federal Medicaid audit finds massive overpayment for autism therapy in Colorado

by Tara Bannow on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

HHS’s OIG uncovered $285.2 million in improper and potentially improper payments to clinicians of an autism therapy called applied behavior analysis, it said.

A titan of vaccine development sees his field’s achievements slip away

by Helen Branswell on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

Stanley Plotkin, the 93-year-old “godfather of vaccines,” is watching his field’s achievements slip away.

STAT+: Trump’s drive to get Europe to pay more for drugs creates uncertainty for countries, patients

by Andrew Joseph on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

President Trump’s demand that wealthy countries in Europe spend more on drugs so the U.S. can pay less has introduced uncertainty across the continent.

STAT+: How can HHS drive clinical AI adoption? The industry wish list is starting to take shape

by Mario Aguilar on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

What leading health tech firms and AI startups want HHS to do to speed up clinical AI adoption.

Opinion: Cannabis has become more legal. It’s time to update laws around use by pregnant people

by Lauren Micalizzi and Elizabeth Tobin-Tyler on March 2, 2026 at 9:30 am

It’s time to rethink punitive policies around cannabis use by people who are pregnant.

Henrietta Lacks’ estate settles with Novartis over the ‘stolen cells’ that advanced science

by Associated Press on February 28, 2026 at 1:49 pm

Novartis becomes the second company to settle after being accused of reaping rewards from a racist medical system.

Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled

by Chelsea Cirruzzo on February 28, 2026 at 1:53 am

Kennedy adds two new members to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee

STAT+: Minnesota report shows large hospitals continue to dominate the 340B drug discount program

by Ed Silverman on February 27, 2026 at 9:53 pm

Minnesota hospitals and clinics participating in a controversial U.S. drug discount program reaped at least $1.34 billion in revenue in 2024.

STAT+: Trump most-favored nation drug pricing deals end after three years for some companies

by John Wilkerson on February 27, 2026 at 8:58 pm

SEC filings show that, at least for some drugmakers, “most-favored nation” drug pricing deals with President Trump last three years.

Kansas’ new ID law could have health consequences for trans people

by O. Rose Broderick on February 27, 2026 at 6:54 pm

Get your daily dose of health and medicine every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. Happy Friday. If I ever have kids, I want them to be…

This Giant Carnivore Ran on Hooves. Scientists Are Investigating Its Massive Skull and Crushing Teeth to Decipher the Beast’s True Nature

on February 19, 2026 at 6:37 pm

For more than a century, paleontologists have been piecing together how the mysterious predator Andrewsarchus is related to other mammals, like the extinct “hell pigs” and “wolves with hooves”

The Sahara Desert Hasn’t Always Been a Dry, Desolate Landscape. Some Scientists See Signs It May Be Greening Again

on February 19, 2026 at 11:00 am

Petroglyphs on sandstone at a national park in Chad bear witness to wildlife that once roamed the area before the continent’s water largely receded 6,000 years ago. Could it return?

After a Devastating Bird Flu Outbreak, Scotland’s Seabirds Are Slowly Recovering—and So Are the Scientists Who Witnessed Their Decline

on February 18, 2026 at 1:12 pm

The world’s largest colony of northern gannets was decimated by bird flu in 2022. Now, as their numbers climb again, researchers are collecting data to understand the virus’ lasting effects

When Coyotes Threatened Livestock on Central Texas Ranches, the Solution Was to Unlock an Ancient Ability in Dogs

on February 17, 2026 at 10:00 am

Killing the predators is not nearly as effective as the intimidating presence of well-trained guardians, a role some breeds have played for 5,000 years

Gallop Into the Year of the Horse With These Five Amazing Equine Discoveries

on February 13, 2026 at 1:26 pm

Since their domestication, horses have changed the course of human history. It’s no wonder the Chinese zodiac associates them with prosperity and success

The Tragedy of the Alps’ Disappearing Glaciers for Those Who Live, Visit and Ski There

on February 12, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Warming temperatures are wreaking havoc at elevation, upending the Winter Olympics and the tourism industry and imperiling communities

An Asteroid Ended the Age of the Dinosaurs. But How Did Their Reign Begin? Mysterious Early Reptiles May Hold the Answer

on February 11, 2026 at 3:10 pm

Researchers are uncovering the evolutionary steps that set the stage for dinosaurs to rule the planet

These Lazy Bats Are Super-Efficient Killers That Carefully Conserve Energy to Attack at a Moment’s Notice

on February 9, 2026 at 3:18 pm

Wild fringe-lipped bats spend just one-tenth of the night in flight, but they can precisely snatch a calling frog and nab prey that rivals their own size

If Microbes Entered the Olympics, These One-Celled Superstars Would Win Gold

on February 6, 2026 at 12:30 pm

They race, they spin, they shoot. Meet the organisms for which physical prowess is more than sport—it’s a matter of life and death

These Beetles Are Entirely Dependent on Ants for Survival. Here’s Why That’s Not an Evolutionary Death Sentence

on February 5, 2026 at 4:01 pm

Rove beetles cloak themselves in ant pheromones to sneak into the insects’ nests for protection. But in an odd catch-22, that makes them forever reliant on their hosts

Seals Are Seemingly Vanishing Off the Dutch Coast. These Scientists Are Trying to Get to the Bottom of the Mysterious Disappearances

on February 4, 2026 at 2:45 pm

Recent counts of the Wadden Sea’s adult harbor seal population have revealed a surprising trend of decline, prompting a consortium of researchers to investigate whether the animals are dying off, relocating or experiencing something else altogether

Small, Stubby-Armed Dinosaurs Have Confounded Paleontologists. Are Answers Finally Within Reach?

on February 2, 2026 at 1:00 pm

Recent discoveries about an alvarezsaur called Manipulonyx have drawn renewed attention to this group of bird-like, clawed creatures and the mysteries around their anatomy and behavior

Cannibalism Among Snakes Is Far More Widespread Than Previously Thought

on January 29, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Scientists undertook the first comprehensive assessment of how often snakes eat their own, uncovering reports of the behavior in more than 200 species

These Hungry Starfish Are Spiraling Out of Control in Australia. Now Scientists Say They Have a New Plan to Fight Back

on January 28, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Synthetic pheromones may be a promising tool in attracting and culling troublesome crown-of-thorns starfish, which rapidly eat large amounts of coral on the Great Barrier Reef

Strange, Shovel-Tusked Elephants Puzzled Paleontologists, Until Experts Took a Closer Look at Their Teeth

on January 26, 2026 at 12:30 pm

The animals’ extended lower jaws were seemingly made for scooping, but research over the past few decades has found they could do a lot more than initially expected

The Penguins That Thrive—and the Ones Left Behind—as Antarctica Warms

on January 23, 2026 at 7:07 pm

A new decade-long study tracked 37 penguin colonies and found that the birds are breeding earlier. The shift marks one way among many that climate change is transforming life at the bottom of the world

Get an Eyeful of These 15 Photos of Incredibly Cool Icicles

on January 23, 2026 at 3:45 pm

Nature’s wintry accessory, icicles help beautify snowy landscapes

Three Stunning Ways Biologists Aim to Edit Animal and Plant Genes to Fight Diseases and Extinction

on January 21, 2026 at 3:00 pm

The strategy, known as synthetic biology, is gaining momentum globally as a conservation tool and human health solution, despite attracting some critics

‘Aha’ Moments Seem to Come Out of Nowhere. How Does the Brain Create These Sudden Bursts of Insight?

on January 20, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Neuroscientists are tracking the brain activity that underlies a cognitive breakthrough and unraveling how it might boost memory

The Hidden World of Cold-Water Corals Rises to the Surface With These Glass Sculptures That Are Resurrecting a Lost Craft

on January 15, 2026 at 12:30 pm

As increased industrial activity puts fragile deep-sea ecosystems at risk, one artist is raising awareness about imperiled corals through scientific model making

Ferries emit ‘more sulphur pollution than cars’ in several EU capitals

by Ajit Niranjan Europe environment correspondent on March 2, 2026 at 11:01 pm

Dublin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn among port cities more choked by sulphur oxides from ferries, analysis showsFume-belching ferries spew more sulphur pollution than cars in several EU capitals, analysis has found.Dublin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn are among 13 of Europe’s 15 biggest port cities choked more by sulphur oxides (SOx) from ferries than road vehicles, data shared exclusively with the Guardian shows. Continue reading…

UK slashes climate aid programmes for developing countries

by Fiona Harvey Environment editor on March 2, 2026 at 4:37 pm

Exclusive: Schemes worth hundreds of millions of pounds to protect biodiversity and oceans likely to be substantially reducedUK programmes to protect nature and the climate in developing countries are suffering swingeing budget cuts despite ministers’ promises, the Guardian has learned.The cuts belie the government’s claims to be fulfilling international obligations on climate finance and are veiled behind a system that experts have criticised as opaque.The cutting and partial closure of the £100m Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, intended to protect nature in vital ecosystems in poor regions overseas. Six regions were originally targeted, in Africa, South America and Asia, but this has been reduced to two.Coast – a project for Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition – and Pact (Prepare and Accelerate Climate Transitions) are having substantial cuts.The future of the £500m Blue Planet Fund has been thrown into doubt despite its successful operation.Other schemes have been reduced in scope, for instance by allowing only one year’s funding where years were expected.Requests for data under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed spending has been slashed among the departments responsible for international climate finance (ICF). Continue reading…

Scotland becomes first UK country to legalise water cremations

by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on March 2, 2026 at 3:24 pm

Hydrolysis uses alkaline and water to break down body in a few hours and is part of demand for more sustainable funeralsScotland has become the first part of the UK to legalise hydrolysis, an environmentally friendly alternative to cremation or burial, reflecting increasing demand for more sustainable funeral arrangements.Also known as water cremation or aquamation, the process is already available in many parts of the world, and regulations approved by the Scottish parliament on Monday mark the most significant change to funeral law since cremation was introduced in 1902. Continue reading…

Australian wildlife in ‘harm’s way’, with volunteers left to ‘pick up the pieces’ amid climate crisis, fires and floods

by Tom McIlroy Political editor on March 2, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Ken Henry leads push for federal government to do more to protect animals as biodiversity declinesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is being pushed to introduce tough new national rules for protecting threatened species exposed to disasters including bushfires and floods, with the former Treasury boss Ken Henry among advocates warning that risks to wildlife could reach a point of no return.Months after a major rewrite of environment laws passed parliament, a consortium of animal protection and campaign groups want the Albanese government to standardise rescue, treatment and rehabilitation processes and help fund organisations working to protect species including endangered koalas in the May federal budget. Continue reading…

‘I love midges because I know what their hearts look like’: is the passion for taxonomy in danger of dying out?

by Patrick Greenfield on March 2, 2026 at 8:00 am

Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be discoveredOnce Art Borkent starts speaking about biting midges, he rarely pauses for breath. Holding up a picture of a gnat trapped in amber from the time of the dinosaurs, the 72-year-old taxonomist explains that there are more than 6,000 ceratopogonidae species known to science. He has described and named more than 300 midges, mostly from his favourite family of flies. Some specialise in sucking blood from mammals, reptiles, other insects and even fish, often using the CO2 from their host’s breath to locate their target, he says. Tens of thousands remain a mystery to science, waiting to be discovered.But to Borkent’s knowledge, nobody will continue his life’s work of identifying and studying this group of flies once he has gone. Continue reading…

A scorching summer has left Australian wildlife on the brink, but it doesn’t have to be this way | Euan Ritchie and Jess Harwood

by Euan Ritchie and Jess Harwood on February 28, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Unsettling predictions are now our catastrophic reality, but a brighter future is still within reach if our political leaders change courseSoaring, scorching, record temperatures, yet again. Distressing, protracted droughts. Raging fires and devastating floods. Australia’s summer is drawing to a close, and a reprieve from climate whiplash can’t come soon enough.We’ve witnessed and suffered immense losses and deep heartache for wildlife, ecosystems, and our communities. There was a time when the dire potential consequences of climate breakdown and environmental destruction were warnings, calls from scientists and experts for increased and urgent action. Now an unsettling possibility feels like a disturbing reality. Continue reading…

‘Who’d guess they’re the same species?’ What Italy’s wall lizards reveal about genetic diversity and why it matters

on February 28, 2026 at 7:00 am

Understanding biodiversity within species is key to our understanding of why nature works the way it does, say researchersWords and photographs by Roberto García-RoaTwelve miles from the heart of Rome, Dr Javier Ábalos pauses his walk, lifts his sunglasses and points. To his right, perched on a rocky wall, sits a beautiful lizard. Its body is coated in charcoal-black tones speckled with striking yellow across a green dorsum, and its head, with a prominent jaw, is splashed with fluorescent blue spots. The reptile basks in the sun, unconcerned by our presence.About 80 miles (130km) drive farther along the road that connects the capital with the small village of Poggio di Roio, the researcher from the University of Valencia has barely stepped out of the car when he spots another lizard. This one is smaller, with a brownish body and a narrower head crisscrossed by a network of dark stripes.Researchers fear the common wall lizard of the white morph could be driven to extinction by the arrival of a new variation Continue reading…

North Dakota judge finalizes $345m judgment against Greenpeace in pipeline case

by Reuters on February 28, 2026 at 2:09 am

Judge slashed a $667m damages award to Energy Transfer over Greenpeace’s role in Dakota Access Pipeline protestsA North Dakota judge on Friday finalized a $345m judgment against Greenpeace in a lawsuit pursued by pipeline company Energy Transfer (ET.N) over the environmental group’s role in protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.The final judgment by judge James Gion was in line with a decision he issued in October, in which he slashed by almost half a damages award of about $667m that a jury had awarded Energy Transfer in March. Continue reading…

Winter getting shorter in 80% of major US cities, new data shows

by Sara Braun in New York on February 27, 2026 at 7:18 pm

Researchers find that across 195 US cities, winters are on average nine days shorter than they were in 1970-1997For the millions of people across the United States who have spent the last month digging themselves out of above-average levels of snow and ice, this winter has felt especially long and harsh. But the typical winter is actually getting shorter in 80% of major US cities scrutinized by researchers, according to new data released by Climate Central, an independent climate science and communication group.Researchers found that across 195 US cities, winters are on average nine days shorter today than they were from 1970 to 1997, as the climate crisis progresses. Continue reading…

Red Hill, Canberra: its walking tracks, scar trees and ochre earth underfoot will always transport me

by Paul Daley on February 27, 2026 at 2:00 pm

What is a favourite place if not one built upon our fondest memories?Would I like to write about my favourite place?The invitation inspired me to recall so many magical places – from north-east Arnhem Land to Mediterranean island hamlets with idyllic quayside tavernas, from the Melbourne Cricket Ground on grand final day to Dickensian London pubs, from picture postcard villages beneath snow-capped alpine peaks to the haunts of my literary giants and on to Joshua Tree and Hagia Sofia. Continue reading…

Trump officials move to kill system that protects US from chemical disasters

by Tom Perkins on February 27, 2026 at 2:00 pm

EPA rolls back rules as chemical firms claim provisions in RMP protection system too expensive to implementSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe Trump administration is slowly dismantling the federal disaster management system that protects the nation from chemical catastrophes, such as fires and explosions at high-risk facilities.The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Response Management Program (RMP) requires more than 12,500 high-risk facilities to develop protocols to prevent catastrophes, or limit fallout, and was largely designed to protect workers, first responders, and fence-line communities. Continue reading…

Most US coal plants could meet air pollution rules. Trump weakened them anyway

by Oliver Milman on February 27, 2026 at 12:30 pm

EPA found only 27 of 219 plants needed upgrades; 71 later got exemptions as Donald Trump scrapped mercury limitsAlmost all coal-fired power plants in the US had the ability to comply with rules limiting their emission of dangerous pollutants such as mercury that can cause brain damage in children. Despite this, Donald Trump’s administration decided to demolish the standards anyway.Last week, the Trump administration said it is loosening restrictions on air toxins from mercury, lead and other heavy metals that are released by coal plants. Such pollution is known to be neurotoxic and has been linked to irreversible brain damage in children and infants, as well as heart disease and cancer in adults. Continue reading…

Week in wildlife: rescued dolphins, a white whale and a precious kākāpō chick

by Joanna Ruck on February 27, 2026 at 8:00 am

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading…

Seals, shipwrecks and a screaming swallower: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 – in pictures

by Guardian Staff on February 27, 2026 at 6:00 am

The annual competition draws thousands of entries from across the world and brings together images from below the water’s surface that show the diversity and challenges of subaquatic lifeAll photographs courtesy of Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 Continue reading…

Judge sides with salmon against Trump administration in hydropower ruling

by Gabrielle Canon on February 26, 2026 at 10:26 pm

Federal judge in Oregon rejects bid to overturn Biden-era agreement to protect endangered fish populationsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts direct to your inboxA federal judge in Oregon sided with salmon against the Trump administration on Wednesday, ordering the federal government to change hydropower system operations long considered at the heart of native fish populations’ sharp decline.At the center of the dispute are eight dams and reservoirs on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the Pacific north-west that have created devastating obstacles for salmon and steelhead unable to breach their deadly turbines or navigate through the large, warm, artificial pools. The federal agencies and their supporters, which include a group of utilities, water managers and farming organizations, argued that reservoir drawdown would put power reliability in peril. Continue reading…

Democrats urge dropping plan to double gas exports as US energy prices soar

by Dharna Noor on February 26, 2026 at 6:10 pm

Families are ‘struggling with cost of heating their homes’, letter says as Trump repeatedly pledges to slash utility billsAs energy prices for US households soar nationwide, Democratic and progressive lawmakers are calling on the energy department to end its plan to double exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).“The Trump administration’s LNG export policies are not putting America first: they have jacked up utility prices for families, leaving many Americans struggling with the cost of heating their homes this winter,” reads a letter to the energy secretary, Chris Wright, sent the Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Independent senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and seven others. Continue reading…

Riding the wave: can surf tourism save Peru’s ancient reed-boat fishing culture?

by Dan Collyns in Huanchaco, Peru on February 26, 2026 at 12:00 pm

As fish stocks dwindle, surf tourism may offer a lifeline to traditional caballitos de totora fishers, whose vessels are thought to be among the first ever used to ride wavesJust before dawn, in a scene that has repeated itself over thousands of years on the north coast of Peru, fishers drag boats made of bound reeds to the water’s edge and, kneeling on them, use paddles shaped from split bamboo to row out into the Pacific Ocean to catch their breakfast. A few hours later, these surfer fishers return with netfuls of their catch, riding waves on the final stretch back to the shore. From the main beach in Huanchaco – a seaside town near the city of Trujillo – the fish are taken to sell at the market or to beachfront restaurants preparing meals for tourists.The four-metre-long reed vessels – known as caballitos de totora in Spanish, or “little reed horses” – are placed upright on their ends by the promenade on El Mogote beach so that the seawater drains away and they are ready to be used the next morning. Continue reading…

Judge orders Greenpeace to pay $345m over Dakota Access pipeline protest

by Associated Press in Bismarck on February 25, 2026 at 11:55 pm

Group says case far from over after being found liable for defamation and other claims brought by energy firmA North Dakota judge has said he will order Greenpeace to pay damages expected to total $345m in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline from nearly a decade ago, a figure the environmental group contends it cannot pay.In court papers filed on Tuesday, Judge James Gion said he would sign an order requiring several Greenpeace entities to pay the judgment to pipeline company Energy Transfer. He set that amount at $345m last year in a decision that reduced a jury’s damages by about half, but his latest filing did not specify a final amount. Continue reading…

Tropical plants flowering months earlier or later because of climate crisis – study

by Phoebe Weston on February 25, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Changes threaten ecosystems as flowering falls out of sync with fruit-eating, seed-dispersing animals and pollinatorsTropical flowers are blooming months earlier or later than they used to because of climate breakdown, with potentially “cascading impacts across ecosystems”, according to a study of 8,000 plants dating back 200 years.Researchers looked at flowers from a range of countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana and Thailand, home to the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, but also the most understudied. Continue reading…

Why food justice isn’t being served in America | Hanna Garth

by Hanna Garth on February 25, 2026 at 2:52 pm

Advocates often assume communities of color just don’t know any better when it comes to eating healthyI met the man I’ll call Randy Johnson 13 years ago, as I began research in South Central Los Angeles. I’m an anthropologist who explores how people think about food and use food in their everyday lives. As executive director of a large food justice organization focused on K-12 education throughout the city, Randy was a key source. He talked to me about South Central’s status as a food desert, where its majority Latinx and Black residents had little access to groceries or healthy food. A middle-aged white man, Randy told me of his work in South Central, which centered around encouraging school-age children to eat more fresh vegetables.He described South Central as a wasteland of sorts. “There is just nothing there,” he said, pointing to the common but false idea that there were no grocery stores there. He then pivoted to talking about the residents. “I see them having almost zero education when it comes to [making healthy eating choices]. They don’t know that what they’re eating is destroying them slowly. It’s just that we, as a society, have failed our citizens to educate them that they shouldn’t be buying the fries every day.”Hanna Garth is assistant professor of anthropology at Princeton University Continue reading…

Great art explained: Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on 16 November 1581

by Aeon Video on March 2, 2026 at 11:01 am

Why Ilya Repin’s masterpiece of Ivan the Terrible, first banned in 1885, remains one of Russia’s most controversial paintings- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Who is Walter Mignolo?

by Federico Perelmuter on March 2, 2026 at 11:00 am

A prominent architect of decolonial theory, his diagnosis of European colonial ills is both penetrating and flawed- by Federico PerelmuterRead on Aeon

There are no psychopaths

by Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen on February 27, 2026 at 11:00 am

Virtually everything you think you know about psychopathy has been thoroughly debunked. Why does this zombie idea live on?- by Rasmus Rosenberg LarsenRead on Aeon

Love immortal

by Aeon Video on February 26, 2026 at 11:01 am

In pursuit of defeating death, Alan has dedicated his life to cryonics. He hopes to be defrosted together with his wife- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

The presence of power

by Shomik Dasgupta on February 26, 2026 at 11:00 am

The Indian thinker Rammohun Roy believed that good governance must be close: distance made the British Empire cruel- by Shomik DasguptaRead on Aeon

Divers

by Aeon Video on February 25, 2026 at 11:01 am

The meticulous preparation and fleeting ecstasy of elite high-diving captured in all its breathtaking shapes and sounds- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

The six-second hug

by Julian Baggini on February 24, 2026 at 11:00 am

From art to religion to sex, instrumentalisation has drained away intrinsic value. But life is about more than material benefits- by Julian BagginiRead on Aeon

Inside Pompeii

by Aeon Video on February 23, 2026 at 11:01 am

We may know Pompeii for its destruction, but this intricate 3D rendering brings to life what a bustling city it once was- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Conservation’s prejudice

by Carlos Santana on February 23, 2026 at 11:00 am

Ecology is pervaded by a nativist dogma against invasive species that distorts the science and undermines wildness- by Carlos SantanaRead on Aeon

Going-against-the-grainers

by Dane Leigh Gogoshin on February 20, 2026 at 11:00 am

If our ethical beliefs come from our social environment, how do some people find the moral courage to defy convention?- by Dane Leigh GogoshinRead on Aeon

If I told it: an imperfect portrait of ChatGPT

by Aeon Video on February 19, 2026 at 11:01 am

Amid growing cultural panic about the use of AI in writing, we’re missing the most important point: AI cannot write- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Books and screens

by Carlo Iacono on February 19, 2026 at 11:00 am

Your inability to focus isn’t a failing. It’s a design problem, and the answer isn’t getting rid of our screen time- by Carlo IaconoRead on Aeon

Esteban Cabeza de Baca’s time travels

by Aeon Video on February 18, 2026 at 11:01 am

Defying time and colonial power, a landscape artist layers the deep histories of his ancestors to create hopeful futures- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Mexistentialism

by Carlos Alberto Sánchez on February 17, 2026 at 11:00 am

The Mexican embrace of uncertainty, forged in the crucible of history, captures the true vulnerability of our existence- by Carlos Alberto SánchezRead on Aeon

Snow line

by Aeon Video on February 16, 2026 at 11:01 am

How do you teach a child reverence for nature? This filmmaker takes his son on a search for the ever-changing snow line- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

The snowball effect

by Graham Shields on February 16, 2026 at 11:00 am

Our planet was once a harsh, alien, icy world. Yet this deep freeze may have shaped you, me and all life on Earth- by Graham ShieldsRead on Aeon

Guarding the guardians

by Julien Lie-Panis on February 13, 2026 at 11:00 am

Good institutions are social technologies that scale trust from personal relations to entire nations. How do they work?- by Julien Lie-PanisRead on Aeon

Stephen and David’s toy cupboard

by Aeon Video on February 12, 2026 at 11:01 am

David’s handcrafted figurines pay tribute to cultural icons. His latest project takes on his greatest hero, his late brother- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon

Subverting hell

by Charlie Ericson on February 12, 2026 at 11:00 am

In their visions of the underworld Dante and Milton were truly subversive, incorporating predecessors into their own repudiation- by Charlie EricsonRead on Aeon

Desi oon

by Aeon Video on February 11, 2026 at 11:01 am

A jaunty song calls for greater appreciation of Indian wool, as imports undermine the livelihoods of local herders- by Aeon VideoWatch on Aeon