New Scientist

Scientists sequenced the DNA of a 7-year-old girl with severe lupus, which suggests mutations to the gene TLR7 may cause the autoimmune condition

A global study has found that farming, logging, urban development and invasive species may cause 21 per cent of reptile species to go extinct

A robot that could cover half a kilometre per jump on the moon may be the ideal lunar exploration vehicle

A serendipitous experiment has demonstrated a superconductor that lets electricity preferentially travel in one direction for the first time

People come up with fewer creative solutions to a problem when they discuss ideas through a virtual meeting rather than face-to-face

The UK wants to use "scientific methods" to assess the ages of people seeking asylum, with plans to send adults to settle in Rwanda instead, but the science behind these techniques is poor

In a world first, Rocket Lab caught its Electron rocket as it fell from space, using a hook mounted on a helicopter, but then had to let it go

In a world first, Rocket Lab will attempt to catch its Electron rocket as it falls from space, using a hook mounted on a helicopter

New legislation that would see planes forced to use "sustainable aviation fuel" might actually end up increasing emissions, depending on which fuels are included

A regular round-up of the latest coronavirus news, plus insight, features and interviews from New Scientist about the covid-19 pandemic

New insight into how we age suggests it may be driven by a failure to switch off the forces that build our bodies. If true, it could lead to a deeper understanding of ageing – and the possibility of slowing it

Larger animals usually need less energy by weight than smaller ones, but an analysis that looked at nine species found this wasn't true during hibernation

Oscar winners alive today are expected to die aged 81.3, on average, compared with 76.4 for their fellow nominees and 76.2 for their unnominated co-stars

Horizontal DNA transfer, once thought to be a rare event, has occurred between snakes and frogs at least 54 times in the past 85 million years

Many homes in the UK rely on repurposed phone lines for internet access, leading to slow download speeds, but there may be a solution

We have now discovered all four building blocks of DNA in meteorite samples, suggesting that space rocks may have delivered the compounds to Earth, contributing to the origin of life

Conditions on the peak of Llullaillaco, 6739 above sea level, are cold, dry and hostile – but some mice somehow survive there

Billionaire Elon Musk wants to promote free speech on Twitter, but the European Union's Digital Services Act could see the bloc calling the shots

A regular round-up of the latest coronavirus news, plus insight, features and interviews from New Scientist about the covid-19 pandemic

Wheat production is at risk from extreme temperatures across much of India, but better early warning systems appear to be limiting how deadly the heatwaves are