New Scientist

Vaccine makers are already adapting vaccines to fight the omicron coronavirus variant, but it will probably already have swept the world by the time these arrive

Evidence suggests that vaccine booster programmes can take people’s covid-19 protection to unexpectedly high levels, but we don’t yet know how effective existing vaccines will be against the omicron variant

A rain-dominated Arctic is expected to arrive up to two decades earlier than expected, and in many parts of the region it will happen even at 1.5°C of global warming rather than 2°C as previously thought

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

Two supermassive black holes have been discovered just 1600 light years apart, and they are likely to collide in about 250 million years

The second hottest planet ever found is being pulled into its star faster than any planet we have seen before

Swarms of tiny "xenobots" can self-replicate in the lab by pushing loose cells together – the first time this form of reproduction has been seen in multicellular organisms

The extra-large, dagger-like canine teeth seen in male great apes have been missing from human ancestors for at least 4.5 million years – possibly because females opted for less aggressive partners

Evidence from asteroids shows that charged particles from the sun can turn dust grains into water – a process that could be useful for space exploration too

The oceans are a huge untapped store of uranium, which is vital for nuclear energy, and new technology could ensure a long-lasting supply

A vaccine that changes the way our body responds to mosquito bites could protect us from diseases the insects carry, and also seems to make mosquitoes lay fewer eggs

A study of traditional ‘heirloom’ tomato varieties from Europe has revealed little genetic diversity despite their enormous variety in size, shape and colour

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

Two drug firms will be paid up to £10 million a year for an antibiotic by NHS England, no matter how much or little of the medicines are used

There are many open questions about the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that was first detected in South Africa. Here's what we know so far

There are many open questions about the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 detected in South Africa. Here's what we know so far

The area between a pair of large black holes on the verge of colliding could provide the conditions to create dangerous bubbles of "true vacuum"

Nearly 200 countries have signed up to UNESCO's agreement on the ethics of artificial intelligence. This could help make the technology fairer for all, says Gabriela Ramos

Continents that lost the most large grazing herbivores over the past 50,000 years have seen the biggest increases in grassland and savannah fires

Small modular reactors are being pitched as an affordable and fast way to decarbonise power grids but questions about the technology abound