How your health is being commodified by social media 28. January 2026 (19:00) From health tech developers to influencers, our health is being monetised – and we need to be aware of what's going on, says Deborah Cohen(New Scientist)
A remarkable book on quantum mechanics reveals a really big idea 28. January 2026 (19:00) Where is physics headed? No one knows for sure, but Beyond the Quantum by Antony Valentini is a striking new book that reminds us what a big idea really looks like, finds Jon Cartwright(New Scientist)
It would be a mistake to rush into an under-16 social media ban 28. January 2026 (19:00) Many countries are debating whether to follow Australia and ban social media for younger teenagers. But with more robust evidence on its harms coming, we shouldn't be too hasty(New Scientist)
This virus infects most of us – but why do only some get very ill? 28. January 2026 (17:00) The ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus is increasingly being linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis and lupus. But why do only some people who catch it develop these complications? The answer may lie in our genetics(New Scientist)
Ancient humans were seafaring far earlier than we realised 28. January 2026 (17:00) Thousands of years before the invention of compasses or sails, prehistoric peoples crossed oceans to reach remote lands like Malta and Australia. Doing so meant striking out in unknowable conditions. What do such crossings tell us about ancient minds?(New Scientist)
Huge fossil bonanza preserves 512-million-year-old ecosystem 28. January 2026 (17:00) A treasure trove of Cambrian fossils has been discovered in southern China, providing a window on marine life shortly after Earth’s first mass extinction event(New Scientist)
We're getting closer to growing a brain in a lab dish 28. January 2026 (12:12) Clumps of cells known as organoids are helping us to understand the brain, and the latest version comes equipped with realistic blood vessels to help the organoids live longer(New Scientist)
