Is a deadly asteroid about to hit Earth? Meet the man who can tell you 12. November 2025 (17:00) When an asteroid threatens Earth, astronomers use a rating called the Torino scale to communicate the risk. Richard Binzel, who invented the scale, tells New Scientist about his 50-year career in planetary defence(New Scientist)
Chemical computer can recognise patterns and perform multiple tasks 12. November 2025 (15:00) Previous attempts at building a chemical computer have been too simple, too rigid or too hard to scale, but an approach based on a network of reactions can perform multiple tasks without having to be reconfigured(New Scientist)
Women prefer to be prettier than a partner, but men want to be funnier 12. November 2025 (13:00) When measuring yourself against your partner, which traits do you prefer to have compared with your significant other? A survey that forced people to choose has found that men and women have different preferences when it comes to being smarter, funnier or more attractive(New Scientist)
IBM has unveiled two unprecedentedly complex quantum computers 12. November 2025 (12:00) IBM revealed two new quantum computers, called Loon and Nighthawk – the qubits they use are connected in newly intricate ways and may enable a way to run error-free computations(New Scientist)
Cradle of humanity is still revealing new insights about our origins 11. November 2025 (19:00) The Omo-Turkana basin in Africa is home to a treasure trove of ancient human fossils and tools that span 300,000 years – today it is still yielding new discoveries about our species(New Scientist)
At-home hypnosis relieves menopausal hot flushes 11. November 2025 (18:25) Hot flushes could be relieved by listening to recordings that induce hypnosis from home, rather than having to venture to a clinic(New Scientist)
Women have supercharged immune systems and we now know why 11. November 2025 (17:00) Being born with two X chromosomes brings a host of health benefits, and recognising this could lead to personalised medical treatments for men and women(New Scientist)
Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting the moon may rise to 30 per cent 11. November 2025 (15:00) In February, the James Webb Space Telescope will briefly be able to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 4 per cent chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Depending on what it sees, the odds of collision could drastically increase(New Scientist)
The biggest controversy in maths could be settled by a computer 11. November 2025 (13:00) For over a decade, mathematicians have failed to agree whether a 500-page proof is actually correct. Now, translating the proof into a computer-readable form may finally settle the matter(New Scientist)
