Can chilli powder really stop animals from digging up your garden?
Chilli powder is touted as a cheap, easy, safe option to protect your garden from foxes and squirrels. James Wong casts a scientific eye on this popular remedy Source link
We've hit a climate tipping point, but leaders seem unlikely to act
A report on the state of the climate has concluded coral reefs are on a knife-edge, even as the world shifts away from making good on net zero Source link
If you love AI, you'll love Ken Liu's new cyberpunk thriller
In Ken Liu’s All That We See or Seem, a once-famous hacker must find a missing dream-weaver. One for AI fans, but it didn’t quite work for Emily H. Wilson Source link
Del Toro's Frankenstein is a sumptuous take on a classic parable
With enthralling visuals and intense performances, this version of Mary Shelley’s sci-fi tale reminds us to ask not only if we can create life, but if we can live with our creations, says Davide Abbatescianni Source link
There is a major psychological flaw in how society punishes people
Our experiments have revealed that we’re getting it wrong when it comes to crime and punishment. This is undermining society, say Raihan Alam and Tage Rai Source link
Digital ID cards could be a disaster in the UK and beyond
The British government isn’t the only one looking to introduce digital ID cards. There is so much to worry about here, not least the threat of hacks, says Annalee Newitz Source link
New Scientist recommends Sheri S. Tepper's science fiction novel Grass
The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week Source link
Is it really likely that humans will go extinct in exactly 314 years?
Feedback isn’t entirely convinced by a new piece of research that claims by 2339 “there will be no humans”, even though the authors used three methods to make their calculation Source link
Drahi’s Altice Rejects $20 Billion Joint Offer From Peers
The telecom operator, owned by billionaire Patrick Drahi, rejected a joint non-binding offer to buy a large part of the company from Bouygues, Orange and Free-iliad group. Source link
Dinosaur fossil rewrites the story of how sauropods got long necks
A 230-million-year-old fossil found in Argentina shows that the evolution of sauropod dinosaurs’ long necks began earlier than previously thought Source link