The late Ian Watson's sci-fi The Embedding is intriguing – but dated 27. May 2026 (20:00) Watson's death last month prompted sci-fi columnist Emily H. Wilson to read his acclaimed 1973 debut and find out what she'd been missing. She found it fascinating – but reflective of its time(New Scientist)
Capitalism has warped our understanding of ecology and life’s origins 27. May 2026 (20:00) The ideas of survival of the fittest and winning at all costs are closely entwinned with Darwinism, but they shouldn’t be. A rethink from a more communal perspective is in order(New Scientist)
Is there a word for the Wiki page for the Ship of Theseus paradox? 27. May 2026 (20:00) Feedback has been flooded with answers (both correct and inspired) after wondering if there is a word for something that is an exemplar of the thing it describes.(New Scientist)
Embryos made without sperm or eggs reveal why many pregnancies fail 27. May 2026 (18:00) Embryo organoids made from stem cells are enabling scientists to recreate early pregnancy in the lab, unlocking treatments for infertility, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia(New Scientist)
How a radical new view of life could reveal its origin – and aliens 26. May 2026 (18:00) We've been looking at nature the wrong way, argues Rowan Hooper. If we stop focusing on the individual, we get a whole new picture of how life on Earth – and elsewhere – may have begun(New Scientist)