The best new popular science books of 2026 30. December 2025 (19:00) Clear out your shelves for a bumper new crop of books by authors including Naomi Klein, Rebecca Solnit and Xand Van Tulleken, says culture editor Alison Flood(New Scientist)
Why stroking seedlings can help them grow big and strong 30. December 2025 (19:00) The science behind why stroking your seedlings actually works. If you’re worried about your seedlings getting long and leggy, try a bit of home thigmomorphogenesis, advises James Wong(New Scientist)
2026 is set to be an even bigger year for weight-loss drugs 30. December 2025 (19:00) GLP-1 agonists have already had an outsized influence on society, and with pill versions and more advanced formulations on the horizon, that looks set to continue(New Scientist)
Physicists stirred up controversy with scientific cooking tips in 2025 30. December 2025 (18:00) Cacio e pepe pasta and boiled eggs were the subjects of meticulous studies aiming to help cooks achieve perfection, but the reimagined recipes weren't always well-received(New Scientist)
The emotion you never knew you had, and how to feel more of it 30. December 2025 (17:00) The warm and fuzzy emotion of kama muta underlies vital feel-good experiences like social connection and feeling part of something bigger. But are you getting enough of it?(New Scientist)
The century-long hunt for the gigantic meteorite that vanished 30. December 2025 (17:00) A soldier returned from the Sahara desert in 1916 with a wild story about a meteorite that dwarfed all others. Over 100 years of hunting yielded nothing – but now twin brothers think they have solved the puzzle(New Scientist)
EU carbon border tax will force others to cut emissions from 2026 30. December 2025 (15:00) In 2026, the European Union will start charging a carbon-emissions-based tax on imported goods such as steel, cement and fertilisers – and countries including the UK are likely to follow(New Scientist)
