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Listen to the music of the drones to forecast weather

A system that listens to the distinctive buzzing sound of drone propellers could one day measure air pollution and provide weather updates


Carved ostrich egg is oldest depiction of the New World

The carved surface of this ostrich egg shows what is thought to be the oldest known map of the New World on a globe


How many uncontacted tribes are left in the world?Movie Camera

Many uncontacted tribes still exist. Where are they, and why do they occasionally reach out to the rest of the world?


Don't swallow it: Six health myths you should ignore

We are constantly being bombarded with health advice, but not all of it is based on rigorous evidence. New Scientist debunks six common myths


Mind-altering drug could offer life free of heroin

Can our correspondent kick a long-term opiate habit by taking one dose of a hallucinogen?


India plans to subsidise food for 800 million

The country's ruling Congress party plans to supply cheap grain to India's poorest citizens, but critics have described the move as "electioneering"


Race against time to investigate Syria chemical attack

UN inspectors are in Syria, but they're still waiting for permission to examine the site of yesterday's alleged chemical attack – and time is running out


We should all be able to name objects in space

The International Astronomical Union is officially responsible for naming heavenly bodies. It may be time for it to give up that monopoly


Astrophile: The iron planet with a 4-hour year

Space miners would need sturdy gear to work on KOI 1843.03, a dense planet slightly smaller than Earth with the shortest known year


Spicy food on the menu 6000 years ago

Residues from 6000-year-old pots found in the Baltic show they were used to cook meat and fish that was seasoned with a peppery, mustard-like spice


Drones tag and track quarry using nanoparticle sprays

The US Air Force is funding work to let drones tag suspects or cars with a spray that gives them a distinct spectral signature, making them easy to track


Smashing up computers won't stop spying investigation

Seizing and destroying hard drives is an odd response to investigations into government snooping


Star twinkles could help pin down planet sizes

The amount a star flickers has been tied to its size, thanks to data mined from the now crippled Kepler space telescope


Twitter hashtags predict rising tension in Egypt

Monitoring the rising polarisation between supporters of different parties on Twitter could tell us when violence is about to erupt


Fresh interstellar travel plans inspire tech spin-offs

From dinky CubeSats to laser-propelled craft, a new push for the stars is afoot – with some technologies set to transform or even save civilisation on Earth


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