Pope's impending call for climate action is refreshing
It's gratifying that the Catholic church is backing scientists on the issue of climate change – now if only it would heed the evidence on other issues, too
Chemical weapons sniffed quickly by zappy detector
A portable detector can quickly spot tiny amounts of chemical weapons like mustard gas that are one hundredth of the lethal level by zapping air
Mass surveillance not effective for finding terrorists
Some UK politicians are trying once again to pass mass surveillance laws after the Paris attacks. It's a misguided approach, says a computing researcher
Pay a robot scribe to pen letters in your handwriting
For a fee, a machine holding an ordinary pen will ink out your message – sent via app – in a deceptively human hand
Rome's military women have been hiding in plain sight
Women were banned from Roman military life – so how come six are sculpted on one of the most-studied triumphal monuments in the world?
Pope to make moral case for action on climate change
Catholics worldwide will hear Pope Francis's message – expected to plead for a climate deal that will protect the planet's three billion poorest
Adapt first, mutate later: Is evolution out of order?
We used to think evolution had to start with random mutations, now walking fish and bipedal mice are turning our ideas on their head
Romance algorithm predicts if you'll be lucky in love
Single? Wonder if you can do better? The Nanaya service will tell you the chances of finding the mathematically ideal partner
Galactic zombies roam the cosmos and refuse to die
Cannibalism plays a big part in the life cycle of galaxies, but some rise from the dead as zombies – including one on a collision course with our own
Free speech has to be for everyone, or not at all
The UK government wants to curtail online communication between terrorists, but any attempt will restrict free speech for everyone
World's biggest magnet to power Indian neutrino hunter
The green light has been given to build the India-based Neutrino Observatory, whose massive magnet will help study the subatomic particles
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
