Meet – and hear – the world's first bilingual chimps
Recordings of Dutch chimps that were moved to a Scottish zoo reveal for the first time that chimps can learn foreign words
Technology driving rise in abortions of girls in India
Modernisation is not helping rebalance India's sex ratio. In fact, with 6 million fewer girls born between 2001 and 2011, it is making it worse
Dark force could keep Milky Way's neighbours away
Dark energy is thought to work on the scale of the entire universe – but if it is active on galaxies, it could explain why the Milky Way has so few satellites
Mini earthquakes reveal lubricant for tectonic plates
A 10-kilometre layer of "lubricant" helps huge continental plates to glide around, as revealed by dynamite explosions
Robot firefighter puts out its first blaze
Designed for putting out flames in the cramped quarters of a ship, the SAFFiR robot has had its first successful test
Doc-watcher spots when physicians stop listening
As screen use becomes ever more ubiquitous in healthcare, doctors may have a hard time focusing on patients during consultations. Lab-in-a-Box aims to help
Living with the algorithms that run our lives
Most of us don't understand the software that hones internet searches and our newsfeeds, but we don't need to in order to come to terms with them
Mushroom kills with cookie cutter trick
Lego-like proteins from carnivorous mushrooms can pierce deadly holes in cells – a feat that may help tackle our own autoimmune and bacterial diseases
Add a dash of quantum for secure cloud computing
It's tough to compute in the cloud while keeping your data secret, but striking a balance between using quantum bits and encryption could make it easier
No one in control: The algorithms that run our lives
Software is deciding who gets a loan, who counts as a citizen and what prices you pay online. Who will step in when the machines get out of hand?
Life-changing implants reveal intricacy on a chip
A close-up view of tiny devices reveals the beautiful complexity that could restore brain function and repair nerves
The island paradise overrun by giant cannibals
Wall lizards in Greece find cannibalism the best way to remove young rivals
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.
