This Mars rover could finally reveal whether life ever existed on Mars

Mars was not always the cold, dry world we see today. Billions of years ago, scientists believe it may have been warm, wet, and wrapped in a much thicker atmosphere, creating conditions that could have supported simple microbial life. Even so, proving that life ever existed there remains one of the biggest challenges in planetary science.

Seeding clouds with seawater could prevent a super El Niño | New Scientist

Short-term geoengineering to brighten clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean could limit the damage caused by El Niño and save the global economy trillions of dollars, although there could be winners and losers from the disruption of natural cycles.

Optimizing RNA design with AI and an Ising machine: Encoding matters

RNA has emerged as one of the most promising molecules in modern medicine, enabling advances from mRNA vaccines and gene therapies to genome editing and synthetic biology. However, designing RNA molecules that reliably fold into a desired secondary structure remains a major challenge. Even for relatively short sequences, the number of possible nucleotide combinations grows exponentially, making it difficult to identify optimal candidates. As a result, conventional computational methods often require extensive candidate evaluations, creating a significant bottleneck when experimental validation is both time-consuming and costly.

Moral framing reduces stigma around Fair Chance Hiring—legal compliance language does not, according to study

New Michigan State University-led research suggests the difference between a hiring policy that harms recruiting and one that doesn't may come down to just a few words.

The Mighty Dead: This is essential reading before watching the new Odyssey adaptation | New Scientist

California wolves feed heavily on cattle and their presence causes significant stress among livestock

Two new studies examining gray wolves in California paint a complex picture of life on the state's ranching landscapes: Wolves eat cattle more than anything else, and the presence of the predators causes significant stress among livestock.

What's in a name? AI associates Jewish names with stereotypical traits

A cynical doctor. A ruthless chemist. An arrogant billionaire. A calculating mafia boss. These are not only some of today's most iconic fictional characters—they are also the figures that artificial intelligence models found most similar to fictional biographies of people with Jewish names.

Black hole collisions may follow entropy law, offering simpler remnant predictions

When two black holes orbit each other, they eventually spiral inward and collide in one of the most violent phenomena in the universe. The event is so energetic that it significantly distorts the universe around it. It emits gravitational waves—ripples in the fabric of spacetime—that are strong enough to be detected with precision instruments on Earth even when they originate billions of light-years away.

Global warming, increasing wildfire risk threaten viability of some California winery regions

The U.S. is the fourth-largest wine-producing country by output volume, and approximately 80% of its production occurs in California. Ever since the 19th century, California's premier wine-growing regions have been the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, thanks to their favorable microclimate. But grape yield and quality are very sensitive to the local environment, which means the climate crisis could shake up California's wine industry.

Opportunities across childhood best predict degrees, earnings for low-income youth

A new study led by a Boston College researcher has found that experiencing educational opportunities in all stages of childhood and adolescence is the best predictor of higher educational attainment and earnings for disadvantaged American youth, as opposed to the impact of learning access during any single phase.