Global News Digest

Science

The Economist

Earth’s climate is approaching irreversible tipping points

Researchers urgently determine how close Earth’s climate is to irreversible tipping points.

The Economist

OpenAI’s latest step towards advanced artificial intelligence

GPT-5 is an evolutionary upgrade, not a disruptive breakthrough, though a true paradigm shift may still be imminent.

The Economist

Are nightmares bad for your health?

Frequent nightmares negatively impact well-being.

The Economist

Fraudulent scientific papers are booming

Fraudulent scientific papers are surging, with evidence suggesting journal editors share responsibility for this troubling trend.

The Economist

Microphones can spot radar-evading hypersonic missiles

Microphones can detect hypersonic missiles that evade radar by capturing sonic booms. This repurposes a longstanding concept to identify threats invisible to traditional sensors.

The Economist

Astronomers cannot agree on how fast the universe is expanding

Cosmologists remain divided on the universe's expansion rate, suggesting a potential fundamental error in current cosmological understanding.

The Economist

Should you take collagen?

Collagen supplements aren't the only path to smoother skin and stronger joints. Simpler, more straightforward methods may effectively achieve these benefits.

The Economist

Scientists want to sequence all animals, fungi and plants on Earth

Researchers aim to sequence every animal, fungus, and plant genome, but face hurdles from inconsistent international oversight and unstable financial support.

The Economist

How to build a ship for interstellar travel

Interstellar ship design concepts include linked Ferris wheels and a 58-kilometer-long cylinder, showcasing ambitious contest winners' visions for future space travel.

The Economist

China has top-flight AI models. But it is struggling to run them

China has elite AI models but struggles to run them. A potential reversal of Trump’s chip export policy could offer significant advantages.

The Economist

Even the sight of an infection can trigger an immune response

Visual cues of infection can trigger an immune response, potentially offering new avenues for enhancing immunotherapy treatments.

The Economist

Can you overcome an allergy?

Therapeutic options are advancing, even for the most life-threatening cases.

The Economist

Inside the top-secret labs that build America’s nuclear weapons

Scientists are advancing physics to maintain existing nuclear arsenals and develop next-generation devices within America’s top-secret labs.

The Economist

Fragmentary Latin inscriptions can be completed with AI

AI reconstructs fragmented Latin inscriptions by identifying links across the Roman Empire. This breakthrough bridges gaps in damaged texts, revealing historical connections and enhancing our understanding of the ancient world.

The Economist

What does it take to make a nuclear weapon?

The new four-part podcast “The Bomb” explores the history, current status, and future of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

The Economist

Do probiotics work?

Prioritize fiber-rich greens over probiotics for a healthier gut. A vegetable-heavy diet reliably supports a robust microbiome more effectively than supplements.

The Economist

Why do people sleep? A new study points to the brain

A new study on fruit flies suggests neuronal damage causes fatigue, highlighting the brain's central role in why people sleep.

The Economist

Will AI make you stupid?

AI may weaken creativity and critical thinking, but these negative effects on intelligence can be mitigated.

The Economist

Should you take creatine?

Creatine is a safe, legal supplement that benefits more than just athletes. It offers potential advantages extending far beyond physical performance.

The Economist

Ancient proteins could transform palaeontology

Ancient proteins in fossils offer a new way to study extinct species. This discovery may revolutionize paleontology by revealing details DNA cannot.