Science & technology
Artificial intelligence
Researchers are figuring out how large language models work
Such insights could help make them safer, more truthful and easier to use
Periods
A scientific discovery could lead to leak-free period products
Polymers from algae can turn menstrual blood into a gel
Aquaculture
Vaccines could keep salmon safe from sea lice
A successful jab would be a boon to fish farmers
Brewed awakenings
New yeast strains can produce untapped flavours of lager
One Chilean hybrid has a spicy taste, with hints of clove
Neurosurgery
A new technique could analyse tumours mid-surgery
It would be fast enough to guide the hands of neurosurgeons
Tropical biology
The world’s most studied rainforest is still yielding new insights
Even after a century of research, Barro Colorado in Panama continues to shed light on natural life
Best foot forward
A new bionic leg can be controlled by the brain alone
Those using the prosthetic can walk as fast as those with intact lower limbs
Palaeontology
How the last mammoths went extinct
Small genetic mutations accumulated through inbreeding may have made them vulnerable to disease
High alert on high
The race to prevent satellite Armageddon
Fears of a Russian nuclear weapon in orbit are inspiring new protective tech
Large language models
At least 10% of research may already be co-authored by AI
That might not be a bad thing
Viruses
A deadly new strain of mpox is raising alarm
Health officials warn it could soon spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo
From the archive
What The Economist thought about solar power
A look back through our archives: sometimes prescient, sometimes not