10 h. ago Could life end with a 'Big Crunch'? Scientists say mysterious energy that holds together the universe is WEAKENING

It's well known that the universe began in an explosion known as the Big Bang, but scientists now say that it might end with a Big Crunch.

Science

14 h. ago Dark energy: Scientists' new finding turns understanding of the universe on its head

A new finding has challenged Einstein's theory of the Universe

Science

17 h. ago French scientist is denied entry to the US after immigration officers find 'hateful' text messages criticising Trump during search of his phone

The space researcher - who has not yet been named - was subject to a random airport search on his way to a conference in Houston, Texas .

Politics

18 h. ago French scientist denied entry to US after officials find ‘hateful’ texts about Trump on his phone

The French government has defended the researcher’s ‘freedom of expression’

Politics

20 h. ago How will the universe end? Scientists narrow it down to two scenarios

Scientists are homing in on the nature of a mysterious force called dark energy which makes up nearly 70 per cent of the universe

Science

23 h. ago What a dark energy discovery means for the fate of the universe – podcast

Dark energy, the mysterious force powering the expansion of the universe, appears to be weakening over time, according to a major cosmological survey that has thrown the laws of modern physics into doubt. Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay how this new finding could shed light on the ultimate fate of the cosmos, and Saul Perlmutter, who won a Nobel prize for his work proving the universe is expanding, describes how the new development could upend assumptions about how this mysterious force operatesSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...

Politics

30 h. ago How will the universe end? A changing understanding of dark energy may provide a new answer

Scientists are homing in on the nature of a mysterious force called dark energy, and nothing short of the fate of the universe hangs in the balance

Science

30 h. ago Dark energy: mysterious cosmic force appears to be weakening, say scientists

Findings could open up possibility the universe will end in a reverse big bang or ‘big crunch’, say cosmologistsExplainer: Is dark energy destined to dominate the universe?Dark energy, the mysterious force powering the expansion of the universe, appears to be weakening, according to a survey that could “overthrow” scientists’ current understanding of the fate of the cosmos.If confirmed, the results from the dark energy spectroscopic instrument (Desi) team at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona would have profound implications for theories about the evolution of the universe, opening up the possibility that its current expansion could eventually go into reverse in a “big crunch”. Continue reading...

Science

30 h. ago Is dark energy destined to dominate the universe and lead to the ‘big crunch’?

New universes may emerge in due course, says scientist at Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument in ArizonaDark energy: mysterious cosmic force appears to be weakening, say scientistsSince the big bang, a cosmic battle has been under way between matter (both dark matter and ordinary) and dark energy.The gravitational force that draws massive objects such as galaxies towards each other works against the expansion of the universe. But astronomical observations show that the universe’s expansion has, oddly, been speeding up. This led scientists to conclude that dark energy, a mysterious force acting as a sort of anti-gravity, permeates the entirety of space. And dark energy appeared to be at a significant advantage in the cosmic tug of war. Continue reading...

Politics

33 h. ago European Space Agency releases new data that could help us understand the nature of the universe

Euclid space telescope is trying to understand dark energy and dark matter, which remain largely mysterious

Politics

36 h. ago Scientists find 128 new moons in Solar System in rare discovery

Astronomers have discovered a whopping 128 new moons orbiting a gas giant

Politics

41 h. ago Scientists hail ‘avalanche of discoveries’ from Euclid space telescope

Data from European Space Agency’s mission has allowed researchers to create detailed catalogue of 380,000 galaxiesAstronomers are predicting an “avalanche of discoveries” after the first major release of observations from a European space telescope built to study the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that comprise the bulk of the universe.The European Space Agency’s Euclid mission has captured images of 26m galaxies, covering 10bn years of cosmic history. They give researchers unprecedented insight into the forces that shape the cosmos and the galaxies it holds. Continue reading...

Politics

41 h. ago 'Internal heat' of Uranus makes planet far hotter than first thought, boffins find

Uranus, dubbed the "ice giant", may actually be hotter than scientists first thought as new research suggests that the Voyager 2 findings may have been misleading

Politics

4 d. ago The Guardian view on microplastics: harmful pollution must be curbed | Editorial

New evidence of particles damaging crops strengthens the case for an international plastics treatyNew and concerning findings from environmental scientists about the impact of microplastics on crops and marine algae add to a growing body of evidence about the disruption caused to living systems by plastic pollution. The results, from a team led by Prof Huan Zhong at Nanjing University, China, are not definitive and require corroboration. But analysis showing that plastics could limit photosynthesis (the conversion of sunlight into chemical energy) must be taken seriously. If the researchers are correct, and staple crops are being reduced by about 12%, there are huge implications for global agriculture and food supplies. This could inject new urgency into efforts to tackle plastic pollution.There is no single route by which microplastic particles inhibit plants from growing. The overall effect is attributed to a combination of blocked sunlight and nutrients, and damage to soil and ce...

Politics

5 d. ago ‘Spreadsheets of empire’: red tape goes back 4,000 years, say scientists after Iraq finds

Ancient Mesopotamian stone tablets show extraordinary detail and reach of government in cradle of world civilisationsThe red tape of government bureaucracy spans more than 4,000 years, according to new finds from the cradle of the world’s civilisations, Mesopotamia.Hundreds of administrative tablets – the earliest physical evidence of the first empire in recorded history – have been discovered by archaeologists from the British Museum and Iraq. These texts detail the minutiae of government and reveal a complex bureaucracy – the red tape of an ancient civilisation. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago ‘It’s human conceit to think we’re alone’: life must extend beyond earth, leading space scientist says

Exclusive: It’s imperative we expand our understanding of space and the possibility of life elsewhere, argues Dame Maggie Aderin-PocockLife must exist beyond Earth, a leading space scientist has said, adding it is yet another example of our own pride to suppose otherwise.The British space scientist Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, who will be delivering the Royal Institution Christmas lecture this year, said that while science has made giant leaps in our understanding of space, including the sheer size of the universe, there is still much to learn – not least whether we are alone.The Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution supported by CGI will be broadcast on the BBC and iPlayer in late December Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Surprising exercise can make you shed half a stone in a few months, scientists find

Just three months of exercising in water can trim waist circumference by as much as 3cm, a new study has revealed.

Politics

9 d. ago London university 'Understanding Hamas' book launch met with protest, but not canceled

London university 'Understanding Hamas' book launch met with protest, but not canceled  Israel Hayom

Events

9 d. ago Male octopuses paralyse partners with venom during sex to avoid being eaten, scientists find

Octopus uses symbiotic bacteria to sequester the venom

Events

1 week ago Scientists find scrolling social media has a surprising effect on our bodies

A study has revealed how our body responds to scrolling down our social media feeds

Events