An array of 6100 ultracold caesium atoms controlled by lasers is the largest collection of qubits ever assembled, and researchers hope they can soon turn it into the world's most advanced quantum computer

Some things we see in space appear to outpace light. Now we are learning to harness these bizarre optical illusions to understand the mysteries of neutron stars, gamma ray bursts and more

Scientists have studied the genetics and lifestyle factors that enabled María Branyas Morera, officially the oldest person in the world until she died last year, to reach 117 years old

Scientific evidence is lacking to support the US government’s decisions to caution against using a common painkiller in pregnancy and fast-track the approval of an experimental medication for autism

Comparing a map of the neurons in a nematode worm - the connectome - with a map of how signals travel across those neurons has revealed a surprising number of differences, suggesting that the structure of the brain alone doesn't explain how it works

A fossil from about 66 million years ago reveals a species of dinosaur that is new to science, with claws that would have ripped through its prey's flesh

Although narcissistic personality disorder is rarer than you might think, psychological research suggests it can come in two different types, one of which may be underdiagnosed

Particles similar to axions, the leading candidate for dark matter that has long eluded detection, may have already been created in particle colliders – and remained hidden in the data

It has been suggested that lava tubes - underground tunnels carved out by molten rock - might be on Venus, and now we have direct evidence that this is the case

The revelation that endometriosis is linked to autoimmune disorders is opening up a whole new way to treat this painful and poorly understood condition

We used to think that deforestation in the Amazon would dry out the local climate, but the effects may be even more extreme and varied

Reading books and listening to audiobooks tap into different elements of cognition, each with their own benefits. So which one should you choose, and when?

Using the quantum states of particles of light as currency could make for unforgeable transactions, and a new experiment has added a way to save some of that quantum money for future use, too

The rate that our heart or liver ages may differ from that of our immune or hormonal systems, and now it seems that a single blood test could break that down

Ice core records of atmospheric hydrogen reveal a huge rise in concentration since the Industrial Revolution which has contributed to global warming – and could sway the debate over hydrogen as a fuel

Data from more than 18,000 people suggests that where excess fat is stored in the body influences its effects on brain structure, activity and health

For the first time, researchers have mathematically proven that a quantum computer can solve a particular task faster than an ordinary computer, in a way that can never be beaten

Hormone replacement therapy used within five years of the onset of menopause is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while starting it later in life is associated with an increased risk

A sand quarry in Ecuador has yielded South America’s first amber with bio-inclusions, including a spider's web and a collection of mosquitoes, beetles, flies, wasps and biting midges that lived 112 million years ago

Mutations can result in viruses that infect cells, but can't copy themselves without help from other viruses - now it seems these cheats may outnumber normal viruses in a third of influenza cases, reducing the severity of infections