Chris Simms
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Science writer and editor. Formerly of @newscientist and @Nature. Rarely here. Mainly over at bsky.app/profile/chrisnsimms.bsky.social
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Articles by Chris Simms
GBR Rolling Stock & Infrastructure Strategy
On 28 September, the Department for Transport (“DfT”) and DfT Operator Limited published the Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy. The strategy outlines how Great British Railways (“GBR”) propose to coordinate long-term decisions regarding rolling stock and rail infrastructure following the Government’s wider rail reform programme.
Investment, Delivery Models And Procurement: Long Term Pipelines And Funding Certainty – What The Railways Bill Means For Contractors And Investors
The Railways Bill places an obligation on the Secretary of State to prepare and publish a document that sets out long term strategy for: the development and use of the railway network in Great Britain; and the railway services that the Secretary of State wishes to see provided in Great Britain. Together, these requirements form the proposed long-term rail strategy, referred to in this article as the Rail Strategy.
Kultur : Erstmals kartierten Forscher die Nerven der Klitoris – und fanden einen Fehler im Lehrbuch
Fast 30 Jahre, nachdem das komplexe Nervengeflecht im Inneren des Penis kartiert wurde, ist nun endlich eine ähnliche Darstellung für eines der am wenigsten erforschten Organe des menschlichen Körpers abgeschlossen worden – die Klitoris. Die Arbeit deckt nicht nur das Ausmaß der für einen Orgasmus entscheidenden Nervenverbindungen auf. Sie zeigt auch, dass einige der derzeitigen Annahmen der Medizin über die Anatomie der Klitoris falsch sind.
Flightless Jurassic bird was like a carnivorous pheasant with killer claws
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Illustration of the flightless Jurassic bird Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis, which had features of both birds and dinosaurs. | Credit: Mr. Chung-Tat Cheung Paleontologists in China have discovered a small Jurassic bird that was likely a land-based predator — like a carnivorous pheasant with killer claws.
Dinosaur named new species a century after fossil found on Isle of Wight
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Dinosaur named new species 102 years after fossil found on Isle of Wight
An artist’s illustration of the new theropod dinosaur, Invictibellatrix amberina Meet Invictibellatrix amberina, the unconquered female warrior – a new species of predatory dinosaur related to Tyrannosaurus rex that hails from the Isle of Wight in southern England. The fossil used to identify it – a partial braincase – has been lying in the archives of the Natural History Museum in London since it was acquired from a Reverend Reginald Hooley in 1924.
Cells from your mother could stay in your brain your whole life
Our mother’s cells may incorporate themselves into our body while we’re in the uterus, and stay within us for life Cells from your mother may have penetrated your brain when you were a fetus. These alien, or “microchimeric”, cells then seem to take up residence and perform a range of jobs, even into old age.
What does a PhD pay? Data reveal huge gaps across Europe
Denmark and other Scandinavian countries are seen as top destinations for PhD candidates from other European nations.Credit: Bumble Dee/Shutterstock How much do PhD students earn? The first comprehensive overview of PhD income shows vast imbalances across much of Europe1. The report, which investigated the earnings of first-year doctoral candidates in 2024–25 across 26 countries, was published by the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) in September.
Rising water is creating inland ghost forests in the US
Dying trees in a ghost forest, South Carolina Millions of trees seem to be dying in the US, both near the coasts and inland near lakes, thanks to rising water levels. The finding may force a re-evaluation of how much carbon is stored in forests, which are important carbon sinks for mitigating the more severe effects of climate change.
'It looks like a chimera' — 168 million years ago, a strange platypus-like mammal relative lived in China alongside dinosaurs
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An illustration of the Jurassic platypus-like animal Megacauda sungei, which had a broad tail for swimming, and shearing teeth for eating fish. | Credit: April I. Neander A newly discovered platypus-like creature is the largest-known mammal relative from the entire Jurassic period, a new study finds — although it still only weighed as much as a Chihuahua.
Suiker minderen voor een antibioticakuur kan je microbioom redden
Antibiotica kunnen ervoor zorgen dat bacteriën in je darmen het loodje leggen, wat kan leiden tot gezondheidsproblemen. Een onderzoek onder kankerpatiënten heeft een mogelijke oplossing aan het licht gebracht. Suiker vermijden tijdens een antibioticakuur kan helpen om de diversiteit van je darmmicrobioom te behouden. Een heleboel verschillende bacteriën in onze darmen werken samen om onze spijsvertering en onze gezondheid te ondersteunen.
GBR Rolling Stock & Infrastructure Strategy
Thought Leadership 5 Oct 2026 3 min read On 28 September, the Department for Transport (“DfT”) and DfT Operator Limited published the Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy. The strategy outlines how Great British Railways (“GBR”) propose to coordinate long-term decisions regarding rolling stock and rail infrastructure following the Government’s wider rail reform programme.
Een virtueel verblijf in het groen verlaagt de bloeddruk van ziekenhuispatiënten
Naar klassieke muziek luisteren terwijl je via een VR-bril naar een kabbelend beekje staart, kan een gevaarlijk hoge bloeddruk naar beneden brengen. Dat kan goed van pas komen in het ziekenhuis. Mensen die de spoedeisende hulp bezoeken, kunnen er baat bij hebben om op een oever van een rivier te luisteren naar klassieke muziek. Zo’n ervaring brengt hun bloeddruk omlaag. Helaas zijn zulke landschappen en liveorkesten moeilijk te vinden in ziekenhuizen. Virtual reality biedt uitkomst.
Slashing sugar intake before antibiotics may save your microbiome
Faecal bacteria under a scanning electron micrograph Avoiding sugary foods while taking a course of antibiotics might help protect the diversity of your gut microbiome. The array of bacteria in the gut plays a crucial role in supporting our digestion and our physical and mental health. But this diverse community can be disrupted by antibiotics, leading to digestive problems, fatigue and flare-ups of skin conditions.
Transplantation: Herz passt sich dem Alter des Empfängers an
News Lesedauer ca. 2 Minuten Drucken Teilen Organspende: Transplantiertes Herz passt sich dem Alter des Empfängers an Neue Daten legen nahe, dass Spenderorgane das biologische Alter ihrer Empfänger annehmen können. Das würde die Transplantationsmedizin grundlegend verändern. Die Anzahl an verfügbaren Spenderorganen ist stark begrenzt. Ließe sich der Kreis an akzeptablen Spendern erweitern, könnte das viele Menschenleben retten.
New species of flying dinosaur with four wings discovered in China
A predatory bird-like dinosaur with four wings discovered in China adds evidence to the idea that flight evolved several times in different dinosaur groups. The exceptionally well-preserved feathered dinosaur, which has been named Norellraptor barsboldi, was 3 years old when it died and measured just 21 inches (57 centimeters) long. It was found in the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in northeastern China, which dates to between 145 million and 100 million years ago. N.
Remarkably preserved feathered dinosaur discovered in China reveals new secrets of flying predator evolution
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An artist's reconstruction of what the newly described bird-like dinosaur (Norellraptorbarsboldi)would have looked like. | Credit: Mr. Zhao Chuang A predatory bird-like dinosaur with four wings discovered in China adds evidence to the idea that flight evolved several times in different dinosaur groups.
New species of flying dinosaur with four wings discovered in China
A predatory bird-like dinosaur with four wings discovered in China adds evidence to the idea that flight evolved several times in different dinosaur groups. The exceptionally well-preserved feathered dinosaur, which has been named Norellraptor barsboldi, was 3 years old when it died and measured just 21 inches (57 centimeters) long. It was found in the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in northeastern China, which dates to between 145 million and 100 million years ago. N.
De bouwkundige illusies van het Parthenon zijn een mythe
Er is geen bewijs dat optische illusies het ontwerp van het Parthenon, het beroemde Oud-Griekse bouwwerk op de Akropolis, hebben beïnvloed. Zulke illusies zouden te klein zijn om enig effect te hebben. Het verhaal gaat dat architecten uit het oude Griekenland het Parthenon hebben ontworpen met gebogen lijnen, om vanuit een laag oogpunt de illusie te creëren dat het gebouw zelf kaarsrecht is. Maar deze optische illusies zijn een mythe, zo beweert een wiskundige.
Transplanted hearts adjust their biological age to that of their host
Heart transplants are limited by donor availability.Credit: Vsevolod Zviryk/Science Photo Library What happens to organs when they are transplanted? Hearts from young donors age rapidly in the bodies of older recipients, and older hearts are rejuvenated inside young people, according to a study1. The findings, posted on the preprint server bioRxiv and not yet peer reviewed, imply that replacement organs could be sourced from older people than they are at present.
Gli scimpanzé a lezione di utensili
Degli scimpanzé adulti selvatici sono stati osservati mentre passavano strumenti a esemplari più giovani per aiutarli a imparare, corroborando l’idea secondo cui l’insegnamento aiuta i piccoli di questi primati ad acquisire competenze tecnologiche. “Riuscire a filmarlo è stato importante e ci ha sorpreso molto”, ha detto R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar dell’università di Barcellona.
Voor het eerst in een eeuw is er een nieuwe kattensoort
De mysterieuze tijgerkatten van Zuid-Amerika zijn een soort rijker: de tilcayo. Daarmee staat de teller nu op vijf soorten. Een kleine, gevlekte katachtige uit Bolivia behoort tot een nieuwe soort, zo hebben biologen vastgesteld. Ze noemen het dier de tilcayo. In Zuid-Amerika leven meerdere kattensoorten van het geslacht Leopardus, waaronder de ocelot, margay, kodkod, geoffreykat en tijgerkat oftewel oncilla.
Caves beneath sinkhole reveal origin of mystery trenches that score Australian Plain
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A sinkhole is seen in Australia's Nullarbor Plain. | Credit: Matej Lipar Mysterious trenches stretching for miles across the vast Nullarbor Plain in Australia are the surface scars of huge ancient caves collapsing deep underground, according to new research.
Watch scientists decipher burnt scrolls without unrolling them
We might soon be able to read thousands of long-lost ancient scrolls charred by the eruption of Vesuvius. Researchers have made their own burned, rolled-up papyri and showed that they can decipher the text by detecting the element lead in the ink, in a study published last Wednesday in PLoS ONE1. Almost 2,000 years ago, in ad 79, the Roman town of Herculaneum in what is now Italy was destroyed in a cataclysmic eruption, as a cloud of hot gas, ashes and pumice burnt people and objects.
Wilde chimpansees leren hun jonkies gereedschap te gebruiken
Biologen hebben gezien dat chimpansees hun jongen gereedschap geven. Dat helpt de kleintjes vaardigheden te leren die nodig zijn bij onder andere het vissen naar mieren of algen. Chimpansees geven hun jongen les door ze gereedschap te overhandigen en ze vervolgens te trainen in het gebruik ervan. Dat ondersteunt het idee dat jonge chimpansees technische vaardigheden krijgen aangeleerd.
Beautiful new cat species is first to be named in a century
The tilcayo (Leopardus tilcayo) in an animal refuge in La Paz, Bolivia A new cat species has been scientifically described – the diminutive, spotted tilcayo from Bolivia. Several species of small cat in the Leopardus genus live in South America, including the ocelot, margay, kodkod, Geoffroy’s cat and the tiger cat or oncilla. The similar appearance of these nocturnal and hard-to-spot cats has made separating them into distinct species difficult.
Beautiful new cat species is first to be named in a century
World News 3 hours ago New wild cat species is identified for first time in 100 years, researchers say NBC News - By Evan Bush • 3h A type of tiger cat, the animal is slender, spotted and smaller than a house cat. It lives in the Bolivian cloud forest. For the first time in a century, researchers say they’ve identified a new species of wild cat previously unknown to science.
Short bursts of exercise can boost your cognition
Brief breaks for yoga or other exercise can bring cognitive benefits Tiny bursts of exercise once an hour could boost your cognition at school or at work, adding to the evidence of how important it is to take occasional breaks. “Exercise improves pretty much every domain you can think of, including cognition over the long term. The interesting thing here is that this is immediate,” says Mike Trott at the University of Queensland in Australia, who wasn’t involved in the research.
Short bursts of exercise can boost your cognition
fitness articles 21 hours ago Neurologists Say Eating This Specific Fruit Is Like ‘Armor’ for Your Aging Brain (Hint: It’s Not Blueberries) Parade Magazine - By Parade Staff • 21h Discover the superfood top experts recommend for memory. Reaching midlife brings a bit of a shift in terms of how you move through the world.
Scientists finally figured out the temperature of T rex's blood — and it was as hot as ours
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Scientists finally figured out the temperature of T. rex's blood — and it was as hot as ours
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Samples were taken from the teeth of Thomas the Tyrannosaurus rex in the Dinosaur Hall at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. | Credit: Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County More Tyrannosaurus rex was a hottie with a body temperature similar to our own, according to a new analysis of their teeth. The finding supports the idea that T.
Wild chimpanzees teach youngsters by handing them tools
An infant chimpanzee (left) observing how two adults (centre) dip for army ants while another infant (right) takes a tool from one of the adults Wild adult chimpanzees have been seen passing tools to youngsters to help them learn and then coaching them, supporting the idea that teaching helps immature chimps acquire technological skills. “To actually catch it on film is important and was very surprising for us,” says R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar at the University of Barcelona, Spain.
The Parthenon’s architectural illusions are a myth
The Parthenon was built in Athens 2500 years ago Ancient Greek architects are said to have designed the Parthenon with curved lines to make it appear perfectly straight – but these claimed optical illusions are a myth, according to a mathematician. The giant temple, built in the 5th century BC in Athens, is considered to be the culmination of the Doric style of classical Greek architecture.
Varkensnier zorgde dat nierpatiënt negen maanden lang zonder dialyse kon
Een getransplanteerde varkensnier heeft een recordperiode van negen maanden gefunctioneerd in een menselijke patiënt. Hierdoor had de ontvanger geen dialyse nodig tijdens het wachten op een geschikte menselijke donornier. Dankzij een genetisch gemodificeerde varkensnier hoefde een man negen maanden lang niet aan de dialyse, terwijl hij wachtte op een geschikte menselijke donornier. Dit wijst erop dat varkensnieren een tijdelijke oplossing kunnen bieden voor de lange wachtlijsten voor donororganen.
Trust in scientists is relatively high, but politically polarized, in the United Kingdom
Protesters call for the public to put stock in scientists at a UK climate march. Credit: Michael Kemp/Alamy At a time when misinformation is rife and many seem to be questioning scientific evidence, do people really trust scientists? In the United Kingdom, the answer is mostly yes, finds a study led by the Policy Institute at King’s College London and Sense about Science, a charity based in London.
Pig kidney kept a man off dialysis for nine months in world first
The pig kidney that was transplanted into Tim Andrews on 25 January 2025 A genetically modified pig’s kidney kept a man with organ failure off dialysis for nine months while he waited for a suitable human donor’s kidney to become available. This suggests pig kidneys could act as a temporary measure amid lengthy organ waiting lists, but they may also work as a permanent replacement one day.
Buried underpants and a new definition of kissing win 2026 Ig Nobel prizes
Researchers found that land use is a key factor in the decomposition of underwear, more so than other soil characteristics.Credit: Gabriela Brändle/Agroscope The recognition and prestige of a Nobel prize for groundbreaking work comes with a gold medal and the equivalent of about US$1 million. The parody version, an Ig Nobel prize, devised to celebrate research that makes people laugh, and then think, might not deliver on the cash front, but it does bring considerable renown.
Workout patch delivers some of the benefits of exercise with no exertion
20 hours ago Most people leave the monkey bars behind with childhood. Yet hanging from a bar—right-side up, don’t worry—may be one youthful habit worth picking back up, especially if you spend your days hunched over your desk and phone. (Guilty.) “We look at kids on a playground—what are they doing?” says …
Vrouwelijke klonen gemaakt uit het bloed van mannelijke muizen
Met behulp van een DNA-bewerkingstechniek hebben biologen het geslacht van mannelijke muizenembryo’s veranderd zodat er gezonde vrouwtjes ontstonden. Deze prestatie kan van groot belang zijn voor het behoud van bedreigde diersoorten. Mannelijke muizenembryo’s veranderden in vrouwtjes dankzij een procedure waarbij biologen hun Y-chromosoom verwijderden. Het lukte de onderzoekers om zo gezonde en vruchtbare vrouwelijke en mannelijke muizen te creëren, die beide klonen van de vader zijn.
Female clones created from the blood of male mice
Male and female cloned pups derived from the blood cells of an adult male donor mouse Male mouse embryos have been turned into females by a procedure that involves eliminating the Y chromosome. The technique relies on CRISPR gene editing and has been used to create healthy and fertile female and male mice, both of which are clones of the father.
Mammal ancestors may have given live birth 90 million years earlier than we thought, rewriting evolutionary timelines
An illustration of early dog-like mammals in prehistoric Earth. A dog-sized carnivore and mammal ancestor that lived around 236 million years ago seems to have given birth to live young, a new study suggests. This means the tactic of keeping young developing inside the mother — known as viviparity — may have emerged in the mammalian lineage 90 million to 95 million years earlier than scientists previously thought, researchers noted in the study.
Live birth may have evolved 90 million years earlier than thought
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A reconstruction of a group of Chiniquodon theotonicus individuals, a pregnant female (left) as well as a female (right) breastfeeding few, relatively large young. | Credit: María de los Ángeles Miceli Baro. A dog-sized carnivore and mammal ancestor that lived around 236 million years ago seems to have given birth to live young, a new study suggests.
Egyptische prinsessen in graven met wapens waren mogelijk krijgers
Gemummificeerde dochters van farao’s die duizenden jaren geleden leefden, vertonen botveranderingen die erop wijzen dat zij vochten met bogen en dolken. Oude Egyptische prinsessen kregen waarschijnlijk training in het gebruik van bogen en dolken. Ze liepen daardoor het risico om ernstig verwond te raken. Onderzoekers hebben Egyptische mummies van zo’n 3800 jaar oud opnieuw onderzocht en zagen dat sommige van deze vrouwen vergrote armbeenderen en krommingen in de botten van hun handpalmen hadden.
Orange-lipped monkey that roars and snorts deep in Congo rainforest is new species to science
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The newly described monkey has orange lips and a patch of white fur around the anus. | Credit: Daniel Rosengren, Frankfurt Zoological Society Scientists have identified a new species of monkey that has orange lips and makes unique roars and snorting sounds. The distinctive monkey lives in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Orange-lipped monkey that roars and snorts deep in Congo rainforest is new species to science
Chris Simms Scientists have identified a new species of monkey that has orange lips and makes unique roars and snorting sounds. The distinctive monkey lives in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is only the fifth new monkey species to be identified in Africa in the past 75 years, and there might be more unknown monkey species in the region, scientists behind a new study suggested.
Mathematics formula found on Maya wall rivals insights of ancient masters
The Maya temple Tikal in Guatemala is about one day's walk from Xultun, where researchers discovered mathematical formula scribbled on the walls.Credit: Kryssia Campos/Getty A mathematical formula inscribed on a wall at the Maya site of Xultun in Guatemala has revealed the name of an important Maya mathematician-astronomer for the first time. Researchers suggest Sak Tahn Waax, or ‘White-Chested Fox’, was a scholar comparable with mathematical giants of the past.
Orang-oetanmoeders regelen speelafspraakjes voor hun kroost
Vrouwelijke orang-oetans leven meestal solitair, maar toch zorgen ze ervoor dat hun jongen af en toe iemand hebben om mee te spelen. Daarvoor leggen ze grote afstanden af en ze kiezen er zelfs voor om even minder te eten om een speelafspraakje mogelijk te maken. Het lijkt erop dat orang-oetanmoeders naar het territorium van andere moeders trekken waarvan de jongen ongeveer even oud zijn. Daardoor kunnen de kleintjes samen spelen. Voor veel dieren is spelen essentieel om te leren.
Collapse of AMOC ocean current may already be locked in
Environment The fate of the Atlantic Ocean current that keeps Europe’s climate warm depends on our carbon emissions and the rate of ice melt from Greenland, but there is a chance that a shutdown is already inevitable A visualisation of Atlantic Ocean currents based on sea surface temperature data A potentially catastrophic collapse of the Atlantic Ocean currents that control Europe’s climate may already be inevitable.
Orangutan mothers seem to plan playdates for their offspring
Female orangutans usually raise a single infant at a time Orangutan mothers seem to make trips into the territories of other mothers with similarly aged offspring so the youngsters can play together. Play is essential to how many animals learn, strengthening social and motor skills, and teaching crucial behaviour. Yet orangutans are a solitary species, while mothers give birth to a single infant, which they raise alone for six to seven years.
Maya’s plaatsten tanden van vooraanstaande burgers in een grot ver van hun graven
In een grot in Belize zijn tanden gevonden van tientallen vooraanstaande Maya’s die elders begraven lagen. Deze vondst kan wijzen op een ritueel dat bedoeld was om de overledenen te verzekeren van een goede reis naar de onderwereld. De Maya’s bewaarden de tanden van enkele belangrijke leden van hun gemeenschap in een grot ver van hun graven. Mogelijk deden ze dit om hun voorouders te vereren, of om ervoor te zorgen dat ze de onderwereld zouden bereiken.
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