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The star system V883 Orionis contains a rare star surrounded by a disk of gas, ice and dust. A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

Water in space – a ‘Goldilocks’ star reveals previously hidden step in how water gets to planets like Earth

Astronomers have long known where water is first formed in the universe and how it ends up on planets, asteroids and comets. A recent discovery has finally answered what happens in between.
Large language model AI responds to questions but doesn’t actually know anything and is prone to making things up. Charles Taylor/iStock via Getty Images

AI information retrieval: A search engine researcher explains the promise and peril of letting ChatGPT and its cousins search the web for you

Searching the web with ChatGPT is like talking to an expert – if you’re OK getting a mix of fact and fiction. But even if it were error-free, searching this way comes with hidden costs.
Healthspan measures incorporate quality of life in ways that lifespan does not. Ira T. Nicolai/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Are you a rapid ager? Biological age is a better health indicator than the number of years you’ve lived, but it’s tricky to measure

Aging is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases. Figuring out what influences longevity and how to identify rapid agers could lead to healthier and longer lives for more people.
To test the ballistic properties of the stone points found in the Mandrin cave, modern duplicates were created and hafted on to shafts, as they may have been 54,000 years ago. Laure Metz, Ludovic Slimak

The earliest modern humans in Europe mastered bow-and-arrow technology 54,000 years ago

In 2022 we detailed the discovery of 1,500 stone points in France’s Madrin cave. Experiments now show that they could were used as arrowheads, pushing back evidence of archery in Eurasia by 40,000 years.