Science

Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now

Five science fiction films available for streaming offer themes ranging from artificial intelligence threats to survival and dimensional adventure.

ARCHITECTURE

When friends become good neighbours: the Melbourne families who transformed one home into three townhouses

Melbourne families have jointly redeveloped single homes into multiple townhouses through shared investment and effort, offering a novel approach to urban housing.

Stream These 5 Movies and Shows Before They Leave Netflix in October

DAVID HOCKNEY

Rare sale of David Hockney painting of beloved dog Stanley could fetch £2.5m

5 million at auction, believed to be one of six from the Dog Series in private hands.

BOOKS AND LITERATURE

In ‘Basic Pistol,’ a Sociologist Finds Hidden Lessons in Gun Training

A sociologist argues that gun training courses impart lifestyle lessons beyond weapons instruction in a new book about the subject.

MUSIC

Oasis, Leicester punks and Ukraine techno: Abbey Road music photography awards 2026 – in pictures

Photography awards celebrating music imagery received over 24,000 submissions from 42 countries, with winners and finalists including work featuring Oasis, Leicester punk bands and Ukrainian electronic music.

ART AND DESIGN

Beverly Buchanan review – ramshackle mini barns and shanties bursting with brutal history

Beverly Buchanan's sculptures at Spike Island in Bristol draw inspiration from American southern structures, merging folk art and minimalism to honour survival histories.

CONTENT TYPE: PERSONAL

Jake Shears Loves a Scary Book. And Video Game. And Musical.

Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, drawn to horror across multiple media, is performing as Frank-N-Furter in a theatrical production of Rocky Horror.

ARCHITECTURE

‘Our culture is rich and we need our own space’: the fight to build a permanent centre for Deaf people

Deaf activists in the UK are working to establish a permanent dedicated centre for the Deaf community, with 18 million people hard of hearing but no such facility currently existing.

BYRNE, PETER (1952-2026)

Pete Byrne, New Wave Singer Behind ‘Always Something There,’ Dies at 74

Pete Byrne, who sang with Naked Eyes during the 1980s synth-pop era, has died at 74.

OPERA

A Triumphant Baritone in a Dystopian ‘Macbeth’ Opens the Met Opera Season

Baritone Quinn Kelsey stars in a postapocalyptic production of Verdi's Macbeth that opened the Met Opera season.

ART

Turner prize review – soulful cyborgs go into battle with a stack of massive Hobnobs

At the Turner prize exhibition in Middlesbrough, Kira Freije's apocalyptic humanoid sculptures emerge as the standout work in a highly competitive year.

PHOTOGRAPHY

‘I was mesmerised by how the fog turned the tower into a monolith’: Derek Zhao’s best phone picture

Derek Zhao captured a phone photograph of a tower emerging through fog while jogging near San Francisco's Treasure Island.

MOUNTAINS

Alpabzug! Swiss mountain alpaca herding – in pictures

Swiss farmers in the Griesalp area conduct the traditional autumn alpabzug, moving alpaca herds from mountain pastures to valley barns.

Discovery, research, and the natural world

HUMAN BIOLOGY

Are baby girls more sociable? Super El Niño, meningitis outbreak explained – podcast

A podcast discusses recent science stories including research offering insights into whether baby girls are more sociable than boys.

Millions of lettuces ruined by UK aphid outbreak

An aphid outbreak in the UK has destroyed 30 million lettuce heads, causing growers approximately £10 million in losses.

Butterfly populations 'could crash' due to weather

More than 77,000 butterflies were recorded in Devon and 47,000 in Cornwall during July, with populations facing potential decline from weather conditions.

SATURN

Earth microbes survive simulated conditions of Saturn moon’s ocean

Laboratory tests show microorganisms can survive in conditions matching those beneath the frozen surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus, raising hopes the moon could harbour life.

AI (ARTIFICIAL

The Guardian view on AI v mathematicians: humans are still vital to the field, but tech firms refuse to see that | Editorial

OpenAI claims its artificial intelligence has solved a centuries-old mathematics problem, but experts question the usefulness and independence of the solution.

Just how hot and dry was your summer? Use our postcode lookup to find out

A postcode lookup tool allows users to determine the temperature and rainfall conditions specific to their locations during summer.

OIL (PETROLEUM)

Judge Dismisses Unusual Climate Suit Claiming Oil Giants Broke Antitrust Law

Michigan filed a lawsuit accusing oil companies of colluding to block solar power and misrepresent climate risks, which a judge has now dismissed.

SPACE EXPLORATION

Judge Allows Transfer of Land in Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, for Now

A judge approved a land transfer to SpaceX, clearing the way for a swap deal that would expand Elon Musk's Starbase in South Texas.

SCIENCE — continued

Discovery, research, and the natural world

DIETS AND DIETING

From paleo to intermittent fasting: are any diets actually good for us? - video

Various diet trends circulating on social media are evaluated for scientific support, from paleo to intermittent fasting approaches.

TEENAGERS

Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds

Where Is the U.S. Beating China on A.I., and Where Is It Lagging?

MAMMALS

Bats originated in Europe, rewriting mammals’ family tree, study reveals

A study of bats reveals they originated in Europe, reshaping the mammalian family tree and potentially advancing research into viruses and cancer treatments.

Are A.I. Models Being Misled to Act Too Human?

DATA CENTERS

Texas Halts Data Center Permits, Expanding Environmental Scrutiny

Texas has halted permits for data centers as Governor Greg Abbott addresses environmental concerns about the projects, reversing his earlier welcoming stance.

More than 170,000 respiratory cases recorded in haze-choked Indonesia

Indonesia has recorded over 170,000 respiratory cases during air pollution events, with more than 40,000 affecting young children.

Waste sector crisis could see rubbish piling up on streets, experts warn

Glasgow faces potential rubbish accumulation on streets due to sharply reduced landfill capacity combined with a failure of the city's primary incinerator.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

US judge declines to block transfer of wildlife refuge land to Musk’s SpaceX

A federal judge refused to block the Trump administration's plan to transfer wildlife refuge land to SpaceX for expansion, despite opposition from environmental groups.

Blood tests find high level of cancer-causing forever chemical in residents near factory

Residents near a Lancashire chemical factory have been found to have elevated levels of a carcinogenic substance in their blood, raising concerns about potential serious health risks.

EL NINO SOUTHERN

How El Niño Is Shaping Storms on Two Sides of the U.S.

El Niño is influencing storms across the United States, including hurricanes near Hawaii and a nor'easter on the East Coast.

WRIGHT, CHRIS (1965- )

Chris Wright Sells Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Vision

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is pitching a future of fossil fuel abundance.

EL NIÑO SOUTHERN

‘Jaw-dropping’ El Niño bursts through temperature record months before peak

An unusually intense El Niño phenomenon is breaking temperature records months ahead of its expected peak and will significantly affect communities worldwide.

SCIENCE

The week that changed maths for ever – podcast

In early September, OpenAI announced it had solved a major mathematics problem unsolved by humans for nearly a century, surprising the mathematical community.

In a New Anthropic Lab, A.I. Turns to Biology

Scientists at the company announced their first finding: a group of enzymes whose function is unknown.

SUICIDES AND SUICIDE

Suicide Rate Dropped Slightly in 2024, C.D.C. Finds

, though a sustained downward trend has remained difficult to achieve.

Space museum launched by Britain's first astronaut

Britain's first astronaut Helen Sharman officially opened the John Dulcamara Space Flight Museum at Grizedale Observatory.

BBC Inside Science

The programme examines how time is measured accurately and why Earth's rotation is creating difficulties.

NHS

‘Gamechanging’ brain tumour test reduces diagnosis from eight weeks to two hours

A new brain tumor test developed for NHS England can provide diagnosis within two hours during surgery, currently being piloted at five centers.

SHEDD, JOHN G, AQUARIUM

Four Beluga Whales Die Weeks After Major Rescue Mission

The belugas were among 30 whales transferred to aquariums in the United States and Spain from a closed marine attraction in Canada.

Nebula image wins Royal Observatory competition

Ali Alobaidly won the Astronomy Photographer of the Year award for his photograph of the Shark Nebula.

Girl's out-of-this-world question for Tim Peake

A six-year-old girl asked astronaut Tim Peake a significant question before his visit to Lincoln.

Simpler, older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site

Archaeologists have identified a 5,000-year-old structure three miles from Stonehenge consisting of two posts aligned with solstice events.

What are my children exposed to? Why I want testing for cancer-causing chemicals

Residents near a lagoon designated as environmentally shameful are requesting medical testing for exposure to cancer-causing PCBs.

FORENSIC SCIENCE

DNA database of UK dogs could help police collar criminals

A DNA database of UK dogs could help police identify specific breeds involved in crimes or exclude canine suspects from investigations.

LIFE AND STYLE

Hurrah, lie-ins may be good for us – if only I can convince my five-year-old daughter | Arwa Mahdawi

Research suggests sleeping longer may be beneficial, though the author finds it difficult to achieve with a young child in the household.

After record heat, could the Atlantic make Britain's weather even more extreme?

As temperatures rise, scientists are investigating whether a changing Atlantic could bring more volatile weather to the UK

NATIONAL INSTITUTES

White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants

When and how to see the Harvest Moon in 2026

September's full Harvest Moon will appear on Saturday 26 September, with optimal viewing conditions expected across southern and eastern UK regions.

The hidden cost of the night shift and how to sleep it off

More than three million people in the UK work night shifts, which can greatly impact their health.

Can Tech Companies Like Google Really Put Data Centers in Space?

CANCER RESEARCH

Big tech says AI can find a cure for cancer. So where is it?

Despite major technology companies claiming artificial intelligence can find cancer cures, concrete results from these efforts remain unclear.

NEW YORK STATE

A Second Judge Strikes Down New York’s Climate ‘Superfund’ Law

A federal judge ruled that the new law, which would force fossil fuel companies to pay $75 billion to help cover the costs of climate change, was unconstitutional.

Strategy will safeguard nature for generations

One of England's areas with the lowest biodiversity has approved a Local Nature Recovery Strategy to protect wildlife.

SPACE

Space junk punched a new hole in the moon. It’s not ours to abuse | Moriba Jah

Space debris from a defunct SpaceX rocket created a new crater on the moon, highlighting the need for better accountability in the space industry.

Hundreds of wildflowers to be planted at meadow

Friends of the Lake District plans to plant hundreds of wildflower species that have disappeared due to certain farming practices.

CHINA

Trump and Xi Are Expected to Discuss Accusations of Copying American A.I. Tech

American artificial intelligence companies have accused their Chinese counterparts of using a technique called distillation to enhance their own systems.

Fossil identified as first dinosaur ever found in Antarctica

Argentinian geologist Eduardo Olivero discovered dinosaur remains in Antarctica in 1986, marking the first such find on the continent.

India is producing more green energy - but wasting a lot of it

India has rapidly reduced carbon emissions from electricity generation, but transmission infrastructure limitations are undermining these environmental gains.

From blast off to splashdown: My days following Nasa's historic mission to the Moon

BBC Science Editor Rebecca Morelle reflects on witnessing Nasa's historic Moon mission from start to finish.

BRAIN

C.T.E. Can’t Be Detected in the Living. New Brain Research Offers Hope.

EL NINO SOUTHERN

California Needs Water. El Niño Might Bring Too Much to Keep.

The drought-stricken state has improved its ability to collect and store rainwater.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Mathematics Isn’t Just a Game to Let A.I. Solve. History Shows Why.

In our field of applied mathematics, the long, human process of trial and error — not just the solutions themselves — is often what has led to progress.

How the UK's extreme heat is shifting the conversation about air-con

The UK's recent extreme heat is prompting debate about whether air conditioning should be more widely adopted despite environmental and economic concerns.

Did El Niño turn Hurricane Polo into the most powerful storm of the season?

El Niño may have contributed to Hurricane Polo becoming one of the Pacific season's most intense storms.

Why cheap power could matter more than clean power in the push for net zero

The question of how important making our electricity clean is to going green is coming under increasing scrutiny

How cleaning up the air is speeding up global warming - and revealing a bigger problem

Improvements in air quality are paradoxically accelerating global warming and exposing a larger climate science concern.

NASA

Spacecraft returns to Earth after rescue mission for ageing Nasa telescope fails

A commercial space robot launched in July failed to complete its mission to repair an ageing Nasa telescope due to technical problems during flight.

Endangered dormice on farm signal healthy landscape

Dormice spotted during surveys on a farm near Bridport indicate the landscape is becoming healthier.

Elephants use medicinal plants to treat themselves, researchers find

Research demonstrates that African elephants self-medicate using dozens of different plant species to treat illness in themselves and their families.

METALS COMPANY, THE

Gerard Barron, Metals Company Chief, Makes the Case for Seafloor Mining

The head of the company hoping to become the first to conduct commercial deep-sea mining said mines on land had a much larger environmental footprint.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Take good care of your tailbone. I didn’t – and my derriere has never been the same since | Adrian Chiles

The writer suffered a tailbone injury during an extreme cycling challenge nearly twenty years ago that still causes pain today.

CHINA

First dinosaur bone from Antarctica found in a drawer

A dinosaur bone collected in Antarctica in 1985 and later discovered in storage has been identified as part of a Titanosaur's tail.

The 40 minutes when the Artemis crew loses contact with the Earth

Artemis astronauts will lose radio contact with Earth for 40 minutes while passing behind the Moon.

ARCHAEOLOGY

Glimpses into lives of Roman suburbanites in Bath revealed in rare finds

Restoration work at Bath Assembly Rooms uncovered Roman ditches containing pottery, coins, and military helmet fragments revealing suburban life in Roman Bath.

Toxic waste: 'Every person that played in the pool is dead'

Michael Phillips unknowingly played in a lagoon during childhood that contained toxic chemicals with severe health consequences.

GREENPEACE

$345 Million Verdict Against Greenpeace Should Be Overturned, Lawyers Say

Lawyers argue a $345 million verdict against Greenpeace should be overturned, accusing the judge of bias and incompetence.

WRIGHT, CHRIS (1965- )

Trump’s Energy Secretary Dismisses Reports of Diesel Export Ban, Criticizes Solar Power

Chris Wright also doubled down on his criticism of renewable energy sources like solar power.

SCIENCE

Open AI and the million-dollar maths problem - video

OpenAI's announcement in early September that it solved a centuries-old mathematics problem has sparked debate among mathematicians about the solution's validity.

PARIS

Ancient wall found beneath Paris could confirm site of first settlement

An ancient wall discovered beneath Paris has been identified as a Gallo-Roman structure and described by French officials as a major breakthrough.

MOON

What a Massive New Crater Means for Future Moon Bases

A newly discovered crater measuring 728 feet wide on the moon suggests risks that impact events could pose to planned human bases.

HUMAN BIOLOGY

Are girls more social than boys from birth? - video

A discussion examines research on social behaviour differences between girls and boys from birth onwards.

Seahorse habitats 'healing' thanks to eco-moorings

Seagrass damage in Studland Bay caused by boat anchor chains is recovering thanks to the installation of environmentally-friendly mooring systems.

Elsewhere in today's paper

FASHION

Melania Trump, Peng Liyuan, and Two Very Different Takes on First Lady Style

Melania Trump and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, visiting Washington for the first time in over a decade, demonstrated contrasting approaches to First Lady fashion.

BBC SPORT

Israel game should not go ahead - Republic of Ireland's Knight

Jason Knight becomes the first Republic of Ireland player to publicly oppose playing Israel on Sunday.

Hollywood Surrenders to the Ellison Empire

Ellison's growing entertainment industry influence leaves observers feeling weary rather than victorious or defeated.

FILM

‘I’m a writer but then nobody’s perfect’: how Billy Wilder conquered Hollywood

A retrospective celebrates filmmaker Billy Wilder's journey from immigrant to Hollywood titan, highlighting classics like Double Indemnity and Some Like It Hot.