Natural History Museum, London, and a children's author Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Laughter is a complex social and physical response to something amusing, but it can also be associated with other emotions, such as shock or embarrassment.

In my 30s, I suffered from neck pain and my doctor suggested I try sleeping without a pillow. It took a few nights to get used to, but I have now been sleeping pillowless in complete comfort for 50 ...

If the world exploded, what proportion of the rocks floating in space would have evidence of life? (continued) ...

How do sea molluscs create the consistent patterns on their shells? How do they know when and how to change the pigment?

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An assessment of nearly 900 dogs has identified 12 breeds prone to brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which can affect dogs' ability to sleep and exercise ...

If you feel like the least popular person among your friends, then a handy piece of maths might improve your mood, says Peter Rowlett ...

It was so bountiful that when Europeans arrived on the island in the early 1600s, they described oysters the size of their feet. The Lenape Indigenous people would feast on them, discarding the shells ...

Tom Gauld's weekly cartoon ...

Feedback enjoys the debunking of a study that suggested a 2022 solar eclipse had been "anticipated" by a bunch of trees ...