The best new popular science books of March 2026 06. March 2026 (17:00) A new book from Rebecca Solnit, promising to bring us hope in these “difficult times”, is among our pick of popular science titles out this month – along with a guide on how to talk to AI, and a look at modern warfare(New Scientist)
Shift in the Gulf Stream could signal ocean current collapse 06. March 2026 (16:51) Models show that as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation gets weaker, the Gulf Stream will drift northwards. There are signs that this is already happening, and a more abrupt shift could warn of more severe climate impacts(New Scientist)
Earth is now heating up twice as fast as in previous decades 06. March 2026 (15:00) Since 2014, the planet has been warming by about 0.36°C per decade, according to an analysis of five temperature datasets, raising fears that climate tipping points could be crossed earlier than expected(New Scientist)
The secret to guessing more accurately with maths 06. March 2026 (12:00) What do a 20th-century physicist, an 18th-century statistician and an ancient Greek philosopher have in common? They all knew how to extrapolate with incredible accuracy. Columnist Jacob Aron explains how to combine their methods to improve your ability to guess(New Scientist)
Why Yuri Gagarin wasn’t the first in space – and who beat him to it 06. March 2026 (10:00) Everyone knows Yuri Gagarin as the first person to go to space. But was he? Physicist Vladimir Brljak tells the tale of the intrepid balloonists who first flew beyond the blue terrestrial sky, challenging the definition of where our world begins to end(New Scientist)
Möbius strip-like molecule has an entirely new and bizarre shape 05. March 2026 (20:00) A ring of 13 carbon atoms and two chlorine atoms has a remarkable molecular structure that means you would have to go around the loop four times to return to your starting position(New Scientist)
Just one dose of psilocybin relieves symptoms of OCD for months 05. March 2026 (17:00) Taking psilocybin – the psychedelic component of magic mushrooms – eased symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder among people who did not respond to conventional treatments, and the effects lasted at least several months(New Scientist)
Two marsupials believed extinct for 6000 years found alive 05. March 2026 (14:00) Indigenous people in Papua, Indonesia, have helped scientists track down two animals that were thought to have gone extinct thousands of years ago: a relative of Australia’s greater glider and a palm-sized possum with a bizarre, elongated finger(New Scientist)
Alzheimer’s may start with inflammation in the skin, lungs or gut 05. March 2026 (13:00) The Alzheimer’s field is being turned on its head as mounting evidence points to the disease beginning outside the brain many years before symptoms start. This may mean we have to totally rethink how we approach preventing and treating the condition(New Scientist)
The secret of how cats twist in mid-air to land on their feet 04. March 2026 (19:00) An exceptionally flexible region of the spine enables falling cats to twist the front and back halves of their body sequentially to ensure a safe landing(New Scientist)
