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NASA’s Juno spacecraft has taken one of our best pictures yet of Io. Plus: why postnatal anxiety is only just starting to be recognised.

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Io close-up

We have just had our closest look at Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io for decades, thanks to NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which passed the moon on 30 December. Juno, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, has been taking increasingly close images of Io in recent months as its path around Jupiter changes. This latest image was taken just 1500 kilometres above the moon’s surface. In it, some of Io’s hundreds of towering mountains are visible, which can reach more than 10 kilometres tall, as well as their long, sharp shadows. Read more

UTI treatment

Vaginal probiotics reduce the incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), a trial in 174 women has found. UTIs occur when pathogens enter and infect the urinary tract, causing painful burning sensations, frequent urination and cramping. They are commonly treated with antibiotics, though many of the bacteria that cause UTIs have developed resistance to these drugs. The finding suggests that probiotics may be a promising alternative to antibiotics. Read more

The breathtaking advances in artificial intelligence and a growing urgency to find climate change solutions are set to dominate headlines in 2024. Stay ahead with New Scientist for just £1 a week and let us guide you through the coming year. 

More headlines

• Australia’s lost territory: A vast area to the north of the continent may have been home to 500,000 people before being inundated by rising seas.

   

• Plant power: Aloe vera can be used to make a supercapacitor, a device that stores energy and is similar to a battery but discharges power faster.

   

• Fast learning: Artificial intelligence may be able to learn from minimal amounts of data as efficiently as newborn chicks.

   

• Depression therapy: A headset that delivers a low electrical current to the brain at home can relieve symptoms of depression. 

Elia Barbieri

It’s not uncommon for parents to feel anxious for the first few months after having a baby. After all, bringing a newborn home presents a huge change in their lives. But for some, that worry can become all-consuming, persisting beyond the first few months and developing into postnatal (or postpartum) anxiety. Masked by the focus on postnatal depression and the assumption that these are the normal worries every parent faces, this hidden condition has a huge impact on parents and their children. But as more people share their experiences, researchers are beginning to investigate the causes and explore the best ways to treat it. Read more

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Keith Bechtol at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory says we can expect extraordinary pictures when the facility starts operating this year.

That's all for today. Happy new year! 

Sam Wong

Assistant news editor, New Scientist
Email me at [email protected]

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