While working on my book (best not to ask me about it), I often come across little tidbits of science that are too good to ignore. When I can, I shop them around as a freelance journalist. Here’s a few stories that have come out of my research. The question is, can you pick the topic of my book from these snippets of science?
AI chatbots are infiltrating social-science surveys — and getting better at avoiding detection
A researcher has created a chatbot that is indistinguishable from human participants in online surveys. Some researchers fear that a workhorse of social science is now under threat.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00221-8
Glum? Stressed? Obsessed? How to know when it’s time to let go of a goal
Sticking with the wrong goal can lead to stress, some scientists say. Could abandoning or modifying a goal be healthier?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/04/new-year-time-to-let-go-of-goal
Hunter-gatherer groups are much less egalitarian than they seem
There is a widespread belief that altruism and equality drive social behaviour in traditional hunter-gatherer societies, but the truth is more surprising and complex
Women prefer to be prettier than a partner, but men want to be funnier
When measuring yourself against your partner, which traits do you prefer to have compared with your significant other? A survey that forced people to choose has found that men and women have different preferences when it comes to being smarter, funnier or more attractive
Sara Phillips 