Was time slower in the past?

Hello and welcome back to New Scientist’s weekly round-up of our most fascinating science and technology stories. This week I bring you an important 42-digit number, the quantum nature of the universe and an AI targeting system. First, it’s time to talk about time.

Time appears to run five times slower in the early universe

I’m fascinated by time dilation – the idea that time can run slower or faster in certain situations – and this story is a great example of why. By looking at ancient cosmic events, astronomers have discovered they appear to evolve five times slower than their modern equivalents. That’s not because time was actually slower in the early universe, but rather because the universe’s expansion since then has made everything appear to slow down.

Mathematicians calculate 42-digit number after decades of trying

Supercomputers have helped mathematicians crunch through a problem related to the number of ways there are to combine certain mathematical objects, the first such breakthrough in this field for decades. It’s a great read, but one detail jumped out at me: solving the next stage of the problem is so much more complicated that it could require the entire power output of the sun!

Drones with AI targeting system claimed to be 'better than human'

This story may bring inevitable cries of “Skynet!” and the coming robot uprising, but I found it interesting that the people behind this AI targeting system say it could help avoid accidental attacks against civilians and other invalid targets. It’s a laudable goal, but one that is hard to fully evaluate due to the classified nature of the work.

More from New Scientist

• Crows can understand probabilities – what are the chances?!
• Our magazine cover story this week is on the mind-bending idea that the universe could all be one quantum object.
• Want to live healthier and feel better? We’re running a masterclass in London later this month, and you can sign up here.

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Jacob Aron, News Editor