Sophie Berdugo

New Scientist

Bonobos use a kind of syntax once thought to be unique to humans

The way bonobos combine vocal sounds to create new meanings suggests the evolutionary building blocks of human language are shared with our closest relatives

New Scientist

Memory illusion makes you think events occurred earlier than they did

It can be difficult to recall exactly when a specific event happened, and now it seems our memory can be tricked into pushing occurrences back in time, making us think they happened earlier than in reality

New Scientist

Do we all see red as the same colour? We finally have an answer

It is impossible for us to know exactly how another person's experience of the world compares to our own, but a new experiment is helping to reveal that colour is indeed a shared phenomenon

New Scientist

The first water may have formed surprisingly soon after the big bang

Water is an essential part of life on Earth, and possibly elsewhere - and now it we know it may have formed not long after the start of the universe

New Scientist

'Galloping' bubbles could act as tiny robotic vacuum cleaners

While experimenting with waves, researchers discovered that vibrating a container of liquid would cause bubble to "gallop" across its surface

New Scientist

Bonobos can tell when they know something you don't

Recognising that someone lacks information you possess is key for effective communication and cooperation, and bonobos seem to share this skill with humans

the Guardian

01/12/2025

Freelance science journalist

Bonobos use a kind of syntax once thought to be unique to humans

Memory illusion makes you think events occurred earlier than they did

Do we all see red as the same colour? We finally have an answer

The first water may have formed surprisingly soon after the big bang

'Galloping' bubbles could act as tiny robotic vacuum cleaners

Bonobos can tell when they know something you don't

Music sounds better with you? How your listening habits affect your love life

Before the Stone Age: Were the first tools made from plants not rocks?

Cocaine in mummified brains reveals when Europeans first used the drug

Denisovan DNA may help modern humans adapt to different environments