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This week's magazine

22 December 2007

Issue 2635

New Scientist issue 2635 cover
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Editor's picks

The Doh! of technology

Technology

The Doh! of technology

Features
Sniffing out the secrets of the orchid bee

Life

Sniffing out the secrets of the orchid bee

Features
How to create an extreme overhang with toy bricks

Life

How to create an extreme overhang with toy bricks

Features
Death by chocolate

Life

Death by chocolate

Features
The Santa delusion

Life

The Santa delusion

Features
The science of swearing

Life

The science of swearing

Features
Mystery of the monster hailstones

Earth

Mystery of the monster hailstones

Features
Some like it hot: The benefits of fiery food

Life

Some like it hot: The benefits of fiery food

Features
New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Life

Mechanical mysteries of the yodel

Features
End of year quiz

End of year quiz

Features
Mega-mouthy: Which is the talkative sex?

Life

Mega-mouthy: Which is the talkative sex?

Features
The big sleep: How dinosaurs die

Life

The big sleep: How dinosaurs die

Features
Family trees: The social life of plants

Earth

Family trees: The social life of plants

Features
How to win at rock, paper or scissors

Life

How to win at rock, paper or scissors

Features
Watch this: 2007's best online videos

Watch this: 2007's best online videos

Features
New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Life

Histories: Love amongst the fossils

Features
New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Life

Burn-proof billy: Fighting the Christmas arsonists

Features

Table of contents

News

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Technology

Wi-Fi routers are vulnerable to viruses

The viral infection that began in Cambridge, Massachusetts, somewhere between MIT and Harvard University, failed to cross the Charles River into Boston; in California, the San Francisco Bay stymied a similar attack. This was not a biological infection, but the first simulation of an airborne computer virus. It spread by hopping between wireless routers, which …

News

Life

Humanoid robot finds learning child's play

News

Earth

Marine algae get the green light from Shell

News

Technology

Gizmo

News

Life

News review 2007: Who decides a person's right to life?

News

Space

News review 2007: Return of the parallel universe

News

Technology

Sports cars more dangerous than SUVs

News

Space

Science cuts may harm UK's international reputation

News

Earth

News review 2007: Race to claim the Arctic

News

Earth

News review 2007: The Earth reveals its secrets

News

Life

News review 2007: Where have all the honeybees gone?

News

Life

News review 2007: Hidden harm from noise pollution

News

Health

News review 2007: Obesity continues to grow

News

Earth

News review 2007: Extinction of a dolphin

News

Technology

News review 2007: China shoots down a satellite

News

Space

News review 2007: Mystery of a giant void in space

News

Earth

Analysis: How the climate drama unfolded in Bali

News

Space

Is time slowing down?

News

Life

Blind people 'see' sunrise and sunset

News

Health

Inhaled cannabis is more toxic than tobacco smoke

News

Earth

News review 2007: Australia's drought crisis

News

Earth

News review 2007: Reality of climate change hits home

News

Life

Menopause sets humans apart from chimps

News

Space

Small asteroids can pack a mighty punch

News

This week 50 years ago

News

Health

Animal lab mishaps 'go unreported'

News

Life

Dolphins speak a contextual language

News

Opinion

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Earth

Comment: The healing powers of the great outdoors

HOW do you feel after you go for a rural walk? In a green place, whether in city or countryside, being close to nature seems to improve our well-being, even when it is bitterly cold, fiendishly hot, or pouring with rain. The moderate physical activity of walking in an environment like this seems to bring …

Opinion

Earth

Editorial: A small step in combatting climate change

Opinion

From 'pro-life' to anti-ethics

Opinion

Life

Interview: The discreet charm of nematode worms

Opinion

Life

Perspectives: Life on the wheel of consciousness

Opinion

Features

The Doh! of technology

Technology

The Doh! of technology

Every researcher knows the best plans can go horribly pear-shaped. Just think of the ill-fated Beagle 2 spacecraft that went missing on its way down to the surface of Mars just four years ago. What exactly went wrong is still unclear, but a mechanical fault with the landing parachute is the chief suspect. And remember …

Features

End of year quiz

Features

Life

Histories: Love amongst the fossils

Features

Watch this: 2007's best online videos

Features

Life

How to win at rock, paper or scissors

Features

Earth

Family trees: The social life of plants

Features

Life

The big sleep: How dinosaurs die

Features

Life

Mega-mouthy: Which is the talkative sex?

Features

Life

Mechanical mysteries of the yodel

Features

Life

Sniffing out the secrets of the orchid bee

Features

Life

Some like it hot: The benefits of fiery food

Features

Earth

Mystery of the monster hailstones

Features

Life

The science of swearing

Features

Life

The Santa delusion

Features

Life

Death by chocolate

Features

Life

How to create an extreme overhang with toy bricks

Features

Life

Burn-proof billy: Fighting the Christmas arsonists

Features

More

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Space

Review: The Living Cosmos by Chris Impey

THERE has been a recent flood of books about astrobiology – the study of life in the universe – but this latest effort by astronomer Chris Impey is one of the best. It provides a solid overview of the diverse research involved and, although it digresses in places, is beautifully written. Extremophile organisms are described …

Books & Arts

Review: Far Out by Mark Pilkington

Books & Arts

Careers: Show me the money!

Careers

Regulars

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Feedback

"Flirt with science" competition winners THE time has come to announce the results of our "Flirt with science" competition. Readers were invited to seduce the person of their dreams with a science-related chat-up line. Feedback readers must be a romantic lot. The response to this competition was huge and the standard was so high that …

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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