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This week's magazine

4 April 2009

Issue 2702

New Scientist issue 2702 cover
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Editor's picks

Monster space telescope prepares for launch

Space

Monster space telescope prepares for launch

Features
Have the tobacco police gone too far?

Health

Have the tobacco police gone too far?

Features
Code red: How deep reef fish keep in touch

Life

Code red: How deep reef fish keep in touch

Features
How misery inspired Handel's <i>Messiah</i>

Health

How misery inspired Handel's Messiah

Features
Special feature: The five ages of the brain

Life

Special feature: The five ages of the brain

Features
The five ages of the brain: Gestation

Life

The five ages of the brain: Gestation

Features
The five ages of the brain: Childhood

Life

The five ages of the brain: Childhood

Features
The five ages of the brain: Adolescence

Life

The five ages of the brain: Adolescence

Features
The five ages of the brain: Adulthood

Life

The five ages of the brain: Adulthood

Features
The five ages of the brain: Old age

Life

The five ages of the brain: Old age

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.

Earth

Are we safe in a new nuclear age?

IN THE push to build new nuclear power plants, safety assessments may be biased and concerns ignored. So say nuclear analysts on the 30th anniversary of the worst reactor accident in US history. The US and other countries are preparing for a new wave of nuclear power plant construction to help reduce carbon emissions. But …

News

Fake company gets approval for risky trial

News

'Polypill' promises five times the benefits

News

Space toilets blocked by red tape

News

US tells ships to clean up fumes or stay away

News

Texas vote leaves loopholes for teaching creationism

News

The climate summit that's more important than the G20

News

Low-carbon landing, tampon in the post, and more

News

Earth

Rainforests may pump winds worldwide

News

Toddlers with autism see a different world

News

"Prince Charles talks to plants. Let's see if there is something in this"

News

Life

Cheery traders may encourage risk taking

News

Life

Poker skills could sway gaming laws

News

Tropics have bounty of baby girls

News

Shoot-'em-up games may be good for your eyesight

News

Earth

Hurricane speed reveals where storm surges will strike

News

Mutated gene gets mice 'moonwalking'

News

Health

Birds and breezes spread diseases

News

Space

Milky Way may hide dark matter 'pancake'

News

Life

Red pandas reveal unexpected liking for sweetener

News

Are cosmic rays eating away the ozone layer?

News

Have cane toads met their match?

News

Health

Gut worms may hinder cholera vaccine

News

Technology

Virtual caricatures help robots read expressions

News

Technology

Google sees infrared in plan to scan world's books

News

Technology

Home decor joins the digital age

News

Technology

Aircraft could be brought down by DIY 'E-bombs'

News

Technology

UK is ideal home for electronic Big Brother

News

Technology

Artificial cartilage could outperform the real thing

News

Technology

Could quantum mathematics shake up Google?

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.

Editorial: Leave education to the experts, not creationists

THERE is something badly wrong with the way standards for school science are set in the US. When the Texas State Board of Education voted in new standards last week (see "Texas vote leaves loopholes for teaching creationism") it left the door ajar for teaching creationism under the guise of science in federally funded schools. …

Opinion

The dangers of inhaling dubious facts

Opinion

Editorial: Making poker pay

Opinion

Earth

In defence of the Red List

Opinion

Top US science adviser on life after Bush

Opinion

Earth

The heat to come...

Opinion

Features

Monster space telescope prepares for launch

Space

Monster space telescope prepares for launch

Herschel will reveal the young universe in new detail Video: See animations of the telescope and launch FROM an astronomer's perspective, the universe is a pretty cool place. In fact it's positively chilly, with more than half the energy emitted by normal matter coming from clouds of gas and dust too cold to radiate visible …

Features

Health

Have the tobacco police gone too far?

Features

Life

Code red: How deep reef fish keep in touch

Features

Health

How misery inspired Handel's Messiah

Features

Life

Special feature: The five ages of the brain

Features

Life

The five ages of the brain: Gestation

Features

Life

The five ages of the brain: Childhood

Features

Life

The five ages of the brain: Adolescence

Features

Life

The five ages of the brain: Adulthood

Features

Life

The five ages of the brain: Old age

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.

Enigma Number 1539

Board with primes? As I have mentioned in a previous Enigma puzzle, a "Snakes and Ladders" board consists of a 10-by-10 grid of squares. In row 1 (at the bottom) the squares are numbered from 1 to 10 from left to right. Then in row 2 the squares are numbered 11 to 20 from right …

Regulars

On the trail of mythical beasts

Books & Arts

Review: Galileo Goes to Jail, edited by Ronald L. Numbers

Books & Arts

Review: Life in Space by Lucas John Mix

Books & Arts

Review: How We Live And Why We Die: The secret lives of cells by Lewis Wolpert

Books & Arts

Review: Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

Books & Arts

Life

Review: The Smartest Animals on the Planet by Sally Boysen

Books & Arts

Get the bug for bacteria

Careers

What's hot on NewScientist.com

Regulars

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

Do not touch the keys on your keyboard THE label on the bottle of Dentyl mouthwash bought by Jolyon Ralph carried the warning: "Avoid contact with any plastics". Since the bottle itself was made of plastic and the mouthwash seemed unaffected by contact with it, Jolyon assumed the warning was directed to him personally as …

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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