Issue 3276 | Magazine cover date: 4 April 2020

4 April 2020

Issue 3276

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On the cover

Features

Human evolution: The astounding new story of the origin of our species

Coronavirus treatment: What drugs could work and when can we get them?

Analysis

Which covid-19 patients will get a ventilator if there's a shortage?

Will a home antibody test for covid-19 really be a game changer?

News

Higher step count linked to lower yearly risk of death, up to a point

How long does coronavirus stay on surfaces and can they infect you?

Does a high viral load or infectious dose make covid-19 worse?

Mars may have had hot springs millions of years ago

Pluto formed quickly with a deep ocean covering its entire surface

The hunt for patient zero: Where did the coronavirus outbreak start?

Regulars

The science of crispy: how to make perfect pork crackling

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Health

Estimates of the predicted coronavirus death toll have little meaning

News

Humans

Human evolution: The astounding new story of the origin of our species

Features

Health

Coronavirus treatment: What drugs could work and when can we get them?

Features

Leaders

Health

Estimates of the predicted coronavirus death toll have little meaning

With all the unknowns about covid-19, any numbers you hear about death tolls or how long restrictions will last should be taken not just with a pinch of salt but with a sack of it

News

Health

Higher step count linked to lower yearly risk of death, up to a point

Walking is a great way to exercise The higher your daily step count, the lower your risk of death per year, according to a new analysis by the US National Cancer Institute – but the link only goes so far. Public health officials have long encouraged walking as a way of improving general health , …

News

Health

The bacteria in a mother’s gut may protect babies from food allergies

News

Health

How long does coronavirus stay on surfaces and can they infect you?

News

Environment

The ozone layer is healing and redirecting wind flows around the globe

News

Humans

Farming and art arose in New Guinea at same time as Europe and Asia

News

Technology

World’s most essential open-source code to be stored in Arctic vault

News

Technology

Spring-powered shoes could help us run more than 50 per cent faster

News

Health

Eating too much salt seems to impair body's ability to fight bacteria

News

Health

Hepatitis C infection rates are being cut by testing and treatment

News

Technology

Soya protein can help make lab-grown beef with the texture of meat

News

Health

Does a high viral load or infectious dose make covid-19 worse?

News

Mind-reading AI turns thoughts into words using a brain implant

News

Mars may have had hot springs millions of years ago

News

Space

Pluto formed quickly with a deep ocean covering its entire surface

News

Earth

Rock peeling off continents may have triggered biggest mass extinction

News

Physics

Even a computer the size of the universe can’t predict everything

News

Environment

Covid-19 has caused a drop in emissions – but it’s not a climate fix

News

Health

New York City’s coronavirus outbreak is already overwhelming hospitals

News

Physics

We now know what causes wine ‘legs’ to drip down inside a glass

News

Health

The hunt for patient zero: Where did the coronavirus outbreak start?

News

Health

Will the spread of covid-19 be affected by changing seasons?

News

Analysis

Health

Which covid-19 patients will get a ventilator if there's a shortage?

Governments are trying to increase the number of ventilators available in hospitals If the coronavirus pandemic causes a shortage of ventilators, who will be attached to these potentially life-saving machines and who won't? This is the grim question doctors around the world are currently grappling with. Life-or-death choices are already being made in Italy, where …

News

Health

Will a home antibody test for covid-19 really be a game changer?

News

Health

How to get the health benefits of nature when you’re stuck inside

News

Health

Our approach to covid-19 can also help tackle climate change

News

Aperture

Earth

Incredible close-up images of the natural world recognised with awards

Ethereal photos of life’s building blocks, Earth’s toughest creature and a close-up of a gem win Olympus Global Image of the Year Life Science Light Microscopy Award regional prizes

Regulars

Features

Humans

Human evolution: The astounding new story of the origin of our species

Forget the simple out-of-Africa idea of how humans evolved. A huge array of fossils and genome studies has completely rewritten the story of how we came into being.

Features

Health

Coronavirus treatment: What drugs could work and when can we get them?

Features

Culture

David Attenborough in Chernobyl, Ukraine while recording his latest documentary

Environment

David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet is a powerful call to action

David Attenborough in Chernobyl, Ukraine, while recording his latest documentary “We’ve not just ruined the planet, we’ve destroyed it,” says David Attenborough , who has spent his days recording the wonders of the natural world, only to realise that his life’s work has, in fact, been to document its demise. The reprimand comes from his …

Culture

Space

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: The unsung discoverer of star chemistry

Culture

Humans

Don’t Miss: US on coronavirus, quake escape and the upside of slowdown

Culture

Technology

Providence review: Chilling sci-fi where an AI becomes god by accident

Culture

Health

The science of crispy: how to make perfect pork crackling

What is it that turns tough pork skin into amazing crackling? Sam Wong reveals the secret to that wonderful crispy crunch

Regulars

New Scientist puzzle #53: Painting by numbers

Regulars

Humans

The science of boredom can tell us how to keep ourselves amused

Regulars

Tom Gauld on when your trouser pockets aren’t big enough

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on how bird researchers view humans

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’s syllabus for teaching children maths at home

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more

Regulars

This week's magazine

4 April 2020

On the cover

Health

Estimates of the predicted coronavirus death toll have little meaning

Humans

Human evolution: The astounding new story of the origin of our species

Health

Coronavirus treatment: What drugs could work and when can we get them?

Table of contents

Leaders

Health

Estimates of the predicted coronavirus death toll have little meaning

News

Health

Higher step count linked to lower yearly risk of death, up to a point

Health

The bacteria in a mother’s gut may protect babies from food allergies

Health

How long does coronavirus stay on surfaces and can they infect you?

Environment

The ozone layer is healing and redirecting wind flows around the globe

Humans

Farming and art arose in New Guinea at same time as Europe and Asia

Technology

World’s most essential open-source code to be stored in Arctic vault

Technology

Spring-powered shoes could help us run more than 50 per cent faster

Health

Eating too much salt seems to impair body's ability to fight bacteria

Health

Hepatitis C infection rates are being cut by testing and treatment

Technology

Soya protein can help make lab-grown beef with the texture of meat

Health

Does a high viral load or infectious dose make covid-19 worse?

Mind-reading AI turns thoughts into words using a brain implant

Mars may have had hot springs millions of years ago

Space

Pluto formed quickly with a deep ocean covering its entire surface

Earth

Rock peeling off continents may have triggered biggest mass extinction

Physics

Even a computer the size of the universe can’t predict everything

Environment

Covid-19 has caused a drop in emissions – but it’s not a climate fix

Health

New York City’s coronavirus outbreak is already overwhelming hospitals

Physics

We now know what causes wine ‘legs’ to drip down inside a glass

Health

The hunt for patient zero: Where did the coronavirus outbreak start?

Health

Will the spread of covid-19 be affected by changing seasons?

Analysis

Health

Which covid-19 patients will get a ventilator if there's a shortage?

Health

Will a home antibody test for covid-19 really be a game changer?

Health

How to get the health benefits of nature when you’re stuck inside

Health

Our approach to covid-19 can also help tackle climate change

Aperture

Earth

Incredible close-up images of the natural world recognised with awards

Features

Humans

Human evolution: The astounding new story of the origin of our species

Health

Coronavirus treatment: What drugs could work and when can we get them?

Culture

Environment

David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet is a powerful call to action

Space

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: The unsung discoverer of star chemistry

Humans

Don’t Miss: US on coronavirus, quake escape and the upside of slowdown

Technology

Providence review: Chilling sci-fi where an AI becomes god by accident