Issue 3318 | Magazine cover date: 23 January 2021

23 January 2021

Issue 3318

Previous issue Next issue

On the cover

Features

We're running out of lithium for batteries – can we use salt instead?

Parental burnout is on the rise, says psychologist Moira Mikolajczak

Genomic medicine is deeply biased towards white people

News

Houseflies have specialised wings that make them harder to swat

Lying men mimic the body language of other men they are talking to

We may have found hints of gravitational waves permeating the universe

World’s oldest painting of animals discovered in an Indonesian cave

Embryos from the last two northern white rhinos set to be implanted

Can coronavirus variants reinfect people and evade the vaccines?

How worried should we be about the new coronavirus variants?

How covid-19 could become as mild as a common cold

Access our magazine content direct via our website, app or print magazine

View in the app

Check out this magazine in our easy-to-navigate mobile app

Buy this issue in print

You can purchase our magazines on back-issue from the last 4 months

Find a previous edition online

Search through our digital archive of over 30 years of magazines

As the coronavirus mutates, we will need to adjust our approach to it

News

Health

Genomic medicine is deeply biased towards white people

Features

Technology

We're running out of lithium for batteries – can we use salt instead?

Features

Humans

Parental burnout is on the rise, says psychologist Moira Mikolajczak

Features

Leaders

As the coronavirus mutates, we will need to adjust our approach to it

JUST one month ago, the world was already struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Now the challenge has become even harder. The emergence of new variants with different properties has changed the rules of engagement. That the coronavirus should evolve isn't surprising – this is what viruses do. Scientists have been sequencing the …

News

Environment

Microplastics found across the Arctic may be fibres from laundry

Arctic ice in the Beaufort Sea Polyester fibres make up nearly three-quarters of microplastic pollution in the Arctic and probably come from textile manufacturing and household laundry. We already knew that microplastics are present in the Arctic , but new research shines a light on the source of these tiny fragments. Peter Ross at the …

News

Life

Houseflies have specialised wings that make them harder to swat

News

Lying men mimic the body language of other men they are talking to

News

Technology

Artificial intelligence could train your dog how to sit

News

Space

We may have found hints of gravitational waves permeating the universe

News

Technology

Superhuman sight may be possible with lens that makes UV light visible

News

Space

Most distant quasar may help us solve how enormous black holes form

News

Technology

Chemical that makes chilli peppers spicy boosts solar panel cells

News

Humans

World’s oldest painting of animals discovered in an Indonesian cave

News

Environment

Embryos from the last two northern white rhinos set to be implanted

News

Technology

Quantum internet signals beamed between drones a kilometre apart

News

Space

NASA gives up trying to burrow under Mars surface with 'mole' probe

News

Life

Dinosaur found in Argentina may be largest land animal ever

News

Health

Can coronavirus variants reinfect people and evade the vaccines?

News

Health

China and the US clash over mission to find source of the coronavirus

News

Health

How worried should we be about the new coronavirus variants?

News

Health

Global spread of UK coronavirus variant could overwhelm health systems

News

Health

How covid-19 could become as mild as a common cold

News

Health

Why vaccinating everyone on the planet may still not wipe out covid-19

News

Life

Water may be even more crucial to life than we thought

News

Analysis

Health

We must start publishing ethnicity data for covid-19 vaccinations

The race to vaccinate as many people as possible against covid-19 is under way, but unless we track who receives the vaccine we won’t be able to ensure the benefits are spread equitably. Publishing ethnicity and other demographic data must become a priority. This will be vital for countries to ensure that those hit hardest …

News

Technology

Silicon Valley needs to take responsibility for its political power

News

Aperture

Life

First ever high-res image taken of rare gazelles in a desert setting

Ugo Mellone captured the first ever high-resolution image of a rare Cuvier's gazelle (and her calf) in a desert environment using a technique called photo trapping

Regulars

Features

Technology

We're running out of lithium for batteries – can we use salt instead?

Lithium-ion batteries power the world, but with lithium running low, we desperately need a viable alternative. Here’s why common salt may be our best bet

Features

Humans

Parental burnout is on the rise, says psychologist Moira Mikolajczak

Features

Health

Genomic medicine is deeply biased towards white people

Features

Culture

Life

Diving Deep review: The amazing life of marine film-maker Mike deGruy

The late Mike deGruy filmed iconic underwater footage that wowed audiences, drawing the admiration of David Attenborough and James Cameron. A fond documentary by his wife reveals the real man

Culture

Environment

Inherited podcast finds hope in the dreams of young climate activists

Culture

Humans

Don't Miss: Jane Goodall on why we should care about climate change

Culture

Humans

Remote Control review: Fusing Ghanaian stories with a sci-fi thriller

Culture

Puzzle #97: Can you help the Ruritanian PM reshuffle her cabinet?

#97 Cabinet reshuffle The Ruritanian prime minister is in a fix. Thanks to a series of incompetent policy decisions, all five of her senior ministers need to be axed from their posts. However, the PM cannot afford to sack them completely, because they will wreak havoc if moved to the back benches. She has a …

Regulars

Cutting meat for Veganuary? Here's how to get your protein from beans

Regulars

Tom Gauld on which ideas to test first

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on modern ways to photosynthesise

Regulars

AI-powered hot pants that tickle you to better athletic performance

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

Regulars

This week's magazine

23 January 2021

On the cover

As the coronavirus mutates, we will need to adjust our approach to it

Health

Genomic medicine is deeply biased towards white people

Technology

We're running out of lithium for batteries – can we use salt instead?

Humans

Parental burnout is on the rise, says psychologist Moira Mikolajczak

Table of contents

Leaders

As the coronavirus mutates, we will need to adjust our approach to it

News

Environment

Microplastics found across the Arctic may be fibres from laundry

Life

Houseflies have specialised wings that make them harder to swat

Lying men mimic the body language of other men they are talking to

Technology

Artificial intelligence could train your dog how to sit

Space

We may have found hints of gravitational waves permeating the universe

Technology

Superhuman sight may be possible with lens that makes UV light visible

Space

Most distant quasar may help us solve how enormous black holes form

Technology

Chemical that makes chilli peppers spicy boosts solar panel cells

Humans

World’s oldest painting of animals discovered in an Indonesian cave

Environment

Embryos from the last two northern white rhinos set to be implanted

Technology

Quantum internet signals beamed between drones a kilometre apart

Space

NASA gives up trying to burrow under Mars surface with 'mole' probe

Life

Dinosaur found in Argentina may be largest land animal ever

Health

Can coronavirus variants reinfect people and evade the vaccines?

Health

China and the US clash over mission to find source of the coronavirus

Health

How worried should we be about the new coronavirus variants?

Health

Global spread of UK coronavirus variant could overwhelm health systems

Health

How covid-19 could become as mild as a common cold

Health

Why vaccinating everyone on the planet may still not wipe out covid-19

Life

Water may be even more crucial to life than we thought

Analysis

Health

We must start publishing ethnicity data for covid-19 vaccinations

Technology

Silicon Valley needs to take responsibility for its political power

Aperture

Life

First ever high-res image taken of rare gazelles in a desert setting

Features

Technology

We're running out of lithium for batteries – can we use salt instead?

Humans

Parental burnout is on the rise, says psychologist Moira Mikolajczak

Health

Genomic medicine is deeply biased towards white people

Culture

Life

Diving Deep review: The amazing life of marine film-maker Mike deGruy

Environment

Inherited podcast finds hope in the dreams of young climate activists

Humans

Don't Miss: Jane Goodall on why we should care about climate change

Humans

Remote Control review: Fusing Ghanaian stories with a sci-fi thriller

More

Puzzle #97: Can you help the Ruritanian PM reshuffle her cabinet?

Cutting meat for Veganuary? Here's how to get your protein from beans