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This week's magazine

11 February 2023

Issue 3425

New Scientist issue 3425 cover
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Editor's picks

Energy saving concept. Paper cut of eco on green grass; Shutterstock ID 381769096; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Environment

The 2000-watt energy saving challenge may be hard, but it’s worthwhile

News
Mature man sitting working from home in a red puffer coat, scarf and wooly hat - Cost of Living Crisis

Environment

The truth behind how to reduce your energy use and still live well

Features
The hunt for dark matter: The universe's mysterious gravitational glue

Physics

The hunt for dark matter: The universe's mysterious gravitational glue

Features
close up of woman's eyes

Mind

The evolutionary origin of paranoia and why it is becoming more common

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

Energy saving concept. Paper cut of eco on green grass; Shutterstock ID 381769096; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Environment

The 2000-watt energy saving challenge may be hard, but it’s worthwhile

A Swiss vision of a low-energy society set a goal that is irresistibly simple: consume energy at a rate of just 2000 watts. It’s a great way to push us to use less power - good for the purse and the planet

News

News

Human sperm

Health

Sperm-sorting device aims to find healthy samples to boost IVF success

Healthier sperm are normally selected for IVF using a centrifuge, which can damage the cells, but an alternative method can do the job gently by creating a current for them to swim against

News

Physics

Entirely new type of ice made using extremely cold steel balls

News

Environment

Doubling trees in European cities could prevent thousands of deaths

News

Environment

US megadrought has led to more air pollution from power plants

News

Technology

Google AI generates musical backing tracks to accompany singers

News

Technology

Diving drone can switch between flying and swimming

News

Life

Smart dairy farms are using AI scanners to monitor cows' health

News

Health

Hearing noise and moving our body helps us gauge the passing of time

News

Life

Putting solar panels in grazing fields is good for sheep

News

Technology

US military plan to create huge autonomous drone swarms sparks concern

News

Humans

Neanderthals hunted enormous elephants that fed 100 people for a month

News

Humans

Ancient Egyptians used exotic oils from distant lands to make mummies

News

Humans

Vikings brought horses and dogs to England, cremated bones confirm

News

Health

Antidepressants mostly can't treat chronic pain, despite wide use

News

Space

Sunquakes may be caused by weird beams of electrons from solar flares

News

Life

Should we be worried about bird flu spreading to mammals?

News

Health

Human neurons implanted into a rat's brain respond to flashing lights

News

Space

Wormholes could magnify light by a factor of 100,000

News

Health

Millions of coronavirus mutations offer a new insight into evolution

News

Life

Three nautilus species new to science have been found in the Pacific

News

Technology

Suspected Chinese 'spy balloon' shot down by US fighter jet over sea

News

Mind

Mild brain damage may affect memory more than severe injuries

News

Technology

AI image generators that create close copies could be a legal headache

News

Health

Genes for Gaucher disease may have protected Jewish people against TB

News

Analysis

Beautiful autumn scene of Hintersee lake. Colorful morning view of Bavarian Alps on the Austrian border, Germany, Europe. Beauty of nature concept background.; Shutterstock ID 747646759; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Environment

The push to grant legal rights to nature is gaining momentum

The movement to give trees, rivers and ecosystems the legal right to exist, thrive and regenerate has been bubbling under for decades, but it has just scored a very welcome win, says Graham Lawton

Comment

Health

How understanding a form of broken heart syndrome could save lives

News

Aperture

Magnificent photograph captures eruption of Fagradalsfjall volcano

Earth

Magnificent photograph captures eruption of Fagradalsfjall volcano

Olivier Grunewald took this image of the Icelandic volcano's central crater filled with lava, forming a fiery lake of liquid rock

Regulars

Features

Mature man sitting working from home in a red puffer coat, scarf and wooly hat - Cost of Living Crisis

Environment

The truth behind how to reduce your energy use and still live well

In theory, it’s possible to live well while using energy at a rate of just 2000 watts – a quarter of the average for people in the US. Our environment reporter took on the challenge. Here’s what he discovered

Features

Mind

The evolutionary origin of paranoia and why it is becoming more common

Features

Physics

The hunt for dark matter: The universe's mysterious gravitational glue

Features

Culture

Stop drinking, keep reading, look after your hearing: a neurologist?s tips for fighting memory loss and Alzheimer?s. Dr Richard Restak at his home in Washington, D.C. on August 3, 2022. ? Greg Kahn / Guardian / eyevine Contact eyevine for more information about using this image: T: +44 (0) 20 8709 8709 E: info@eyevine.com http://www.eyevine.com

Health

The Complete Guide to Memory review: How we remember and how we forget

How does our memory really work? Richard Restak's guide delves deep to explain the complexities, offering new clues to strengthening our minds and maybe even warding off the damage caused by Alzheimer's

Culture

Space

The First City on Mars review: How to make life on Mars a reality

Culture

Humans

Don't Miss: Marvel's Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Culture

Humans

Marvel's Midnight Suns review: Meet your heroes in new strategy game

Culture

More

Male and female stag beetles.

Life

How a log pile in your garden can be a haven for wildlife

Make your garden more enticing for wildlife with a few log piles, says Clare Wilson, and you may glimpse some stunning beetles

Regulars

Puzzle #208: Can you work out which would be the smaller area to weed?

Regulars

Tom Gauld: Gavin failed the archaeological statistics course

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: Being a scientist often involves disappointment

Regulars

Regulars

When is a bear's face not a bear's face? When it is a Mars bear

When is a bear's face not a bear's face? When it is a Mars bear

Feedback compares the smiling bear discernable in a NASA photo of the surface of Mars to seeing Jesus on a piece of toast, while also pondering the dangers of romance with someone who is "gross"

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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