Issue 3450 | Magazine cover date: 5 August 2023

5 August 2023

Issue 3450

Previous issue Next issue

On the cover

Culture

Foundation season two review: Will this epic live up to its promise?

Features

Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why

Which dietary supplements actually work and which should you take

Does space-time remember? The search for gravitational memory

News

Mathematicians find 27 tickets that guarantee UK National Lottery win

Room-temperature superconductor 'breakthrough' met with scepticism

Supersonic cracks seem to be breaking the laws of physics

Young mouse blood extends lives of older ones while rejuvenating them

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

E8X75D Image concept of magnetic levitating above a high-temperature superconductor, cooled with liquid nitrogen.

Technology

New superconductor claims could lead to progress even if they're wrong

News

Environment

Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why

Features

Health

Which dietary supplements actually work and which should you take

Features

Space

Does space-time remember? The search for gravitational memory

Features

Leaders

Technology

New superconductor claims could lead to progress even if they're wrong

Experts are right to be wary of claims that a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor has been found, but the flurry of new research to confirm the finding could result in a genuine breakthrough

News

Health

How cancer-fighting immune cells could be made safer and more powerful

Engineered immune cells called CAR T-cells are highly effective against cancer but they are also dangerous – but an upgrade could make them safer and more effective

News

Humans

Ancient make-up in Chinese tomb includes concealer and skin lightener

News

Environment

Building things with wood may not be as climate-friendly as thought

News

Space

Water seen in young planet system shows Earth may have always been wet

News

Space

We may have finally figured out how galaxy-scale magnetic fields arose

News

Life

Lizard puts less effort into wooing and choosing mates when it's hot

News

Health

Women may age fastest during their 30s and 50s

News

Mathematics

Mathematicians find 27 tickets that guarantee UK National Lottery win

News

Technology

Shirt woven with metal could help medical implants communicate

News

Environment

The start of spring in the Arctic is increasingly unpredictable

News

Health

Aspirin raises the risk of brain bleeds and may not prevent strokes

News

Technology

Room-temperature superconductor 'breakthrough' met with scepticism

News

Health

Cannabis poisoning cases quadruple in children after legalisation

News

Physics

Supersonic cracks seem to be breaking the laws of physics

News

Space

Stars have an innate twinkle – and now you can listen to it

News

Health

Young mouse blood extends lives of older ones while rejuvenating them

News

Health

People in the US passed swine flu to pigs nearly 400 times in 12 years

News

Humans

Origin of Indo-European languages traced back to 8000 years ago

News

Life

Nightingales match the pitch of their rivals in singing duels

News

Humans

Ancient Babylonian arson in Jerusalem revealed by chemical clues

News

Analysis

Environment

Is geological hydrogen a green solution to our energy needs?

Plans to extract hydrogen from underground reservoirs have been presented as climate-friendly, but it is still unclear just how much they could increase global warming

News

Technology

Unions strike to save the world from bad TV and movies

Comment

Mind

How even the greatest scientists can fall for cognitive bias

News

Aperture

Aft Skirt Being Lowered into the Shuttle Gallery. From July 20, 2023 Space Shuttle Endeavour

Comment

See the tricky logistics behind displaying the shuttle Endeavour

Six months of preparation are needed to display the space shuttle in a vertical position at the California Science Center

Regulars

Features

Environment

Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why

Unexpectedly, the eastern Pacific Ocean is cooling. If this “cold tongue” continues, it could reduce greenhouse gas warming by 30 per cent – but also bring megadrought to the US

Features

Health

Which dietary supplements actually work and which should you take

Features

Space

Does space-time remember? The search for gravitational memory

Features

Culture

Comment

Talking Heads review: Cunning tale of how conversation creates worlds

The way conversation shapes our worlds and holds them together is cunningly teased apart by Shane O'Mara, a professor of experimental brain research

Culture

Comment

The Underworld review: A gripping voyage into the deep ocean

Culture

Comment

New Scientist recommends the board games Wingspan and Wavelength

Culture

Comment

Foundation season two review: Will this epic live up to its promise?

Culture

Mind

The life hack that can help you reclaim your time

Taking on too many commitments can leave us exhausted and full of regret. David Robson shares an easy trick to make more space in your schedule

Regulars

Puzzle #233: Can you work out how many goals were scored?

Regulars

Tom Gauld on the company's position that climate change isn't real

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: The scientist who made that thing I don't understand

Regulars

It can be hard to predict what will attract or scare a sheep

Feedback finds that researchers' current understanding of sheep cognition isn't up to the task when snacks and dogs are thrown into the mix

Regulars

This week's magazine

5 August 2023

On the cover

Technology

New superconductor claims could lead to progress even if they're wrong

Environment

Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why

Health

Which dietary supplements actually work and which should you take

Space

Does space-time remember? The search for gravitational memory

Table of contents

Leaders

Technology

New superconductor claims could lead to progress even if they're wrong

News

Health

How cancer-fighting immune cells could be made safer and more powerful

Humans

Ancient make-up in Chinese tomb includes concealer and skin lightener

Environment

Building things with wood may not be as climate-friendly as thought

Space

Water seen in young planet system shows Earth may have always been wet

Space

We may have finally figured out how galaxy-scale magnetic fields arose

Life

Lizard puts less effort into wooing and choosing mates when it's hot

Health

Women may age fastest during their 30s and 50s

Mathematics

Mathematicians find 27 tickets that guarantee UK National Lottery win

Technology

Shirt woven with metal could help medical implants communicate

Environment

The start of spring in the Arctic is increasingly unpredictable

Health

Aspirin raises the risk of brain bleeds and may not prevent strokes

Technology

Room-temperature superconductor 'breakthrough' met with scepticism

Health

Cannabis poisoning cases quadruple in children after legalisation

Physics

Supersonic cracks seem to be breaking the laws of physics

Space

Stars have an innate twinkle – and now you can listen to it

Health

Young mouse blood extends lives of older ones while rejuvenating them

Health

People in the US passed swine flu to pigs nearly 400 times in 12 years

Humans

Origin of Indo-European languages traced back to 8000 years ago

Life

Nightingales match the pitch of their rivals in singing duels

Humans

Ancient Babylonian arson in Jerusalem revealed by chemical clues

Analysis

Environment

Is geological hydrogen a green solution to our energy needs?

Technology

Unions strike to save the world from bad TV and movies

Mind

How even the greatest scientists can fall for cognitive bias

Aperture

Comment

See the tricky logistics behind displaying the shuttle Endeavour

Features

Environment

Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why

Health

Which dietary supplements actually work and which should you take

Space

Does space-time remember? The search for gravitational memory

Culture

Comment

Talking Heads review: Cunning tale of how conversation creates worlds

Comment

The Underworld review: A gripping voyage into the deep ocean

Comment

New Scientist recommends the board games Wingspan and Wavelength