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This week's magazine

7 October 2023

Issue 3459

New Scientist issue 3459 cover
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Editor's picks

Environment

Why China's clean energy tech will determine our climate future

News
MYDPPD Conceptual illustration of human microbiome microbes. The microbiome is the collection of microbes found on and in the human body. Some of the microbes help to keep us healthy and it may be possible to transfer these good microbes (probiotics) from a donor to a patient to treat an illness.

Health

Myths about the microbiome abound – but the truth is more interesting

News
This image of the solar corona is a color overlay of the emission from highly ionized iron lines, with white light images added below. Different colors provide unique information about the temperature and composition of solar material in the corona. Credits: S. Habbal/M. Druckm?ller/Nasa https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/fe_xi_fe_xiv_wl-hr_mitchell_achf.png

Space

Why the next solar eclipses are a unique chance to understand the sun

Features
How the microbiome changes our idea of what it means to be human

Health

How the microbiome changes our idea of what it means to be human

Features
Asian Grandmother (70 years old) serving soup to her family with the Asian Grandfather (75 years old) sitting next to her on location at an Asian Restaurant

Health

The best way to care for your microbiome to keep it healthy as you age

Features
Kefir bacteria and yeast. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Lactobacillus bacteria and yeast from kefir, a fermented milk beverage containing beneficial yeast as well as probiotic bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid from the milk sugar lactose. The acid coagulates the milk. Yeasts produce carbon dioxide and a low concentration of ethanol (alcohol). Kefir thus tastes somewhat like an acidic carbonated drink. Magnification: x2500 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.

Health

How does the microbiome affect diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome?

Features
A person feeds their daughter using a spoon. Your diet at an early age can affect how your microbiome develops

Health

Where does your gut microbiome really come from - and does it matter?

Features
Close-up of multi-colored organic Cabbage in glass jars, fermented with various seasonings and other vegetables, postbiotic and probiotic food

Health

Can probiotics and supplements really improve your gut microbiome?

Features
Sandy coloured male cockapoo dog leaps for joy to greet visitors at the front door. They laugh. The windows provide a space for copy.

Health

How your microbiome is shaped by your friends, family, lovers and pets

Features
W3TAKD Marijuana effects on the brain and cannabis mood altering chemicals or psychology and drugs concept in a 3D illustration style.

Health

How we get high: Unlocking the secrets of the endocannabinoid system

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

MYDPPD Conceptual illustration of human microbiome microbes. The microbiome is the collection of microbes found on and in the human body. Some of the microbes help to keep us healthy and it may be possible to transfer these good microbes (probiotics) from a donor to a patient to treat an illness.

Health

Myths about the microbiome abound – but the truth is more interesting

Fun “facts” about the microbiome have become common knowledge, but even if we have been getting these wrong, the truth about the bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in our gut is worth exploring

News

News

Life

Elusive Australian bat sometimes snacks on other bats

Australia’s greater broad-nosed bat was believed to mostly eat beetles and other insects, but hairs found in its droppings suggest it also feasts on other bats

News

Technology

Waste plastic can be recycled into hydrogen fuel and graphene

News

Life

Ancient trilobite stuffed itself with food almost to bursting point

News

Technology

Super-heatproof computer memory survives temperatures over 500°C

News

Health

Cannabis use disorder may raise the risk of a heart attack or stroke

News

Physics

Antimatter definitely doesn't fall up, physicists confirm

News

Humans

Ancient baskets and shoes reveal skill of prehistoric weavers

News

Health

Ultra-processed food isn't always unhealthy, say UK food officials

News

Environment

Surge of Russian tankers in the Arctic is raising risk of oil spills

News

Life

We finally know what makes orange carrots orange

News

Life

We’ve just realised that a tiny West African crocodile can moo

News

Life

Beetles raise their young in trash dumps left behind by army ants

News

Health

Nobel prize for medicine goes to mRNA work behind covid-19 vaccines

News

Space

Astronomers alarmed by satellite that outshines all but seven stars

News

Physics

Nobel prize for physics goes to trio who sliced up time with light

News

Analysis

Why we urgently need to end the stigma around body weight

Health

Why we urgently need to end the stigma around body weight

Anti-obesity efforts are so intertwined with body-shaming attitudes that they actively harm health and well-being, says Becca Muir

News

Technology

We still don't really understand what large language models are

Comment

Environment

Why China's clean energy tech will determine our climate future

News

Aperture

A fully deployed OTIS, with the secondary mirror extended over the primary mirror, is removed from Chamber A after a successful thermal-vacuum test in 2017. Seen still in the chamber is a sunshield simulator, called the L5 Simulator, representing the fifth and innermost layer of the sunshield. The telescope would be shipped to the Northrop Grumman facility in California to be integrated with the real sunshield. I was suspended on a lift for this shot. Page 119

Space

A glimpse inside how the James Webb Space Telescope was put together

Three decades in the making, JWST is one of the most ambitious space projects ever embarked on. These photographs, from a new book, Inside the Star Factory, show how it was developed

Regulars

Features

W3TAKD Marijuana effects on the brain and cannabis mood altering chemicals or psychology and drugs concept in a 3D illustration style.

Health

How we get high: Unlocking the secrets of the endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system that helps cannabis get us high is also vital to many other aspects of our health. Now we’re finally starting to understand why – and what that means for devising new treatments

Features

Space

Why the next solar eclipses are a unique chance to understand the sun

Features

Health

How the microbiome changes our idea of what it means to be human

Features

Health

The best way to care for your microbiome to keep it healthy as you age

Features

Health

Can probiotics and supplements really improve your gut microbiome?

Features

Health

Where does your gut microbiome really come from - and does it matter?

Features

Health

How does the microbiome affect diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome?

Features

Health

How your microbiome is shaped by your friends, family, lovers and pets

Features

Culture

Aliza Nisenbaum, Susan, Aarti, Keerthana and Princess, Sunday in Brooklyn, 2018, oil on linen ? Aliza Nisenbaum. Photo courtesy the Artist and Anton Kern Gallery, New York Real Families: Stories of Change Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge 6 Oct 2023 - 7 January 2024 Terms of Loan These images are on loan to you, and are accepted by you under the following terms and conditions: That the reproductions are accompanied by the artist, title, date, lender and copyright line; That the reproductions are not cropped, overprinted, tinted or subject to any form of derogatory treatment without the prior approval of the copyright owner; That the images are only reproduced to illustrate an article or feature reviewing or reporting on Real Families: Stories of Change at the Fitzwilliam Museum (section 30 (i) and (ii) of theCopyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988); That any reproductions are not used for marketing or advertising purposes. Press use is considered to be moderate use of images to report a current event or to illustrate a review or criticism of the work, as defined by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 Chapter 48 Section 30 Subsections (1)-(3). Reproductions which comply with the above do not need to be licensed. Reproductions for all non-press uses or for press uses where the above criteria do not apply (e.g.covers and feature articles) must be licensed before publication. Further information can be obtained atwww.dacs.org.uk or by contacting DACS licensing on +44 207 336 8811. Due to UK copyright law only applying to UK publications, any articles or press uses which are published outside of the UK and include reproductions of these images will need to have sought authorisation with the relevant copyright society of that country. The use of images for front covers may attract a fee and will require the prior authorisation of the holder of the work. Please contact kitty@sam-talbot.com

Comment

Real Families exhibition: How we redefined families for a new world

Scientific progress has made all sorts of families possible. But as a thought-provoking new exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK, shows, it hasn't been a pain-free shift

Culture

Comment

Your Face Belongs to Us review: What is happening to public privacy?

Culture

Comment

New Scientist recommends season two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Culture

Comment

The Creator review: A mishmash of science fiction ideas

Culture

More

F3875E Slicing into the breast of a freshly roasted chicken in pan with juices

Health

How to make sure your chicken is properly cooked

Chicken changes colour when it is safely cooked, right? Not always – and clear juices can’t be relied on either, says Sam Wong

Regulars

Puzzle #242: Can you improve my odds of buying the cheapest fuel?

Regulars

Tom Gauld on a mysterious new project

Regulars

Twisteddoodles asks Science a question

Regulars

Regulars

Black hole discovered off Roman Road, Hereford, UK

Black hole discovered off Roman Road, Hereford, UK

A reader informs Feedback about the Black Hole Lane near their home, but adds that they have yet to reach the event horizon

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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