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This week's magazine

10 February 2024

Issue 3477

New Scientist issue 3477 cover
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Editor's picks

TOPSHOT - A man wades through floodwaters brought about by heavy rains at a residential neighbourhood in Propseridad town, Agusan del Sur province on southern Mindanao island on February 1, 2024. Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain have killed six people in the Philippines, with one other person missing, rescuers said February 1. (Photo by Erwin MASCARINAS / AFP) (Photo by ERWIN MASCARINAS/AFP via Getty Images)

Environment

Forget what long-lived sea sponges say, focus on reaching net-zero

News
Theory of everything and geometry

Physics

Why physicists are rethinking the route to a theory of everything

Features
The neuroscientist harnessing the placebo effect to help soothe pain

Mind

The neuroscientist harnessing the placebo effect to help soothe pain

Features
Could mysterious marine fungi save us from antibiotic resistance?

Environment

Could mysterious marine fungi save us from antibiotic resistance?

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

TOPSHOT - A man wades through floodwaters brought about by heavy rains at a residential neighbourhood in Propseridad town, Agusan del Sur province on southern Mindanao island on February 1, 2024. Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain have killed six people in the Philippines, with one other person missing, rescuers said February 1. (Photo by Erwin MASCARINAS / AFP) (Photo by ERWIN MASCARINAS/AFP via Getty Images)

Environment

Forget what long-lived sea sponges say, focus on reaching net-zero

According to data from Caribbean sponges, the world passed 1.5°C of warming a decade ago, but debating these arbitrary limits distracts from the bigger picture

News

News

A smart hat and top made of conductive fibres

Technology

Smart hat senses when traffic lights change and tells you via an app

Long-lasting hats, jumpers and watch straps that function as smart devices can be made thanks to a cheap and reliable method of creating conductive fibre that can be woven into fabric

News

Environment

Slight flight altitude changes could slash aviation's climate impact

News

Physics

Nuclear fusion reaction releases almost twice the energy put in

News

Space

The Ingenuity helicopter’s Mars mission is over, but it left a legacy

News

Health

Dance mat-style game helps stop older people falling

News

Life

Watch parrots use their beaks for a newly identified form of motion

News

Humans

Modern humans were already in northern Europe 45,000 years ago

News

Health

Strap that tracks heart rate in pregnancy may predict premature births

News

Health

CRISPR gene therapy seems to cure dangerous inflammatory condition

News

Life

Weird anglerfish mating strategy may have helped them evolve

News

Environment

Marine animals may eat more plastic if it is biodegradable

News

Technology

Ukraine will spoof GPS across the country to stop Russian drones

News

Health

Blue eyes may be better for reading in dim light than brown eyes

News

Life

Some animal cells contain tiny tornadoes that mix up their contents

News

Health

Hormone changes during your period don’t affect cognitive skills

News

Environment

Global temperatures may have passed 1.5°C of warming a decade ago

News

Life

Lager could get array of novel flavours thanks to new strains of yeast

News

Space

Asteroid sampled by NASA may once have been part of an ocean world

News

Technology

World's biggest onshore wind turbine blades unveiled in China

News

Environment

Drought has hit the Panama Canal hard – can it survive climate change?

News

Analysis

Why fully remote workplaces mean more loneliness – and more sick days

Health

Why fully remote workplaces mean more loneliness – and more sick days

Hybrid working has its benefits, but employees will be happier and more productive with more face-to-face contact, says evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar

News

Space

In a new era of astronomy, we're feeling for vibrations in space-time

Comment

Aperture

Barry Webb (#445691)

Life

Otherworldly beauty of fungi on show in photo competition

These stunning images are finalists in the World of Fungi category in the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest

Regulars

Features

Could mysterious marine fungi save us from antibiotic resistance?

Environment

Could mysterious marine fungi save us from antibiotic resistance?

DNA sampling is revealing fungi thriving throughout the oceans, from hydrothermal vents to the open seas. They might even help tackle antibiotic resistance and clear up plastic pollution

Features

Mind

The neuroscientist harnessing the placebo effect to help soothe pain

Features

Physics

Why physicists are rethinking the route to a theory of everything

Features

Culture

Handout picture: Jacqueline Alnes author of The Fruit Cure. Picture supplied by Nikki Griffiths nikki@mhpbooks.com mhpbooks.com.

Comment

The Fruit Cure review: A chilling tale of dubious diets and 'wellness'

The compelling story of how Jacqueline Alnes fell under the spell of “fruit-only” diet influencers as she battled a mystery illness highlights how modern life makes us all vulnerable

Culture

Comment

The Last of its Kind review: How the great auk left an enduring legacy

Culture

Comment

New Scientist recommends: Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Culture

Comment

The End We Start From review: Jodie Comer is gripping in climate drama

Culture

More

Northern Milky Way. Optical image of the Milky Way running through the northern constellations Cassiopeia, Perseus and Cepheus. North is at top. The Milky Way is the band of light crossing the sky formed from the millions of stars in the plane of our galaxy. Cassiopeia, the queen, is formed from the W of bright stars at centre right. Cepheus, the king, is at upper right. At lower right is the constellation Andromeda, the princess. At lower left is Perseus. These constellations represent a story from ancient Greek mythology in which Perseus rescued Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, from a monster.

Space

How to spot the constellations Perseus and Auriga

February is a good time to spot two stunning constellations, both of which are named after figures from Greek mythology, says Abigail Beall

Regulars

BrainTwister #6: Factor factory

Regulars

Tom Gauld on the journey to a magma chamber

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on birdwatching

Regulars

Regulars

Do naked mole rats hold the secret to a youthful appearance? Perhaps

Do naked mole rats hold the secret to a youthful appearance? Perhaps

Feedback is excited to learn that the wrinkly rodents may be the keepers of anti-ageing intelligence

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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