Issue 3437 | Magazine cover date: 6 May 2023

6 May 2023

Issue 3437

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On the cover

Culture

The Age of Cats review: How our furry friends evolved, and what’s next

Features

These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses?

Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea

News

One star being eaten by another will take revenge as a black hole

Fluent answers from AI search engines are more likely to be wrong

We finally know why bubbles rise in a straight line in champagne

The covid-19 virus affects our gut – but we still don't know how

How lockdowns turned us into antisocial goblins – and why it matters

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A clinical doctor talking to a couple of patients in her office at the hospital.

Health

As awareness of 'hidden' conditions rises, research must keep up

Leader

Subscriber-only

Mind

ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses?

Features

Subscriber-only

Physics

Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea

Features

Subscriber-only

Earth

These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

Features

Subscriber-only

Leaders

Health

As awareness of 'hidden' conditions rises, research must keep up

Greater awareness of everything from chronic pain to neurodiversity chips away at the stigma people face. With good research, and an open mind, we can make sure people get the right help

Leader

Subscriber-only

News

Technology

Smart glasses dim bright objects but don’t affect other things in view

A device designed for people with photophobia features transparent LCD screens that selectively reduce light from the brightest parts of the scene

News

Subscriber-only

Health

The covid-19 virus affects our gut – but we still don't know how

News

Subscriber-only

Mind

Brain activity of dying people shows signs of near-death experiences

News

Free

Life

Male elephant seals with large harems die younger

News

Subscriber-only

Technology

Tiny yeast-filled robots help brew beer quickly and more efficiently

News

Subscriber-only

Technology

Tiny yeast-filled robots help brew beer quickly and more efficiently

News

Subscriber-only

Space

Japanese Hakuto-R spacecraft seems to have crash-landed on the moon

News

Free

Health

Doctors are hypnotising people before surgery to help reduce anxiety

News

Subscriber-only

Life

Wildfires have drastically reduced lynx habitat in Washington state

News

Subscriber-only

Space

Detailed image of supermassive black hole shows its powerful jet

News

Free

Physics

Exotic cosmic objects in string theory may look like leaky black holes

News

Subscriber-only

Life

Assassin bugs cover themselves in sticky plant resin to trap prey

News

Free

Mind

We now know why we mess up when the stakes are high

News

Subscriber-only

Technology

Underwater writing technique lets you draw patterns in liquids

News

Subscriber-only

Physics

We finally know why bubbles rise in a straight line in champagne

News

Free

Analysis

Society

How lockdowns turned us into antisocial goblins – and why it matters

A rise in antisocial behaviour indicates covid-19 lockdowns disrupted our cultural evolution, says Jonathan R. Goodman

Comment

Subscriber-only

How lockdowns turned us into antisocial goblins – and why it matters

Environment

How a campaign to keep fossil fuels underground is gaining traction

Comment

Subscriber-only

Environment

Electric vehicles are rapidly taking off – but is that a good thing?

Analysis

Free

Aperture

Comment

Space debris problem highlighted in new series of photographs

Our Fragile Space, an exhibition from photographer Max Alexander, focuses on the impact of the millions of pieces of cosmic waste circling Earth

Regulars

Free

NEW CLOUDS ABOVE US The modern world relies on satellites for its communications and commerce. While mostly invisible to us as we go about out daily lives, our entire modern way of living ? both socially and professionally ? is intimately linked with the orbital space around the Earth. How we treat this extraterrestrial environment will determine how much we can rely on it in the future. ?In this view of Greenwich, London, you?ve got examples of what?s in space. I photographed about 300 artefacts ranging from satellites to rocket bodies, satellite parts, solar panels, all the way down to the screws and a glove to show what?s up there. The photography was done over a one year period, across North America, Europe and the UK. I wanted to show this from a human perspective ? from the ground looking up. I chose Greenwich because of its history of astronomy and because from there you can see the financial district of London to highlight the modern world?s connection to the satellites that circle Earth.? Max Alexander

Features

Earth

These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

Semi-mythical "earthquake lights" may be accompanied by changes to Earth's magnetic field. Now researchers say these changes could be used to forecast major tremors

Features

Subscriber-only

Mind

ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses?

Features

Subscriber-only

Physics

Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea

Features

Subscriber-only

Culture

Comment

Don't Miss: Centuries worth of artefacts from documenting animals

New Scientist's weekly round-up of the best books, films, TV series, games and more that you shouldn't miss

Culture

Subscriber-only

Birds of Georgia, John Abbot, United States, 1804. (Egerton Ms 1137, f. 28

Comment

The Age of Cats review: How our furry friends evolved, and what’s next

Culture

Subscriber-only

Comment

Wild Wet World and Torus review: Transmuting obscure worlds into music

Culture

Subscriber-only

Comment

Terra Nil review: City builder lets you leave the world a better place

Culture

Subscriber-only

Mathematics

How maths reveals the best time to add milk for hotter tea

If you want your cup of tea to stay as hot as possible, should you put milk in immediately, or wait until you are ready to drink it? Katie Steckles does the sums

Regulars

Subscriber-only

How maths reveals the best time to add milk for hotter tea

Puzzle #220: How many countries took part in the AI song contest?

Regulars

Subscriber-only

Tom Gauld: On Fridays, the whole research team works from home

Regulars

Free

Twisteddoodles on exhibition stands at science conferences

Regulars

Free

Regulars

Does "the earthquake chewed my data" trump "the dog ate my homework"?

Feedback ponders a novel excuse for missing data and brings readers the very latest on bonobos' preference for grapes over parsnips

Regulars

Subscriber-only

This week's magazine

6 May 2023

On the cover

Health

As awareness of 'hidden' conditions rises, research must keep up

Mind

ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses?

Physics

Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea

Earth

These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

Table of contents

Leaders

Health

As awareness of 'hidden' conditions rises, research must keep up

News

Technology

Smart glasses dim bright objects but don’t affect other things in view

Health

The covid-19 virus affects our gut – but we still don't know how

Mind

Brain activity of dying people shows signs of near-death experiences

Life

Male elephant seals with large harems die younger

Technology

Tiny yeast-filled robots help brew beer quickly and more efficiently

Technology

Tiny yeast-filled robots help brew beer quickly and more efficiently

Space

Japanese Hakuto-R spacecraft seems to have crash-landed on the moon

Health

Doctors are hypnotising people before surgery to help reduce anxiety

Life

Wildfires have drastically reduced lynx habitat in Washington state

Space

Detailed image of supermassive black hole shows its powerful jet

Physics

Exotic cosmic objects in string theory may look like leaky black holes

Life

Assassin bugs cover themselves in sticky plant resin to trap prey

Mind

We now know why we mess up when the stakes are high

Technology

Underwater writing technique lets you draw patterns in liquids

Physics

We finally know why bubbles rise in a straight line in champagne

Analysis

Society

How lockdowns turned us into antisocial goblins – and why it matters

Environment

How a campaign to keep fossil fuels underground is gaining traction

Environment

Electric vehicles are rapidly taking off – but is that a good thing?

Aperture

Comment

Space debris problem highlighted in new series of photographs

Features

Earth

These bizarre lights in the sky hint at a way to predict earthquakes

Mind

ADHD: What's behind the recent explosion in diagnoses?

Physics

Do we live in a hologram? Why physics is still mesmerised by this idea

Culture

Comment

Don't Miss: Centuries worth of artefacts from documenting animals

Comment

The Age of Cats review: How our furry friends evolved, and what’s next

Comment

Wild Wet World and Torus review: Transmuting obscure worlds into music

Comment

Terra Nil review: City builder lets you leave the world a better place

More

Mathematics

How maths reveals the best time to add milk for hotter tea

Puzzle #220: How many countries took part in the AI song contest?

Tom Gauld: On Fridays, the whole research team works from home

Twisteddoodles on exhibition stands at science conferences

Regulars

Does "the earthquake chewed my data" trump "the dog ate my homework"?