FROM THE EDITOR

COVER: GRACE RUSSELL THIS PAGE: BBC, GETTY IMAGES

Smoothly does it

BOLZANO, ITALY Nestled amidst the majestic Alpine mountains

We be-lung together

At first glance, this image may look like

Eye spy

MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE This image of a Nile

CONVERSATION

YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND BBC SCIENCE FOCUS

DISCOVERIES

“The ability to make sharp stone flakes is

SIGNS OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY FOUND ON VENUS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Images taken by the Magellan space probe in the 1990s could show evidence of eruptions or magma flow

COMPLETE CIRCUITRY OF AN INSECT BRAIN MAPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME

The model shows every single neuron and connection in the brain of a fruit fly larva

WILD RATS LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY SEWERS ARE CARRYING CORONAVIRUS

More than 15 per cent of rats captured in wastewater systems tested positive for the virus

VISION LOSS RESTORED IN MICE USING REVOLUTIONARY GENE-EDITING TECHNIQUE

Mice treated with CRISPR-based technique retained their vision well into old age

COMPOUNDS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE FOUND IN SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM A NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID

Samples collected during Hayabusa2’s trip to the asteroid Ryugu contain uracil, a substance present in RNA

GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP IMPROVES IMMUNE RESPONSE TO VACCINATIONS

People who sleep for less than six hours a night produce significantly fewer antibodies after getting their jabs

STONE SHARDS MADE BY THAI MONKEYS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE MADE BY EARLY HUMANS

The discovery may point to the origins of human tool use

IPCC CLIMATE REPORT

A liveable future can be secured for all if we act now, scientists say

REVEALED: THE SPACESUIT ASTRONAUTS WILL WEAR FOR THE NEXT MOONWALK

NASA has teamed up with private company Axiom Space to design its next-generation suits

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT…

As a remedy for all the bad news out there, let us prescribe you a small dose of feel-good science. Each issue, we’ll give you a rundown of the latest breakthroughs that aim to solve humanity’s biggest problems. From potato-based concrete to filters that remove forever chemicals, here you’ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future…

YES, EVERYTHING IN PHYSICS IS COMPLETELY MADE UP. THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT

A physicist’s job is to constantly create equations that keep up with our observations of physical phenomena

DREAMS ARE BIZARRE, SO WHY DO THEY SEEM NORMAL WHEN WE’RE ASLEEP?

Our sleeping brains weave a patchwork out of our memories in complex, baffling ways

YOUR CHATBOT WILL SEE YOU NOW: SHOULD YOU TRUST AN AI WITH YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

Chatbots could provide easier access to therapy, but we don’t know whether the risks outweigh the benefits

LAUGHING GAS: IS IT HARMFUL, AND WHY DO POLITICIANS WANT TO BAN IT?

The last few years have seen a huge increase in the recreational use of laughing gas in the UK

TESTOSTERONE: IS IT A MENOPAUSE WONDER DRUG?

The number of women receiving prescriptions for the hormone has increased 10-fold in less than a decade

POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: CAN THEY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE?

Could #Lucky Girl Syndrome, the latest TikTok craze, do more harm than good?

INNOVATIONS

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW REVIEW BEELINE VELO 2

Beeline Velo 2: a cycling computer for easy navigation

Alex Hughes goes for a spin with Beeline Velo 2, a simple and streamlined bike GPS

Five of the best massage guns

These tools promise to aid recovery after a workout and count Rihanna and Marcus Rashford among their fans. James Witts picks his faves

Q&A

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ... WHAT IS A DORMANT

THE EXPLAINER PHOBIAS

AN EXPLORATION INTO THE ORIGINS AND TREATMENTS OF IRRATIONAL FEARS

NEXT ISSUE

BRAIN FINGERPRINTS Scans of your grey matter might

Can we feel others’ emotions?

Mantis, from Guardians Of The Galaxy, is an empath. Do we feel the same way, too?

Ideas we like…

Our pick of the month’s smartest tech

3 RULES BEHIND EVERY DIET THAT WORKS

We’re fed up with navigating all the tips and advice online telling us how to lose weight, so we asked an obesity expert to reveal whether anything actually works for weight loss

DOWN ON THE ROBOT FARM

IN THE WEST, FARM WORKERS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY... BUT ROBOTS ARE READY TO TAKE THEIR JOBS

SET THE JUICE LOOSE

This month, the JUICE mission blasts off on its eight-year voyage to Jupiter. Once there, it will peer at the planet’s moons to find out if life could be lurking beneath their icy crusts…