FROM THE EDITOR

COVER: KUBA FERENC THIS PAGE: ANDREW PARSONS/BBC, THIERRY

Have a little heart

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

All eyes on you

MAROMIZAHA FOREST, MADAGASCAR

Prism vision

CALIFORNIA, USA

FEEDBACK

YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND OUR MAGAZINE

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Your skin has its own immune system

New, needle-free vaccines could target the skin directly

Scientists make major quantum teleportation breakthrough

“Nobody thought it was possible,” say the researchers

New energy source found hiding under Earth’s surface

Experts are divided over how useful it could be

Your nose fungi could be to blame for allergies

People with allergy-induced sniffles have different fungal colonies in their noses

‘Extreme’ solar radiation storm could hit Earth

Sun-like stars may have tantrums far more frequently than we thought

Scientists discover when humans and dogs became friends

The relationship spans thousands of years, but experts might have pinpointed the first connection

Intermittent fasting may reduce hair growth

The eating plan brings potential benefits, but luscious locks may not be one of them

Secret behind your brain’s huge size revealed

Your gut may help your body keep up with the brain’s energy demands

234 new species discovered in Southeast Asia

NATURE

Why it’s so hard to kick a gambling addiction

COMMENT

Neutrinos are getting in the way of dark matter detection

COMMENT

We urgently need to talk about fibroids

COMMENT

Why do so many New Year’s resolutions fail?

REVIEW

How much exercise do you really need to do?

ANALYSIS

5 OF THE WEIRDEST ROBOTS IN THE WORLD

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW

The five best coffee makers for home baristas

Looking to take your morning cup of wakeup juice to the next level? Alex Hughes tries cups from a quintet of coffee machines

IDEAS WE LIKE…

Our pick of the month’s smartest tech

How much could Ozempic change our world?

THE BIG QUESTION

HOW CAN I BANISH THE JANUARY BLUES?

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

IS IT TRUE YOU LOSE THE MOST HEAT THROUGH THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD?

“You lose most of the heat from

ARE CATS LIQUID?

Cats are many things; enigmatic, aloof, contrary and

NATURE’S WEIRDEST CREATURES

THE TULLY MONSTER

HOW OLD IS THE UNIVERSE, REALLY?

The age of the Universe can be derived

HOW CAN I BURN MORE CALORIES WHEN I’M WALKING?

GETTY IMAGES ILLUSTRATIONS: DAN BRIGHT, PETE LAWRENCE Walk

SHOULD I BE EATING LEFTOVER CARBS AS I GET OLDER?

People of all ages can benefit from eating

HOW TO SEE JUPITER AND MARS

WHEN: LATE JANUARY 2025

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP VAPING?

It’s believed that e-cigarettes have helped millions of

WHY IS MY DOG SCOOTING?

Full disclosure: I’m a bad person. I

WHY DOES DRINKING ALCOHOL MAKE IT SO MUCH HARDER TO LOSE WEIGHT?

While enjoying the occasional glass of wine or

IF A WORM WAS CUT LENGTHWAYS, WOULD IT REGENERATE?

Never cut a worm in half lengthways. It’ll

CROSSWORD

PENCILS AT THE READY!

DESTINATION: BRAIN HEALTH

Finding the best route to beat Alzheimer’s

UNCORKED POTENTIAL

How much good can ditching drink for a month really do? Answer: a whole lot. In fact, science shows even short-term abstinence could unlock a cocktail of lasting benefits

NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’T

Scientists around the world are working on ways to hide us from sight. But how close are we to developing tech that could make us invisible?

BUILD A BETTER HOME

BRITAIN’S NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS ARE INTENDED TO FUTURE-PROOF THE COUNTRY’S NEW HOUSING STOCK. BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THE NATION’S EXISTING HOUSING MORE EFFICIENT, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND BETTER TO LIVE IN?

SPACE ODDITY

Above Earth, in orbit, there is a void, a no-go zone that spacecraft enter at their own peril. It’s at once lethal to machines, but also essential to the way satellites work. Welcome to the Southern Atlantic Anomaly… otherwise known as the Bermuda Triangle of Space