FROM THE EDITOR

COVER: MAGIC TORCH THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES X2,

Cold call

LONGYEARBYEN, SVALBARD On the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard

Hightech hive

BEIT HAEMEK, ISRAEL GETTY IMAGES Pollinators keep planet

Lost cities

LLANOS DE MOJOS, BOLIVIA For centuries, legends have

CONVERSATION

LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR PUBLICATION YOUR OPINIONS

’TSUNAMI-LIKE’ STARQUAKES AMONG THE DISCOVERIES IN THE MOST DETAILED SURVEY OF THE MILKY WAY EVER

The European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft’s latest data release has revealed a treasure trove of insights about our home galaxy

4,500-YEAR-OLD POO FOUND NEAR STONEHENGE SHOWS NEOLITHIC BRITONS WERE RIDDLED WITH PARASITES

The bugs were also present in dog poo found at the site, suggesting that prehistoric humans fed leftovers to their pet pups

WARMER WEATHER DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IS EATING AWAY AT OUR SLEEP

If current trends continue, we could be missing out on an hour of sleep a week by the end of the century

GLIDING SALAMANDERS MOVE LIKE SKYDIVERS

The amphibians live high in the canopies of giant redwood trees in California

SIMPLY ENCOUNTERING NEW OBJECTS CAN PRIME THE MIND FOR LEARNING

New research is one of the first to provide evidence for a phenomenon known as ‘latent learning’

DID GIRAFFES EVOLVE THEIR LONG NECKS FOR COMBAT?

Fossil of ancient giraffe relative reveals skull and neck bones that are highly adapted for throwing brutal headbutts

DRUG CURES 100 PER CENT OF COLORECTAL CANCER PATIENTS IN SMALL INITIAL TRIAL

Everyone treated remained cancer-free for up to two years, without the need for surgery or chemotherapy

NASA RESEARCHERS GROW PLANTS IN LUNAR SOIL COLLECTED DURING THE APOLLO MISSIONS

FLORIDA, USA If humans want to spend extended

SEARCH AND RESCUE RATS ARE BEING TRAINED TO FIND EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS AMONG THE RUBBLE

Researchers have successfully trained rats to detect landmines, sniff out tuberculosis and even drive cars, but their next challenge – to find survivors in collapsed buildings – could be their bravest yet

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 resilient corals to lab-grown meat, here you’ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future…

AT THE EDGE OF EVERYTHING

Puzzling over the answers to a centuriesold cosmic paradox can teach us profound things about the Universe

MEMORIES ARE OUR OWN TRUTHS… TRUTHS THAT CAN LIE

False memories make for thorny debates in research and the courtroom alike

THE ROBOTS ARE COMING FOR YOUR JOB… IF YOU’RE A DOLPHIN

The use of performing animals in circuses and aquariums is controversial. Could realistic, animatronic creatures offer a way to ignite people’s interest in the natural world instead?

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PATHOLOGICAL LIARS: WHAT DRIVES THEM TO LIE AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

From high-profile court cases to recent political scandals, lying is all over the news. A psychologist explains how to spot and deal with a habitual liar

MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK: HOW WORRYING IS IT?

This rare disease, mainly found in Africa, is unlikely to become a new pandemic in UK, but cases are going to rise over the coming weeks

CLIMATE: COULD 50°C BECOME THE NEW NORMAL?

A recent heatwave in Jacobabad, Pakistan saw temperatures hit a record 51˚C – dangerously close to the limit of human survivability

This electric-hybrid boat changes marine tourism as we know it

Daniel Bennett hops aboard the maiden voyage of a first-of-its-kind ship that’s hoping to lead the conversation on sustainable tourism

The essentials... for retro gaming

Relive your misspent youth with this cutesified gaming equipment that actually is smaller than you remember

Ideas we like…

Our pick of the month’s smartest tech

Q & A

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ... DOES MY DOG ACTUALLY

WHY ARE PEOPLE WHO HUMBLEBRAG SO ANNOYING?

ILLUSTRATION: DANIEL BRIGHT The definitive research on the

THE TEAPOT AND TEASPOON

WHEN: JULY AND AUGUST At this time of

DO DOGS ACTUALLY ENJOY THEIR FOOD WHEN THEY EAT SO FAST?

GETTY IMAGES X2 ILLUSTRATIONS: PETE LAWRENCE, DANIEL BRIGHT

HOW FAR DOES MY COMPUTER MOUSE MOVE?

I can’t tell you how far your mouse

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS LEFT BRAIN VS RIGHT BRAIN?

You may have heard the saying that people

NATURE’S WEIRDEST ANIMALS…

SHOEBILL STORK At times vilified for its supposedly

HOW DO YOU THICKEN A SAUCE?

There are a few ways to thicken a

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OCTOPUS AND A SQUID?

Octopuses and squid are close cousins with much

WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF OUR SUN?

1. Hydrogen-burning phase Nuclear fusion is converting hydrogen

DO WE GET MORE BITTER AND CYNICAL AS WE GET OLDER?

DEAR DOCTOR... HEALTH QUESTIONS DEALT WITH BY SCIENCE

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU CAN BITE THROUGH A HUMAN FINGER AS EASILY AS A CARROT?

Definitely not. Go and get a carrot from

SHOULD I TAKE MY SHOES OFF INSIDE THE HOUSE?

Keep them on, if you can stomach knowing

WHAT’S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A BLACK HOLE?

A black hole is defined by its ‘event

GIVEN THE IMMENSE TIME PERIOD THAT DINOSAURS EXISTED FOR, WHY DID NONE OF THEM DEVELOP SENTIENCE?

QUESTION OF THE MONTH One thing that sets

THE EXPLAINER

TINNITUS WHAT IS TINNITUS? Tinnitus is often thought

CROSSWORD

PENCILS AT THE READY! ANSWERS For the answers,

HOW TO NAP LIKE A GENIUS

GETTY IMAGES PLUS ECHOLOCATION It’s how bats and

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How does Thor’s hammer work?

Is it security coded, or is it simply tampering with physics?

THE EYES HAVE IT

TWO FRONT-FACING EYES WORKS WELL FOR US BUT NOT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. THESE ANIMALS HAVE SOME BIZARRE AND BEAUTIFUL EYES THAT LET THEM SEE THE WORLD IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS

FUTURE CITIES

ILLUSTRATION: MAGIC TORCH T he world’s cities are

THE NEW AGE OF FUSION

FOR DECADES, THE TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP CLEAN, SAFE FUSION POWER HAS REMAINED TANTALISINGLY OUT OF REACH. NOW, THOUGH, A NEW BREED OF START-UPS COULD HAVE CRACKED IT AT LAST. WILL WE FINALLY BE ABLE TO WAVE GOODBYE TO FOSSIL FUELS?

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