CONVERSATION

FROM THE EDITOR

COVER: ANDY POTTS THIS PAGE: BBC/WARWICK SLOSS/ NATUREPL.COM

Eye in the sky

BURSA, TURKEY

Small but mighty

MAUI, PACIFIC OCEAN

Think your TV is big?

LONDON, UK

DISCOVERIES

“If we miss this emissions goal, the ice

THE JWST HAS UNEARTHED EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT GALAXIES THAT SHOULDN’T EXIST

The presence of such massive galaxies lurking in the early Universe contradicts current cosmological models

ENDANGERED MALE QUOLLS ARE CHOOSING SEX OVER SLEEP – AND IT MAY BE KILLING THEM

The finding could explain why males usually only survive for one mating season, while females can live through several

NEANDERTHAL GOURMETS REGULARLY FEASTED ON ROASTED CRAB

The discovery of cooked crab shells in a Lisbon cave is further evidence that the early hominids had a sophisticated culture

WORLD FACING IRREVERSIBLE AND CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES IF NET ZERO CARBON NOT REACHED BY 2060

Computer models show melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica could cause 100cm of sea level rise in the next 130 years

A FOURTH ‘WHITE’ TRAFFIC LIGHT WOULD HELP DRIVERLESS CARS TO EASE CONGESTION, SCIENCE SAYS

The extra light would indicate that autonomous vehicles had taken over control of the traffic flow at busy junctions

GENIUS COCKATOOS USE TOOLSETS TO COMPLETE TASKS LIKE LITTLE, FEATHERY HANDYPEOPLE

It is as yet unclear how many sugars they take in their tea

LOOKING TO BURN MORE BODY FAT? START YOUR DAY WITH A MORNING WORKOUT

Taking exercise in the morning may help to boost the metabolism and burn more body fat

EARTH’S CORE

The solid-iron core at the centre of our planet is slowing down, according to a new study… and it’s making our days longer

RARE GREEN COMET SEEN RACING THROUGH THE SKY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 50,000 YEARS

The comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), last passed by when Neanderthals walked the Earth

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 e-skin that can allow long-distance hugs to blood tests that detect tumours, here you’ll find many reasons to feel hopeful for our future…

COULD THE NEW GENERATION OF ANTI-OBESITY INJECTIONS BE A GAME-CHANGER?

UK chemists will soon be selling the weight-loss jabs

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS: RESEARCH-BACKED WAYS TO BOOST YOUR WELLBEING

We could all use a little joy in our lives…

CAN CHATBOTS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE NICER TO EACH OTHER?

The new wave of conversational AI takes cues from social psychology to push back against toxic language

THE LAST OF US: COULD FUNGAL INFECTIONS TURN US ALL INTO ZOMBIES?

How realistic is the fungal pandemic depicted in the hit TV series?

SOLARIS: ESA’S PLAN TO GENERATE POWER IN SPACE

Could building a network of orbital power stations help us solve the energy crisis?

BIRD FLU: WHAT IS THE H5N1 VIRUS AND HOW WORRIED SHOULD WE BE?

The largest-ever outbreak of avian influenza has started to jump species to infect other animals

INNOVATIONS

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW

Meta Quest Pro: a VR headset for an unknown customer

The Meta Quest Pro is powerful and full of features, but, as Alex Hughes discovers, unless you’re already a full believer in the metaverse, it’s probably not for you

Best smart lighting systems

Bring voice control, mood lighting and a simulated sunrise to your home,

Ideas we like…

Our pick of the month’s smartest tech

3 ISSUES FOR £5

INTRODUCTORY OFFER!

Q&A

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

THE EXPLAINER THE AMAZON

THE WORLD’S BIGGEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL, AND MOST BIODIVERSE RAINFOREST

CROSSWORD

PENCILS AT THE READY! PETER ADAMS ACROSS 1

NEXT ISSUE

DOWN ON THE FARM Meet the robots that

Is hyperspace travel possible?

When will we be zipping round the cosmos like Baby Yoda and co?

THE MYSTERY OF THE BIGGEST BLACK HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE

Black holes are big. Very big. But physics makes it almost impossible for them to grow. Here’s how one black hole defied the odds to swell to gargantuan proportions

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SLIME

Runny noses, slipper y sea creatures and that impossible-to-clean bit behind your sink all have one thing in common: slime. While it might make us cringe, life on Earth would be ver y different without it

HOW PROCESSED FOOD HARMS YOUR MOOD

Mental health problems are on the rise. Yet there is growing evidence that the food we eat may be a vital ingredient to help us feel better

Medical Research Foundation

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Pearson

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Lepra

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