FROM THE EDITOR

COVER: EIKO OJALA THIS PAGE: HARRIET NOBLE, BBC

Red lightning

LAKE PUMA YUMCO, TIBET

Narrow escape

HAWAII, USA

Persian gold

ZAGROS MOUNTAINS, IRAN

FEEDBACK

YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND OUR MAGAZINE

DISCOVERIES

“We were stunned to see that nuclear weapons

NEW ULTRASOUND TECHNIQUE COULD ENABLE BRAIN TREATMENTS… AND, ONE DAY, DELAY AGEING

A new drug delivery system brings scientists a step closer to curing brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s. But the scientists behind it are aiming even higher

Breaking into the brain to delay ageing

In the future, the new method of opening

‘BLOCKING’ NEGATIVE THOUGHTS MAY HELP MENTAL HEALTH, SAYS CONTENTIOUS STUDY

A new technique could provide relief for people with anxiety, but has been met with scepticism by some scientists

BLACK HOLES ARE TEARING THROUGH SPACE-TIME MUCH QUICKER THAN SCIENTISTS THOUGHT

3D simulations of black holes demonstrate their hungry ways and could begin to explain dramatic episodes in the life of a quasar

THERE ARE RADIOACTIVE BOARS LURKING IN GERMAN FORESTS

If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise

SCIENTISTS RECREATE EGYPTIAN MUMMY’S 3,500-YEAR-OLD ‘SCENT OF ETERNITY’

Hints of vanilla and Tarmac characterise the embalming fluid use to mummify an ancient noblewoman

TAKING CARE OF YOUR TEETH COULD PROTECT YOU AGAINST CANCER

You don’t need dazzling pearly whites, but scientists say a good set of gnashers and regular trips to the dentist are important

DISCOVERY TRIGGERS HUNT FOR PLANET’S PINK DIAMOND-FILLED SCARS

Geologists locate the missing ‘ingredient’ that causes rare diamonds to rise to the surface

THE PIROLA COVID SUBVARIANT

The Pirola subvariant of coronavirus has hit the UK. Will it cause more severe disease? Will vaccines protect us? And could it lead to more lockdowns?

LOOKING TO LOSE WEIGHT? EXERCISE ALONE WON’T WORK

Want to shed that spare tyre? It’s not as easy as it seems. Trust me, I cycled the length of Britain to try

ACCUSING ORCAS OF ATTACKING BOATS TURNS THEM INTO VILLAINS

COMMENT

COVID BOOSTERS: ARE THEY ENOUGH TO PREVENT A WINTER SPIKE IN INFECTIONS?

As new variants of coronavirus continue to emerge, the next round of vaccinations has started in a bid to protect the most vulnerable people

A NEW FORCE: PHYSICS MIGHT SOON NEED AN UPDATE

New measurements of subatomic particles interacting with magnetic fields hint at physics beyond the Standard Model

SALT: EATING LESS CUTS YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE BY 10%

Salt helps food last longer and taste better, but too much of it can be a danger to your health

INNOVATIONS

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW REVIEW FAIRPHONE 5 The

Fairphone 5: The obvious choice for smartphone sustainability

The Fairphone 5 might look like a typical smartphone, but it has been built to last a lot longer

The AI tools that will streamline your life

Artificial intelligence is having a moment, powering an array of smart tools to improve your workload and everyday existence. Here are our picks of the best AI innovations designed for...

Ideas we like…

Our pick of the month’s smartest tech

Q&A

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

IS IT TRUE THAT WE ALL HAVE A ‘SLEEP ANIMAL’?

Have you taken one of those online quizzes

WHAT IS A BIOMETRIC PASSPORT?

A biometric passport contains a computer chip and

WHY ARE ELECTRIC CARS SO EXPENSIVE?

There are several reasons. The first is that

RED RIVER HOG

NATURE’S WEIRDEST CREATURES

WHAT EFFECT DO ENERGY DRINKS HAVE ON MY BODY?

ZACHARY CARNEY, CHICHESTER

WHY DO DOGS LIKE STICKING THEIR HEADS OUT OF CAR WINDOWS?

The smell of the open road. The wind

DO PLANES REALLY CRASH DUE TO ROUNDING ERRORS IN THE SOFTWARE?

KATIE ODLING, ST ALBANS

COULD YOU USE A YO-YO IN SPACE?

A yo-yo mainly relies on the laws of

JUPITER IN OPPOSITION

ASTRONOMY FOR BEGINNERS

MISSION TO A METAL WORLD

Scattered throughout space are asteroids with secrets to reveal. They can give us glimpses into the origins of our Solar System and tell us how planets are formed. But more than that, asteroids might even have transported the building blocks of life to Earth. A great deal of space exploration has involved missions to better understand these rocky relics. But this October, the next one – Psyche – is due to launch. As it embarks on its journey to the large metallic asteroid that inspired the mission’s name, it’s hoped Psyche will give scientists the opportunity to gain fresh insights into these ancient astronomical bodies.

DEAR DOCTOR

WHY ARE SOME EMOTIONS CONTAGIOUS?

HOW DO EELS REPRODUCE?

There are around 15 species of eels in

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL?

Embarking on a journey of sobriety, however much

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HUMAN EVOLUTION IF WE LIVED IN SPACE PERMANENTLY?

SOPHIE, VIA EMAIL

THE SCIENCE OF MONSTERS

REAL-LIFE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE CREATURES THAT HAUNT OUR IMAGINATIONS

CROSSWORD

PENCILS AT THE READY!

OCTOPUSES’ GARDEN

Dive into the undersea nursery where octopi spend their formative years

Could your memories be instantly erased?

Doctor Who’s skills extend to wiping people’s memories. But does that ring a bell with real-world research?

RESCUE BOTS

BURNING BUILDINGS, COLLAPSED TUNNELS, SINKING SHIPS… WHEREVER YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF TRAPPED AND IN DANGER, THERE’S A ROBOT DESIGNED TO COME TO YOUR RESCUE

THE NEW SCIENCE OF SPOTTING A LIAR

We'vn been getting lie detection wrong for 100 years. Now Scientists are trying to fix the problem

GHOST PARTICLES OF THE MILKY WAY

Neutrinos… they’re everywhere, yet almost impossible to detect. But neutrinos generated in our Galaxy have now been picked up for the first time, with potentially major consequences for our knowledge of cosmic rays, supermassive black holes and the rest of astrophysics