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This week's magazine

17 February 2024

Issue 3478

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Editor's picks

C1R8W3 Maipure Indians, inhabitants of the Upper Orinoco river, grilling the legs of a dead enemy. Italian Engraving 1781. Colored.

Humans

Is it time for a more subtle view on the ultimate taboo: cannibalism?

Leader

Free
Our human ancestors often ate each other, and for surprising reasons

Humans

Our human ancestors often ate each other, and for surprising reasons

Features

Subscriber-only
How to take control of your dreams to boost learning and creativity

Mind

How to take control of your dreams to boost learning and creativity

Features

Subscriber-only
Why string theory has been unfairly maligned - and how to test it

Physics

Why string theory has been unfairly maligned - and how to test it

Features

Subscriber-only

Table of contents

Leaders

C1R8W3 Maipure Indians, inhabitants of the Upper Orinoco river, grilling the legs of a dead enemy. Italian Engraving 1781. Colored.

Humans

Is it time for a more subtle view on the ultimate taboo: cannibalism?

New archaeological evidence shows that ancient humans ate each other surprisingly often - sometimes for compassionate reasons. The finds give us an opportunity to reassess our views on the practice

Leader

Free

News

Technology

Minecraft could be the key to creating adaptable AI

Researchers have a new way to assess an AI model’s intelligence: drop it into a game of Minecraft, with no information about its surroundings, and see how well it plays

News

Free

Technology

Quantum computer uses a time crystal as a control dial

News

Subscriber-only

Health

How menopause can make menstrual cycles longer and more unpredictable

News

Subscriber-only

Physics

UK nuclear fusion reactor sets new world record for energy output

News

Free

Space

Super Earths that seem to have oceans may actually be covered in magma

News

Free

The team of scientists exploring the mine galleries

Earth

Huge deposit of natural hydrogen gas detected deep in Albanian mine

News

Free

Human bronchi, illustration.

Health

Inhalable nanoparticles could help treat chronic lung disease

News

Free

Technology

Cyborg locusts with brain nanoparticles could act as bomb sniffers

News

Subscriber-only

Mind

Babies in bilingual homes have distinct brain patterns at 4 months old

News

Subscriber-only

hawkmoth navigating to flower

Environment

Air pollution is changing the scent of flowers and confusing insects

News

Free

abstract image of light

Physics

Einstein may be wrong about how mirrors travelling at light speed work

News

Subscriber-only

Mind

Insight into memories may alter our view of eyewitness testimonies

News

Subscriber-only

Chemistry

Old milk can be used to extract gold and other metals from e-waste

News

Subscriber-only

An artist's impression of Orion re-entering Earth's atmosphere

Space

SpaceX aims to let astronauts avoid a radio blackout during re-entry

News

Subscriber-only

Earth

Giant magma flow in Iceland was the fastest ever recorded

News

Free

The Cheshire cat from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Physics

Quantum Cheshire Cat effect may separate a particle from its momentum

News

Subscriber-only

Wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans)

Environment

Half of migratory animal species are in decline – many face extinction

News

Free

Male Andrea cuttlefish (Sepia andreana)

Life

Male cuttlefish burst through their ink clouds to impress females

News

Subscriber-only

Technology

Sensitive prosthetic lets man feel hot and cold in his missing hand

News

Free

Humans

Hominins may have left Africa 700,000 years earlier than we thought

News

Subscriber-only

Space

Satellite beamed power from space to Earth for the first time ever

News

Subscriber-only

Analysis

People with long covid, who were not participants in the latest trial, take part in an exercise programme in a swimming pool

Health

Exercise programme helps people with long covid, but it's no panacea

An eight-week virtual exercise programme improved the quality of life of people with long covid, but the effect was relatively modest and it may not benefit everyone with the condition

Analysis

Subscriber-only

Health

Does Viagra ward off Alzheimer's disease? It's too soon to say

Analysis

Subscriber-only

Pitcairn Islands

Environment

What a trip to far-flung islands taught me about protecting our oceans

Comment

Subscriber-only

There aren't five love languages, despite claims on TikTok

Mind

There aren't five love languages, despite claims on TikTok

Comment

Free

Aperture

Nima Sarikhani, Wildlife Photographer of the Year.j

Life

Incredible picture of polar bear snoozing atop an iceberg is a winner

Taken in the Svalbard archipelago, Nima Sarikhani's image has scooped the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award

Regulars

Free

Features

How to take control of your dreams to boost learning and creativity

Mind

How to take control of your dreams to boost learning and creativity

Dream engineers are developing technologies that can help you sleep more soundly and use your nighttime hours to your advantage - but there could also be a dark side

Features

Subscriber-only

Why string theory has been unfairly maligned - and how to test it

Physics

Why string theory has been unfairly maligned - and how to test it

Features

Subscriber-only

Our human ancestors often ate each other, and for surprising reasons

Humans

Our human ancestors often ate each other, and for surprising reasons

Features

Subscriber-only

Culture

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Xinhua/Shutterstock (14160416a) This photo taken on Oct. 21, 2023 shows the award ceremony for the 2023 Hugo Awards during the 81st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The winners of the 2023 Hugo Awards, the world's top prizes for science fiction literature, were announced on Saturday night, with Chinese author Hai Ya taking home the Best Novelette award for "The Space-Time Painter." T. Kingfisher, from the United States, won the Best Novel award for "Nettle & Bone." Samantha Mills won Best Short Story for "Rabbit Test," while Seanan McGuire was named the Best Novella winner for "Where the Drowned Girls Go." The Hugo Awards, first presented in 1953 and presented annually since 1955, are science fiction's most prestigious awards. The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention, which is also responsible for administering them. China Sichuan Chengdu Worldcon 2023 Hugo Awards Ceremony - 21 Oct 2023

Comment

Amid (more) Hugo awards controversy, let's remember some past greats

The Hugo Awards are the Oscars for sci-fi and fantasy fans, so any oddities in the voting data for 2023's ceremony in China are bound to be upsetting. But whatever the reality, Emily H. Wilson finds an unexpected upside

Culture

Subscriber-only

Conceptual shot of a young adult couple kissing via mobile phone

Comment

What is love? A new book finds we still don't really know

Culture

Subscriber-only

National Geographic handout picture: Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold. Alex Honnold in a moulin. (photo credit: National Geographic/Mikey Schaefer)

Comment

Two new nature docs have very different takes on caring for the planet

Culture

Subscriber-only

2G4BCH3 LONDON ENGLAND THE CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN IN EARLY SUMMER LOOKING ACROSS THE POND TO STATUE OF HANS SLOANE

Comment

New Scientist recommends: Chelsea Physic Garden

Culture

Subscriber-only

More

2BR41BD closeup of honey bees on honeycomb in apiary in the summertime

Mathematics

How the maths behind honeycombs can help you work a jigsaw puzzle

Maths tells us the best way to cover a surface with copies of a shape – even when it comes to jigsaw puzzles, says Katie Steckles

Regulars

Subscriber-only

BrainTwister #7: Home primes

BrainTwister #7: Home primes

Regulars

Subscriber-only

Tom Gauld on the professor's naps

Tom Gauld on the professor's naps

Regulars

Free

Twisteddoodles on mating calls

Twisteddoodles on mating calls

Regulars

Free

Regulars

Are left-handed people more liberal? 52 years of data says maybe

Are left-handed people more liberal? 52 years of data says maybe

Feedback investigates research into US voters (and their handedness) between 1964 and 2016, and discovers that conclusions of some sort have been drawn

Regulars

Free

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

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