Issue 3297 | Magazine cover date: 29 August 2020

This week's magazine

29 August 2020

Issue 3297

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On the cover

Features

Strange worlds unlike Earth may be our best bet to find alien life

What do unconscious bias tests really reveal about racism?

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How likely are you to be infected by the coronavirus on a flight?

Watching an explainer video can boost your IQ score by 18 points

A new type of plastic may be the first that is infinitely recyclable

Secret to tardigrades' toughness revealed by supercomputer simulation

Covid-19 is becoming less deadly in Europe but we don't know why

Solar system may have had a second sun that helped grab Planet Nine

Is the rush to roll out a coronavirus vaccine undermining safety?

Analysis

Why some people can’t wear a face covering to stop the coronavirus

How wholesome memes could save us all

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Humans

Insights into the neural roots of bias suggest ways to fix the problem

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Life

Strange worlds unlike Earth may be our best bet to find alien life

Features

Humans

What do unconscious bias tests really reveal about racism?

Features

Humans

Lasana Harris interview: How your brain is conditioned for prejudice

Features

Humans

We all have hidden prejudices – here’s how to override them

Features

Leaders

A note from the editor

There has arguably never been a time when human health has been higher up the agenda than now. That is why I am pleased to announce that my colleagues have been working on not one, but two health-related publications that we hope you will find both fascinating and useful. “Human health is a big subject, …

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Humans

Insights into the neural roots of bias suggest ways to fix the problem

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Health

How likely are you to be infected by the coronavirus on a flight?

Face coverings and filtered air could help minimise risk of catching the coronavirus on a flight Is it safe to fly with the coronavirus still circulating? That depends partly on where you are. But while hard evidence is scarce, it appears the risk of being infected with the coronavirus during a flight is relatively low. …

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Technology

Beetlebot carries heavy loads using alcohol-powered artificial muscles

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Health

Cancer cells can pick up fatty coatings to spread further in the body

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Humans

Watching an explainer video can boost your IQ score by 18 points

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Environment

A new type of plastic may be the first that is infinitely recyclable

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Health

Millions of missing female births predicted in India in next decade

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Environment

Greenland lost more ice in 2019 than any other year on record

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Life

Extraordinary fossil shows ancient marine reptile swallowing huge prey

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Technology

Eye-tracking mask could monitor people’s reactions to what they see

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Life

Secret to tardigrades' toughness revealed by supercomputer simulation

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Mind

Man sees half of every face like it's melting due to rare brain lesion

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Environment

Sea turtles carrying thermometers could improve hurricane forecasts

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Health

Cancer tumour microbiome may predict a person's chances of survival

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Life

Walking catfish may use their whole body to smell when on land

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Health

Covid-19 is becoming less deadly in Europe but we don't know why

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Space

Solar system may have had a second sun that helped grab Planet Nine

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Humans

Ancient teenager buried with head poking out of strange Spanish grave

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Environment

Common dolphins may finally be returning to the Adriatic sea

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Technology

AI thrashes human fighter pilot 5-0 in simulated F-16 dogfights

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Health

Is the rush to roll out a coronavirus vaccine undermining safety?

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Analysis

Health

Why some people can’t wear a face covering to stop the coronavirus

Not everyone can wear a face covering Do you get angry when you see someone without a face covering? They might have a good reason to avoid one, even if it isn’t obvious. Despite claims to the contrary, face coverings don’t reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood or raise the level of carbon …

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Technology

The internet's crumbling infrastructure is leaving us all insecure

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Technology

How wholesome memes could save us all

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Aperture

Life

Rare swarming rays and Australian bushfires win top photography prizes

Stunning images of cownose rays and Australia’s runaway bushfires are among the winners of the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition

Regulars

Features

Life

Strange worlds unlike Earth may be our best bet to find alien life

From rogue worlds that roam the cosmos alone to Tatooines that orbit two suns, astronomers are expanding our definition of habitable exoplanets

Features

Humans

What do unconscious bias tests really reveal about racism?

Features

Humans

Lasana Harris interview: How your brain is conditioned for prejudice

Features

Humans

We all have hidden prejudices – here’s how to override them

Features

Culture

Health

How defining women as baby-makers backfired spectacularly on science

In Guynecology, Rene Almeling argues that moving away from gendered ideas about reproduction could improve our health and transform our societies

Culture

Life

Kew Gardens' podcast will give you a fresh appreciation for plants

Culture

Humans

Don't Miss: Time loop horror film I'm thinking of ending things

Culture

Humans

Netflix's John Was Trying to Contact Aliens is amazing and moving

Culture

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Puzzle #74: Which philosopher did I say was the best?

#74 The twisted wood On my way through the twisted wood, I bumped into Tweddle and Twaddle. These two are logical, but like to quarrel. When I found them, they were arguing over which of the 12 philosophers living in those parts was the greatest. Was it: Spotton, Tuorlo or Twee? Fluffer, Wimby or Mee? …

Regulars

Tom Gauld has a glass of Schrödinger's red wine

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on the international conference of imposter syndrome

Regulars

Humans

An AI David Attenborough is reading out people’s relationship problems

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more

Regulars

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This week's magazine

29 August 2020

On the cover

Humans

Insights into the neural roots of bias suggest ways to fix the problem

Life

Strange worlds unlike Earth may be our best bet to find alien life

Humans

What do unconscious bias tests really reveal about racism?

Humans

Lasana Harris interview: How your brain is conditioned for prejudice

Humans

We all have hidden prejudices – here’s how to override them

Table of contents

Leaders

A note from the editor

Humans

Insights into the neural roots of bias suggest ways to fix the problem

��è����Ƶ

Health

How likely are you to be infected by the coronavirus on a flight?

Technology

Beetlebot carries heavy loads using alcohol-powered artificial muscles

Health

Cancer cells can pick up fatty coatings to spread further in the body

Humans

Watching an explainer video can boost your IQ score by 18 points

Environment

A new type of plastic may be the first that is infinitely recyclable

Health

Millions of missing female births predicted in India in next decade

Environment

Greenland lost more ice in 2019 than any other year on record

Life

Extraordinary fossil shows ancient marine reptile swallowing huge prey

Technology

Eye-tracking mask could monitor people’s reactions to what they see

Life

Secret to tardigrades' toughness revealed by supercomputer simulation

Mind

Man sees half of every face like it's melting due to rare brain lesion

Environment

Sea turtles carrying thermometers could improve hurricane forecasts

Health

Cancer tumour microbiome may predict a person's chances of survival

Life

Walking catfish may use their whole body to smell when on land

Health

Covid-19 is becoming less deadly in Europe but we don't know why

Space

Solar system may have had a second sun that helped grab Planet Nine

Humans

Ancient teenager buried with head poking out of strange Spanish grave

Environment

Common dolphins may finally be returning to the Adriatic sea

Technology

AI thrashes human fighter pilot 5-0 in simulated F-16 dogfights

Health

Is the rush to roll out a coronavirus vaccine undermining safety?

Analysis

Health

Why some people can’t wear a face covering to stop the coronavirus

Technology

The internet's crumbling infrastructure is leaving us all insecure

Technology

How wholesome memes could save us all

Aperture

Life

Rare swarming rays and Australian bushfires win top photography prizes

Features

Life

Strange worlds unlike Earth may be our best bet to find alien life

Humans

What do unconscious bias tests really reveal about racism?

Humans

Lasana Harris interview: How your brain is conditioned for prejudice

Humans

We all have hidden prejudices – here’s how to override them

Culture

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