Humans
We need to fully explore the planet to understand our species’ origins
News
This week's magazine
21 August 2021
Issue 3348
On the cover
Editor's picks
Table of contents
快猫短视频
Health
Covid-19: Lockdown not enough to stop Australia鈥檚 delta variant crisis
After being relatively untouched by the pandemic, Sydney, Australia, is now in the midst of its worst covid-19 outbreak, which is being driven by the delta variant
News
Environment
Will the IPCC report help focus politicians’ minds on climate change?
News
Environment
IPCC author Tamsin Edwards: ‘Still possible to limit warming to 1.5掳C’
News
Technology
VPNs could be vulnerable to attacks that send you to fake websites
News
Space
Astronomers may have spotted a new spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy
News
Environment
Ventilation can make schools and offices safe from covid-19 鈥� but how?
News
Life
Artificially stripped-back cell is still able to rapidly evolve
News
Space
Mercury has almost no boulders on its surface and we’re not sure why
News
Technology
Snake-like robot could explore Saturn鈥檚 icy moon Enceladus
News
Technology
What is a metaverse and why is everyone talking about it?
News
Technology
Handheld railgun as powerful as an air rifle to go on sale in the US
News
Life
Insect-killing plant found by Australian highway is new to science
News
Physics
Using microwave beams could let quantum computers be small but mighty
News
Humans
Ancient dog faeces show how our canine friends became omnivores
News
Life
Howler monkeys navigate using adaptable mental maps, just like humans
News
Life
Snakes evolved venom fangs multiple times from wrinkles in their teeth
News
Health
US wildfire pollution linked to more covid-19 cases and deaths
News
Technology
3D-printed chain mail alternates between flexibility and rigidity
News
Analysis
Health
Covid-19: Why we can’t count on herd immunity for protection
The threshold for eliminating covid-19 in the UK through herd immunity is out of reach, so it鈥檚 time to think about how to live with covid-19 as a seasonal disease
News
Environment
Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt鈥檚 big idea to slow global warming
News
Space
Why it is so important to protect access to the dark night sky
News
Features
Humans
The other cradle of humanity: How Arabia shaped human evolution
New evidence reveals that Arabia was not a mere stopover for ancestral humans leaving Africa, but a lush homeland where they flourished and evolved
Features
Environment
Inside the race to scale up CO2 capture technology and hit net zero
Features
Earth
The lost fossil meteorites carrying the secrets of Earth鈥檚 past
Features
Culture
Humans
Don’t Miss: Are viruses alive? A timely talk at the Royal Institution
快猫短视频's weekly round-up of the best books, films, TV series, games and more that you shouldn't miss
Culture
Humans
Why adding a road can increase traffic and other modelling delights
Culture
The Fever review: A slow burner that will leave a lasting impact
Culture
Health
Nine Perfect Strangers review: A gripping wellness retreat drama
Culture
More
Environment
How to help fight the covid-19 litter pandemic
Covid-19 has resulted in an explosion of single use plastics, such as personal protective equipment. You can help fight it by joining the Covid Litter project, says Layal Liverpool
Regulars
Twisteddoodles: When a TV show character does science…
Regulars
Tom Gauld: Do you ever feel like we’re being observed?
Regulars
Regulars
The walrus that has taken over a gin distillery鈥檚 boat
Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more
This Week鈥檚 Letters
Letters
This week鈥檚 new questions
Last Word
Is the sky really clearer early in the morning? If so, why?
Last Word
What is the evolutionary reason for superstitious behaviour?
Last Word
