Issue 3362 | Magazine cover date: 27 November 2021

This week's magazine

27 November 2021

Issue 3362

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On the cover

Features

Black lava from this bizarre volcano could reveal Earth's deep secrets

How to slash the shipping industry's enormous carbon emissions

Survival of the friendliest? Why Homo sapiens outlived other humans

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Strange quantum effect predicted 30 years ago has now been observed

Analysis of earliest covid-19 cases points to Wuhan market as source

New plastic made from DNA is biodegradable and easy to recycle

Milk allergy could be treated with gradual exposure to baked milk

What we know so far about AY.4.2 and other new coronavirus variants

Regulars

Now is the perfect time to see dwarf planet Ceres for yourself

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Humans

What can we can learn from being the last type of human left standing?

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A68X7W Ol Doinyo Lengai lava flowing from a cone, aerial view of the crater floor, Tanzania

Earth

Black lava from this bizarre volcano could reveal Earth's deep secrets

Features

Aerial view Oil ship tanker park on the sea waiting for load or unload oil at loading dock from refinery, Business logistics, import export shipping or freight transportation.

Environment

How to slash the shipping industry's enormous carbon emissions

Features

Humans

Survival of the friendliest? Why Homo sapiens outlived other humans

Features

Leaders

Humans

What can we can learn from being the last type of human left standing?

IT IS sobering to think that if the Neanderthals had continued for 2000 more generations , they would still be sharing the planet with us today. Our other close relatives, the mysterious Denisovans, came even closer to surviving to modern times, and would have needed just 750 more generations of their lineage. Instead, we Homo …

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Blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) on a leaf, carrier of the Lyme disease, 2005.

Health

mRNA vaccine against tick bites could help prevent Lyme disease

An mRNA vaccine that causes a red, itchy skin rash in response to bites by ticks may allow them to be removed before they transmit Lyme disease-causing bacteria

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Health

Some genes in the brain may make 100 different proteins

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Health

Donated embryo offers rare glimpse of development after implantation

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Technology

Strobe weapons: What are they, who is using them and do they work?

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Health

Response to anaesthetic can predict if people will recover after coma

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Space

Iodine-powered satellite successfully tested in space for first time

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Health

Calls to mental health helplines rose by a third in covid-19 lockdowns

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Physics

Strange quantum effect predicted 30 years ago has now been observed

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Technology

Robots can use their own whirring to echolocate and avoid collisions

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Technology

Wikipedia tests AI for spotting contradictory claims in articles

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Health

Analysis of earliest covid-19 cases points to Wuhan market as source

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Health

Cancer cells steal energy-generating parts from immune cells

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Environment

Over three-quarters of the world’s vital carbon stores are unprotected

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Technology

New plastic made from DNA is biodegradable and easy to recycle

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Health

Milk allergy could be treated with gradual exposure to baked milk

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Technology

A radical cryptocurrency experiment nearly bought the US Constitution

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Health

What we know so far about AY.4.2 and other new coronavirus variants

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Mind

Body odour chemical makes men calmer but women more aggressive

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Space

Astronomers have found a second trojan asteroid sharing Earth’s orbit

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Society

UK visa scheme for prize-winning scientists receives no applications

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Technology

Octopus-inspired camouflage fabric can change colour to blend in

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Life

New Australopithecus sediba bones suggest extinct hominin was bipedal

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Environment

Tropical trees grow less in warmer years so they take in less CO2

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Life

Hybrid salmon found in Canada may be a result of climate change

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Analysis

Space

Anti-satellite weapons: Will further tests make space more dangerous?

After the Russian military smashed a defunct satellite, creating a cloud of dangerous debris, other powers may wish to prove they have similar capabilities

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Environment

Why green energy firm Bulb's collapse is not a big blow for renewables

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Technology

Tech companies don’t get science fiction – and that's deeply troubling

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Humans

Why maths should move on from the ancient Greeks

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Aperture

Humans

Magnificent photos from the sharp end of historical adventure

https://youtu.be/5302xUg45mU Photos Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) MAGNIFICENT adventures are captured in this selection of images from the ongoing Lights and Shadows exhibition , organised by the Royal Geographical Society in London. The scenes from travels and expeditions on display are taken from the society's historic image collection, and reveal the marked progress of photography …

Regulars

Features

Earth

Black lava from this bizarre volcano could reveal Earth's deep secrets

Tanzania's Ol Doinyo Lengai is the only volcano known to spew out carbonatite lava, which could offer fresh clues about Earth's mysterious mantle – but getting hold of a sample is no simple matter

Features

Environment

How to slash the shipping industry's enormous carbon emissions

Features

Humans

Survival of the friendliest? Why Homo sapiens outlived other humans

Features

Culture

A young woman vlogging herself doing makeup

Technology

Break the Internet review: How influencers will take over the world

Social media influencers are increasingly defining what our culture looks like Break the Internet:In pursuit of influence Olivia Yallop Scribe UK SINCE the word "influencer" started to take on new meaning in the mid-2010s, it has been tied to an image of a young woman hawking dubious diet teas to boost her currency on social …

Culture

Life

Animal review: Netflix's immersive journey into nature is a must-see

Culture

Don't miss: The Robinson family's last stand in Lost in Space

Culture

Technology

Even Greater Mistakes review: Short sci-fi stories without the sexism

Culture

Dwarf planet Ceres is shown in these false-color renderings, which highlight differences in surface materials.

Space

Now is the perfect time to see dwarf planet Ceres for yourself

THERE are eight planets in the solar system, according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), which changed Pluto's classification from planet to dwarf planet in 2006 . Dwarf planets orbit the sun like regular planets and are big enough to become rounded under their own gravity, but they aren't massive enough to clear their neighbourhood …

Regulars

Puzzle #141: How fast will Sam drive to get his teeth drilled?

Regulars

Tom Gauld makes a deal with the devil, with a soupy twist

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: The new incomprehensibility of computer-based jobs

Regulars

Humans

The visionary university solving problems that don’t exist yet

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

Regulars

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This week's magazine

27 November 2021

On the cover

Humans

What can we can learn from being the last type of human left standing?

Earth

Black lava from this bizarre volcano could reveal Earth's deep secrets

Environment

How to slash the shipping industry's enormous carbon emissions

Humans

Survival of the friendliest? Why Homo sapiens outlived other humans

Table of contents

Leaders

Humans

What can we can learn from being the last type of human left standing?

��è����Ƶ

Health

mRNA vaccine against tick bites could help prevent Lyme disease

Health

Some genes in the brain may make 100 different proteins

Health

Donated embryo offers rare glimpse of development after implantation

Technology

Strobe weapons: What are they, who is using them and do they work?

Health

Response to anaesthetic can predict if people will recover after coma

Space

Iodine-powered satellite successfully tested in space for first time

Health

Calls to mental health helplines rose by a third in covid-19 lockdowns

Physics

Strange quantum effect predicted 30 years ago has now been observed

Technology

Robots can use their own whirring to echolocate and avoid collisions

Technology

Wikipedia tests AI for spotting contradictory claims in articles

Health

Analysis of earliest covid-19 cases points to Wuhan market as source

Health

Cancer cells steal energy-generating parts from immune cells

Environment

Over three-quarters of the world’s vital carbon stores are unprotected

Technology

New plastic made from DNA is biodegradable and easy to recycle

Health

Milk allergy could be treated with gradual exposure to baked milk

Technology

A radical cryptocurrency experiment nearly bought the US Constitution

Health

What we know so far about AY.4.2 and other new coronavirus variants

Mind

Body odour chemical makes men calmer but women more aggressive

Space

Astronomers have found a second trojan asteroid sharing Earth’s orbit

Society

UK visa scheme for prize-winning scientists receives no applications

Technology

Octopus-inspired camouflage fabric can change colour to blend in

Life

New Australopithecus sediba bones suggest extinct hominin was bipedal

Environment

Tropical trees grow less in warmer years so they take in less CO2

Life

Hybrid salmon found in Canada may be a result of climate change

Analysis

Space

Anti-satellite weapons: Will further tests make space more dangerous?

Environment

Why green energy firm Bulb's collapse is not a big blow for renewables

Technology

Tech companies don’t get science fiction – and that's deeply troubling

Humans

Why maths should move on from the ancient Greeks

Aperture

Humans

Magnificent photos from the sharp end of historical adventure

Features

Earth

Black lava from this bizarre volcano could reveal Earth's deep secrets

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