Issue 3363 | Magazine cover date: 4 December 2021

This week's magazine

4 December 2021

Issue 3363

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On the cover

Features

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Is our solar system a cosmic oddity? Evidence from exoplanets says yes

Why the myth of 'wilderness' harms both nature and humanity

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Red light therapy could improve eyesight that has declined due to age

AI has learned to read the time on an analogue clock

Merging black holes may create bubbles that could swallow the universe

Mammoth ivory pendant is oldest decorated jewellery found in Eurasia

Omicron: How dangerous is the new variant first found in South Africa?

Analysis

Methane is much worse than CO2 – here’s what we should do about it

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Environment

Methane is much worse than CO2 – here’s what we should do about it

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Environment

Methane's climate impact was just one truth finally accepted at COP26

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Health

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Features

Earth

Why the myth of 'wilderness' harms both nature and humanity

Features

Space

Is our solar system a cosmic oddity? Evidence from exoplanets says yes

Features

Leaders

Environment

Methane's climate impact was just one truth finally accepted at COP26

One of the positives to come out of last month's COP26 climate summit in Glasgow was official recognition of the central role that climate science must play both in understanding and solving the problem. That might seem an odd thing to say – surely science has always been at the heart of the negotiations? Sadly, …

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Water Drops Macro Shot. Leidenfrost effect.

Physics

Watch droplets bounce off each other as they levitate on a hot plate

A twist on the classic Leidenfrost effect sees orbs of different liquids repel each other as they float on a hot plate

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Life

Feeding pet dogs just once a day might keep them healthier as they age

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Technology

3D-printed 'living ink' is full of microbes and can release drugs

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Life

Neanderthals may have grown their baby teeth faster than we do

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Health

NHS England to test Netflix-style subscriptions for antibiotics

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Health

Red light therapy could improve eyesight that has declined due to age

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Physics

Physicists have created a new type of diamond by crushing buckyballs

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Technology

AI has learned to read the time on an analogue clock

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Environment

Heirloom tomatoes are less genetically diverse than standard varieties

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Health

Probiotics may prevent bacterial infection of the blood in mice

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Environment

Atlantic Ocean water began warming the Arctic as early as 1907

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Space

Merging black holes may create bubbles that could swallow the universe

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Technology

Material inspired by blood vessels can extract uranium from seawater

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Technology

Most cryptocurrency trades may be people buying from themselves

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Physics

Soft yet strong gel keeps its shape after being run over by a car

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Humans

Mammoth ivory pendant is oldest decorated jewellery found in Eurasia

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Health

One in 10 US Black men put in solitary confinement before turning 32

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Environment

Arctic may switch from snow to rain-dominated as early as 2060

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Health

Omicron: How dangerous is the new variant first found in South Africa?

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Health

Covid booster shots are pushing protection to unexpected heights

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Analysis

Close up CCTV security camera with blur of traffic jam in the background

Technology

Our global agreement on AI could reduce bias and surveillance

Nearly 200 countries have signed up to UNESCO's agreement on the ethics of artificial intelligence. This could help make the technology fairer for all, says Gabriela Ramos

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Environment

Methane is much worse than CO2 – here’s what we should do about it

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Environment

Plastic food packaging gets a bad rap, but does it always deserve it?

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Aperture

Space

Hubble takes amazing photos of the Prawn Nebula and a newborn star

Photograph Hubble Space Telescope These two spectacular images are some of the most recent shots of our universe snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope. Its goals include investigating celestial bodies, such as planets and stars , and probing how our universe is evolving . The above image shows the Prawn Nebula, a huge cloud of …

Regulars

Features

Health

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Too much stress hurts mind and body, but the stress response exists for good evolutionary reasons. Recognising that is the first step to turning its negative effects around

Features

Space

Is our solar system a cosmic oddity? Evidence from exoplanets says yes

Features

Earth

Why the myth of 'wilderness' harms both nature and humanity

Features

Culture

Humans

The best books of 2021 - ��è��Ƶ’s Christmas gift guide

Here is ��è��Ƶ's pick of the science and sci-fi books from 2021 that will keep you entertained over the holiday season

Culture

Humans

Hawaiian Soul review: An inspiring tale of environmental activism

Culture

Environment

It’s time to tuck your plants into a compost bed for winter

Winter and early spring are a good time of year for gardeners to enrich their soil with organic matter such as manure and compost. Many of the plants have died back, leaving more room to dig the material into the soil or making it easier to just lay it on top with the " no-dig" …

Regulars

Puzzle #142: The joys of simultaneous equations

Regulars

Tom Gauld’s ultimate laser weapon put to pointed use

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: Sod’s law harnessed to create gravity-defying gizmo

Regulars

Humans

Guano doping: Can a dash of bird poo make graphene great again?

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

Regulars

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This week's magazine

4 December 2021

On the cover

Environment

Methane is much worse than CO2 – here’s what we should do about it

Environment

Methane's climate impact was just one truth finally accepted at COP26

Health

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Earth

Why the myth of 'wilderness' harms both nature and humanity

Space

Is our solar system a cosmic oddity? Evidence from exoplanets says yes

Table of contents

Leaders

Environment

Methane's climate impact was just one truth finally accepted at COP26

��è����Ƶ

Physics

Watch droplets bounce off each other as they levitate on a hot plate

Life

Feeding pet dogs just once a day might keep them healthier as they age

Technology

3D-printed 'living ink' is full of microbes and can release drugs

Life

Neanderthals may have grown their baby teeth faster than we do

Health

NHS England to test Netflix-style subscriptions for antibiotics

Health

Red light therapy could improve eyesight that has declined due to age

Physics

Physicists have created a new type of diamond by crushing buckyballs

Technology

AI has learned to read the time on an analogue clock

Environment

Heirloom tomatoes are less genetically diverse than standard varieties

Health

Probiotics may prevent bacterial infection of the blood in mice

Environment

Atlantic Ocean water began warming the Arctic as early as 1907

Space

Merging black holes may create bubbles that could swallow the universe

Technology

Material inspired by blood vessels can extract uranium from seawater

Technology

Most cryptocurrency trades may be people buying from themselves

Physics

Soft yet strong gel keeps its shape after being run over by a car

Humans

Mammoth ivory pendant is oldest decorated jewellery found in Eurasia

Health

One in 10 US Black men put in solitary confinement before turning 32

Environment

Arctic may switch from snow to rain-dominated as early as 2060

Health

Omicron: How dangerous is the new variant first found in South Africa?

Health

Covid booster shots are pushing protection to unexpected heights

Analysis

Technology

Our global agreement on AI could reduce bias and surveillance

Environment

Methane is much worse than CO2 – here’s what we should do about it

Environment

Plastic food packaging gets a bad rap, but does it always deserve it?

Aperture

Space

Hubble takes amazing photos of the Prawn Nebula and a newborn star

Features

Health

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Space

Is our solar system a cosmic oddity? Evidence from exoplanets says yes

Earth

Why the myth of 'wilderness' harms both nature and humanity

Culture

Humans

The best books of 2021 - ��è����Ƶ’s Christmas gift guide

Humans

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The best books of 2021 - ��è��Ƶ’s Christmas gift guide