Issue 3386 | Magazine cover date: 14 May 2022

This week's magazine

14 May 2022

Issue 3386

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On the cover

Features

Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along?

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Simple webcam test could show whether you lack a mind's eye

How quickly can you catch covid-19 again if you have already had it?

India's extreme heatwaves show the need to adapt to a warming world

Analysis

Roe v Wade overturned: What that means for safe abortion in the US

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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 03: Pro-choice and anti-abortion activists demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on May 03, 2022 in Washington, DC. In a leaked initial draft majority opinion obtained by Politico and authenticated by Chief Justice John Roberts, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey should be overturned, which would end federal protection of abortion rights across the country. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Health

Roe v Wade overturned: What that means for safe abortion in the US

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matthew Hatcher/SOPA Images/Shutterstock (12930620ac) A pro-choice protester disperses after a protest for Roe v Wade, in Detroit, Michigan. Pro-choice activists march through the streets of downtown Detroit, Michigan to protest a leaked document that showed that the U.S Supreme Court was prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. Roe v Wade protest in Detroit, US - 07 May 2022

Health

Overturning Roe v Wade would be a disaster for public health

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Health

Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health

Features

Physics

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along?

Features

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Mind

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence

Features

Leaders

Health

Overturning Roe v Wade would be a disaster for public health

Ending abortion protections in the US could start the unravelling of many hard-won rights – with dire consequences for health and equality

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Molecule of DNA, double helix, 3D illustration. Genetic mutation and genetic disorders

Health

A single genetic mutation made humans more susceptible to cancer

Since we split from chimpanzees, a single letter change in our DNA appears to have made us more likely to get cancer, possibly as a trade-off for extra fertility

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Environment

Swapping fifth of meat for microbial protein could halve deforestation

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Physics

��è��Ƶs made a laser beam shaped like a photorealistic cat

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Health

Vaccine may protect against the virus behind multiple sclerosis

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Environment

These are the five most extreme heatwaves since records began

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Mind

Simple webcam test could show whether you lack a mind's eye

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Health

Brain cells that are linked to Parkinson’s disease finally identified

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Life

Vaquitas could breed their way back from the brink of extinction

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Environment

Toxic foam from polluted rivers causes health problems in Colombia

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Earth

Vast reservoir of water discovered under the ice in Antarctica

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Space

Chinese rover finds lunar soil could make oxygen and fuel on the moon

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Technology

Virtual ‘answering machine’ records the real world while you are in VR

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Life

Hungry worms will risk being hurt if it helps them reach a meal

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Health

Man who received pig heart transplant has died after pig virus found

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Humans

Privileged people misjudge effects of pro-equality policies on them

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Life

Jackals seen stealing kills from lynx as they expand range in Europe

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Health

How quickly can you catch covid-19 again if you have already had it?

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Environment

We have 48% chance of breaching 1.5°C target by 2026, says Met Office

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Environment

Amazon deforestation in April was the worst in modern records

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Environment

India's extreme heatwaves show the need to adapt to a warming world

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Analysis

Technology

Will bitcoin succeed in the Central African Republic? Probably not

The Central African Republic has become the second country to adopt the cryptocurrency as legal tender, but experiences in El Salvador, the first nation to do so, point to a gloomy outlook

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Life

Dismissing Australian mammals as weird hurts efforts to conserve them

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Humans

The lab coat and lone genius – science's most infuriating stereotypes

Comment

Health

Roe v Wade overturned: What that means for safe abortion in the US

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Aperture

Humans

A city of 10 billion: Speculative image paints a vision of the future

A series of immersive installations, including Planet City, a film that imagines a "hyper-dense" city of 10 billion people, are part of Our Time on Earth, a new exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London encouraging people to reconnect with the natural world

Regulars

Features

Health

Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health

The connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and organs, known as fascia, has always been ignored – but new insights suggest it holds the key to tackling chronic pain and immune dysfunction

Features

Mind

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence

Features

Physics

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along?

Features

Culture

Humans

The Intelligence Factory review: How women won the war at Bletchley

A moving exhibition at Bletchley Park shows women's crucial contribution to the success of the UK's wartime intelligence centre

Culture

Life

Transformer review: Could Krebs cycle play a part in consciousness?

Culture

Humans

Don't Miss: Time-hopping new sci-fi romance The Time Traveler's Wife

Culture

Humans

Arica review: Gut-wrenching documentary about a toxic waste lawsuit

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 #167: Can you work out the fastest method of travel to take?

#167 This escalated quickly At the shopping mall, while their mother's attention is conveniently fixed on a window display, Jill furtively approaches her brother. "Hey, what do you say to a race up to the next floor and back? Winner does the other one's chores." "You're on," says Jack. There are two escalators that move …

Regulars

Tom Gauld stared into the abyss, and now they meet for regular chats

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: I'm you, but from a different dimension

Regulars

Humans

Discrimination and harassment in STEM industries may be on the rise

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Humans

How to make your own yogurt

Regulars

Humans

Evidence finally collated of toads mating with things they shouldn’t

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

Regulars

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This week's magazine

14 May 2022

On the cover

Health

Roe v Wade overturned: What that means for safe abortion in the US

Health

Overturning Roe v Wade would be a disaster for public health

Health

Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health

Physics

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along?

Mind

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence

Table of contents

Leaders

Health

Overturning Roe v Wade would be a disaster for public health

��è����Ƶ

Health

A single genetic mutation made humans more susceptible to cancer

Environment

Swapping fifth of meat for microbial protein could halve deforestation

Physics

��è����Ƶs made a laser beam shaped like a photorealistic cat

Health

Vaccine may protect against the virus behind multiple sclerosis

Environment

These are the five most extreme heatwaves since records began

Mind

Simple webcam test could show whether you lack a mind's eye

Health

Brain cells that are linked to Parkinson’s disease finally identified

Life

Vaquitas could breed their way back from the brink of extinction

Environment

Toxic foam from polluted rivers causes health problems in Colombia

Earth

Vast reservoir of water discovered under the ice in Antarctica

Space

Chinese rover finds lunar soil could make oxygen and fuel on the moon

Technology

Virtual ‘answering machine’ records the real world while you are in VR

Life

Hungry worms will risk being hurt if it helps them reach a meal

Health

Man who received pig heart transplant has died after pig virus found

Humans

Privileged people misjudge effects of pro-equality policies on them

Life

Jackals seen stealing kills from lynx as they expand range in Europe

Health

How quickly can you catch covid-19 again if you have already had it?

Environment

We have 48% chance of breaching 1.5°C target by 2026, says Met Office

Environment

Amazon deforestation in April was the worst in modern records

Environment

India's extreme heatwaves show the need to adapt to a warming world

Analysis

Technology

Will bitcoin succeed in the Central African Republic? Probably not

Life

Dismissing Australian mammals as weird hurts efforts to conserve them

Humans

The lab coat and lone genius – science's most infuriating stereotypes

Health

Roe v Wade overturned: What that means for safe abortion in the US

Aperture

Humans

A city of 10 billion: Speculative image paints a vision of the future

Features

Health

Fascia: The long-overlooked tissue that shapes your health

Mind

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence

Physics

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along?

Culture

Humans

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��è��Ƶs made a laser beam shaped like a photorealistic cat