This week's magazine
17 September 2022
Issue 3404
On the cover
Editor's picks
Space
Why military forces see the moon as a new strategic priority
Space
Return to the moon: Why are we restarting human lunar exploration now?
Space
NASA is planning a permanent moon base. What will it take to build it?
Space
How should we regulate the firms planning to mine and sell moon rocks?
Humans
Simple puzzles are revealing why humans are the only talking apes
Table of contents
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Health
New York has declared a state of emergency for polio
Poliovirus types known to cause paralysis have now been found in wastewater samples from five counties in New York state, and genetic tests confirm community spread
Life
Self-replicating protein factories are a step towards artificial life
Humans
A single gene mutation may have made us smarter than Neanderthals
Health
Quantum diamond sensor used to measure neuron activity in mouse tissue
Space
Huge satellite could outshine all stars and planets in the night sky
Technology
Google AI can tell what things smell like by the molecular structure
Space
Juno spacecraft prepares for close encounter with icy moon Europa
Life
The sex of the researcher can influence results of mouse experiments
Environment
Six climate tipping points are likely to occur if we breach 1.5°C goal
Environment
The heat and drought in Europe will lead to a huge wave of tree deaths
Environment
Extreme California wildfires may increase 57% even with low emissions
Technology
Sensory trick makes objects seem heavy or light in virtual reality
Space
Two potentially habitable super-Earth planets have been discovered
Health
Rheumatoid arthritis could be treated by eating probiotic bacteria
Life
Pine marten seen in London for the first time in more than 100 years
Humans
Child’s foot was removed 31,000 years ago in earliest known amputation
Space
Swarm of light-sail spacecraft could be propelled by laser on the moon
Physics
IBM has built the world’s largest fridge for quantum computers
Technology
Tweezers based on a crow’s beak can outperform traditional ones
Life
Sydney residents in cultural evolution war with bin-raiding cockatoos
Space
Weird, enormous planets may be stolen from stars in ‘planetary heists’
Analysis
Environment
Why have we seen so many heatwaves around the world in 2022?
As well as China having the worst heatwave in world history, many other places around the globe have smashed records for extreme heat
Health
Cold water swimming should be introduced as a public health measure
Technology
Stop calling it social media – these firms don’t care what we want
Features
Space
NASA is planning a permanent moon base. What will it take to build it?
The US wants to build a long-term human outpost on the moon by around 2030. Here is all the tech that will be needed, from a space station in lunar orbit to a way to avoid 'space hay fever'
Space
Why military forces see the moon as a new strategic priority
Space
How should we regulate the firms planning to mine and sell moon rocks?
Space
Return to the moon: Why are we restarting human lunar exploration now?
Humans
Simple puzzles are revealing why humans are the only talking apes
Culture
Technology
Like, Comment, Subscribe review: Inside track on YouTube’s success
Over 17 years, YouTube has transformed from a place to share home videos to a cultural juggernaut that helps elect presidents. A new book from Mark Bergen gives unparalleled insights into the platform's rise
Humans
Don’t Miss: Andor, prequel to the Star Wars spin-off Rogue One
Humans
Flush review: Stop letting human faeces go down the toilet
Humans
Future Stories review: Has thinking about the future got even harder?
More
Regulars
World Standards Day approaches – but there is no standard date for it
Feedback explores the differing global thinking about when World Standards Day should be celebrated, while also looking into the proper way to prepare a cup of tea, and measurements for the annoyance levels of snoring