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This week's magazine

14 January 2023

Issue 3421

New Scientist issue 3421 cover
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On the cover

Culture
The best video games out in 2023
Features
How can we understand quantum reality if it is impossible to measure?
How AI is shifting the limits of knowledge imposed by complexity
Why maths, our best tool to describe the universe, may be fallible
Why some aspects of physical reality must be experienced to be known
Logic underpins knowledge – but what if logic itself is flawed?
How to be happy, according to the longest-running study of happiness
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AI legal assistant will help defendant fight a speeding case in court
Twisted shapes of ancient trees may explain their extreme longevity
Supersized wind turbine could weather storms by bending like palm tree
Some regions of your brain can communicate faster as you age
Sloths have double the grip strength of humans and other primates
Analysis
The worst-case climate scenarios are no longer plausible today
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Editor's picks

Golden tree growing from the old book, Education and knowledge concept. Flat lay.; Shutterstock ID 2105839085; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Humans

Why it is important to explore the outer limits of knowledge

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How to be happy, according to the longest-running study of happiness

Health

How to be happy, according to the longest-running study of happiness

Features
Logic underpins knowledge – but what if logic itself is flawed?

Mind

Logic underpins knowledge – but what if logic itself is flawed?

Features
February 11, 2014 - Shanghai, China: A young woman takes a 'selfie' while sitting on a chair inside Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's 'Obliteration Room': an installation of a white room increasingly covered by museum attendees with colored dots. Yayoi Kusama's 'A Dream I Dreamed' is her first touring exhibition in Asia. The show's only Chinese appearance is at Shanghai's Museum of Contemporary Art. (Dave Tacon/Polaris) /// Credit: Dave Tacon / Polaris / eyevine Please agree fees before use. SPECIAL RATES MAY APPLY. For further information please contact eyevine tel: +44 (0) 20 8709 8709 e-mail: info@eyevine.com www.eyevine.com

Mind

Why some aspects of physical reality must be experienced to be known

Features
Why maths, our best tool to describe the universe, may be fallible

Mathematics

Why maths, our best tool to describe the universe, may be fallible

Features
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/hurricane-florence-viewed-from-the-space-station Astronaut Ricky Arnold, from aboard the International Space Station, shared this image of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 10, taken as the orbiting laboratory flew over the massive storm

Physics

How AI is shifting the limits of knowledge imposed by complexity

Features
How can we understand quantum reality if it is impossible to measure?

Physics

How can we understand quantum reality if it is impossible to measure?

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

Golden tree growing from the old book, Education and knowledge concept. Flat lay.; Shutterstock ID 2105839085; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Humans

Why it is important to explore the outer limits of knowledge

Science and reason generate reliable knowledge about the world, but they have their limits. Exploring them can shed light on what knowledge really is, and should help us gain more of it

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Interior of a modern courtroom

Technology

AI legal assistant will help defendant fight a speeding case in court

In February, an AI from DoNotPay is set to tell a defendant exactly what to say and when during an entire court case. It is likely to be the first ever case defended by an artificial intelligence

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Space

Strangely strong interstellar meteorites may come from supernovae

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Technology

Hackers can trick Wi-Fi devices into draining their own batteries

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Technology

Quantum computers can break major encryption method, researchers claim

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Health

Synthetic tissue restores erections in pigs with penis injuries

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Life

Twisted shapes of ancient trees may explain their extreme longevity

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Life

Reef fish are more placid around islands infested with invasive rats

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Health

Pre-eclampsia and hypertension in pregnancy linked to 19 gene variants

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Health

We've just discovered a new part of the brain's waste disposal system

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Environment

Amazon deforestation may shrink Himalayan snow and Antarctic ice

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Health

We may now know how childhood adversity leaves its mark on the brain

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Technology

Supersized wind turbine could weather storms by bending like palm tree

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Technology

AI chatbots could hit a ceiling after 2026 as training data runs dry

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Environment

How California can capture stormwater to fight off the drought

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Health

Some regions of your brain can communicate faster as you age

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Life

Urban lizards have gene mutations that help them adapt to city life

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Health

Genetic map of cells linked to endometriosis could improve treatments

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Environment

Climate cooling effect of volcanoes is bigger than we thought

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Space

First satellite launch from the UK failed due to an ‘anomaly’

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Environment

Inside an insect farm: Are mealworms a sustainable meat alternative?

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Life

Sloths have double the grip strength of humans and other primates

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Society

Men predicted to outnumber women in physics until the year 2158

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Analysis

Why we shouldn't attribute human motivations to animals like bees

Life

Why we shouldn't attribute human motivations to animals like bees

Anthropomorphising animals such as chimps, dolphins and bees will stifle scientific enquiry instead of encouraging it, says evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk

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Environment

The worst-case climate scenarios are no longer plausible today

Comment

Aperture

Image taken from the Extinct & Endangerd exhibition by Levon Biss, in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History. The project shines a light upon insect decline and biodiversity, displaying insects that are either already extinct or under severe threat. The photographs by Levon Biss are created from up to 10,000 individual images using microscope lenses and contain microscopic levels of detail to provide the audience with a unique visual experience.

Life

Endangered insects captured in vivid photographs

Photographer Levon Biss's project Extinct and Endangered: Insects in peril combines thousands of shots of insect specimens to create these startlingly clear images

Regulars

Features

How can we understand quantum reality if it is impossible to measure?

Physics

How can we understand quantum reality if it is impossible to measure?

If we can’t measure something, we can’t know its true nature. This fundamental limitation hampers our understanding of the quantum world – but it doesn't preclude scientific thinking

Features

Physics

How AI is shifting the limits of knowledge imposed by complexity

Features

Mathematics

Why maths, our best tool to describe the universe, may be fallible

Features

Mind

Why some aspects of physical reality must be experienced to be known

Features

Mind

Logic underpins knowledge – but what if logic itself is flawed?

Features

Health

How to be happy, according to the longest-running study of happiness

Features

Culture

TitleUnder The Waves PlatformsNS, PC, PS4, PS5, XO, XSX FromQuantic Dream Release date2023 Under The Waves? will immerse players in gorgeous environments, where exploration of caves, wrecks and underwater wildlife will be key to guiding Stan through an unforeseen series of events, deeper and deeper into the abyss. Following mysterious manifestations of his memories, Stan will have the difficult choice to stay lost in the depths forever or break free to the surface.

Humans

The best video games out in 2023

From exploring the world of The Expanse to Starfield, a sci-fi role-playing game set in the 24th century, there is much to look forward to this year. Let's just hope there are no more delays, says Jacob Aron

Culture

Technology

Attention Span review: A welcome injection of evidence

Culture

Humans

Remnants of Ancient Life review: Explore the palaeobiology revolution

Culture

Humans

Don’t Miss: Reading up on Quantum Theory, As Simply As Possible

Culture

More

Crate of packed rhubarb stems ready for transport.

Humans

How to force your rhubarb for an earlier, sweeter crop

Depriving rhubarb plants of light for several weeks forces them to grow fast and gives an earlier harvest, says Clare Wilson

Regulars

Tom Gauld on following the science

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on a new fossil specimen

Regulars

Puzzle #204: Can you work out what number my son thought of?

Regulars

Regulars

Turtles nearly all the way down (and a few elephants too)

Turtles nearly all the way down (and a few elephants too)

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

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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