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This week's magazine

4 March 2023

Issue 3428

New Scientist issue 3428 cover
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Editor's picks

A protest outside the White House, Washington DC, in September 2022 urging government action for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, long covid and other infection-associated chronic conditions

Health

We’re starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Bryan Olin Dozier/NurPhoto/Shutterstock (13403526be) Demonstrators with the Millions Missing organization gather outside of the White House on September 19, 2022, laying down on the sidewalk in an act of civil disobedience to call for urgent governmental action for the millions of people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis, long-term COVID, and other infection-associated, complex- chronic diseases. Civil Disobedience Health Care Protest At White House, Washington, d.c., United States - 19 Sep 2022

Health

Long-neglected chronic conditions finally come into the spotlight

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Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood

Society

Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood

Features
This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original

Physics

This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original

Features
NAKURU, RIFT VALLEY, KENYA - 2021/10/17: A view of a submerged Roberts Camp after the unprecedented rise of water levels in Lake Baringo. The flooding situation in Rift Valley lakes exacerbated by climate change has led to displacement of thousands of people from their homes and work. There are growing calls for world leaders to put more effort in addressing the effects of climate change. Communities living near the catchment areas in the global south are the most affected. (Photo by James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Environment

Lake levels are rising across the world and climate change is to blame

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Bryan Olin Dozier/NurPhoto/Shutterstock (13403526be) Demonstrators with the Millions Missing organization gather outside of the White House on September 19, 2022, laying down on the sidewalk in an act of civil disobedience to call for urgent governmental action for the millions of people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis, long-term COVID, and other infection-associated, complex- chronic diseases. Civil Disobedience Health Care Protest At White House, Washington, d.c., United States - 19 Sep 2022

Health

Long-neglected chronic conditions finally come into the spotlight

Growing evidence that long-term conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia are caused, wholly or in part, by viral infections is good news for millions of people

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The fermented, probiotic tea kombucha

Technology

Kombucha cultures can be turned into flexible electric circuit boards

The congealed mat of yeast and bacteria cells that forms on top of the brewed drink kombucha could be used to make light, cheap and flexible circuit boards for wearable electronics or even partially living rudimentary computers

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Life

Bark beetles use the smell of fungus to pick the best trees to infest

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Environment

Artificial urban islands could supply homes in Maldives as waters rise

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Health

HIIT could be safe for people with heart problems

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Humans

Some of the earliest modern humans in Europe used bows and arrows

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Environment

Huge ecological disaster in river Oder last year could repeat in 2023

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Health

Endometriosis could be controlled with monthly antibody injections

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Space

Huge young galaxies seen by JWST may upend our models of the universe

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Health

Rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups linked to gum disease

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Technology

Video games have been getting perspective wrong, but now there's a fix

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Environment

US military to test destroying toxic PFAS with superheated water

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Health

Fasting for 24 hours could weaken the immune system

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Technology

Google says error correction will lead to useful quantum computers

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Life

Elephants may remember the smell of a relative's dung for 12 years

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Health

A single injection could protect babies against RSV over winter

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Health

Global cholera outbreak: More than 1 billion people are at risk

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Life

Stripy wind turbines could prevent fatal seabird collisions

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Space

Northern lights: The best pictures of the aurora taken across the UK

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Life

High-tech research ship ready to seek new life at hydrothermal vents

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Analysis

Mathematics equation on quantum mechanic book, selective focus; Shutterstock ID 2181615439; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Physics

Why uncertainty is part of science - especially quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics had a disordered beginning in the 1920s, and is still developing today. Science is rarely a done deal, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Comment

Health

We’re starting to understand how viruses trigger chronic conditions

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Environment

We can't engineer our way out of the water crisis in the Southwest US

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Aperture

RPS Woman Science Photographer of the Year a small group of atmospheric scientists move a fluxsled to the ice, this was the first instrument deployed on the new MOSAiC floe. ?Leap of Science? by Lianna Nixon (USA)

Humans

See the top shots in the Woman Science Photographer of the Year award

From bioluminescent marine algae to soap bubbles, these stunning images are some of the winners and finalists for the inaugural RPS Woman Science Photographer of the Year competition

Regulars

Features

Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood

Society

Should you have children? The true costs and benefits of parenthood

Whether or not you have children can have a big impact on your health and happiness, not to mention the planet – and some do regret their decisions. Here’s how the evidence can guide you

Features

Environment

Lake levels are rising across the world and climate change is to blame

Features

Physics

This new version of quantum theory is even stranger than the original

Features

Culture

Anti-evolution books for sale in Dayton, Tennessee, where Professor John T. Scopes is on trial for teaching the theory of evolution in public schools. (Photo by ?? Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Humans

Magisteria review: How science and religion have a tangled past

Some argue that science and religion have always been separate and at war, but an eye-opening new book from Nicholas Spencer reveals complex and intertwined histories

Culture

Humans

Frozen Head review: Why do some people want to be frozen after death?

Culture

Humans

Don't Miss: The Mandalorian's third season, streaming on Disney+

Culture

Environment

The Earth Transformed review: The untold history of humans and climate

Culture

More

Photo taken in London, United Kingdom

Space

A stargazer's guide to managing light pollution

Light pollution is an issue for astronomers, but you can limit your contribution – and find a dark spot near you, says Abigail Beall

Regulars

Puzzle #211: Can you work out what number Mary crosses out?

Regulars

Tom Gauld on bedtime fears

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on an unusual zombie infection

Regulars

Regulars

Did public demand to watch moss grow overwhelm the 'Mosscam'?

Did public demand to watch moss grow overwhelm the 'Mosscam'?

Feedback's repeated attempts to view a new webcam remotely monitoring the progress of Antarctic moss end in failure

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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