Technology
AI can make life easier, but it could seriously distort democracies
News
This week's magazine
29 July 2023
Issue 3449
On the cover
Editor's picks
Technology
Can AI ever become conscious and how would we know if that happens?
Features
Health
The slippery quest to invent a safer, more effective sunscreen
Features
Technology
The biggest scientific challenges that AI is already helping to crack
Features
Technology
How to use AI to make your life simpler, cheaper and more productive
Features
Technology
Forget human extinction 鈥� these are the real risks posed by AI today
Features
Technology
What generative AI really means for the economy, jobs and education
Features
Technology
How does ChatGPT work and do AI-powered chatbots 鈥渢hink鈥� like us?
Features
Table of contents
快猫短视频
Environment
Fears of record-breaking El Ni帽o event this year raise climate alarms
We don't yet know how strong the developing El Ni帽o climate pattern will be, but even a weak one risks severe global disruption
News
Health
Psychedelics show promise for treating anorexia in early trials
News
Earth
Earth is coated in ancient space dust that could be from the moon
News
Health
Some people are aware during CPR and can remember the experience
News
Technology
Why is Twitter becoming X and should you move to Threads or Bluesky?
News
Health
Your genes may influence how much fruit, fish or salt you eat
News
Health
Most plant-based milks have less protein and calcium than cow’s milk
News
Space
NASA probably discovered quakes on Mars in the 1970s
News
Health
8 healthy habits linked to living decades longer
News
Life
Rare flower makes fake bee blood to lure pollinating insects
News
Environment
Much of Greenland’s ice could melt even if world doesn’t get warmer
News
Space
Two-faced star seems to have one hydrogen side and one helium side
News
Health
Deep-brain probe can read a rat’s brain without surgical implants
News
Life
Basking sharks are one of the few warm-blooded species of fish
News
Physics
Newton鈥檚 first law appears to break down in the quantum realm
News
Technology
Sheets of fungus could be used as eco-friendly fireproofing for homes
News
Life
Shortage of male turtles could be solved by splash of cold seawater
News
Space
Distant planet may be the first known to share its orbit with another
News
Earth
GPS could predict earthquakes two hours ahead, but there’s a catch
News
Life
Postmenopausal orcas seem to prevent sons from getting into fights
News
Technology
Lego robot used to make DNA structures for tiny machines more quickly
News
Humans
Ancient humans hunted animals by throwing a stick like a boomerang
News
Analysis
Environment
Reaching net zero will cost billions more due to interest rate rises
It is vital that we clean up our energy sources and shift away from fossil fuels, but rising interest rates mean green energy projects are becoming more expensive and risk being cancelled
News
Environment
We should all be curbing our water usage 鈥� before it’s too late
News
Technology
Could Elon Musk’s xAI be exactly what the world needs?
News
Features
Technology
How does ChatGPT work and do AI-powered chatbots 鈥渢hink鈥� like us?
The large language models behind the new chatbots are trained to predict which words are most likely to appear together 鈥� but 鈥渆mergent abilities鈥� suggest they might be doing more than that
Features
Technology
What generative AI really means for the economy, jobs and education
Features
Technology
Forget human extinction 鈥� these are the real risks posed by AI today
Features
Technology
Can AI ever become conscious and how would we know if that happens?
Features
Technology
The biggest scientific challenges that AI is already helping to crack
Features
Technology
How to use AI to make your life simpler, cheaper and more productive
Features
Health
The slippery quest to invent a safer, more effective sunscreen
Features
Culture
Comment
What an Owl Knows review: Inside the world of this mysterious bird
Owls are "in our DNA" says Jennifer Ackerman, the author of a new book that investigates the latest scientific and archaeological findings about the enigmatic birds
Culture
Comment
In Light-Years There’s No Hurry review: Embracing a cosmic perspective
Culture
Comment
快猫短视频 recommends: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Culture
Comment
Aliens: Dark Descent review: Great game finally joins the franchise
Culture
More
Regulars
Scaring up scary ways to scare birds
Feedback looks at a variety-show approach to let crops grow in noisy, blinding peace
This Week鈥檚 Letters
Letters
Why is the left hand used for intricate violin fingerwork? (Part 3)
Last Word
Is it more sustainable to flush a tissue or put it in the bin?
Last Word
Why is teething so painful for babies but not growth of second teeth?
Last Word
This week鈥檚 new questions
Last Word
