This week's magazine
14 September 2024
Issue 3508
On the cover
Editor's picks
Table of contents
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Life
Sharks leap out of the water more often than you might think
Breaching is a common behaviour in a wide range of sharks and rays, and it is thought to have functions related to courtship, birthing and hygiene
Technology
Smart speakers at crime scenes could provide valuable clues to police
Health
Sweat monitor could reveal when you are exercising too hard
Space
A small asteroid hit Earth and burned up over the Philippines
Environment
The jet stream may be starting to shift in response to climate change
Life
Even simple bacteria can anticipate the changing seasons
Technology
I took control of NASA’s Valkyrie robot and it blew my mind
Health
Does the structure of your brain affect your risk of depression?
Environment
Bat die-off led to more insecticide use and more infant deaths in US
Space
We finally know exactly how dark deep space is
Humans
Greenland voyage sheds light on little-known ancient Arctic culture
Space
Huge asteroid impact may have knocked over Jupiter’s largest moon
Health
Lab-grown stem cells could be a ‘breakthrough’ for cancer treatment
Technology
Google breakthrough paves way for large-scale quantum computers
Health
Most detailed map of uterine lining yields clues about endometriosis
Life
Wild bees have found a surprising place to nest in cities
Analysis
Environment
The Atlantic has been suspiciously quiet this hurricane season
The forecasts predicted an extreme storm season in the Atlantic, but so far there have only been three named hurricanes – so where are all the storms?
Health
Will an experimental mRNA vaccine help fight the mpox outbreak?
Features
Mind
A fresh understanding of OCD is opening routes to new treatments
We're finally pinning down the mechanisms that drive obsessive-compulsive disorder, revealing a complex combination of imbalanced brain networks, the immune system and even gut microbes
Physics
How the most precise clock ever could change our view of the cosmos
Life
How the hidden lives of dinosaurs are being revealed by new technology
Culture
Technology
A riveting exploration of how AI models like ChatGPT changed the world
Supremacy, a new book from tech journalist Parmy Olson, takes us inside the rise of machine learning and AI, and examines the people behind it
Society
¿ìè¶ÌÊÓÆµ recommends new superhero drama Supacell
Life
Is life better as a dog? A philosopher investigates
Technology
Documentary tells the fascinating story of a man wired to hear colour
More
Mind
Our fascination with monsters tells us a lot about ourselves
From serpents to zombie pathogens, there is science behind our love of monsters. It reveals a lot about who we are, says Natalie Lawrence
Technology
How Star Trek-style replicators could lead to a food revolution
Mathematics
The mathematics behind pouring a glass of wine
Tom Gauld on the forgotten elements
Twisteddoodles on the dangers of overcitation
Regulars
Good news for those whose lipstick isn’t as soft as they hoped
Feedback brings hope for anyone whose lipstick didn't live up to softness expectations, with news that researchers are finally investigating "deviations from expected lipstick texture"