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Table of contents

Leaders

Humans

Homo naledi's burial practices could change what it means to be human

If ancient humans with brains a third the size of our own buried their dead, as some archaeologists are claiming, then our species may be less special than we thought

Comment

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Mathematics

Complex knots can actually be easier to untie than simple ones

Mathematicians have solved a decades-old problem in knot theory, discovering that linking two knots together can actually produce a knot that is easier to untie – the opposite of what was expected

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Mind

Brain changes with eating disorders similar to those in OCD and autism

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Health

Why you shouldn't worry a nap will stop your child sleeping at night

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Earth

Ancient rocks show earliest evidence of tectonic activity on Earth

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Earth

Underwater volcanic brine pools could be home to extreme life forms

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Life

How human eggs stay fresh for decades

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Health

Genetically tailored microbes could tweak our microbiomes

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Life

Rare images capture snow leopard cubs in their dens

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Humans

Neanderthal groups had their own local food culture

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Environment

Is it time to aim for 1.7°C as the new limit for global warming?

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Physics

Laws of quantum physics may rule out a universe that came before ours

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Space

Little red dot galaxies have now been found in our local universe

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Health

Obesity may come in 11 different types, each with their own cause

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Space

Immortal stars could live forever by 'eating' dark matter

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Environment

Ranching and farming have eroded almost all the soil in the Alps

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Life

Exposure to microplastic makes animals want to eat it more

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Space

A stunning, star-studded view of Earth

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Analysis

Health

The world is losing major ground in the fight against measles

A wave of anti-vaccine sentiment has spurred measles outbreaks around the world, and could lead to outbreaks of other preventable illnesses

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Aperture

Humans

Triumphant images of women who climbed to new heights

Mountaineering Women: Climbing through history tells the stories of more than a dozen female climbers who have conquered the world's greatest peaks

Regulars

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Features

Health

How regrowing your own teeth could replace dentures and implants

Losing a tooth as an adult is par for the course for many of us. The only option to replace them? Artificial substitutes. But an era of regrowing living teeth may now be almost upon us

Features

Humans

What were ancient humans thinking when they began to bury their dead?

Features

Physics

We've discovered a door to a hidden part of reality – what's inside?

Features

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Culture

Comment

The 25 best fictional robots – according to ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ

From R2D2 to the Terminator via Bender and Johnny-5, we choose our favourite robots from books, films and television series

Culture

Comment

Fictional female robots have a long history, and it's often quite dark

Culture

Comment

The Prestige is just as clever and thrilling 30 years on

Culture

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More

Technology

Social media is dead – here’s what comes next

A new information ecosystem is on the rise, featuring closer connections, cosy media and worker-owned websites, writes Annalee Newitz

Comment

Space

How to spot the Delta Aquariids meteor shower this month

Comment

BrainTwister #83: Doubled squares

Regulars

Mind

Tapping into the full power of music could transform our lives

Comment

Tom Gauld on a classic thought experiment

Regulars

TwistedDoodles on scientific protocols

Regulars

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Regulars

Comment

Anthropic AI goes rogue when trying to run a vending machine

Feedback watches with raised eyebrows as Anthropic's AI Claude is given the job of running the company vending machine, and goes a little off the rails

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word