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This week's magazine

4 January 2025

Issue 3524

New Scientist issue 3524 cover
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Editor's picks

2NR8F5N Two workers try to get boxes of vegetables over the barriers in the empty road outside the Union Hospital in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. The city badly-hit by the COVID-19 escalated its ban on vehicles in the outbreak. (FeatureChina via AP Images)

Health

We must revisit the covid-19 pandemic to prepare for future outbreaks

Leader

Subscriber-only
Why becoming the right kind of optimist can transform your health

Mind

Why becoming the right kind of optimist can transform your health

Features

Subscriber-only
Unearthing ancient human skull at archaeological site; Shutterstock ID 395215381; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Humans

How DNA in dirt is reshaping our understanding of Stone Age humans

Features

Subscriber-only
Can we use quantum computers to test a radical consciousness theory?

Can we use quantum computers to test a radical consciousness theory?

Features

Subscriber-only

Table of contents

Leaders

2NR8F5N Two workers try to get boxes of vegetables over the barriers in the empty road outside the Union Hospital in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. The city badly-hit by the COVID-19 escalated its ban on vehicles in the outbreak. (FeatureChina via AP Images)

Health

We must revisit the covid-19 pandemic to prepare for future outbreaks

It is tempting to lock memories of the height of covid-19 away but looking back is vital for preparing properly for the next pandemic

Leader

Subscriber-only

News

Will there be another pandemic after covid-19 and are we prepared?

Health

Will there be another pandemic after covid-19 and are we prepared?

Covid-19 is responsible for the deaths of millions of people around the world, but researchers fear the next global outbreak could be even worse, making it vital that we start preparing for that unknown pathogen now

News

Subscriber-only

Five years on, have we learned the lessons of covid-19?

Health

Five years on, have we learned the lessons of covid-19?

News

Subscriber-only

Health

The big unanswered questions about the covid-19 coronavirus

News

Subscriber-only

Someone with long covid having rehabilitation at the Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona, Spain, in June 2020

Health

Everything we know about long covid - including how to reduce the risk

News

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Covid-19 led to a new era of vaccines that could transform medicine

Health

Covid-19 led to a new era of vaccines that could transform medicine

News

Subscriber-only

A quarantine control notice at Narita airport in Japan in January 2020

Health

The key events during the covid-19 pandemic

News

Subscriber-only

Aperture

Visualising a virus: How our covers captured an unfolding crisis

Health

Visualising a virus: How our covers captured an unfolding crisis

In the first two years of the covid-19 pandemic, numerous New Scientist covers were dedicated to the global emergency caused by the virus. Together, they tell a story of resilience and scientific achievement

Regulars

Free

Features

Why becoming the right kind of optimist can transform your health

Mind

Why becoming the right kind of optimist can transform your health

Some kinds of optimism get us into trouble, but others help us prosper. Luckily, a few tricks can help you become the right kind of positive thinker and reap the rewards

Features

Subscriber-only

Unearthing ancient human skull at archaeological site; Shutterstock ID 395215381; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Humans

How DNA in dirt is reshaping our understanding of Stone Age humans

Features

Subscriber-only

Can we use quantum computers to test a radical consciousness theory?

Can we use quantum computers to test a radical consciousness theory?

Features

Subscriber-only

Culture

The best sci-fi TV shows of all time, according to New Scientist

Comment

The best sci-fi TV shows of all time, according to New Scientist

We asked our writers to pick their favourite science fiction television series. Here are the results, from Battlestar Galactica to Futurama

Culture

Free

Doctor Who S1,11-05-2024,Generics,The Doctor (NCUTI GATWA) ,BBC STUDIOS AND BAD WOLF,James Pardon

Comment

The best science fiction TV shows to look forward in 2025

Culture

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TRON: Ares. Photo by Leah Gallo. ?? 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Comment

The best science fiction movies to look forward to in 2025

Culture

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More

How the covid-19 pandemic distorted our experience of time

Health

How the covid-19 pandemic distorted our experience of time

Many of us experienced time differently in the pandemic. Learning why can help us, say Ruth Ogden and Patricia Kingori

Comment

Subscriber-only

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/09/20: Participant seen holding a sign at the protest. Youth climate activists and allies rallied and marched through New York City calling on world leaders to tear down the pillars of fossil fuels, shortly before the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly and the concurrent Climate Week NYC. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Environment

There's a new way to make everyday products without using fossil fuels

Comment

Subscriber-only

2M9CJ0J 1940s SCATTERED PAGES FROM A ONE DAY AT A TIME FLIP DESK CALENDAR NUMBERS DAYS OF WEEK PATTERN PAPER TEXTURE - s10448 HAR001 HARS REPRESENTATION

Mathematics

This mathematical trick lets you work out the weekday of any date

Regulars

Subscriber-only

BrainTwister #54: New year, new numbers

BrainTwister #54: New year, new numbers

Regulars

Subscriber-only

Tom Gauld on the best look for space

Tom Gauld on the best look for space

Regulars

Free

Twisteddoodles on unusual scientific acronyms

Twisteddoodles on unusual scientific acronyms

Regulars

Free

Regulars

A New Year’s resolution nightmare and strange lights in the night sky

A New Year’s resolution nightmare and strange lights in the night sky

The truth is out there – about all those broken promises to better yourself and the odd case of the US politician and the UFOs that never were

Regulars

Free

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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