51¶¯Âþ

This week's magazine

14 March 2015

Issue 3012

New Scientist issue 3012 cover
Previous issue Next issue
arrow
View in the app
Check out this magazine in our easy-to-navigate mobile app
arrow
Find a previous edition online
Search through our digital archive of over 30 years of magazines

Editor's picks

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

The furry dice of fate

Opinion
Chance: Is anything in the universe truly random?

Space

Chance: Is anything in the universe truly random?

Features
Chance: The importance of randomness in evolution

Life

Chance: The importance of randomness in evolution

Features
Chance: Think of a number – and make it random

Physics

Chance: Think of a number – and make it random

Features
Chance: Peace talks in the probability wars

Physics

Chance: Peace talks in the probability wars

Features
Risky business: When will the next avalanche come?

Earth

Risky business: When will the next avalanche come?

Features
Risky business: Why algorithms are the bookie's friend

Life

Risky business: Why algorithms are the bookie's friend

Features
Risky business: Why money markets ignore the rules

Physics

Risky business: Why money markets ignore the rules

Features
Risky business: Rare events happen surprisingly often

Physics

Risky business: Rare events happen surprisingly often

Features
Risky business: Coping with chaos in weather forecasts

Earth

Risky business: Coping with chaos in weather forecasts

Features
Risky business: Winning at poker is all about the odds

Physics

Risky business: Winning at poker is all about the odds

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

ISIS is waging war on history. It's time to intervene

Environment

ISIS is waging war on history. It's time to intervene

We have the tools to prevent further destruction of ancient Assyrian history and we need to use them now

Opinion

The furry dice of fate

Opinion

51¶¯Âþ

Oldest known member of human family found in Ethiopia

Life

Oldest known member of human family found in Ethiopia

Rewriting the human history book? It's not the most charismatic fossil ever found, but it may reveal secrets of our earliest evolution. Unearthed in Ethiopia, the broken jaw with greying teeth suggests that the Homo lineage – of which modern humans are the only surviving member – existed up to 400,000 years earlier than previously …

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Zoologger: Moustache helps hipster spider catch prey

51¶¯Âþ

Physics

Origami doughnut squashes up to protect what's inside

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Post-menopausal orcas' wisdom helps family survive

51¶¯Âþ

Space

Fast star first fled from a supernova, now the galaxy

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Moths remember their first time

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Confident? Your voice gives you away in milliseconds

51¶¯Âþ

Health

Too much praise may make kids narcissistic

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

MH370 beacon had expired battery, but plane had backup

51¶¯Âþ

Health

HIV's hiding places at last revealed by simple scan

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

Metamirrors twist reflections and turn into windows

51¶¯Âþ

Life

New memories implanted in mice while they sleep

51¶¯Âþ

Earth

Trade pact will cause environmental problems, warn MPs

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

Pre-crime software recruited to track gang of thieves

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

One per cent

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

Lawyers use online juries to test courtroom tactics

51¶¯Âþ

Earth

Obama asked to protect whales from sound blasting

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

Liquid metal brings shape-shifting robot a step closer

51¶¯Âþ

Space

Curiosity's arm short circuit leaves Mars rover stranded

51¶¯Âþ

Extent of ISIS Twitter base exposed

51¶¯Âþ

Apple ResearchKit and Watch will boost health research

51¶¯Âþ

60 Seconds

51¶¯Âþ

Life

Can we save history from ISIS vandals?

51¶¯Âþ

Space

Undersea jacuzzi could give life to Saturn's moon

51¶¯Âþ

Technology

Tag valuables with a plastic fingerprint

51¶¯Âþ

Health

Threatwatch: Bird flu's back and it's brought friends

51¶¯Âþ

Opinion

If tobacco gets plain packets will junk food be next?

Health

If tobacco gets plain packets will junk food be next?

The tobacco industry is fighting moves to sell cigarettes in plain packs by claiming food manufacturers will be hit next. Will they?

Opinion

Life

Virtual zombie apocalypse can prepare us for disaster

Opinion

Humans

How our wolf-dogs hounded out the Neanderthals

Opinion

Analysis

US rape test backlog down to mindset, not just money

Life

US rape test backlog down to mindset, not just money

Easier collected than analysed NO ONE knows the exact figures, but across the US, tens of thousands of rape test kits are thought to be lying around awaiting analysis. The country is finally starting to clear this backlog of DNA evidence from police investigations, some of which dates back decades. But simply spending more money …

51¶¯Âþ

Aperture

My little fetal pony wins top Wellcome photo prize

Life

My little fetal pony wins top Wellcome photo prize

(Image: Michael Frank/Wellcome Images, http://www.mickfrank.com) YOU won't have seen a New Forest pony quite like this before. The one shown here was never actually born. You can see its hairless, fetal legs kicking from the uterus of its mother. It is part of the collection at the Royal Veterinary College in London, photographed by Michael …

Regulars

Features

Chance: Is anything in the universe truly random?

Space

Chance: Is anything in the universe truly random?

After centuries pondering whether we are fortune's fools, we are still struggling to work out if the cosmos is predictable or ruled by chance

Features

Life

Chance: The importance of randomness in evolution

Features

Physics

Chance: Think of a number – and make it random

Features

Physics

Chance: Peace talks in the probability wars

Features

Earth

Risky business: When will the next avalanche come?

Features

Life

Risky business: Why algorithms are the bookie's friend

Features

Physics

Risky business: Why money markets ignore the rules

Features

Physics

Risky business: Rare events happen surprisingly often

Features

Earth

Risky business: Coping with chaos in weather forecasts

Features

Physics

Risky business: Winning at poker is all about the odds

Features

Culturelab

Putting animals online: Does it protect or destroy?

Life

Putting animals online: Does it protect or destroy?

Digital Animals Conference at New York University, 20 February 2015 A shark has been killed because tagging data revealed it was regularly near a popular swimming area (Image: Stuart Westmorland/Getty) Even in the digital realm, observation and conservation make uncomfortable bedfellows "We hear a lot of talk about the 'internet of things'," says Etienne Benson …

CultureLab

Humans

The Nether: Real morality for a virtual world

CultureLab

Earth

Age of Sustainable Development: Good lives for all?

CultureLab

More

Sussex's world-class quantum technology research

Sussex's world-class quantum technology research

The topics in this article were developed by the University of Sussex, which paid for it to be published

Careers

Regulars

Feedback: Do we need a fun spy tool?

Feedback: Do we need a fun spy tool?

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more Do we need a fun spy tool? A COMPANY in Hong Kong sends Feedback an invitation to buy "Spy DVR hidden watches". In case we weren't sure what we'd want one for, its website describes many of the watches as …

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

Browse past issues

View all
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop