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This week's magazine

4 February 2023

Issue 3424

New Scientist issue 3424 cover
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On the cover

Features
Inside the complex and extremely violent world of warring mongooses
How to tell if your immune system is weak or strong
What effect did lockdown have on your child鈥檚 immune system?
How genetically engineered immune cells are beating some cancers
The sex differences that impact the strength of your immune system
Why do some people appear to have a naturally strong immune system?
The food and drink that really can boost your immune system
The AI immune system that's changing our understanding of human health
How the immune system changes with age and why
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Metal robot can melt its way out of tight spaces to escape
鈥楩orbidden鈥 planet somehow escaped consumption by its dying host star
Reports of Bigfoot rise when at least 900 black bears are in the area
Dolphins that help humans catch fish are more likely to survive
Analysis
The covid-19 virus gets into the brain 鈥 what does it do there?
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Editor's picks

2CX23A8 Microscopic COVID-19 Coronavirus Molecules Close Up - nCOV Influenza Virus Pathogen Under Macro Medical Lab Microscope - Testing, Awareness Concept

Health

The covid-19 virus gets into the brain 鈥 what does it do there?

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COVID???19 virus destruction on a black background.

Health

We must not lose the interest in immune health that covid-19 spurred

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This image may not be used in educational posters ^BCell-mediated immune response,^b computer artwork. This type of immune response is most often used against intracellular pathogens, such as viruses. The viruses (gold) are phagocytosed (engulfed) by macrophage cells (green), a type of white blood cell. Fragments of viral protein (antigen) are displayed on the macrophage's surface. The antigen is recognised by a helper T lymphocyte (purple, centre and right), which secretes chemicals to activate other immune cells, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes (purple, left and bottom). The cytotoxic cells release chemicals that cause the macrophages to disintegrate and die, killing the viruses inside as well.

Health

How to tell if your immune system is weak or strong

Features
fresh artichokes at farmers market ; Shutterstock ID 1472137547; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Health

The food and drink that really can boost your immune system

Features
T-cells and brain cancer cell. Composite coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of T-cells and an apoptotic brain cancer cell. T-cells are a component of the body's immune system. CAR T-cell therapy takes T-cells from a cancer patient's blood and modifies them to recognize a specific protein found on patient's tumor cells. When reintroduced to the patient the T-cells find and destroy the tumour cells. The newest form of CAR T-cell therapy, now in clinical trials, uses 'memory' T-cells which remain in the body after attacking the cancer. The hope is that memory T-cells may provide an active reservoir of cancer-killing cells capable of stopping further tumours. Magnification: x6000 at 10cm wide.

Health

How genetically engineered immune cells are beating some cancers

Features
2E1DWA2 Heart love symbol, health, cyber tech romance, ai and cardio concept. Futuristic abstract 3d rendering illustration.

Health

The AI immune system that's changing our understanding of human health

Features
New York, New York - March 14, 2020: The movement and travel restrictions instituted in NYC are having significant economic impacts. A sign at a GNC reads

Health

Why do some people appear to have a naturally strong immune system?

Features
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - AUGUST 19: Commuters are seen wearing face masks and face shields inside a bus on August 19, 2020 in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte relaxed quarantine measures in the Philippine capital in a bid to boost the country's tanking economy despite having the most coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia. The Philippines' health ministry has so far confirmed 173,774 cases of the coronavirus, a third of which were recorded in the last two weeks. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Health

The sex differences that impact the strength of your immune system

Features
France. Normandy. Fecamp. Coronavirus. Marie and her son Gaston, totally confined to the house. Both are infected with the virus,??that day the symptoms were strong. Few days later Marie and Gaston will be recovered from the virus and fine again.

Health

What effect did lockdown have on your child鈥檚 immune system?

Features
Senior women exercising at home

Health

How the immune system changes with age and why

Features
Banded mongoose group approaching with curiosity (Mungos mungo). Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March 2018.

Life

Inside the complex and extremely violent world of warring mongooses

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

COVID???19 virus destruction on a black background.

Health

We must not lose the interest in immune health that covid-19 spurred

After several months of the covid-19 pandemic, interest in immunity was at an all-time high. Keeping that interest alive is in all our best interests

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Flickering flames

Physics

Flames that don't flicker could make engines more efficient

Producing flickerless flames usually requires artificially low pressure or gravity. Researchers have now come up with a method that works in standard conditions and could help make engines more efficient

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Technology

Metal robot can melt its way out of tight spaces to escape

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Technology

Artificial skin can detect nearby objects without even touching them

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Life

Dogs can tell when you want to give them a treat 鈥 even if you don鈥檛

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Technology

The outline of people鈥檚 bodies can be detected from Wi-Fi signals

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Space

Rare green comet C/2022 E3 is about to make its closest pass by Earth

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Health

Skin patch makes ultrasound images of your heart as you move

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Health

Why gene variant impairing alcohol breakdown raises heart disease risk

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Technology

ChatGPT can find and fix bugs in computer code

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Space

鈥楩orbidden鈥 planet somehow escaped consumption by its dying host star

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Life

Fruit bats get swabbed to look for diseases that could jump to humans

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Life

鈥楲ove hormone' may not be crucial for social bonding after all

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Space

Supernovae might be a good place to hunt for alien broadcasts

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Earth

Earth's 'geological thermostat' is too slow to prevent climate change

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Life

Multicellular life may have begun with brief alliances between cells

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Life

Reports of Bigfoot rise when at least 900 black bears are in the area

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Life

Animals that care for young may have more mutations and evolve faster

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Life

Dolphins that help humans catch fish are more likely to survive

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Technology

DeepMind AI is as fast as humans at solving previously unseen tasks

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Analysis

2CX23A8 Microscopic COVID-19 Coronavirus Molecules Close Up - nCOV Influenza Virus Pathogen Under Macro Medical Lab Microscope - Testing, Awareness Concept

Health

The covid-19 virus gets into the brain 鈥 what does it do there?

We now know that covid-19 can cause neurological symptoms, ranging from brain fog and headaches to strokes. Research is beginning to reveal how this happens and hint at better treatments

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Health

Taxing sugary drinks may not cut obesity as much as headlines claim

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Technology

We need to accept that deepfakes are here to stay in film and TV

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Physics

Why the most important topic in physics could be statistical mechanics

Comment

Aperture

Mongolia - Uvurkhangai province - Portrait of Ganbaatar Davaasuren (?Bukhuu? ) riding one of his horses.

Humans

Stunning photos show nomadic life of Mongolian goat herders

Mongolia produces 40 per cent of the world's cashmere supply from its goats, but climate change and overproduction are threatening this unique way of life

Regulars

Features

Banded mongoose group approaching with curiosity (Mungos mungo). Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March 2018.

Life

Inside the complex and extremely violent world of warring mongooses

Banded mongooses have long been used as a model of animal cooperation. Now, researchers in Uganda are starting to get to grips with the harsh realities of their long-running and bloody battles

Features

Health

How to tell if your immune system is weak or strong

Features

Health

What effect did lockdown have on your child鈥檚 immune system?

Features

Health

How genetically engineered immune cells are beating some cancers

Features

Health

The sex differences that impact the strength of your immune system

Features

Health

Why do some people appear to have a naturally strong immune system?

Features

Health

The food and drink that really can boost your immune system

Features

Health

The AI immune system that's changing our understanding of human health

Features

Health

How the immune system changes with age and why

Features

Culture

2A7XK59 Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Nov, 2019. Edward Snowden, former intelligence officer who served the CIA, NSA, and DIA for nearly a decade as a subject matter expert on technology and cyber security, speaks from Russia to the audience for an interview by James Ball, during the annual Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon. Credit: Henrique Casinhas/SOPA Images/ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News

Technology

Pegasus review: Terrifying expos茅 of the world's most powerful spyware

From French president Emmanuel Macron to ordinary whistle-blowers, the surveillance software Pegasus has been used to target thousands of people. Investigative journalists Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud tell its story and explain why no one is safe

Culture

Humans

Impulse review: An authoritative, if dry, sexual behaviours manual

Culture

Humans

Don鈥檛 Miss: Innervate, an EP reflecting on epilepsy by Liza Bec

Culture

Humans

Arch-Conspirator review: Ancient Greek tragedy spun into sci-fi gold

Culture

More

GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 20: A full moon rises behind Glastonbury Tor as people gather to celebrate the summer solstice on June 20, 2016 in Somerset, England. Tonight's strawberry moon, a name given to the full moon in June by Native Americans because it marks the beginning of strawberry picking season, last occurred on the solstice on June 22, 1967 and it will not happen again on the summer solstice for another 46 years until June 21, 2062. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Space

How to identify moon craters and mountains on the lunar surface

The moon鈥檚 brightness might frustrate some stargazers, but a closer look will reveal some amazing features, says Abigail Beall

Regulars

Puzzle #207: Can you work out the ages of the four aliens?

Regulars

Tom Gauld: Maths puzzles for conspiracy theorists

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on two distinct categories of video observations

Regulars

Regulars

Do you know where your carrots come from? Science can help if not

Do you know where your carrots come from? Science can help if not

Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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