Environment
Can climate change stay in the news agenda after Europe’s heatwave?
Comment
This week's magazine
4 July 2026
Issue 3602
On the cover
Editor's picks
Table of contents
News
Humans
All known Homo naledi skeletons seem to be female
An analysis of tooth proteins suggests all 23 Homo naledi individuals found in the Rising Star cave in South Africa were female, which strengthens the case that they were placed there deliberately
News
Environment
Europe’s heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever
News
Space
Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon
News
Earth
Huge crater in Australia may be the oldest impact structure on Earth
News
Life
Fossil fruits show flowering plants flourished in time of dinosaurs
News
Humans
Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time
News
Health
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
News
Space
Hidden black hole could explain mystery at the heart of our galaxy
News
Technology
Remote-controlled cockroach swarm can now breathe underwater
News
Environment
Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?
News
Humans
Some of the last Neanderthals were surprisingly genetically diverse
News
Health
Phages could enable us to hijack vaccine immunity to kill cancer cells
News
Technology
Record-breaking IBM chip uses trick to cram in 100 billion transistors
News
Health
Woman with Alzheimer’s starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
News
Humans
Elite Maya people had teeth placed in a cave far from their tombs
News
Humans
Lost books by ancient philosophers recovered from ‘unreadable’ scrolls
News
Space
SpaceX’s secretive plans to deliver cargo to Earth from space
News
Life
The world’s fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second
News
Health
Unapproved gene therapy for boosting longevity is set to go on sale
News
Features
Humans
Humans sleep the least of all apes – is it the secret to our success?
Sleep is essential, yet humans have evolved to need so little of it. When evolutionary anthropologist David Samson delved into our ancient past to find the reasons why, he discovered surprising ways to get a better night’s rest
Features
Environment
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
Features
Space
This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe
Features
Culture
Health
Â鶹´«Ã½ recommends an unsettling deep dive into forensic science
Esteemed forensic anthropologist Sue Black gives a candid insight into the UK criminal justice system and how it really works in her book An Expert Witness, finds Linda Geddes
Culture
Life
This thoughtful book will make you look at the wonders of trees anew
Culture
Comment
The 4 must-watch science-fiction films of the year so far
Culture
More
Sponsored
First new open-ocean subsea research habitat in 40 years launched
The ocean floor is a vast source of potentially revolutionary scientific discovery – yet it remains largely inaccessible. For many marine scientists, they could only dream of living and working underwater. That changes now.
Advertising
Mind
‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?
Comment
Technology
Technology is changing our perspective on nature – at every scale
Comment
Tom Gauld: The north wind and the sun quarrelled over who was stronger
Regulars
Twisteddoodles on how data tells a story
Regulars
Regulars
Comment
Do you want your underwear with added probiotics?
Feedback is informed of an exciting new development in underwear design from a brand that says it infuses its products with beneficial bacteria to nourish the skin microbiome
This Week’s Letters
Letters
Are there plants that could survive as a food source on the moon?
Last Word
Are flies following a strategy when they keep hitting into a window?
Last Word
When the sun engulfs Earth, will the remnants form new planets? Part 2
Last Word
What’s the optimal ratio of frozen peas to cold tap water? Part 4
Last Word
This week’s new questions
Last Word
