Life
Synthetic biology may finally be ready to solve life’s biggest mystery
Comment
This week's magazine
11 July 2026
Issue 3603
On the cover
Editor's picks
Table of contents
News
Physics
Random wobbles in time could finally solve gravity’s greatest mystery
The question of how gravity interacts with the quantum world has long perplexed physicists, but a non-quantum theory of space-time could present an answer
News
Health
Ovary identity shift after menopause may contribute to inflammation
News
Humans
Human brains may have got bigger for no particular reason
News
Life
Childbirth for many primate species is even harder than for humans
News
Environment
June heatwave may have killed around 20,000 people in Europe
News
Life
What is ‘SpudCell’? Arguably the greatest bioengineering feat yet
News
Environment
Collapse of AMOC ocean current may already be locked in
News
Technology
Can the biggest problems in AI be solved by philosophy?
News
Space
Audacious mission to rescue NASA’s falling telescope has launched
News
Earth
A volcano has erupted remnants of Earth’s primordial magma ocean
News
Space
The most detailed survey of the universe ever conducted starts now
News
Environment
Geoengineering could expose plane passengers to sulphuric acid
News
Humans
‘Hobbit’ hominins scavenged meat left over by Komodo dragons
News
Life
Orangutan mothers seem to plan playdates for their offspring
News
Health
A type of fibre that stimulates GLP-1 release approved for use in food
News
Physics
The weirdness of neutrinos could completely rewrite particle physics
News
Mind
Babies are born with the neural foundations for maths
News
Technology
US government wants to have a useful quantum computer by 2028
News
Features
Mind
How healthy is your brain? We now know how to find out
In our efforts to keep our brains healthy, how do we know what is working? Helen Thomson explores a new generation of tests that can reveal whether our efforts are paying off
Features
Mind
Occam’s razor has lost its edge. Can we sharpen our search for truth?
Features
Physics
The strange metals forcing us to rethink how electricity really works
Features
Culture
Comment
The 4 best science-fiction shows of 2026 so far
The first six months of 2026 have seen bright threads in sci- fi series including Fallout and Paradise. But for pure gold, advises TV columnist Bethan Ackerley, try Star City
Culture
Comment
The 5 must-watch science shows of 2026 so far
Culture
Humans
This book is essential reading before watching the new Odyssey film
Culture
Comment
Â鶹´«Ã½ recommends a vital look at the science of fatherhood
Culture
More
Sponsored
How the science of healthspan helps keep pets thriving for longer
The longevity space isn’t just for humans. Science is uncovering new ways to keep our pets healthier for longer too.
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Sponsored
Inside the science of making medicines pure
Advertising
Life
Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an ‘extinction drive’
Comment
Technology
Can video games help us better understand quantum mechanics?
Comment
Tom Gauld: My confidence in my understanding of the scientific theory
Regulars
Twisteddoodles on mimicry in nature
Regulars
Regulars
Comment
A surprisingly detailed look at the physics of a lugworm’s poop
Feedback is delighted by a study of how many animals produce poop that echoes the look of the poop emoji – even the lugworm, which does it upside down
This Week’s Letters
Letters
What sized planet would make space travel impossible due to gravity?
Last Word
Why is ice cream so delicious?
Last Word
What would the horizon look like on a disc-shaped planet? Part 4
Last Word
This week’s new questions
Last Word
