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This week's magazine

4 July 2026

Issue 3602

New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ issue 3602 cover
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Editor's picks

A person shields their face from the heat of the sun with a fan, in central London on June 25, 2026, during a heatwave. The UK recorded its hottest ever June temperature on June 24 with the mercury rising to 36.1C in southern England, breaking the previous record of 35.6C set in 1976. (Photo by Brook Mitchell / AFP via Getty Images)

Environment

Can climate change stay in the news agenda after Europe's heatwave?

Comment
This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe

Space

This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe

Features
Humans sleep the least of all apes – is it the secret to our success?

Humans

Humans sleep the least of all apes – is it the secret to our success?

Features
October 16 2012 Photo by: James Yungel Public Domain Thwaites iceshelf: see source link for full caption info

Environment

The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

A person shields their face from the heat of the sun with a fan, in central London on June 25, 2026, during a heatwave. The UK recorded its hottest ever June temperature on June 24 with the mercury rising to 36.1C in southern England, breaking the previous record of 35.6C set in 1976. (Photo by Brook Mitchell / AFP via Getty Images)

Environment

Can climate change stay in the news agenda after Europe's heatwave?

Climate scientists constantly warn us about the need to prepare for extreme weather, but people rarely pay attention when the heat fades. That needs to change

Comment

News

Technology

Record-breaking IBM chip uses trick to cram in 100 billion transistors

IBM's latest chip packs in twice as many transistors as the current state-of-the-art chip by adding a second layer of silicon circuitry

News

Health

Unapproved gene therapy for boosting longevity is set to go on sale

News

Health

Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin

News

Space

Hidden black hole could explain mystery at the heart of our galaxy

News

Earth

Huge crater in Australia may be the oldest impact structure on Earth

News

Space

SpaceX's secretive plans to deliver cargo to Earth from space

News

Humans

Elite Maya people had teeth placed in a cave far from their tombs

News

Humans

All known Homo naledi skeletons seem to be female

News

Humans

Lost books by ancient philosophers recovered from 'unreadable' scrolls

News

Health

Phages could enable us to hijack vaccine immunity to kill cancer cells

News

Humans

Some of the last Neanderthals were surprisingly genetically diverse

News

Space

Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon

News

Life

Fossil fruits show flowering plants flourished in time of dinosaurs

News

Environment

Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?

News

Technology

Remote-controlled cockroach swarm can now breathe underwater

News

Health

We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development

News

Environment

Europe’s heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever

News

Life

The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second

News

Life

First new open-ocean subsea research habitat in 40 years launched

deep

Humans

Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time

News

Aperture

Page 48 and 49 - Cruentomycena viscidocruenta

Life

Stunning photos reveal the intricate beauty of fungi

The vibrant colours and delicate details of New Zealand's fungi and slime moulds are documented in these images, taken from Jay Lichter's new book The Secret Life of Fungi

Regulars

Features

October 16 2012 Photo by: James Yungel Public Domain Thwaites iceshelf: see source link for full caption info

Environment

The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse

The loss of Antarctica’s doomsday glacier would transform our planet. Now scientists are revealing the secrets of this remotest of places, and asking the question: is its demise inevitable?

Features

Space

This physicist is hunting for the biggest black hole in the universe

Features

Humans

Humans sleep the least of all apes – is it the secret to our success?

Features

Culture

This thoughtful book will make you look at the wonders of trees anew

Life

This thoughtful book will make you look at the wonders of trees anew

Aya Koda's Tree is an account of the late writer's visits to Japan's most famous, and ancient, trees. Featured in Wim Wenders's film Perfect Days, it is original and thought-provoking, says Rowan Hooper

Culture

Health

New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ recommends an unsettling deep dive into forensic science

Culture

Comment

The 4 must-watch science-fiction films of the year so far

Culture

More

Technology

Technology is changing our perspective on nature – at every scale

Inspired by Ariel Waldman’s docuseries Life Unearthed, columnist Annalee Newitz explores how microscopes, drones and specialised cameras are giving us an unprecedented view of nature from many different vantage points

Comment

Mind

‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?

Comment

Tom Gauld: The north wind and the sun quarrelled over who was stronger

Regulars

Twisteddoodles on how data tells a story

Regulars

Regulars

Do you want your underwear with added probiotics?

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

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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