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Editor's picks

Humans

Our true dawn: Pinning down human origins

Earth

North Korea: What a terrible state to get into

Life

Hive minds: Honeybee intelligence creates a buzz

Technology

Omniphobia: the stuffs that stick at nothing

Table of contents

News

Earth

BP hit by largest criminal fine in US history

The company says it will "vigorously defend itself" against the civil claims, which could amount to $21 billion

Technology

Iron Dome rocket smasher set to change Gaza conflict

Health

Cut premature births, save $3 billion

Private moon shots on the horizon

60 Seconds

Earth

We are leaving emissions cuts too late

Health

Mars is safe from radiation – but the trip there isn’t

Health

Genes show how your lifestyle affects your health

Earth

Extreme recycling turns poo into food

Humans

White smell: the olfactory equivalent of white noise

Physics

Higgs boson is too saintly and supersymmetry too shy

Earth

Full steam ahead for California carbon trading

Humans

First stone-tipped spear thrown earlier than thought

Physics

Dark energy hints hidden in cosmic voids

Earth

Cave stalactites yield best clues to sea-level rise

Earth

Reckless forest plants living on the edge

Earth

Climate change may supersize sweet potatoes

Life

‘Ultrasonic’ insect evolved tiny mammal-like ears

Space

Pumpkin pie craters on Mercury are solar system first

Health

Ray of light in the right location boosts motivation

Humans

Papa pipefish’s pregnancy good for young’s immunity

Earth

Blood cell disguise halts multiple sclerosis

Space

Astrophile: Lonely planet roams with stellar outcasts

Technology

Brain-like chip outstrips normal computers

Technology

Virtual economy looms as digital cash grows up

Technology

How metadata brought down CIA boss David Petraeus

Opinion

How do you solve a problem like North Korea?

Forging scientific links may be one of the best ways to help bring rogue states back into the international fold

Let them eat maggots

What’s that in old money?

Environment

Methane leaks suggest fracking benefits exaggerated

Health

Fighting the flab means fighting makers of fatty foods

Health

Abortion providers are motivated by conscience, too

Physics

What truly exists? Structure as a route to the real

Aperture

See a gorilla in the midst

A wild gorilla capers through a cloud of butterflies. A week before she had given birth to a stillborn fetus - is she over the death now?

Features

Humans

Our true dawn: Pinning down human origins

The argument over when our lineage split from chimps is about to be settled, with colossal consequences for prehistory

Earth

North Korea: What a terrible state to get into

Life

Hive minds: Honeybee intelligence creates a buzz

Technology

Omniphobia: the stuffs that stick at nothing

Culture

Holiday gifts: What to give the scientifically curious

See more: An illustrated version of this article will be published within the next two weeks on our CultureLab books and arts blog

Holiday gifts: Books to give by

More

Earth

Adventurous nature required

For geoscience consultants, exciting travel opportunities and diverse work make up for months living out of a hotel and an unhealthy dependence on the weather

Enigma Number 1725

Regulars

Feedback: Commas in breach of copyright

Why these words break the law, impure apples, Google rewrites the history of everything, and more

This Week’s Letters

See the light

Mountain climbing

Browse past issues

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17 November 2012

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27 October 2012

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