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This week's magazine

6 June 2026

Issue 3598

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Editor's picks

A purple brain hovers at the center of the composition, encircled by glowing, branching neurons that suggest connectivity, synaptic activity, and cognitive networks. The defocused binary background evokes digital information, data flow, and the intersection of biological intelligence with computational systems. This conceptual imagery symbolizes the fusion of neuroscience and technology, highlighting themes of neural communication, artificial intelligence, and the complexity of thought processes. The vibrant purple tones and luminous neural structures convey energy, insight, and the intricate, dynamic nature of cognition in both natural and digital contexts.

Technology

Superintelligent machines may well need us after all

Comment
A portrait of Mark Thomson - a middle-aged man in glasses, smiling - with a background collage. The collage contains particle sprays, the LHC, and road signs from the CERN campus

Physics

CERN’s new chief on the gamble that could fix our picture of reality

Features
An employees poses next to an installation by US artist John Baldessari entitled 'Beethoven's Trumpet (With Ear)' at the Saatchi Gallery in central London on May 26, 2011. Forming part of 'The Shape of Things To Come: New Sculpture' exhibition, it is to be displayed from May 27-16 October 2011. AFP PHOTO/ CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP via Getty Images)

Health

Hearing loss is bad for the whole body – but new treatments are coming

Features
A golden age of maths is dawning and mathematicians are freaking out

Mathematics

A golden age of maths is dawning and mathematicians are freaking out

Features

Table of contents

Leaders

A purple brain hovers at the center of the composition, encircled by glowing, branching neurons that suggest connectivity, synaptic activity, and cognitive networks. The defocused binary background evokes digital information, data flow, and the intersection of biological intelligence with computational systems. This conceptual imagery symbolizes the fusion of neuroscience and technology, highlighting themes of neural communication, artificial intelligence, and the complexity of thought processes. The vibrant purple tones and luminous neural structures convey energy, insight, and the intricate, dynamic nature of cognition in both natural and digital contexts.

Technology

Superintelligent machines may well need us after all

Despite AI's dizzying improvements in mathematical ability, its successes show just how integral human mathematicians are to the scientific process

Comment

News

flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck in Iran

Environment

Attack on Iran’s oil released as much pollution as a volcano

Airstrikes on Tehran earlier this year emitted a plume containing almost 30,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide that reached Asian countries

News

Space

Space storms could switch train signals and cause serious accidents

News

Physics

We may finally know why gold stays so shiny

News

Environment

Wealthy people with environmental ideals are the biggest emitters

News

Physics

First quantum grandfather clock could probe where gravity comes from

News

Humans

Earliest use of anaesthetics uncovered in Chinese doctor’s tomb

News

Space

NASA plans a base on the moon spanning hundreds of square kilometres

News

Space

Millions of planets might form around supermassive black holes

News

Health

3D-printed lymph nodes could widen access to CAR T-cell therapy

News

Health

Pancreatic cancer halted by virus injection in three patients

News

Life

Mirror life: Scientists clash over threat of lab-engineered bacteria

News

Mathematics

Mathematical AI helps researchers crack 50-year-old problem

News

Environment

Glaciers in the 'roof of the world' have suddenly started melting

News

Mind

We're becoming more individualistic and it's affecting our love lives

News

Physics

Photons behave very strangely if you try to cut them

News

Environment

Geoengineering can thicken Arctic sea ice, but for how long?

News

Health

Huge study of Alzheimer’s genetics identifies new drug targets

News

Life

Biofluorescence seen in colourful fire salamanders for the first time

News

Aperture

Explore the mind-bending and paradoxical art of M C. Escher

Mathematics

Explore the mind-bending and paradoxical art of M C. Escher

A new retrospective of the artist beloved by mathematicians opens this week. Get up close to the art with our interactive story

Regulars

Features

A golden age of maths is dawning and mathematicians are freaking out

Mathematics

A golden age of maths is dawning and mathematicians are freaking out

Mathematicians are stunned at the progress AI is making in solving advanced problems, leaving some questioning whether there will still be room for humans

Features

Physics

CERN’s new chief on the gamble that could fix our picture of reality

Features

Health

Hearing loss is bad for the whole body – but new treatments are coming

Features

Culture

Everyone is Lying to You for Money is a must-watch exposé of crypto

Comment

Everyone is Lying to You for Money is a must-watch exposé of crypto

Actor Ben McKenzie explores the world of crypto in an entertaining documentary that doesn't shy away from calling out those who have promoted the currency

Culture

Health

91av recommends a deep dive into our organs by Giulia Enders

Culture

Humans

Alice Roberts: 'We are fundamentally, at the end of the day, animals'

Culture

More

Mind

Why your brain needs plenty of “Aha!” moments

In the age of AI, instant answers to our questions are readily available. But columnist Helen Thomson finds that continuing to encourage those delicious flashes of insight that come from your own thoughts may be beneficial both for your everyday life and your long-term brain health

Comment

Health

Will lab-grown sperm let infertile men have children of their own?

Comment

Technology

Q-Day could destroy bitcoin – and our retirement savings

Comment

Tom Gauld on the worst place to sit

Regulars

Twisteddoodles: 'We're the department of climate science...'

Regulars

Regulars

An encyclopedia formed from AI hallucinations – what could go wrong?

Comment

An encyclopedia formed from AI hallucinations – what could go wrong?

Feedback discovers Halupedia, an online encyclopedia that is 100 per cent generated by AI, offering such delights as the 19nd century and The Society for the Prevention of Unnecessary Tuesdays

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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