Issue 3562 | Magazine cover date: 27 September 2025

This week's magazine

27 September 2025

Issue 3562

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On the cover

Features

How faster-than-light explosions could reveal the universe’s secrets

A deeper understanding of endometriosis is suggesting new treatments

The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

News

Making atoms self-magnify reveals their quantum wave functions

Asteroid exploded 'similar to a bomb' over France in a rare event

Wild chimpanzees may get mildly intoxicated from alcoholic fruit

Where you store fat may influence the effect it has on your brain

One blood sample could reveal the age of 11 of your organs and systems

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Oral contraceptive pill on pharmacy counter with colorful pills strips background.; Shutterstock ID 660070831; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other:

Health

We can avoid the agonising wait for advances in women's healthcare

Comment

Mind

The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

Features

Health

A deeper understanding of endometriosis is suggesting new treatments

Features

A bright star emitting streaks of light that curve outwards as the star moves across the night sky

Space

How faster-than-light explosions could reveal the universe’s secrets

Features

Leaders

Health

We can avoid the agonising wait for advances in women's healthcare

Simply listening to the experiences of women with conditions such as endometriosis will help to end the long-standing inequalities they face when it comes to medical progress

Comment

News

Technology

Stealth radio hides signal in background noise to protect drone pilots

As drones have risen to prominence on the battlefield, so too has electronic warfare, in which adversaries attempt to mask, jam or trace radio signals. Now, a new stealthy radio device could help give people the edge, letting them fly drones without detection

News

Technology

Around one-third of AI search tool answers make unsupported claims

News

Physics

Making atoms self-magnify reveals their quantum wave functions

News

Humans

The oldest human mummies were slowly smoked 14,000 years ago

News

Space

Lunar missions may contaminate the moon with hardy Earth microbes

News

Space

Mars once had an atmosphere that was thicker than Earth's today

News

Health

Good immune health may come at the expense of chronic inflammation

News

Health

Long covid may be making your periods longer and heavier

News

Health

Starting HRT in early menopause may reduce women's risk of Alzheimer's

News

Space

Asteroid exploded 'similar to a bomb' over France in a rare event

News

Life

Dome-headed dinosaur from Mongolia is the oldest ever found

News

Health

Stretching the skin could enable vaccines to be given without a needle

News

Life

Wild chimpanzees may get mildly intoxicated from alcoholic fruit

News

Health

Vitamin D supplements may lower your level of one type of vitamin D

News

Technology

Quantum computers have finally achieved unconditional supremacy

News

Health

Where you store fat may influence the effect it has on your brain

News

Life

Stunning amber deposits hold insects from the time of the dinosaurs

News

Earth

Atmospheric hydrogen is rising, which may be a problem for the climate

News

Health

One blood sample could reveal the age of 11 of your organs and systems

News

Environment

Cutting down the Amazon will bring extreme rain, wind and heat

News

Life

See the alien-looking sea slug spotted in UK waters for the first time

News

Aperture

Life

Amazing images expose inner world of mind-blowing plants and fungi

Surreal images from a new book, Microcosms, show how confocal microscopy that uses laser scanning creates a super-sharp new journey around mind-altering plants and fungi

Regulars

Features

Space

How faster-than-light explosions could reveal the universe’s secrets

Some things we see in space appear to outpace light. Now we are learning to harness these bizarre optical illusions to understand the mysteries of neutron stars, gamma ray bursts and more

Features

Health

A deeper understanding of endometriosis is suggesting new treatments

Features

Mind

The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

Features

Culture

A man tends to vegetables growing in a field as emissions rise from cooling towers at a coal-fired power station in Tongling, Anhui province, China, on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. China's economy expanded at its weakest pace since 2009, according to figures Monday, with gross domestic product rising 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Environment

Two climate scientists on how to use emotion in the climate crisis

From anger to hope, Kate Marvel and Tim Lenton explain how to tackle the tricky feelings aroused by climate change and harness them to take action

Culture

Humans

A compelling book about the end of the Neanderthals is a rare treat

Culture

A group of university students are seen walking outside on campus as they make their way from residence to class. They are each dressed casually and have backpacks and book bags with them.

Mind

If you feel you don't really belong, here is some science-based advice

Thinking you don’t fit in is agonising, whether you are starting at university or changing jobs. Our advice columnist, David Robson, shares some tips to change how you feel

Regulars

Mind

Are you an introvert or extrovert? Surprisingly, the answer is neither

Comment

Environment

What made solar power the most desirable energy source on the planet?

Comment

Tom Gauld on paid app upgrades

Regulars

Twistedddoodles on proposals vs. proposals

Regulars

Comment

How Taylor Swift is helping botany gain celebrity status

Feedback is delighted to learn that researchers have discovered what Taylor Swift is accidentally doing to rescue the science of plants from mid-ness. Just take a look at her videos – sorry, botany teaching aids

Regulars

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This week's magazine

27 September 2025

On the cover

Health

We can avoid the agonising wait for advances in women's healthcare

Mind

The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

Health

A deeper understanding of endometriosis is suggesting new treatments

Space

How faster-than-light explosions could reveal the universe’s secrets

Table of contents

Leaders

Health

We can avoid the agonising wait for advances in women's healthcare

News

Technology

Stealth radio hides signal in background noise to protect drone pilots

Technology

Around one-third of AI search tool answers make unsupported claims

Physics

Making atoms self-magnify reveals their quantum wave functions

Humans

The oldest human mummies were slowly smoked 14,000 years ago

Space

Lunar missions may contaminate the moon with hardy Earth microbes

Space

Mars once had an atmosphere that was thicker than Earth's today

Health

Good immune health may come at the expense of chronic inflammation

Health

Long covid may be making your periods longer and heavier

Health

Starting HRT in early menopause may reduce women's risk of Alzheimer's

Space

Asteroid exploded 'similar to a bomb' over France in a rare event

Life

Dome-headed dinosaur from Mongolia is the oldest ever found

Health

Stretching the skin could enable vaccines to be given without a needle

Life

Wild chimpanzees may get mildly intoxicated from alcoholic fruit

Health

Vitamin D supplements may lower your level of one type of vitamin D

Technology

Quantum computers have finally achieved unconditional supremacy

Health

Where you store fat may influence the effect it has on your brain

Life

Stunning amber deposits hold insects from the time of the dinosaurs

Earth

Atmospheric hydrogen is rising, which may be a problem for the climate

Health

One blood sample could reveal the age of 11 of your organs and systems

Environment

Cutting down the Amazon will bring extreme rain, wind and heat

Life

See the alien-looking sea slug spotted in UK waters for the first time

Aperture

Life

Amazing images expose inner world of mind-blowing plants and fungi

Features

Space

How faster-than-light explosions could reveal the universe’s secrets

Health

A deeper understanding of endometriosis is suggesting new treatments

Mind

The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

Culture

Environment

Two climate scientists on how to use emotion in the climate crisis

Humans

A compelling book about the end of the Neanderthals is a rare treat

More

Mind

If you feel you don't really belong, here is some science-based advice

Mind

Are you an introvert or extrovert? Surprisingly, the answer is neither

Environment

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